Y'know, I've had stretches like that, too. Years where I chased and my cameras never cleared leather. Where those tornadoes on TV must be some Industrial Light and Magic CGI stuff, all designed to make a fool out of me
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After witnessing the continued decrease of involvement in the SpotterNetwork staff in serving SN members with troubleshooting issues recently, I have unilaterally decided to terminate the relationship between SpotterNetwork's support and Stormtrack. I have witnessed multiple users unable to receive support weeks after initiating help threads on the forum. I find this lack of response from SpotterNetwork officials disappointing and a failure to hold up their end of the agreement that was made years ago, before I took over management of this site. In my opinion, having Stormtrack users sit and wait for so long to receive help on SpotterNetwork issues on the Stormtrack forums reflects poorly not only on SpotterNetwork, but on Stormtrack and (by association) me as well. Since the issue has not been satisfactorily addressed, I no longer wish for the Stormtrack forum to be associated with SpotterNetwork.
I apologize to those who continue to have issues with the service and continue to see their issues left unaddressed. Please understand that the connection between ST and SN was put in place long before I had any say over it. But now that I am the "captain of this ship," it is within my right (nay, duty) to make adjustments as I see necessary. Ending this relationship is such an adjustment.
For those who continue to need help, I recommend navigating a web browswer to SpotterNetwork's About page, and seeking the individuals listed on that page for all further inquiries about SpotterNetwork.
From this moment forward, the SpotterNetwork sub-forum has been hidden/deleted and there will be no assurance that any SpotterNetwork issues brought up in any of Stormtrack's other sub-forums will be addressed. Do not rely on Stormtrack for help with SpotterNetwork issues.
Sincerely, Jeff D.
Y'know, I've had stretches like that, too. Years where I chased and my cameras never cleared leather. Where those tornadoes on TV must be some Industrial Light and Magic CGI stuff, all designed to make a fool out of me
Grady Joslin
EF0
Well, it looks as if I have a lot to learn as well. I've been chasing since pretty much since I graduated high school in 2001. Now being 26, I've only seen two tornadoes.
I did make a mistake this year which I feel stupid for doing. I was tracking a tornadic storm that produced an EF0/1 tornado in Borden, Indiana, I was 12 miles east in Sellersburg. I was actually on route 403, and saw what I thought was a rotating funnel cloud. I kept watching it but it was so erratic. I hesitated calling it in/radioing it in but managed to grab a few pictures of it. Later that night I send the photos to the local NWS trying to see if they could confirm it or not. I guess they thought I was jumping the gun or something. The response I got was more or less "Thanks for letting us know, nice pictures, now go play now." Eh not that exact way but its how I was reading it. Now I am just very hesitant to send them anything in fear my credibility pretty much shot with them. I try not to report every little thing I see unless I am sure but I guess where I am at, its not as easy as it is in the plains. I chase mainly in the Kentucky/Indiana area and I'll keep trying at it. I've been picking up any book I can find on forecasting and reading these forums and any thing I can pick up on.
I did make a mistake this year which I feel stupid for doing. I was tracking a tornadic storm that produced an EF0/1 tornado in Borden, Indiana, I was 12 miles east in Sellersburg. I was actually on route 403, and saw what I thought was a rotating funnel cloud. I kept watching it but it was so erratic. I hesitated calling it in/radioing it in but managed to grab a few pictures of it. Later that night I send the photos to the local NWS trying to see if they could confirm it or not. I guess they thought I was jumping the gun or something. The response I got was more or less "Thanks for letting us know, nice pictures, now go play now." Eh not that exact way but its how I was reading it. Now I am just very hesitant to send them anything in fear my credibility pretty much shot with them. I try not to report every little thing I see unless I am sure but I guess where I am at, its not as easy as it is in the plains. I chase mainly in the Kentucky/Indiana area and I'll keep trying at it. I've been picking up any book I can find on forecasting and reading these forums and any thing I can pick up on.
Jeff Hawkins
EF3
Haven't been on ST in a while, so I thought I'd see what the hot topic has been for the last while. Some things never change...
after 10 seasons on the Plains, the atmosphere still surprises me from time to time. That's one big reason why I'll chase as long as I can: no storm is ever exactly the same.
And I agree with Shane. I started out with very few gizmos and gadgets, and I missed tornadoes for about 3 years. It was incredibly frustrating; I began to wonder if tornadoes really existed.
As I've noted, my first real chase season was this past year. I started out, like others, with minimal gadgets. For me it was a scanner radio, and looking at SPC forecasts on my home computer before leaving. From reading this and other posts I will feel like I've done something wrong if I DO see a tornado in the first 3 years....like I've cheated!
