What electronic gear is essential for chasing?

[Rockwell Schrock]

What electronic gear is essential (or optional) for chasing? (i.e. radioes, data access, GPS, etc.)

 

[John Diel]

Most of the "electronic gear" is going to be the computer you have at home prior to the 'chase'.

Getting the informatio to make a reasonable forecast and then planning to act on that forecast. Once you have an "action" plan getting to the point you believe tp be "the spot" is the other side.

Essentials? AM/FM Radio is a big one. NOAA weather radio is another. Once your in your "spot" you will most likely need to adjust it to the local weather conditions. Radio will help you do this.

GPS is a nice thing to have, but area maps will work as well. real low tech. I know.

A camera is almost essential. You can relive the whole episode and relate it in words to your friends and remember it to your grave. But it's alwasy been said "A picture is worth a thousand words". Expanding, a video camera will give you the motion that stills don't.

Cell phone. Though not absolutely essential, it is very handy.

The rest of the stuff? Eye candy or gadget mania. Take your pick.

 

[KMcCallister]

You need the electonic systems that make your vehicle function. That's it...everything else is optional.

 

[Mike Sharp]

Probably the alarm clock to get you up to go and check the pc before you leave. :lol:

 

[David Wolfson]

Some sort of audio playback device, such as an in-car AM/FM radio, and/or CD-player, and/or mpeg player to occupy the long hours on the road and drown out the snores of sleeping passengers.... :lol:

 

[Tim Vasquez]

I am a fairly minimalist chaser, and have found these items to be the only requisites for me:

- GPS. I'm a bit of a map freak,and I can't possibly leave my Garmin III at home. But get paper maps or StreetAtlas, as a GPS is useless for planning out routes and side excursions.

- Scanner. When curiosity or strategy dictates, you may want to tune in NOAA Weather Radio or spotter nets. You'll need a good exterior antenna to pick up anything out in the sticks though.

- The obligatory camera or videocamera. However I've found a bit of irony in that my least-photographed chases are the most enjoyable ones. That's why I've backed a little from all the photography/videography. While I'd regret not getting video of "the big one", sometimes it's just great to be out there and not worry so much about babysitting a camera.

Tim

 

[Tony Laubach]

Tim has a very good point with the video cameras, however, I enjoy waay too much watching some of the stuff that goes on, in not only the chase itself, but behind the scenes, so yes, although it does take away from distractions, its vital for me!

HAM radio has also been beyond valuable! That's tops on my list behind the film.. I haven't played with GPS yet.. but I think it'll be on the equip list this coming season. The laptop has also been an incredible asset.. albeit, expensive, it's worth the investment, not only for the WiFi (and general data), but for a bordom killer (The Sims, baby)!

 

[Rockwell Schrock]

What kind of information can you get from a HAM radio? And how do you know what frequencies to listen on?

 

[Tony Laubach]

Originally posted by Rockwell Schrock
What kind of information can you get from a HAM radio? And how do you know what frequencies to listen on?

KBrews has a large list of frequencies of Plain-area repeaters (including other states as well), mainly listing Skywarn Freqs and Weather nets.

As for info, communication, reporting, and scanning. I had a HAM before having my license, and even as I never talked, I could listen to conversations among chasers in the area and get a real-time idea of what was going on. After getting my license, it was nice to converse with other chasers during chasing. i.e. - on May 24, Amos Magliocco and I pulled out of a core punch because we were hearing talks over the HAM of a possible rain-wrapped tornado. Even as no tornado was confirmed at that time, we were able to know what was going on a couple miles down the road and make a decision based upon that (even as we shouldn't be punching cores in the first place).

The HAM really is hard to share its worth without actually using it in battle. After this season, I was amazed I ever chased without it. Many people don't have them, and it works just fine for them, but I've found it to be invaluable. It's also nice cause it gets better range than a CB, so you at least have the ability to have long conversations on the road!

 

[Chris Sokol]

However I've found a bit of irony in that my least-photographed chases are the most enjoyable ones. That's why I've backed a little from all the photography/videography. While I'd regret not getting video of \"the big one\", sometimes it's just great to be out there and not worry so much about babysitting a camera.

Very true, but lord knows I get tons of grief over doing that. Some chasers don't understand that videotaping or photographing the storm is not a priority for everybody.

As for what gear is essential...none, really. But man, do I love to carry gadgets out into the field.

 

[David Schuttler]

Originally posted by Chris Sokol

However I've found a bit of irony in that my least-photographed chases are the most enjoyable ones. That's why I've backed a little from all the photography/videography. While I'd regret not getting video of \"the big one\", sometimes it's just great to be out there and not worry so much about babysitting a camera.

Very true, but lord knows I get tons of grief over doing that. Some chasers don't understand that videotaping or photographing the storm is not a priority for everybody.

As for what gear is essential...none, really. But man, do I love to carry gadgets out into the field.

One reason I don't want more than my point and shoot camera. I don't want to worry about looking at the camera.

 

[B Ozanne]

I prefer to keep it real simple. I have a great computer road atlas (MS Streets & Trips), but I find paper maps much more useful during the real action. I have a nice collection of state road atlases.

Of course, AM/FM and weather radio too.

That's it, besides the essentials like a car, gasoline, partner, water, food....

 

[Tony Laubach]

MAPS!!! I forgot about those (thanks Bill) *LOL* Yes.. regular ol' maps! Two sets I use.. the Roads of (State) map books and the plastic covered Rand McNally (sp?) state maps... God don't forget the maps!!!!! *LOL*

Yeah.. good point.. I do a lot of map quest to find distances so I know approximate times it takes to get from one place to another.. this is especially useful on multi-day trips or marathon trips!

 

[David Schuttler]

When I decide what area I am going to , I hit Mapquest and/or yahoo maps and print off different ranges. Then take certain ones and mark criteria lines and other points to remeber on them

 

[Rockwell Schrock]

I was expecting for people to respond with comments relating to something like: a GPS receiver hooked up to a laptop that superimposes live dopplar radar images on road maps, or somesuch. I'd even begun to plan out programming such an application. That was the picture I'd gotten in my head of modern chasing, but I guess I was mistaken. I realize that regular road maps and common sense are vital, but I had expected techonolgy to have taken a larger role... After reading these responses, now my thoughts seem like overkill. Is this an accurate deduction?