I think the guy was maybe just not wanting to be bothered or maybe he WAS rude. You unfortunately will find people like that everywhere, just not nice folks. Oh and by the way, he was no more "important" than you or I. I can buy those Skywarn magnets from an online store and all the stickers and t-shirts and crap I want. Some of those guys choose to put all the fancy gizmos like computers and radar(probably the NWS ) and lights and sirens to look important. Really all one needs to spot is a radio(ham if you have the license) and /or a cell phone to call in reports to the NWS. All the other stuff is just window dressing....
Very rude skywarn guy
- Thread starter blueangel-eric
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No i didn't get a chance to. i was excited to ask him about the storms so he knew i was chaser but i guess it backfired. i thought he would be happy to meet someone else that was interested in storms. i didn't think he would care about my ham radio such and such as he didn't appear to be a ham. no call plate or antennas.
C138NC
Tactical Taco Consumer
You dont really meet many nice people out there
shaft
Member
You need to get out more. There's a whole world outside of Burlington, NC
T
Tiggerpaws
Guest
I was brought up not to talk to strangers.
redhelmet13
Member
Another reason some spotters/chasers tend to standoffish is they dont want a "tag a long". I gets annoying to have an unwanted shadow.
I spot alot for Barry/Lawrence Counties in MO , I have several people stop and ask me questions . I enjoy it , however if i have to communicate to either our net control or NWS , I don't hesitate to do so . I do try to be informative but not over doing it . I get several questions about my GrLevel3 radar on my laptop or my 2 meter moblie , or 2 meter ht and scanners lol , I have even had police and firefighters ask questions aswell . We are your everyday normal people , good days and bad days
blinddog50
Member
Went to an advanced refresher course last night.
Amazingly enough, hams were in the minority, only about eight hams in a class of forty.
Most people were there because they had heard about it on their wx radios and were curious about what it was.
Naturally these people had not taken the basic class so time was spent on trying to bring them up to speed.
Had a few VFD guys there that acted like they could care less that they were there, must be a certification thing.
And yes we had the obligatory whackers.
One was with REACT(they're still around?) that had a 80's model Toyota that he had hand-painted tornadoes on his hood and on the sides(a da Vinci,he was not) with an amber lightbar on the roof.
One interesting side note was that as the class was in progress we were under a severe weather warning.
If you're going to be a storm chaser just remember, the most dangerous thing you'll probably face are other storm chasers.
Amazingly enough, hams were in the minority, only about eight hams in a class of forty.
Most people were there because they had heard about it on their wx radios and were curious about what it was.
Naturally these people had not taken the basic class so time was spent on trying to bring them up to speed.
Had a few VFD guys there that acted like they could care less that they were there, must be a certification thing.
And yes we had the obligatory whackers.
One was with REACT(they're still around?) that had a 80's model Toyota that he had hand-painted tornadoes on his hood and on the sides(a da Vinci,he was not) with an amber lightbar on the roof.
One interesting side note was that as the class was in progress we were under a severe weather warning.
If you're going to be a storm chaser just remember, the most dangerous thing you'll probably face are other storm chasers.
texasemt13
CenTex DBA
How did you ever meet anyone then?
This.
I'm in Skywarn and I have a number that the local NWS office can look up in a database for my contact information. I also know a bit about storms and what to look for (more than the average person, but nothing compared to what a forecaster knows), and I even have a work polo with the Skywarn logo on it. But that's really about it. It's not some elite organization of super-smart weather people or anything. Just a bunch of us Joe Public types that have a passing interest in weather, and generally want to help the local NWS office out by reporting severe events (everything from funnel clouds to a tree that fell down due to high winds or too much ice, etc..).
Heck, I still need to go to a rehash of Basics II because the power point presentation that I got was kinda "eh", plus the NWS guy's laptop was acting wonky that night. I even tried to fix it so he could play a video for everyone, but the NWS IT people had that thing locked down pretty good.
Anyone can find software to do this. The radar data is collected by radar towers funded by taxpayer dollars, so it is by default, the property of US taxpayers. This means that the processed data packets are actually disseminated on public servers for consumption by various kinds of radar software products.
The one that I use is called Stormlab, and you can take a look at it over at http://www.interwarn.com/. It's software that is pretty easy to install on any old Windows system, and all it needs is an active internet connection, which in a car, can be had with mobile broadband from any cellular carrier (but be prepared for the happy wireless bill that you'll get). This is probably something very close to what this guy had. But you can also get it too, and toy with it on your home computer. I do, with both Stornlab and the other product by that company, Interwarn. Both are very good, and will keep you very informed on what's going on with weather in your area. Definitely add in a device that can pick up the NOAA All-Hazards radio bands as well, and you'll have a full toolset.
You can also learn more about radar here at the NWS's "Doppler University":
NWS JetStream - Introduction to Doppler Radar
Also do Google searches for "Skywarn Basics I" and "Skywarn Basics II", and you'll probably find the powerpoint presentations from their classes for download.
And definitely, definitely consider attending one or more of the Skywarn classes local to your NWS office. You'll find that the impression given off by one guy does not rubber stamp the face of an entire national, albeit loosely-knitted, organization.
Hope that helps!
I tried the Stormlab demo and it wouldn't work and through up a error message. don't have that kind of money to shell out for software. $80 is steep.
I looked at The wichita ks skywarn but saw no mention of training classes. not sure which website to go to. i only found the online skywarn classes but someone online said those are official you would have to be certified in person.
Eric Burris
I looked at The wichita ks skywarn but saw no mention of training classes. not sure which website to go to. i only found the online skywarn classes but someone online said those are official you would have to be certified in person.
Eric Burris
What error did it toss up? It can sometimes be a little wonky, especially the installer.
As far as Radar software goes, at least stand-alone, quality stuff, items like Stormlab and even GRLevel3 are priced pretty well. You're going to be hard pressed to find something cheaper that is still effective (some software out there is cheap, but it just downloads graphics from the NWS and overlays then, which is cheating, in a way).
I did some digging, and it looks like the official Wichita, KS NWS site actually runs their own Skywarn page someplace other than the government servers (probably not a bad idea, to be honest). It is here:
SKYWARN - Serving the ICT-Wichita NWS Field Office
They supposedly post classes somewhere on there on their Spotter Talks page, but it's not exactly a stand-out link. You'll have to dig probably. But if all else fails, call the Wichita office, ask to speak to the Warning Coordination Meteorologist, and ask them where you can find information about local classes. At least, for my office, the WCM is the lead person for interacting with everyone outside of the NWS, and they should be able to help you.
As far as "certified" goes, it's kind of a loose term. Skywarn is loosely-knit as an organization, because each NWS office basically runs its own local Skywarn stuff the way it sees fit. Florida NWS offices, for example, probably put a lot of emphasis on thunderstorms and hurricane classes. NWS Offices up north in say, NY, Michigan, etc.., probably put more emphasis on the Winter classes. My local office, LWX in Sterling, VA, tends to just do Basics I and II, and randomly does the others when it has the time. Not to mention, the other component is locations to host the classes, usually provided by county governments and such. Last year, I was able to attend the classes on flash flooding, hurricanes, and winter weather because Loudon County government in VA ran two of the classes, and the University of Maryland's meteorology grad class hosted the third.
So yeah, certified could mean to one office nothing more than a few lines on a piece of paper filled in (like my local office), or maybe another office likes to be more organized. But the best information is either on that website above, or you can call your WCM and ask them, and that'll be straight from the horse's mouth.
wylie_k
Member
He was probably afraid you would see the porn websites on the history bar of his laptop!!
WX9RLT
Top Dawg
When i am in the field chasing storms, i enjoy when people come up and start talking to me. It kinda passes the time as well and i get to meet new people.
I admit i don't know everything about storms, who does? But i know more than the average joe. I always try sharing information about the weather to the public.
Heck there are a few times i think i was to friendly and scared a few off, lol.
I admit i don't know everything about storms, who does? But i know more than the average joe. I always try sharing information about the weather to the public.
Heck there are a few times i think i was to friendly and scared a few off, lol.
Hooligan
Member
My friend and I met my first Skywarn person for the first time. he was in Coffey county in KS with Shawnee Co plate. i came up to his window and asked him about the storms and he said they're all to the south and I asked if i can see the radar and he said I'm busy and rolled the window up before i could say anything else.no hi how ya doing? no introductions or anything. He had a Skywarn logo on his SUV and so i guess hes some official for skywarn. must be a snobby organization if that's how they treat newcomers to the field.
I don't have radar in my vehicle so it would have been nice if he would have let me see his. He couldn't have been too busy has he wasn't even chasing any storms. the area was clearing off. It's too bad as i've never got to me a skywarn person in person before.
Waaah!
I have no idea what you look like or what your personal hygiene habits are, however, I've been to enough ham swaps over the past 25 years to where I sure wouldn't want to deal with the average ham dude walking up to me in my car, regardless if I was busy or not.
T
Tiggerpaws
Guest
bluefox2163
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skywarn guy
sounds like the guy is a real no good you should have put him in a vat of acid and dissolved him,his computer,and his cell phone immediately
sounds like the guy is a real no good you should have put him in a vat of acid and dissolved him,his computer,and his cell phone immediately
bluefox2163
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skywarn guy
sounds like the guy is a real no good you should have put him,his computer,and his cellphone in a vat of acid and dissolved them immediately
sounds like the guy is a real no good you should have put him,his computer,and his cellphone in a vat of acid and dissolved them immediately
Leading_Edge
Member
ummm.......ok.....
N0IU
Member
With all due respect (uh oh, you know you're in trouble now!), you are not a "chaser" and until you have had at least one class, you really aren't even a spotter.
As a spotter, you need to learn the basic meteorology behind severe weather as well as being able to recognize the cloud formations associated with severe weather before you can be the "eyes and ears" for your local NWS. Although the guy you saw may have had some really neat stuff in his vehicle, all you really need to be an effective spotter is a good set of eyes and a way to communicate with your NWS.
As far as being a "chaser", the guys you see on The Discovery Channel are professional meteorologists collecting data for scientific research. Its really not as "sexy" as the show depicts. It is long hours of seeing absolutely nothing for days or weeks on end. They only show the "exciting" parts on TV for the benefit of the ratings.
If you want to get a taste of what these guys experience, Google "storm chasing tours" and you will see a whole bunch of choices. You might want to start searching now because most of these tours get booked up early for the Spring tornado season.
I definitely do not want to discourage you from pursuing this, but enthusiasm is only the first step. Before you even think about investing in hardware, you must get proper training. Above all, remember that my advice is worth exactly what it cost you... $0.00!
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