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Author Topic: Did NWS discontinue Ham activity on Skywarn Recognition Day?  (Read 294 times)

N7WE

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Did NWS discontinue Ham activity on Skywarn Recognition Day?
« on: November 29, 2022, 12:56:51 PM »

Just got notice for Skywarn Recognition Day - Dec. 3, 2022.  No mention of Ham on-air activity!  References checking in by social media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.  It does say how important Ham Spotters are to NWS, but what happened to many NWS stations being on air - HF as well as VHF/UHF?    National Hurricane Center uses social media too.  Is social media the future of emcom?
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KE6SLS

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Re: Did NWS discontinue Ham activity on Skywarn Recognition Day?
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2022, 02:32:37 PM »

I just sent out our weekly bulletin yesterday:

"SkyWarn Recognition Day this Friday and Saturday 2nd and 3rd. Eureka NOAA HAM station to be operated. Contact Don if you wish to participate."

Perhaps our stations will make contact!

Have fun & 73
Jaye
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N8NK

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Re: Did NWS discontinue Ham activity on Skywarn Recognition Day?
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2022, 06:52:11 PM »

....  Is social media the future of emcom?

Is the Internet the future of amateur radio?

Sure feels like it lately.

See guys and gals-
Real receivers have knobs and buttons. Real transmitters have a mic or key attached. Neither has a mouse or touch pad attached.
Many must surely have a differing opinion. That's why they're called 'opinions'. Right?
;-]
Chuck, N8NK
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KA2ODP

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Re: Did NWS discontinue Ham activity on Skywarn Recognition Day?
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2022, 04:41:11 PM »

The National Weather Service office in Great Falls , Montana is still closed to the general public.  They shut down tight during COVID.  Then due to a renovation project, our radio equipment was dismantled and stacked in a storage room somewhere.  Recently they reported all NWS staff was back at work in the facility.  But they are still not allowing the general public to enter the building.  That means no Skywarn Recognition Day activities for the Great Falls, MT NWS office. 
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N8AUC

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Re: Did NWS discontinue Ham activity on Skywarn Recognition Day?
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2022, 06:18:20 PM »

NWS office in Cleveland, OH will be on the air, HF/VHF/UHF starting around 10AM Eastern Time on Dec 3.

During the COVID lockdowns they moved the office. It's not at the airport anymore, but the doppler radar is still there.
This year they're actually giving the Skywarn volunteers tours of the new office. Group size is limited, but they're doing it from what I've been told.

73 de N8AUC
Eric
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AI5BC

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Re: Did NWS discontinue Ham activity on Skywarn Recognition Day?
« Reply #5 on: December 02, 2022, 10:47:07 AM »

NWS does not have any use for ham radio period. You cannot send video, voice, text, and GPS simultaneously in real time. Cell phone run circles around antiquated grandpas play radio. 
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N8AUC

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Re: Did NWS discontinue Ham activity on Skywarn Recognition Day?
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2022, 08:31:15 PM »

NWS does not have any use for ham radio period. You cannot send video, voice, text, and GPS simultaneously in real time. Cell phone run circles around antiquated grandpas play radio.

I'm not sure where you got your information from. And it may not be the same in all geographic areas.

But on https://www.weather.gov/cle/SKYWARN_About you can read what they say for yourself where it says,
<quote>

    Skywarn™ and HAM radio operators?

    HAM radio operators have a special place in the Cleveland SkywarnTM system. Our Cleveland weather office has HAM radio equipment on site. A Skywarn Net run by the volunteer amateur radio net control operators allow for reports from the field to be directly heard at the Weather Service.

<end quote>

I've been a Skywarn volunteer for over 40 years. Served as a coordinator, a net control operator, and
been a field spotter many times. My experience is that what our local NWS Forecast Office says
on their web site is pretty spot on.

Cell phones are great when they, and the underlying infrastructure they rely on works.
And it does work just fine 99+% of the time. Problem is, when something really goes sideways,
they don't. Our local NWS people know that. Most other NWS offices do too. With that being said,
our local office takes reports via cell phone too. They also gladly accept video after the
severe weather event is over.

73 de N8AUC
Eric
« Last Edit: December 02, 2022, 08:43:32 PM by N8AUC »
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AI5BC

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Re: Did NWS discontinue Ham activity on Skywarn Recognition Day?
« Reply #7 on: December 03, 2022, 07:48:15 AM »

    HAM radio operators have a special place in the Cleveland SkywarnTM system. Our Cleveland weather office has HAM radio equipment on site. A Skywarn Net run by the volunteer amateur radio net control operators allow for reports from the field to be directly heard at the Weather Service.

Here in TX & OK, aka Tornado Alley, we have a special place for ham radio operators too. It is just like the Childrens table at a family reunion, away from the adults so the kids can play with their toys and pretend to be important. The real work is being done by adults, trained and paid professionals bringing live video to the public. The public does not want to hear grandpa playing on his radio.

How many tornados do you get in Cleveland each year? We get hundreds of them grandpa.  Now go play with your radio and let the pros do the real work.


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