🚀 go-pugleaf

I think it's interesting to see the similarities and differences between
various SKYWARN operation groups.  Discussion and information sharing are
the reasons I set up this newsgroup.  We currently have over 150 direct
subscribers and an unknown number of people reading this group via NetNews.

I'm interested in hearing from people involved in SKYWARN groups that
operate directly under emergency management, fire, or police agencies.
I'd like to hear how these various groups interface with the NWS and
ham radio and how they utilize their spotters.

[THIS IS NOT A FLAME, JUST MY OPINIONS BASED ON PERSONAL EXPERIENCE]
With respect to comments about nets being exclusive (like RACES), this can
be necessary in large meteo areas (like Dallas or Chicago) where there
already exists a large body of trained spotters.  Further, anyone who has
controlled a network before knows the frustration involved with talking
to bad spotters (or people who are not spotters but want to get on the
net and report what they are seeing because they think they're helping).
After dealing with a few of these folks it's no wonder many networks
only accept traffic from people previously-known to and directly participating
with that network.  On the other hand, some networks are just plain snooty.
You have the ego tripping morons who run their nets like a bureaucracy.
You also have nets run by people who don't have a clue and when you try
to give a valid report (like the anti-cyclonic rotating wall cloud I
was tracking last year east of Kansas City that went on to produce a tornado)
you get back some kind of confused reply like "OK, you some clouds rotating....
OK, uh, um, did you know that the whole area is under a tornado warning for
the next four hours?"    You get the point.

With respect to my previous comments about using codes, I was not trying
to say that all messages should be coded but rather, codes and/or tactical
communication can help out a lot  --especially in large nets.  Plain language
is best in most circumstances but plain language should utilize standardized
terminology.  Reports must be objective  --not subjective.  To say "it
really looks bad" or "I have high winds" or "I have severe lightning"
doesn't provide much useful information --beyond what can already be
inferred through radar
and an assumed understanding that severe storms almost always produce gusty
winds and a lot of lightning.

The most common problem with SKYWARN nets is not communications-related but
rather with poor training (which translates into poor reports).  I can't
tell you how many times I've heard poorly-trained spotters reporting all
kinds of erroneous things.  The most common problems are gross
over-estimation of wind speeds, under-estimation of distances, and
confusion/panic over ugly cloud
features.  Communication problems rate a close second, however.  If you ever
do a lot of traveling and listening to other people's nets it's not uncommon
to hear spotters (especially hams) making very long-winded, needlessly
over-detailed reports when just a few words would do.  Part of the problem
relates back to the training.  Unless spotters are told what to report and
what not to report they will tend to ramble.  The other part is just plain
communications training.  That someone has a ham radio license only means
they knew how to fill out an application form, sign their name, and memorize
some questions/answers.  This is not to say that most hams just memorize a
test pool and that's the extent of their knowledge, rather just because
someone is ham doesn't necessarily mean they know how to communicate properly.

As always, comments are welcome.  Part of my job as list owner is to
keep the conversations lively and this post is bound to do that.  ;-) ..Chris..
*====================================================================*
Chris Hayes Novy - WA9V   Internet: chris@siu.edu
Southern Illinois Univ.             chris@lib.siu.edu
Systems Administration       Phone: (618) 453-1683 (work)
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