Clash between Chasers and Spotters

[J Holder]

Brian, If you're in N.C. or Central Kansas, we'll be glad to take your reports via K-Link when we have ICT NWS talking to us taking reports. I've never heard them turn anybody away.
I'd advise having a dual band (2m/70cm) in our area, as most of the repeaters are 70cm.

Justin N0UJQ
Minneapolis, KS

Same goes if you're in Shawnee or Wabaunsee counties. Give me a PM and I'll give our repeater, weekly net SKED and invitation to our quarterly meetings.

The way it's done here is folks are positioned where they can get the best vantage point of a storm rolling in, we don't have hard set zones one goes to, although some folks have picked out nice high spots where they normally go to. NCS is run from 911, with NWS Topeka operating a station to take reports, provide radar information and will take on alternate net control if needed.

We do run a directed net, once we're in position we stay in position until the storm's passed or need to reposition for safety or better vantage point as the storm moves. If getting a better vantage point, call NCS and request to move. If for safety call NCS in transit. All this is done for the safety of the spotter and so they know where to send LEO/Fire if you get in trouble or go no contact for awhile.

We've had guys in our group go "off the reservation" and start chasing a tornado on the ground, right out of range of our repeater. For 90 minutes we didn't know where they were or if they'd been killed.

 

[J Holder]

Justin,

You guys get echolink back online yet there in Concordia?

 

[Justin Reed]

Echolink is actually on our Minneapolis (hub) repeater, and yes it's back online. (It helps when people actually notify me that it's down!).

Sorry I didn't see your message until now.

 

[Dave Epps]

I am part of a local ARES group and we do the same spotting for NWS. Our group has a net control and script that is used. While the ARES group in fact does not send people out. We do have many that go out and "track , spot , Chase " what ever term you wish to use. Our net control checks all active spotters into the net and back out after the event is clear from our area. Mobile, or stationary makes no difference all are treated the same. Seems to me incomprehensible that any amateur net that is spotting for the NWS would take that kind of action. So I would find out whom ownes the repeater or responsible repeater holder is and have a discussion with them. If that does not resolve or give you answers then I would suggest to contact the area coordinator. Remember that amateur radio is meant to benefit the public and by spotting, chasing ultimately reporting information back to NWS on storm activity and locations is public benefit.

Or you can do like others suggested find another net to use. There are three nets in the area that go active and dependent on my location even though I am cked into my ARES net I still can reach the others and relay information if I am border line of connecting with my net control so that the information still gets back to NWS.. Hope that helps.

 

[Steve Polley]

I used to be an active member of the KC skywarn net. They DO welcome chasers to my knowledge as I am one of those. It just depends on the particular situation Brian that you are speaking of. It may have been as simple as a matter of timing. Like others have said, I use ham more for rag chewing on the way to and from the target more than I do for reporting. I rarely get on a local repeater while chasing unless its in my backyard. Continue to do what you do. There are MANY other ways to report to the NWS other than the skywarn net. But NEVER do away with ham radio entirely, it may be the only option in certain situations.

 

[TJ Whitt]

Add:
I personally avoid ham radio skywarn nets these days. Poor public image, growing nets with attitudes, slow reporting (depending on ham nets, and WFOs systems for accepting reports) it's quickly making ham obsolete. And before long...mobile internet will be more reliable than ham radio.

Ham radio will never be obsolete. What if severe weather took out cell towers and there wasn't any signal for cell phones nor mobile internet? Whats next in a spotter or chasers ammo to make reports? Ham radio is the tool to use. Even if ham radio repeater locations are taken out or power goes down, there is always simplex operations. It could be relayed from one operator to operator.

 

[TJ Whitt]

You know, if you hate ham radio so much, you don't have to wait for the ticket to expire. Feel free to turn it in at any time.

HAHAHAHAHA, so true and amen to that!

 

[Andrew Burnett]

Ham radio will never be obsolete. What if severe weather took out cell towers and there wasn't any signal for cell phones nor mobile internet? Whats next in a spotter or chasers ammo to make reports? Ham radio is the tool to use. Even if ham radio repeater locations are taken out or power goes down, there is always simplex operations. It could be relayed from one operator to operator.

And honestly what good does spotter info do at that point... it's too old to do any good.

 

[TJ Whitt]

And honestly what good does spotter info do at that point... it's too old to do any good.

Damage assesment, first aid/police, ultilties needed

 

[Jason Foster]

Ham radio will never be obsolete. What if severe weather took out cell towers and there wasn't any signal for cell phones nor mobile internet?

Repeaters can go down too. In fact, I'd trust companies like Verizon & Sprint to bring in more resources than ham radio at this point. They certainly have millions (or billions) more money to throw around than the cheapscape hams. Sprint has a sizable mobile fleet and already deployed down south. I'm sure Verizon and others are doing the same. Ham radio is obsolete, it's just where it's still valid currently in some situations. Certainly don't need to get rid of the hams if the cell folks haven upgraded the network yet. A good indication of the current situation is the recent severe weather in Alabama, Mississippi, etc. I haven't heard any major contributions by ham radio like in years (decades) past.

 

[TJ Whitt]

Repeaters can go down too. In fact, I'd trust companies like Verizon & Sprint to bring in more resources than ham radio at this point. Sprint has a sizable mobile fleet. I'm sure Verizon and others are doing the same. Ham radio is obsolete, it's just where it's valid currently in some situations. A good indication of the current situation is the recent severe weather in Alabama, Mississippi, etc. I haven't heard any major contributions by ham radio like in years (decades) past.

You failed to quote where I stated that repeaters can also go down and that simplex could be used for operations. There are also mobile command centers that can deploy portable repeater systems. I actually took part in a portable repeater setup for a disaster drill in a nearby city. Your outlook on the usage of ham radio during severe weather is skewed. Instead of trying to kill something, research more into it. ;-)

 

[Jason Foster]

You failed to quote where I stated that repeaters can also go down and that simplex could be used for operations. There are also mobile command centers that can deploy portable repeater systems. I actually took part in a portable repeater setup for a disaster drill in a nearby city. Your outlook on the usage of ham radio during severe weather is skewed. Instead of trying to kill something, research more into it. ;-)

Whoops...yeah, sorry, I missed that...I just saw the simplex bit and laughed (simplex by itself). Ham radio isn't a needed back up in that case because county, state and federal outlets already have their's in place. Even before my attendance at gathering in Rockville, MD (that had more mobile command units in one place than you'll see in a lifetime) they had everything from how to have intranets, remote deployable system to be able to connect to the internet, remote repeaters, etc. This was in 2006 no less!!! I can't imagine what they've done with the billions filter into homeland security by now.

I've been around it, talk to top people (I often get the chance to here the inside stuff simply thanks to the proximity to DC). Ham radio may have a valid role at times, but it's diminishing.

The bottomline is ham radio doesn't have the data capacity to meet the needs to communicate effectively in this day and age. Sure if the only roll you are try to justify is a few communications back and forth, fine. But the needs for EMs is way larger than the scope of ham radio was, is, or will be.

This could be to some degree the issues between spotters and chasers too. Perhaps those that are deeply envolved with the volunteer side of spotting, skywarn, races, etc. etc. feel the need to justify their position and value. Chasers generally don't care about all this EM stuff because...well, it's not related to chasing. This is why you see SN growing in popularity.

 

[Keith Hosman]

I thought this was the chasers vs. spotters fight thread not the pro vs. con amateur radio fight thread

 

[Jason Foster]

I thought this was the chasers vs. spotters fight thread not the pro vs. con amateur radio fight thread

It is part of the conversation IF you read all the posts.

 

[Keith Hosman]

It is part of the conversation IF you read all the posts.

hehe I know.. it was in jest.

Personally I have nothing against chasers or spotters, both groups are opposite sides of the same coin. Here locally from the EMA viewpoint we value both spotters and chasers, the more eyes on the sky the better as far as I am concerned.