🚀 go-pugleaf

On Wed, 9 Sep 1998, Michael Nie wrote:

> Greetings from a frequent lurker, seldom poster  :-)
>
> >Date:    Tue, 8 Sep 1998 08:47:13 -0400
> >From:    Kevin Heyboer <kd4uyr@GTE.NET>
> >Subject: Re: SKYWARN Digest - 6 Sep 1998 to 7 Sep 1998
>
> >Once again, the discussion on who is responsible for Skywarn rears its ugly
> >head.
>
> >Here in Florida, the NWS is the primary agency responsible for the Skywarn
> >program and the WCM at each NWSFO prepares the training and maintains the
> >program.  NOT ALL SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE HAM OPERATORS!  We have many trained
> >local government workers and utility company workers, just to name a few.
>
> <<<<BIG SNIP FOR BREVITY!>>>>
>
> It's not just in Florida.  Skywarn is a program of, by, and for the National
> Weather Service - everywhere.  Period!  Nothing more should be read into it.
> They call the shots.  Period!

  That sits well with me.  :)

> The fact that many of us happen to use amateur radio to relay reports
> doesn't in any way automatically make it a program of the ARRL, ARES, or
> RACES, EMA, etc.  (On the other hand, nothing says it can't be, but that is
> at the discretion of NWS.)  Yes, I'm aware of the MOU between the ARRL and
> NWS.

  The MoU between the ARRL and the NWS is an MoU between the ARRL and the
NWS.  I don't think many give thought to whether or not a ham is a member of
the ARRL or not.  <...holding up his finger with an intelligent grin>  But
they should.  And when they do, they'll have a better realization of what
an "MoU between the ARRL and the NWS" really means.  :)  It would probably
do better with a revision nowadays, anyway.  At the time, it was probably
written in an area where the local population of hams had ONLY an ARES, did
EVERYTHING in the ARES name, and didn't mind that, and who thought that the
whole of the continent operated in the same way as they.  (At the time,l
it probably WAS like that.)  But it didn't take into account the many
various alternative ways of handling things between the multi-
operationally-capable and multi-organizationally-structured hams around the
country, and the NWS.  Nor did it assume that that could ever be.
Therefore, the MoU is not the standalone Book of Laws between hams and the
NWS.  Works fine if your god is solely ARES, perhaps.  (Yes, pun intended.)

> I also think that well trained amateur radio operators in an efficient
> system are the most effective method of relaying weather info to NWS.  So
> what?  Just because some police officers call in reports doesn't make
> SKYWARN a program of the International Association of Police Chiefs or FOP.

  Oh shoot!  I better change that SOP Manual!  <wink>

> Our amateur radio operation supports the Wilmington, Ohio NWS office. We
> cover the 21 county area around Cincinnati, Ohio.  We have only the loosest
> affiliation with RACES or ARES, in that most of our members are also
> affiliated with those groups.  We like it that way.  It's very streamlined.
> No politics.  We answer to two people outside of our organization, the
> Warning Coordination Meteorologist, then the Meteorologist in Charge at ILN.

  That's exactly how we do it here in Alachua County, Fla., too.  Currently,
our membership is mostly amateur radio comprised.  But we intend in the
future to include sections in our SOP manual on CB, FRS, GMRS - if enough
interest for each rears itself.

  We notify our local OEM as a courtesy and, they courteously made the
SUGGESTION that they take on the responsibility of passing all of our
reports to the WCM at NWS-Jax.  This eliminates possible dupes being sent to
NWS-Jax, and saves us work and time.  But Our SKYWARN does not fill out
activity reports and hand them to the local amateur radio EC.  If, however,
the amateur radio EC wishes the info out of curiosity, we'll be glad to let
him know what happened during our net.  We are neither a physical part of
ARES, nor RACES.  We do not report to either.  We made sure that it is
understood that we shall not be "claimed" by either agency, either.  Nor
shall we be "claimed" by any local amateur radio club.  We report to the NWS
and to ourselves.  On the contrary.  If they would like to help and
PARTICIPATE, they may.  Our Organizational Chart's "ladders" go sideways
between the other agencies; not up and down.  And the arrows flow both ways;
not in one direction only.

  That is OUR (unofficial) "Memorandum of Understanding" here in Alachua
County.  We did this to make SURE there were no politics to adversely
curtail our ops now or in the future.  We are not RUN by any agency.  We do,
however, FULLY COOPERATE WITH other involved agencies.

  Now, I'll duck behind my chair and wait while it all pours back...

8-)

Todd

/--------------------------------------------------------------\
|    Alachua County SKYWARN  -//-  E-mail:  skywarn@afn.org    |
|          -//-  http://www.afn.org/~skywarn/  -\\-            |
|            Gainesville, Alachua County, Florida              |
\--------------------------------------------------------------/

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