Lansing Skywarn Net Procedures
Last Revision: June 04, 2007 by Ben Holcomb (WA8BEN)
This document is aimed at providing a guideline of procedures to follow when activating and deactivating a Skywarn net from the Lansing EOC.Upon activating the Skywarn net
- Call the 911 operations center at 7606 and inform them you are starting a Skywarn net and will be monitoring LPD North.
- Page Trent Atkins at 229-3841 and leave the EOC Phone number in his pager. If he calls back, let him know you activated the Skywarn net.
- Set 2m Radio by phone to 145.390, set Dual Band radio by other phone to 145.270 and Ingham County public service radio to LPD North.
- Check in to the National Weather Service net on 145.270. The National Weather Service callsign is WX8GRR. Just let them know you activated the Lansing Area Skywarn net at (time) and that you are standing by.
- Turn 145.390 repeater to Skywarn Mode.
- Activate the net. Read the following bulletin on air:
NET ACTIVATION (Initially read at start of Skywarn Net)
"This is WC8LAN Lansing Area Skywarn net control. The national weather service has advised (Summarize NWS Watches/Warnings and expiration). The net is now active in (Standby Condition or Full Operation) at (Current Time) on this frequency."
STANDBY CONDITION (Activated when under Watch but no Warnings)
"This is WC8LAN Lansing Area Skywarn net control. The Skywarn net is currently in a standby condition and regular amateur radio traffic may continue on this frequency. At this time, the National Weather Service advises (Summarize Watches / Out of Area Warnings). I will now standby for check-ins from trained spotters in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties. If this repeater should fail, the backup is 146.940 with a 100hz PL Tone. When checking into the net, please provide your call sign phonetically along with your name and current location. This is WC8LAN standing by for check-ins."
RADAR UPDATES (Periodically give RADAR updates throughout the duration of the net)
"This is WC8LAN Lansing Area Skywarn with a RADAR update. (Give a summary of the RADAR including where the strongest storms are located, which general direction the storms are moving, what speed the storms are moving, what towns they are currently impacting right now, etc). The National Weather Service still advises (Current watches/warnings for the area and expiration times). If you have any reports of Severe weather, or would like to check in or out of the net, please call net control."
FULL OPERATION (Ingham, Eaton or Clinton County under a Warning)
This is WC8LAN Lansing Area Skywarn Net Control. The national weather service has advised (Summarize Warnings & Expiration Times). Because severe weather is an imminent threat to the Lansing Area, the Skywarn net is in full operation. The National Weather Service requests reports of Severe Weather including Tornadoes, Wall Clouds, Roll Clouds, Winds greater than 30 mph, hail of any size, flooding and any storm related damage. Please *DO NOT* report general thunderstorm conditions such as lightning, thunder, heavy rain, or Sky conditions. Please use the time-event-location format for all reports. This is WC8LAN standing by.
PERIODICALLY ANNOUNCE (Announce this periodically throughout the full activation)
"This is WC8LAN Lansing Area Skywarn Net Control. The Skywarn Net remains in full operation. The National Weather Service still advises (List of Watches/Warnings and expiration times). The National Weather Service requests reports of severe weather events including Tornadoes, Wall Clouds, Roll Cloud, Winds greater than 30mph, hail of any size, flooding and any storm related damage. We ask that you do not report general sky conditions, lightning, thunder or heavy rain. If this repeater fails, the backup is 146.940. This is WC8LAN standing by."
POST EVENT OPERATION (For Damage Assessment and/or transition to ARPSC Response)
"This is WC8LAN Lansing Area Skywarn Net Control. Because of widespread severe weather-related damage, the net is now in post event operation. (Summarize events or read any special statements). If you have severe weather related-damage to report, please call net control. This is WC8LAN standing by."
NET CLOSING (Watches/Warnings no longer in effect)
"This is WC8LAN Lansing Area Skywarn Net Control. Because severe weather is no longer a threat to life and property in the area, the Skywarn net is now deactivated at (time) and the frequency is returned for general amateur radio use. I would like to thank everyone for their participation in the net. This is WC8LAN clear."
CLOSING PROCEDURES:
- Return 145.390 to normal operation mode from Skywarn mode.
- Call 911 center and let them know the Skywarn net is closed
- Check out of 145.270 liaison net with WX8GRR
- Turn off radios, lights and lock door. Leave EOC as you found it.
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