SKYWARN

A group called Skywarn which is part of The National Weather Service (NWS).  I participate both in running nets during severe storms, and also in providing reports back to the NWS via Skywarn.  I also run there web site. (http://www.centralcarolinaskywarn.net)  Since we have a call up list and thus it takes time for them to come back around to me, that means during most storms I do not have to be sitting in my ham shack.  And since I always feel like a caged cat in my apartment during a storm, just like cats, I prefer to be outside.  So since I am driving around during a storm, I patrol the Northern Cary, Southern Morrisville, and North Western Raleigh area to provide reports from the field.  

My truck is equipped with a lot of gear that even Storm Chasers in the mid-west don't usually carry.  In N.C. I face many challenges and dangers that chasers in the mid-west don't have to face, and that is why I am not really a "Storm Chaser".  The first is that there are simply too many trees to see worth a lick of spit.  So since I can not see what's going on near me, it would be far to dangerous to intentionally chase a severe storm.  

Second is the road system.  Out in the mid-west, for the most part, there are long open stretches of straight roads.  Here in NC you have narrow winding roads that tend to suddenly end without warning.  This makes navigation at a speed where you could follow a storm impossible.  

Then third we have the population.  We have tooooooo many people on the road, and most of them can't drive when  there is even a drop of rain falling.  So all I can do is patrol around using technology as a guide.  

Forth is the fact that I know that with all the equipment on my truck making me so visible and identifiable I can use that as a means of educating the public to Skywarn and storm safety.  Thus my truck is a product of what I do, and how I have to do it.  

In general, it has 3 independent communications systems operating on 4 separate bands, 3 GPS navigation systems, a manual navigation system backup, a weather station, and additional lighting.  It also currently has signs on it advertising Central Carolina Skywarn which is the local branch of Skywarn in my area.  Soon I hope to add signs for ARES and Amateur Radio in general.

For a more detailed description of my truck, go to my truck detail page.

I also participate with a group called ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service).  When there are widespread disasters where local, county, or even state communications systems go down, ARES steps in to provide life-saving communications ability to the Emergency Services.  The fact is that not even the federal government could afford to create a communication system with such a wide coverage area as Amateur Radio does.  And this is because to any individual entity, the cost of such a system would be impossible.  But with Amateur Radio, you are not limited by being an individual entity.  Instead the communications system is a contributions of millions of people nationwide.

When all other lines of communications fail, Amateur Radio is still there.  So when Hurricanes hit in this area, I always take as many shifts as I can at various locations providing communications.

PUBLIC SERVICE

I also do a lot of volunteer work for what we call public service events.  These are events like charity bike-a-thons, or walk-a-thons where you may have 1000s of people involved and need a communication system that can operate efficiently.  Most people can use a cell phone, or even a walky-talky.  But when you get one of these events that is so wide sweeping you run into problems.  

The entire area of the event may not be covered by other communications systems do to placement of fixed towers that are needed, or because of the low power signals non-amateurs are limited to.  Also there is the fact that if you are on the phone with someone about needing more toilet paper, someone who needs the ambulance can't get though to you.  Then there is also the fact that the event coordinators often consider communications devices as second priority, and they are so busy they rarely get to second priority items.  

This is where the Amateur Radio operator steps in.  We can create our own communications system to provide coverage over the entire area of an event.  We can do this because we have equipment in better positions and can operate on higher power.  Since communications are done in a way where there is not a continuous connection between two people, that means that other people with emergencies can break into the conversation.  And to keep everything running efficiently we run what is called a net.  

Basically think of 2-way radio as a typical road intersection with out any stop signs or stop lights.  As long as there are just a few people at any one time and they know the intersection has no stop signs, they can operate in such a way to avoid problems.  But when you have lots of people going through that intersection, you need something or someone to act as a traffic cop to guide traffic.  

A net is basically when one person is elected to act as a traffic cop to control the communications "traffic" so that emergencies are able to take priority over regular coordination "traffic" and to prevent non-relevant conversations from interfering with the rest.  It is this ability to create a wide spread, highly organized communications system even in the worse situations with little to no warning that make us so valuable.