🚀 go-pugleaf

>Ah, yes, the famous get under the overpass video...well at least that one
>is better than the grainy 1970's film copied to video they used to use....
>
Stuff deleted...........
>
>Along these same lines, the biggest problem I have now is the apparent
>inability for reporting stations to be concise and accurate in their
>reports.  We received training which includes what information needs to
>passed along to the NWS, ie...describe WHAT you saw, WHERE you saw it,
>WHEN you saw it, and WHICH way was it moving.
>
>Therefore, the report I want to hear is...."This is KB4XYZ, Spotter #11,
>at Main Street and First Avenue.  I am receiving hail one inch in diamter
>with winds gusting to 40 miles per hour for the past five minutes."
>
>Stuff deleted..............

>I mention this on the sig in the hopes that some of you might have some
>additional suggestions.  I have a training session scheduled for April
>19, 1996 in the local area.  I hope to augment the training to include
>helpful hints on radio procedure....any ideas out there?
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Kevin Heyboer
>kheyboer@pinegov.co.pinellas.fl.us
>KD4UYR@W4DPH.#CLW.FL.US
>Skywarn Coordinator
>Pinellas County, Florida
>
>
Hello Kevin and to all on the list...
My name is Mark Shaffer,  N9GDR and I am the E.C. for Indiana Amateur Radio
SKYWARN Operations. I have watched with great interest  the past few days
all of the discussion concerning ARES, RACES, codes, and so on.
I am currently also on the staff of my local county EMA and am involved
with our Indiana State EMA RACES operation. So I have seen the "arguments"
from both sides of the fence. Here is my 2 cents worth.

1) . DO NOT pound your chest especially on the air. I conduct 90% of my personel
contacts via the telephone. 2 meters is the most public band in amateur radio.

2). I have found that gov't folks, no matter what level, WILL NOT support
any type
of operation that shows some type of favoritism or other personnel gain. However
if the operation stresses a TEAM approach, you are more likely to sell it to
those govt
people.

3). In our operation, approx. 55 counties, we utilize local county 2 meter
nets that then
relay reports via liason stations to our main Indiana State Severe Weather
Net. I also
usually assign 2 stations to our position at the National Weather Service. I
have seen
the same "brain fade" so to speak abt reporting as you have. In our
operation we try
to identify every 10 min. at least, and in that time very briefly describe
the latest
watch or warning information. We DO NOT use any types of codes or other
confusing setup. If anyone has taken any type of  Command and Control  Training
you will find that PLAIN ENGLISH commands are HEAVILY stressed during
emergency situations. Simply because in the public service section a 10-51
in one
township is not a 10-51 in another and vice versa. This information in many
cases
is time critical and should not be cluttered up with unnecessary traffic.
Let's face
it the news media, law enforcement and other public agencies monitor our
activities
and the more professional we are, the better image we create. Like it or not !

4). EVRYONE works together. Our net operation has tried to combine both ARES
and
RACES operations. This is the beauty of a local county net. Each local group
knows
best its political climate and resources. Therefore if a county operation is
a RACES one
or an ARES one it really isn't important at the NWS level.

5). Use EVERY communication resource at your disposal whether it is 2
meters, 75 meters, packet or the trusty telephone ! We NEVER take scanner
reports unless they are verified by either an amateur or
a second public service agency. Duplicate reporting just adds to the confusion.

6). Approx. 3 years ago we started a SKYWARN Spotter Registration Program.
The amateur
radio portion of the data base is handled by hams and the public sector is
handled by the NWS.
We STRONGLY encourage all amateurs to attend training but motivation to
learn comes
from within and its tough, especially if you have had a few years of minimal
severe weather activity,
to generate interest. I suppose nothing motivates people more than a diaster !!

Finally I believe that as volunteers we must NEVER loose sight of who our
customers
are. We are providing a SERVICE to the NWS, period. If we are not producing
a product
that is a benefit to our customer, why would they continue to use it ? For
many years hams
have murmured that "well without us, where else would the NWS get this type
of reporting."
Always remember that there is someone out there willing to go a little bit
further, or willing
to sacrifice just a little more to reach their goal. Listen to your customer
or go out of business !

73's
Mark Shaffer, N9GDR
E.C. for Indiana SKYWARN Amateur Radio Operations
Communications Officer for Hendricks County EMA
Technical Standards Committee Member, Indiana Digital Experimenters Assoc.