[Skywarn] Rules-Regulations

[Lloyd Colston]

On Sun, Jun 30, 2013 at 11:11 AM, J Wozniak <j_g_wozniak at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Our St. Louis County SKYWARN program consists of all amateur radio
> volunteers like me. ARES, RACES, and SKYWARN have recently merged into one
> institution
>

Joe,

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pqEVj9-JIQ-OWBX8znhk_EHP9SFCC4nZzj9cjfXaOLA/edit?usp=sharingis
the link to the Altus Skywarn Association Standard Operating
Procedures.

Altus Skywarn operates under the oversight of the Altus Emergency
Management office.  Most of the members of Altus Skywarn are volunteers in
Altus EM ... and as a volunteer there, instantly a Radio Amateur Civil
Emergency Service operator.  Some, though not all, are members of the
Amateur Radio Emergency Service.

Skywarn is also a two-way communication tool, though not the only one, out
here in rural Oklahoma.  WX5OUN is regularly heard on repeaters in the
area.  With Echolink, IRLP, and two linked networks available in our
Emergency Operations Center, we have no shortage of ways to communicate
with WX5OUN and WX5NHC (http://www.voipwx.net).  In rural Oklahoma, the
weather service information is repeated for the benefit of the scanner
listeners, including those who listen over the stream, ex. broadcastify.com

Additionally, a number of our Skywarn folks have access to NWSchat.  This
gives us an additional avenue to NWS Norman and additional offices, as we
may have need.

This is an important arrangement since, with the rise of the use of Social
Media, the National Weather Service offices have Facebook and Twitter
accounts.  As a result, the Altus EM office also has volunteers who are
members of the Virtual Operations Support Team (http://www.vosg.us) that
monitor social media streams for information ... call it Skywarn reportable
criteria ... for the Norman office.  A similar process is in place with the
VOIPWX Net, mentioned above.

Because of this relationship, I see Skywarn as an opportunity to branch out
to non-hams with the expectation that these non-hams will come to the
annual spotter talks and support the local Skywarn program.  As a result of
involvement in the local Skywarn program, they often, but not always,
become amateur radio operators.

Hope that helps.

73


-- 
Lloyd Colston   director
Altus Emergency Management
Altus, OK      http://www.cityofaltus.org
Phone:  580.481.2260
Fax:  580.482.4738

It is better to be informed than it is to be afraid.

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http://altusem.blogspot.com
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