Poll: Ham / Amateur Radio in spotting and chasing

[Jason Foster]

I've seemed to have stirred many emotions about ham radio in the the world of spotting and chasing on another forum.....let's see what the overall membership here on Stormtrack has to say about it. Not so much about opinion, but more about the actual usage of that each person has. I'll do an opinion poll later!!!

BTW...the last answer is a fun way of saying OTHER.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

I have a tech license (carried over from a no-code tech) that I've had since 2000. I use it pretty much entirely for chasing, including for reporting and intra-vehicle discussion. There's a lot of very good info that comes across some spotter networks (I think NWSFO OUN's repeater presence is absolutely fantastic), so I think it's in many chasers' best interests to at least receive (if not participate in) these nets.

For other activities outside of chasing, I'd much rather just use my cell phone or IM client to communicate...

 

[Robert Dewey]

I don't have a license and don't have a desire for one.

 

[Jesse Risley]

My response didn't quite fit the options available. I'm a General Class operator, as I have a home station for playing ham radio on a more recreational basis.

For chasing purposes, my ham usage is limited mostly to communicating with other chasers on simplex. However, when I am chasing/spotting locally, I will sometimes use the local SKYWARN net as a means of relaying reports to our county EOC, though I sometimes use SN too.

 

[Mike Kovalchick]

My response didn't fit the poll either. I became licensed(and got a radio) but let it lapse(sold the radio) as I found it provided no value to me at all; in fact it was detrimental as it provided yet one more distraction on the chase that I didn't need. I also found it extremely boring to listen to one farmer talk to another about the price of corn etc..as that is about all you hear on the HAM frequencies out in the Plains when you aren't near a storm!

 

[Wes Carter]

Dittos on the not fitting me. In my home area I'll call the telephone number they give to spotters, but I listen to the nets. On the road chasing outside my home area I keep it on 146.550 to hear what is going on around me. I also program in a few local repeaters to listen in but do not participate in local spotter nets. Some appreciate reports, but many go off the deep end if an outsider tries to give a report. So I just use Spotter Net on the road, or if I have the local WFO telephone number I use that.

 

[Andrew Herron]

I've been a ham for 5 years and just got my Amateur Extra license just before Christmas this past year. I coordinate the SKYWARN activities for my county and when I'm chasing locally I make report through the net, which get relayed to the NWS very quickly.

When I'm out for a distance chase I rarely use my radio, except for one, very important feature: APRS. While I do have SpotterNetwork set up to report my my position, I use APRS as a sure fire backup to report my location. Windows is never as stable as we'd all like, nor is the cell network, so APRS provides a redundant backup if for nothing else than for my loved ones to know where I'm at.

 

[Skip Talbot]

I only use my ham radio for chasing, and its for intra-caravan communication usually. Since my external antenna died, I'm using the rubber duck now and it has terrible range. I'd like to replace it so I can at least hear most chasers on the same storm, but I have other things I'd like to spend money on first. I have made severe weather reports on the local Skywarn nets here, but I'm usually out chasing somewhere else when severe weather comes to town. I have a tech license with code. I learned the code just for fun. I have no intention on actually using it or any of the privileges that come with a general class license.

 

[Dean Baron]

I've been wanting to get licensed, but not for reporting. Instead to be able to easily communitcate with other chasers out in the field (most of the MN chasers I know are licensed so this would be a very easy/efficient way to communicate with them during a chase).

 

[Karen St John]

I'm kind of getting into QRP (low power, usually CW) just now, thanks to my dad encouraging me. Morse code and spotting probably wouldn't mix well together, however...

 

[Ric Burney]

I'm a tech and a member of the Dallas County RACES/ARES skywarn. I do enjoy having it on a chase for inter-car communication. I've lately been in contact via phone to NWS concerning severe weather events instead of radio.

 

[Jason Foster]

My response didn't fit the poll either. I became licensed(and got a radio) but let it lapse(sold the radio) as I found it provided no value to me at all; in fact it was detrimental as it provided yet one more distraction on the chase that I didn't need. I also found it extremely boring to listen to one farmer talk to another about the price of corn etc..as that is about all you hear on the HAM frequencies out in the Plains when you aren't near a storm!

I would say you fit the I'm not licensed and have no desire to. Yes, it's a little different...but like some tests....choose the best answer...LOL.

 

[Tim Shriver]

Hoping for better results in this forum Jason?

Tim

 

[Jason Foster]

Hoping for better results in this forum Jason?

Tim