Skywarn for Operation Deep Freeze, Feb 28, 2009

Thanks so much for being on this team.  If you have questions or suggestions as to your preferences for assignments, please make them to the whole 4-member list, so we can all see who wants what.  Of course, in a true emergency we should each be willing "to sit in any chair."

Here's what I am imagining at this point, but it is open to change, of course, as the situation demands:

Phil Hysell KI4CKP will have already made up some messages for us to read and send from the Skywarn Desk. He may already have times written on them, so we will know when to send them out. All messages will be read on 2 meters, and possibly typed on WXSpots.Log, and perhaps sent out as emails on Airmail on the Winlink System. Phil...can you make sure you have appropriate addresses or general WX impact areas in mind for each message, so we will know what goes out to whom?

The four of us will be at these stations:

2 Ops at the 2-meter radios, one using the mikes, and the other helping to copy incoming messages. We will be using 3 different repeaters, sequentially, (and, perhaps going to other repeaters occasionally). The primary Op will first read messages on 145.130 on Point Lookout Mtn. in the Twin Counties area, then doing the same again, perhaps at 10 minutes after the hour, next on 146.745 on Poor Mtn. in the Roanoke area, and then at 20 minutes after the hour on 146.685 on Apple Orchard Mtn. serving the Franklin County, Pittsylvania County area and into Lynchburg. At 30 minutes after the hour the rotation would start all over again, in the same order. This way the folks on the repeaters will be able to know when their "turn" will be coming around, and they will have their traffic ready for us. This Op should be able to read messages clearly, with good enunciation, making pauses and so forth, to make sure the message recipients get a good clear copy on their end.

The second 2-meter Op will be able to listen to all the 2M traffic, so please, all of us, bring the headphones of your choice, and any adapters you think you might need. (It may be determined, however, that NOT using headphones may prove to be more beneficial to the group; we shall see.) This Op should have good clear handwriting or printing, so that messages are copied in such a way that anyone could be able to read the written message. This position is vital for the whole success of our operation.

1 Op at the WXSpots.Log computer sending and receiving messages as they come in on the BLACKSBURG NWS group chat screens. I would imagine that this Op would spend a fair amount of time coordinating between all of us. This person should be a competent typist, so that our outgoing messages are clear and correct, with wording in plain language. This Op may have to bring in "breaking news," so that all of us should be ready for alterations to our procedures.

1 Op at the Winlink station sending and receiving messages using the HF coax and the new Loop Antenna on the roof. This Op might be able to keep a written log of the movement of all our traffic, so we would all know what messages have or have not been passed--and when, and to whom. We will need to sign our callsigns and time of transmission on every document, so we will have a paper trail of our activity in as chronological an order as we can. This Op would be responsible for gathering all sent messages, and making sure callsigns and times and message recipients are duly recorded, and then storing them in a box of some sort for easy retrieval at any time.

Of course, bathroom and coffee breaks are expected, so we will switch around; and if one position turns out to not be comfortable for any reason, we should all be willing to change seats.

I am sending this email along to Glen Sage for his sharp eye to see if he thinks this imagined procedure needs changes. Phil Benchoff N3PB, the SkyWarn Coordinator, also will be on the copy list. I will welcome comments from all of you.

Thanks again for giving up your Saturday morning, from 0800 to 1300 hours (local time) on February 28, 2009. (I hope to come set up my Winlink station a bit early, so I am hoping to arrive about 7:15 AM.)

Click here for addtional information on WXSpots.

73,

Carter, N3AO

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