SN report question

[J Tyler]

When I'm in the field, I use my ham radio to stay in contact with the Skywarn net, or if one is not available, I talk directly to the NWS office in the affected area.

This year, I've started using Spotter Network which has been a HUGE help for showing my position. A month ago, I was heading into Oklahoma going after a cell when the Ft Worth office called me and asked if I would go look at a storm for them right on the OK/TX border. They had seen me on SN, and I was close to the storm they were concerned about.

My question is.....if I am in direct radio contact with the NWS office, am I also supposed to enter a written report on SN? I was on the Wynnewood OK tornado last week before it dropped, and followed it all the way past Pontotoc County, giving multiple reports via ham radio to the Norman WO, but did not file any thru SN. The same happened last month in Arkansas during their big outbreak. Please advise.

 

[Skip Talbot]

I would say its one or the other. If you are in direct radio contact with the NWS office via radio, you might as well stick with that, especially since they can also track your position via SN. If you did both, you'd be sending your report to the office twice, as those SN reports are relayed to the appropriate office automatically.

 

[Tyler Allison]

It's a mater of how much time do you have?

If you have the time, fill out the SN report. The SN reports go to anyone and everyone. Your radio chatter to the NWS only goes to them.

 

[J Tyler]

Tyler and Skip, thanks for the guidance. I've been a county wide spotter for a long time, but only this year started being more mobile....Going into other states. I'm kind of a hybrid between an old school Skywarn spotter, and a chaser I suppose. I'm going TO where the storms are now instead of waiting for them to come to me. But, my primary interest is still in assisting the local EOCs and weather office.

I was worried about reporting via radio, then again by SN that maybe the Weather Office might not realise it was the same person and think multiple spotters were confirming, etc. However, I also did not want to look like I was not supporting SN. I see where the accounts are now "ranked" depending on number of and quality of reports given. I was wondering how I should approach earning a "trusted" ranking at SN without causing confusion. Just trying to do the right thing. Thanks again fellas.

 

[Tim Shriver]

I would check with your WFO, they may not want duplications of reports coming
in. I know the WFOs we deal with do not. One is good.

You would be surprised on who is listening in to that "radio chatter".

Tim

 

[J Tyler]

Cities like Dallas, OKC, Tulsa....They have more spotters than they need. But, once you get into rural areas, I'm noticing I usually am speaking directly to someone at the weather office as opposed to a Skywarn net control. For the 5/19 Wynnewood OK tornado, I was working with a net controller, but Normans weather office was on the channel WITH us. We would work out the details of the report with net control, who would then use the same frequency to give the final combined report to the Norman NWS office.

If I am working a net here in Dallas, I never hear the weather office. That is handled on a different frequency. However, I have been out in rural counties in Texas (even by Gainsville) where I am talking one on one with the Ft Worth weather office.

 

[Tim Balassie]

J Tyler,

I'm curious what feq you're using in those instances where you contact NWS directly- national simplex?

Tim B.

 

[J Tyler]

No....they will usually use linked repeaters. For example, the Ft Worth office will use a repeater in Gainsville that is on a 2,000 foot tower for work between Dallas and the Red River (Oklahoma border). I can roam for 90 miles in any direction of that tower. If I get on a fringe and am about to go out of its range, I just ask what frequency I should move to, and they help me figure out what linked repeater I am moving into range of.

The Norman OK office was coming to me on a repeater in the Arbuckle mountains, near Davis/Sulphur.

There is a placefile for GRLevel3 that shows all the Skywarn repeaters, and I also have a repeater directory in the truck. However, to be honest, they are out of date as soon as they are put up, so you usually have to ask a local person you find by scanning the band.

 

[Tim Balassie]

J

Thanks. As an FYI, Keith Brewster has a website listing all SKYWARN feqs with attendant information at the following website:

http://www.caps.ou.edu/~kbrews/spotfreq

I have downloaded his information for each state in which I chase into an EXCEL spreadsheet. I carry these with my Delormes when I'm out. When I enter a new county I can look-up the info for spotter links and NWS freqs. Each new year I peruse his website for changes, although he hasn't updated the files this year.

I can send you (or anyone) a sample file if interested.

Tim B.

 

[Greg Higgins]

For those chasing in the FW NWS CWA, we (the NWS radio operators) have posted a frequency list at : http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/?n=repeat

Please feel free to call the net control station or the NWS. IF there is severe weather warning in that county, we should be at least listening for reports. Sometimes we end up working 2-4 counties simultaneously! We also monitor the SN locations and have been known to call spotters / chasers on their published cell phones to obtain ground truth reports. We appreciate the help!

 

[J Tyler]

Greg, thank YOU so much for posting that repeater list! I'll be programming my radio tomorrow! Speaking for myself, I'm just really glad you guys use us. You are why my wife and I go out. So we can assist in the warning process, and that includes into the night time hours. My wife loves the Ft Worth office, because you guys keep her truck safe from the hail while we are out spotting! In fact, if you are the only Greg there, then it was YOU that was keeping her Xterra out of the hail about a month ago while we were up around Gainsville at night!

So, as you can see, the Ft Worth NWS office uses Spotter Network to see where the spotters are, and use it to get published phone numbers when needed. Greg, can you tell us your thoughts on whether I should ALSO type my report into SN in addition to giving it to the Ft Worth office by ham radio???

 

[Greg Higgins]

It is probably best to go ahead and post through SN to cover all bases. Any report that we (the radio operators) receive is logged immediatly and depending on the report, passed to a meterologists sitting across from us. Eventually, ALL reports get input to the database, but it may be a few days later, again depending on the severity.

 

[J Tyler]

You got it. You know what would be a big help? I would LOVE to get to watch a video of you radio operators at the weather office working with the staff at the weather office. To see how it all works on YOUR end. I have found that when people understand the complete process, they do a better job with THEIR part of it. Has anyone ever rolled a video during a weather event?

 

[rdale]

Pretty exciting Somebody sitting at the ham radio gets a report, he passes it on to the NWS met.

If the met wants an area of interest watched, he tells the operator and that is broadcast out to the nets.

 

[Billy Mason]

Have to admit, the post by Rob pretty much sums it up. Here in the FWD office, the radio operators are sitting face-to-face with the mets working the severe weather; makes it rather easy to interact with each other. I really don't think a video would do it any justice.

This photo, although not taken during a severe weather event affecting our CWA, shows one of our operators providing support for Hurricane Ike. Notice the radio operator is on one side of the desk, while the NWS personnel working the event is on the other side.

 

[Connor Keef]

Norman WFO also has a website with the link repeaters to their office. Here is the link: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/?n=amateurradio. The Tulsa office uses the W5IAS UHF Link System. Here is a link: http://www.w5ias.com

 

[Jason Young]

No....they will usually use linked repeaters. For example, the Ft Worth office will use a repeater in Gainsville that is on a 2,000 foot tower for work between Dallas and the Red River (Oklahoma border). I can roam for 90 miles in any direction of that tower. If I get on a fringe and am about to go out of its range, I just ask what frequency I should move to, and they help me figure out what linked repeater I am moving into range of.

The Norman OK office was coming to me on a repeater in the Arbuckle mountains, near Davis/Sulphur.

There is a placefile for GRLevel3 that shows all the Skywarn repeaters, and I also have a repeater directory in the truck. However, to be honest, they are out of date as soon as they are put up, so you usually have to ask a local person you find by scanning the band.

If you was using 147.150 , yes we was linked on the 19th to OUN via the Ceril Repeater . Are repeater is on the Arbuckle Mountain's and on a good day you can hit Purcell from Ardmore . Thank's for your help that night.

 

[J Tyler]

Well, Jason, you are very welcome. You guys run a VERY professional net up there, and everyone made my wife (also a lisenced ham & SKYWARN) and I feel very welcome. Great group of guys.

Connor, thank you for posting those links to the repeater lists. HUGE help. I really like the map the Norman office used, because it SHOWS me where all the repeaters are instead of me having to figure out from a list of city names which repeater I should use. When mobile, and in a new area, I don't know where these cities are located, etc.

 

[Steev Grayson]

Southwest Oklahoma Link System

If you was using 147.150 , yes we was linked on the 19th to OUN via the Ceril Repeater . Are repeater is on the Arbuckle Mountain's and on a good day you can hit Purcell from Ardmore . Thank's for your help that night.

The Southwest Independant Repeater Association provides a continuous linked repeater system across Southwest Oklahoma. One of those repeaters is on the Arbuckle Mtns near Davis (147.075 PL 123.0).

The SWIRALink system is a Liaison Net. Local nets are used by local spotters and groups, and the information is then relayed to Norman WFO by this SWIRALink Liaison Net. For repeater locations and frequencies of this linked system visit www.swiralink.com The Net Contol is usually KB5LLI Terry.

Steve Grayson
KE5BPL
Altus Skywarn/SWIRA Link

 

[J Tyler]

This thread has really turned into a great resource for anyone wishing to use amature radio for spotting in Oklahoma! I am sure others will value this information. Steve, thank you for bringing the info on swiralink. This is the repeater system the Norman office has on their web site. I have now programmed it into my radio.