Serious Severe Storm Spotting....

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DoctorZ

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So we have a lot of topics related to SkyWarn spotting and Storm Chasing, but I haven't seen much about Hurricane Watch Net.

Check it out: The Hurricane Watch Net

To do this you must be a General Class or higher Ham Radio Operator, dedicate yourself to some serious time commitments with good Net Control and organizational skills, have a fairly good HF Ham Radio setup, and understand a lot about Hurricanes as well as Hurricane terminology. Even so, you still may not get accepted as a Hurricane Watch Net Controller.

Those of you with Shortwave Radios can tune in and listen on 14.325 MHz USB anytime there is a Hurricane heading for the US.

Sounds like fun!

So anyone out here Certified as a Hurricane Watch Net Member?
 
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burner50

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Not many hurricanes up here in Iowa.... Every once in awhile we get the remnants of a monster, but its faaaar from hurricane force by then.
 

DoctorZ

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Storm Spotting and Hurricanes

Okay, first off Burner50, it doesn't matter where you live to participate in Hurricane Watch Net. This is a direct quote taken from HWN's FAQS page:

"Q. Do you only accept stations in hurricane areas for membership?

A. No. We have an urgent need for stations in the Mid-West and West Coast that can control the net as propagation shifts west. We do have a need for bilingual net control operators who are fluent in Spanish, Creole, as well as English."

As for your comment rdale, another FAQS page quote:

"Q. What information does the net collect for the National Hurricane Center?

A. As a storm approaches land, and at landfall, the net collects observations of wind speed, direction, wind gusts, barometric pressure, flooding from storm surge and any other information that might assist the forecasters of the National Hurricane Center get a better picture of the storm."

http://www.hwn.org/home/faqs.html

Sounds like Storm Spotting to me!
 
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burner50

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As for your comment rdale, another FAQS page quote:

"Q. What information does the net collect for the National Hurricane Center?

A. As a storm approaches land, and at landfall, the net collects observations of wind speed, direction, wind gusts, barometric pressure, flooding from storm surge and any other information that might assist the forecasters of the National Hurricane Center get a better picture of the storm."

The Hurricane Watch Net (FAQ's)

Sounds like Storm Spotting to me!



No, Sounds like Cooperative Observers. My group goes to spotter training every year, and none of the classes have ever claimed that storm spotters track or report any of that stuff.... Dont get me wrong, they have a desire for that information, but they have a program for that.

NWS Cooperative Observer Program


They want reports of dangerous and life threatening conditions (large hail, tornado, straightline winds). If I contacted the NWS during a weather net to report the barometric pressure, they would probably log it, but probably wouldnt be real happy about it... Storm spotters keep an eye on the aspects of the sever storm that the radar may not be able to see, and give damage reports.


I'm in Iowa, and know nothing about hurricanes, thus I will not take part in a hurricane net. Ask me to work as net control taking reports on spotters keeping track of a tornado... Okay, I'm game.
 

DoctorZ

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Actually that response was because rdale, didn't think the Hurricane Net was like Storm Spotting. I originally posted this thread because after reading over the entire FAQS and history page I was quite impressed with what these people do.

The Net Control may not be in the path of the Hurricane, but those that are submitting the reports are. Not only that, but unlike Storm Spotters, they cannot flee when conditions become severe. They basically stay put and continue to report the conditions as the Hurricane rages on around them as long as they are able.

Not only that, but they also must know a lot about Hurricane structure and behavior as well as be able to plot it's path using Marine and Navigational techniques.

From what I gather, there are only about 40 people world-wide that are qualified to run one of these Nets. After reading over all the duties and qualifications as well as what some of them have to do, I was quite impressed.

It sounds like fun to me because since I was a kid, I have always wanted to experience a CAT 5 Hurricane (away from the storm surge, that is). There are Storm Chasers who have done this--I've read their accounts. They have said it is significantly more of an adrenaline rush than even the most severe thunderstorms.
 

rdale

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Actually that response was because rdale, didn't think the Hurricane Net was like Storm Spotting.

It's not. It's reporting your conditions in a hurricane landfall zone. "Storm spotting" involves looking for severe weather from thunderstorms.
 

DoctorZ

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I guess this is why I rarely post anything on message boards anymore. No matter what I say gets criticized by people who think they know everything. I'm sorry for this thread, and the board Moderator has my permission to delete it! I won't be posting again.
 

rdale

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Great info in your post. Sorry you messed up the subject line. Nothing to get all worked up about.

If using the correct terminology is enough to push you off this forum, I'm not sure how interested you were to begin with.
 

N0IU

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If using the correct terminology is enough to push you off this forum, I'm not sure how interested you were to begin with.
I fully expect to get an infraction for posting this, but I don't care!

Rob, if DoctorZ gets pushed off this forum, it is NOT because he used the incorrect terminology, it is because YOU made an issue out of it. You called him out in public and now you are questioning his level of interest based solely on his ability to write in a manner acceptable only to you.

This is not a forum of professional writers. This is not a forum of professional meteorologists. Some people have difficulty expressing their thoughts clearly. The only qualification for being here is an interest in radio communications. Maybe you can't see that from your high horse!
 
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