Eric,

EH>I've been MIA for awhile too, but finally back to BBS'ing. Like to get back
EH>into Hammin' too, but in my postage stamp I call an apertment, well, it's a
EH>bit difficult. Not to mention, the apartment is in an RF HOLE! Not even a
EH>Verizon signal here...

  My place is the same way...lots of trees around it. And, because it's
H.U.D. subsidized housing for the disabled...not to mention with monthly
inspections...I can't have RF gear, coaxial cable, antennas, etc. So, I
operate "VoIP" with Packet Via Telnet, Echolink, D-Star, and
D-Rats. I run 3 D-Star and 2 Echolink Nets per week, and check into at
least 20 others.

  I've been given the "title" of "The Jim Cantore Of
D-Star". :) However, unlike Cantore (Professional Meteorologist and
Storm Tracker On The Weather Channel), I'm an amateur weather enthusiast
(but know enough to be dangerous)...I have a full head of hair...and (as
was the case this past September), "I did stay at a Holiday Inn
Express last night".


  Seriously, with the El Nino winter (which may cause weather headaches for
Arkansas), there's a lot of potential for severe weather and winter weather
here. Indeed, we have both a flash flood and tornado threat here from
Monday, Nov. 16 into Wednesday, Nov. 18...some areas could approach 6
inches of rainfall.

  The Arkansas Weather Net will likely be activated on Tuesday, especially
if a Tornado Watch is issued. It can be monitored live from a link from the
Central Arkansas Radio Emergency Net (CAREN) Club website. So, if you see a
Tornado Watch in Arkansas on Tuesday, with a squall line moving across the
state...and especially if individual discrete supercells develop ahead of
the line...the net will likely be up.

  However, it got to be such a madhouse on there at times, with some hams
who would NEVER check into the monthly "Skywarn Training Net",
yet they come on the air, with reports like:

1) "I have a funnel cloud that's not rotating". WTH??!! They
likely saw scud clouds.

2) "It just started raining here".

3) "It's lightning outside".

4) "The tornado sirens are going off".

  Yet, when Net Control declares "reportable criteria only", it's
like these "lids" can't follow directions.

  In short, if I have weather traffic, I call the Skywarn Spotter Hotline
direct, and make my report.

Daryl, WX1DER

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