MICON Guidelines for County Key Stations
General Guidelines
Each county is responsible for the operation of it's own local Skywarn Net. However, MICON requests that those County Key Stations observe the following common rules:
These guidelines are for the Key Station Operators who are communicating to MICON using voice communications on the net frequency of 442.15 MHz. (K8DTX Repeater). Digital (Packet) communications to MICON are covered in a different procedure.
1. County nets can be activated from an EOC, or from an individual's home.
2. After your Skywarn net has
been activated, have your Key Station operator check into the MICON net
and give their name and
callsign. Your Key Station callsign
may be your county EOC call such as N8EOC or W8OAK, or an individual's
call if they are
operating from their home or other
location.
4. Spotter reports from the field
should only be reported to NWS when they meet the minimum reporting criteria.
Review these
criteria which are outlined in your
local Skywarn net procedures. You may also want to review the Severe Weather
Report Form
that outlines the categories to report.
This form is viewable on the LCARPSC web page at http://www.qsl.net/n8eoc/
5. When you receive severe weather
reports from your field spotters, make sure they include the (T)ime
of the event, the (E)ffect
of the event, and the (L)ocation
of the event. An example of using this TEL reporting system is as
follows:
NOTE: All times are reported in local time, not GMT or UT.
7. Monitor the MICON net before
requesting routine weather information. There could be blue skies in your
area, but MICON
may be busy with severe weather activity
in adjacent counties.
8. Check with MICON operators
before sending damage reports. MICON may be busy with severe weather communications
from other counties and not be able
to take your reports immediately. These reports are important to NWS so
try and communicate
them later, or send them by alternate
means such as the K8DTX-5 Packet Radio System.
9. Please inform MICON when you
secure your net. You may ask the net control station for an assessment
of pending weather,
but is the County's decision on whether
to close their net.
10. During periods of low MICON
net activity you have an excellent opportunity to train new Key Station
operators. MICON
personnel will work with your new
operators offering suggestions and constructive feedback in order to enhance
their
communications skills.
J. W. Moore, K1DE
DDEC MICON-DTX