WEBVTT 00:00:09.640 --> 00:00:12.380 Thanks for tuning in. HamTalk Live will be on 00:00:12.380 --> 00:00:30.320 the air shortly. Please stand by. Thanks for 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:33.060 tuning in. HamTalk Live will be on the air shortly. 00:00:33.359 --> 00:00:48.350 Please stand by. This episode of HamTalk Live 00:00:48.350 --> 00:00:51.850 is brought to you by Tower Electronics. For cables, 00:00:51.950 --> 00:00:57.390 connectors, and more, call 920 -435 -2973 or 00:00:57.390 --> 00:01:02.710 visit pl -259 .com and by the HamStation. Get 00:01:02.710 --> 00:01:06.870 your new radio or antenna by calling 800 -729 00:01:06.870 --> 00:01:44.109 -4373 or go to hamstation .com. everyone, it's 00:01:44.109 --> 00:01:48.109 time for another episode of HamTalk Live. It's 00:01:48.109 --> 00:01:51.590 episode number 42, the Hurricane WatchNet with 00:01:51.590 --> 00:01:56.150 Bobby Graves KV -5 HAV recorded live on Thursday, 00:01:56.189 --> 00:02:01.849 December 8th, 2016. I'm your host, Neil Rapp, 00:02:01.989 --> 00:02:05.209 WB9VPG. Thanks for tuning into this episode of 00:02:05.209 --> 00:02:08.439 HamTalk Live. Tonight we'll be joined by Bobby 00:02:08.439 --> 00:02:12.060 Graves, he's KB5HAV, the Net Manager for the 00:02:12.060 --> 00:02:15.280 Hurricane WatchNet. And we'll be talking some 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:17.740 emergency communications tonight and we want 00:02:17.740 --> 00:02:20.759 to take your calls live. We'll do that in just 00:02:20.759 --> 00:02:23.520 a few minutes. Last week on the show, Harold 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:26.599 Kramer, WJ1B, was here to talk about his career 00:02:26.599 --> 00:02:31.099 at the ARRL and his key collection. If you missed 00:02:31.099 --> 00:02:33.860 the show, you can listen anytime at HamTalkLive 00:02:33.860 --> 00:02:37.849 .com. or you can catch us on the download from 00:02:37.849 --> 00:02:40.889 iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, TuneIn, SoundCloud, 00:02:41.550 --> 00:02:44.289 or you can also catch us on YouTube. And we're 00:02:44.289 --> 00:02:46.710 on a whole bunch of other podcasting services 00:02:46.710 --> 00:02:52.229 as well. Just check your favorite one. Do have 00:02:52.229 --> 00:02:56.069 a few announcements to make here before we get 00:02:56.069 --> 00:03:00.770 started tonight. First of all, our t -shirt sale 00:03:00.770 --> 00:03:05.870 is going to end on Saturday. So you've got the 00:03:05.870 --> 00:03:09.030 weekend here. If you're interested in one of 00:03:09.030 --> 00:03:12.250 those HamTalk Live shirts, that order is going 00:03:12.250 --> 00:03:15.949 to go in this weekend. So if you're interested, 00:03:16.150 --> 00:03:20.129 go to the link and order those. You can find 00:03:20.129 --> 00:03:24.719 that link on Facebook page or the Twitter feed 00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:27.840 they're pinned to that so they're the first thing. 00:03:28.580 --> 00:03:30.520 If you don't have either one of those you can 00:03:30.520 --> 00:03:33.020 go to our website HamTalkLive .com and click 00:03:33.020 --> 00:03:36.340 on the link for the show schedule and there's 00:03:36.340 --> 00:03:40.680 a link to the t -shirt site there as well. So 00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:44.819 if you want to do that time is running out. Also 00:03:44.819 --> 00:03:50.139 wanted to mention that Christian K0STH from 100 00:03:50.139 --> 00:03:54.740 watts and a wire, he and a couple of guys that 00:03:54.740 --> 00:03:57.439 he runs with over there in the St. Louis area, 00:03:57.939 --> 00:04:01.120 are going to do a National Parks on the Air activation 00:04:01.120 --> 00:04:05.259 on Saturday from 8 a .m. to 2 p .m. Central Time. 00:04:05.419 --> 00:04:07.539 They're going to activate the St. Louis arch. 00:04:08.360 --> 00:04:11.240 and that may be your last chance to get the arch 00:04:11.240 --> 00:04:14.439 before the end of the year so I wanted to mention 00:04:14.439 --> 00:04:17.199 that so good luck to them they're gonna freeze 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:21.939 I think but Saturday 8 a .m. to 2 p .m. Central 00:04:21.939 --> 00:04:24.959 Time they'll be all over a bunch of different 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:29.269 bands so check the spotting clusters for that 00:04:29.269 --> 00:04:31.750 but the gateway arch if you're trying to get 00:04:31.750 --> 00:04:34.350 that for national parks on the air that'll be 00:04:34.350 --> 00:04:37.569 one of your last chances if not the last chance 00:04:37.569 --> 00:04:42.529 to get that one. Also, one to mention next week 00:04:42.529 --> 00:04:45.209 we have a very special show we've been planning 00:04:45.209 --> 00:04:49.430 for quite some time. We have a comedian coming 00:04:49.430 --> 00:04:53.990 on the show next week Rick Garrett in nine GSU 00:04:53.990 --> 00:04:56.410 Will be here to do some comedy and he's going 00:04:56.410 --> 00:04:58.850 to do a little routine and we'll do some some 00:04:58.850 --> 00:05:03.430 stuff some fun stuff But we're looking for some 00:05:03.430 --> 00:05:07.910 stories From you all we're looking for the funniest 00:05:07.910 --> 00:05:12.279 thing you've ever heard on the air. So Wanted 00:05:12.279 --> 00:05:15.360 to give you a little notice. So next week have 00:05:15.360 --> 00:05:19.819 a story ready to go about something really funny 00:05:19.819 --> 00:05:24.199 that you Have heard on the air and call in and 00:05:24.199 --> 00:05:28.040 share that with everybody so be thinking about 00:05:28.040 --> 00:05:32.240 it and We'll be sure to take those calls next 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:36.240 week. Really looking forward to having Rick come 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:39.180 on the show and do a little comedy. So we'll 00:05:39.180 --> 00:05:42.240 see how that goes. We've got a couple of other 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:46.420 guests that just signed on today. So we'll be 00:05:46.420 --> 00:05:50.720 talking about that soon. A couple of those were 00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:53.740 a little bit of a surprise, but a very pleasant 00:05:53.740 --> 00:05:57.000 surprise. So we'll be letting you know about 00:05:57.000 --> 00:06:01.149 those. As we get all the details worked out. 00:06:01.209 --> 00:06:04.790 So right now we need to talk of Mcom So get your 00:06:04.790 --> 00:06:08.550 Mcom questions ready to go your hurricane watch 00:06:08.550 --> 00:06:12.589 net questions ready to go and After we do the 00:06:12.589 --> 00:06:15.430 introduction the interview you can call us on 00:06:15.430 --> 00:06:19.129 Skype That username is ham talk live or you can 00:06:19.129 --> 00:06:22.430 call us by telephone That number is eight one 00:06:22.430 --> 00:06:29.310 two net ham one eight one two net ham one that's 00:06:29.310 --> 00:06:34.209 eight one two six three eight four two six one 00:06:34.209 --> 00:06:37.730 you can also tweet us a question our Twitter 00:06:37.730 --> 00:06:42.069 handle is at ham talk live and If you're on speaker, 00:06:42.209 --> 00:06:45.949 you can even post a comment There in the chat 00:06:45.949 --> 00:06:50.290 section right here at ham talk live calm So I'll 00:06:50.290 --> 00:06:54.209 be back with Bobby graves right after this word 00:06:54.209 --> 00:06:58.339 from the ham station right here on HamTalk Live. 00:06:58.600 --> 00:07:01.279 This episode of Ham Talk Live is brought to you 00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:05.519 by The Ham Station. For over 37 years, The Ham 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:08.279 Station has sold new and used radios, antennas, 00:07:08.600 --> 00:07:11.100 accessories, and equipment to hams everywhere. 00:07:11.379 --> 00:07:18.040 Give Dan or Jeff a call at 800 -729 -4373 or 00:07:18.040 --> 00:07:22.319 order online at hamstation .com. Ham Station 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:25.660 carries all the major brands like Icom, Yezu, 00:07:25.899 --> 00:07:28.120 and Kenwood, and they have a wide selection. 00:07:28.009 --> 00:07:32.389 of radio scanners, MFJ accessories, Heil sound 00:07:32.389 --> 00:07:35.670 products, amplifiers by Mirage and Ameritron, 00:07:35.889 --> 00:07:39.250 Cushcraft antennas and more. Easy online ordering 00:07:39.250 --> 00:07:45.829 is at hamstation .com or call 1 -800 -729 -4373 00:07:45.829 --> 00:07:48.790 to place an order and talk it over with the experts. 00:07:49.089 --> 00:07:51.930 The Ham Station, proud to sponsor this episode 00:07:51.930 --> 00:07:55.560 of Ham Talk Live. We're not sure what's up with 00:07:55.560 --> 00:07:58.060 the fifth dentist, but four out of five dentists 00:07:58.060 --> 00:08:10.620 recommend listening to HamTalk Live. Welcome 00:08:10.620 --> 00:08:14.360 back to HamTalk Live, the ham station as you 00:08:14.360 --> 00:08:18.100 covered. For both new and used equipment, give 00:08:18.100 --> 00:08:24.120 Dan or Jeff a call at 800 -729. 4373 or go to 00:08:24.120 --> 00:08:27.579 hamstation .com and tell them you heard it on 00:08:27.579 --> 00:08:32.539 HamTalk Live. If you have some stocking stuffers 00:08:32.539 --> 00:08:34.700 you need I'm sure they can help you out with 00:08:34.700 --> 00:08:38.120 those too. HamTalk Live is on the air every Thursday 00:08:38.120 --> 00:08:41.259 night at 9 p .m. Eastern Time right here at hamtalklive 00:08:41.259 --> 00:08:43.820 .com and if you missed the show you can listen 00:08:43.820 --> 00:08:46.960 to the archive on the website or download it 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:51.860 from most popular podcasting websites. Our guest 00:08:51.860 --> 00:08:55.299 this evening is Bobby Graves Jr., KB5HAV. He 00:08:55.299 --> 00:08:58.059 entered the world of electronics repair after 00:08:58.059 --> 00:09:02.620 college in 1979. In 1992, he created and managed 00:09:02.620 --> 00:09:06.279 a biomedical electronics service department for 00:09:06.279 --> 00:09:08.639 a local company that went nationwide just two 00:09:08.639 --> 00:09:12.320 years later. In addition, he built and maintains 00:09:12.320 --> 00:09:16.960 computers and networks, designed software, facilitated 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:20.379 training to his staff and management. to use 00:09:20.379 --> 00:09:24.720 those products. In 1994, Bobby created and managed 00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:27.710 a research and development department. in which 00:09:27.710 --> 00:09:31.389 he created new technologies and techniques. He 00:09:31.389 --> 00:09:34.009 was forced into a medical retirement in early 00:09:34.009 --> 00:09:37.669 1999 after 20 years in the business including 00:09:37.669 --> 00:09:42.289 patient care and EMT services. Bobby became a 00:09:42.289 --> 00:09:46.929 ham radio operator in July of 1988 and quickly 00:09:46.929 --> 00:09:50.720 upgraded to general and in the fall of 88 He 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:53.500 learned about Skywarn and the National Weather 00:09:53.500 --> 00:09:56.059 Service office in Jackson, Mississippi, was interested 00:09:56.059 --> 00:09:59.899 in starting up a program. Over the next few months, 00:09:59.980 --> 00:10:02.580 he and some friends helped create Mississippi 00:10:02.580 --> 00:10:06.059 Skywarn. He began training weather spotters, 00:10:06.100 --> 00:10:09.659 became an emergency coordinator, and by the middle 00:10:09.659 --> 00:10:13.220 of 1990, became a district emergency coordinator. 00:10:13.299 --> 00:10:16.000 And with the aid of some close friends, he helped 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:19.399 create the RACES group for Mississippi as well. 00:10:19.870 --> 00:10:22.409 After his forced medical retirement, Bobby began 00:10:22.409 --> 00:10:25.570 working closely with various HF nets on the 20 00:10:25.570 --> 00:10:28.210 meter band. He was fortunate to be in the right 00:10:28.210 --> 00:10:32.379 place in the right time. and to be a part of 00:10:32.379 --> 00:10:35.639 several rescue operations as well as running 00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:38.080 some phone patches, if you remember those, for 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:41.419 missionaries and doctors in Haiti, Honduras, 00:10:41.639 --> 00:10:44.960 Guyana, and Nicaragua. Over the years, he's created 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:48.720 and maintained websites for the Maritime Mobile 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:51.620 Service Network and the Hurricane Watch Net. 00:10:52.279 --> 00:10:56.460 From October 2002 to September 2006, Bobby served 00:10:56.460 --> 00:10:59.240 as the assistant net manager for the Hurricane 00:10:59.240 --> 00:11:03.049 Watch Net. Net and in April 2013 he was appointed 00:11:03.049 --> 00:11:07.129 Net Manager. Bobby is a great example of someone 00:11:07.129 --> 00:11:10.350 with a disability utilizing his abilities with 00:11:10.350 --> 00:11:14.470 amateur radio and he believes that all others 00:11:14.470 --> 00:11:18.330 can do the same. So good evening Bobby, thank 00:11:18.330 --> 00:11:21.809 you and welcome to HamTalk Live. Good evening 00:11:21.809 --> 00:11:25.429 Neil, it's great to be here tonight. Well, let's 00:11:25.429 --> 00:11:27.909 start off just talking a little bit about the 00:11:27.909 --> 00:11:31.850 beginnings of the hurricane watch net give us 00:11:31.850 --> 00:11:37.049 a little history on the net and How and why it 00:11:37.049 --> 00:11:43.129 came into existence You know real fine The hurricane 00:11:43.129 --> 00:11:46.610 watching it was formed back in Labor Day weekend 00:11:46.610 --> 00:11:53.899 of 1965 by Jerry Murphy K8 YUW of Cleveland, 00:11:54.139 --> 00:11:57.919 Ohio at the time he was in the Navy and the what 00:11:57.919 --> 00:12:00.120 they called the Navy Seabees or construction 00:12:00.120 --> 00:12:02.960 battalion he was stationed up at Rhode Island 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:09.059 and During that time when he wasn't on duty He 00:12:09.059 --> 00:12:12.500 was participating with the net called the back 00:12:12.500 --> 00:12:14.919 in those days was called the international Intercontinental 00:12:14.919 --> 00:12:17.360 amateur traffic net now known as intercon which 00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:21.970 is a net on 14300 but Back in that day, it was 00:12:21.970 --> 00:12:26.409 operating on 14 -3 -20. Well, the day he was 00:12:26.409 --> 00:12:30.889 on Labor Day weekend, there was a lot of people 00:12:30.889 --> 00:12:33.850 asking about a hurricane named Betsy that was 00:12:33.850 --> 00:12:36.230 moving through the Bahamas. And it was going 00:12:36.230 --> 00:12:40.070 to be a lot of commotion going on in the air 00:12:40.070 --> 00:12:43.529 and was sort of disrupting the normal flow of 00:12:43.529 --> 00:12:46.370 traffic that they had on that net. So Jerry asked 00:12:46.370 --> 00:12:49.149 the net manager if he could move everyone who 00:12:49.149 --> 00:12:51.860 was interested in the hurricane. up to 14 -3 00:12:51.860 --> 00:12:54.779 -2 -5, and the net manager agreed, you know, 00:12:54.860 --> 00:12:57.500 go ahead and do that. Well, as a lady friend 00:12:57.500 --> 00:13:00.320 of his, it was down in the country of Panama 00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:03.559 that followed him up to 14 -3 -2 -5, and they 00:13:03.559 --> 00:13:08.879 began to relay the information between stations 00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:11.879 that was in the Bahamas and Florida, and trying 00:13:11.879 --> 00:13:15.279 to gather the latest weather data from the National 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:17.519 Hurricane Center to pass it on to those in the 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:19.610 Bahamas. And of course, you know, as the storm 00:13:19.610 --> 00:13:22.450 was approaching the south end of Florida, people 00:13:22.450 --> 00:13:25.830 were interested because, you know, 1965, we didn't 00:13:25.830 --> 00:13:31.610 have cable or satellite TV, barely had one satellite, 00:13:31.970 --> 00:13:35.009 a weather satellite in orbit, but it didn't do 00:13:35.009 --> 00:13:37.730 a whole lot. So everybody was interested, you 00:13:37.730 --> 00:13:40.370 know, what's going on with this storm? And of 00:13:40.370 --> 00:13:42.169 course, the storm came through the Bahamas, went 00:13:42.169 --> 00:13:45.320 through the south end of Florida. Then a couple 00:13:45.320 --> 00:13:47.799 of days later throughout that Labor Day weekend 00:13:47.799 --> 00:13:51.399 of 1965 it slammed into southeastern Louisiana 00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:57.000 and in 1965 dollars it created cost over 1 billion 00:13:57.000 --> 00:14:00.860 as with a B 1 billion dollars worth of damage 00:14:00.860 --> 00:14:03.340 and it earned the storm the name billion dollar 00:14:03.340 --> 00:14:08.360 Betsy and After that this Jerry and a bunch of 00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:10.879 folks started gathering together and trying to 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:16.730 formalize the net and just grew from there. Well 00:14:16.730 --> 00:14:19.649 these things do happen and we were talking before 00:14:19.649 --> 00:14:25.009 the show that Mother Nature seems to be complaining 00:14:25.009 --> 00:14:30.470 a lot here lately with the hurricanes and the 00:14:30.470 --> 00:14:33.809 earthquakes and everything and so there's a real 00:14:33.809 --> 00:14:37.769 need for that and of course before we had all 00:14:37.769 --> 00:14:41.330 the weather satellites and all the great technology 00:14:42.359 --> 00:14:46.379 We really needed it and we still need it now 00:14:46.379 --> 00:14:49.860 And so tell us a little bit about what the role 00:14:49.860 --> 00:14:54.299 is of the hurricane watch net these days And 00:14:54.299 --> 00:14:57.379 what information you collect and what information 00:14:57.379 --> 00:15:01.240 you pass over ham radio? Yeah, real fine. Well, 00:15:01.240 --> 00:15:04.000 it's just like with the local sky war nets I 00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:06.220 know there's a lot of folks in this day and age 00:15:06.220 --> 00:15:07.659 think well, you know, we've got all the fancy 00:15:07.659 --> 00:15:12.169 Doppler radar. We've got a lot of nice weather 00:15:12.169 --> 00:15:15.730 satellites that are in orbit. We've got the United 00:15:15.730 --> 00:15:17.950 States Air Force and even the NOAA hurricane 00:15:17.950 --> 00:15:19.789 hunters that fly in the storm to gather all kind 00:15:19.789 --> 00:15:23.529 of data. You know, why do we need ham operators 00:15:23.529 --> 00:15:25.990 to help out during these storms? Well, it's just 00:15:25.990 --> 00:15:31.570 like with your local Skywar Net. With all this 00:15:31.570 --> 00:15:35.049 new data technology we have, it's great. But 00:15:35.049 --> 00:15:37.269 there's something about what God gave us with 00:15:37.269 --> 00:15:39.649 their own eyes, ears, the things we're able to 00:15:39.649 --> 00:15:43.250 see. If we are in a position where we can see 00:15:43.250 --> 00:15:46.190 this is what the storm is doing and with weather 00:15:46.190 --> 00:15:48.809 instruments we can tell the forecaster this is 00:15:48.809 --> 00:15:51.590 where the wind is coming from at what speed we're 00:15:51.590 --> 00:15:53.789 seeing this kind of damage so on and so forth. 00:15:54.629 --> 00:15:58.029 That's valuable data to the forecasters because 00:15:58.029 --> 00:16:00.350 they're trying to use all this information to 00:16:00.350 --> 00:16:02.870 figure out what's going on at the surface at 00:16:02.870 --> 00:16:08.070 sea level and there's been many occasions where 00:16:08.269 --> 00:16:11.169 we'll have information from some of our reporting 00:16:11.169 --> 00:16:13.649 stations, we'll feed that back to the forecasters, 00:16:14.090 --> 00:16:16.309 and they may come back and ask, can you clarify 00:16:16.309 --> 00:16:19.009 that again? Because our instruments are showing 00:16:19.009 --> 00:16:21.850 the center of the storm is at this location, 00:16:22.250 --> 00:16:24.210 and we'll come back and give them the information 00:16:24.210 --> 00:16:26.389 and say, well, due to the information you gave 00:16:26.389 --> 00:16:28.789 us, that'll let us know the storm is not where 00:16:28.789 --> 00:16:30.690 we thought it is. It's, you know, maybe 10 or 00:16:30.690 --> 00:16:33.509 15 miles further south or in a different direction. 00:16:34.649 --> 00:16:37.120 I remember there was one storm I believe it's 00:16:37.120 --> 00:16:43.019 in around 2002 and it was moved, it already crossed 00:16:43.019 --> 00:16:46.879 Cuba and was moving through the Bahamas. And 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:48.720 looking at satellite imagery, it looked like 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:51.100 the storm was falling apart. Tell us what happened 00:16:51.100 --> 00:16:52.960 to all the cloud tops that then got blown off. 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:55.700 Well, we were getting reports from sailboats 00:16:55.700 --> 00:16:58.679 out there with wind speeds up around 90 miles 00:16:58.679 --> 00:17:00.559 per hour or better. Well, that's letting you 00:17:00.559 --> 00:17:04.190 know it's a strong category one hurricane. Well, 00:17:04.509 --> 00:17:07.069 the people in the Bahamas were getting ready 00:17:07.069 --> 00:17:10.529 to lower the warning status from a hurricane 00:17:10.529 --> 00:17:13.029 warning down to a tropical storm warning. Well, 00:17:13.130 --> 00:17:15.309 back in those days, Max Mayfield was the director 00:17:15.309 --> 00:17:17.329 of the National Hurricane Center. Well, he got 00:17:17.329 --> 00:17:20.609 on the phone. All the directors of the Bahamas 00:17:20.609 --> 00:17:25.910 said, look, don't lower your status from hurricane 00:17:25.910 --> 00:17:28.069 warning down to tropical storm warning. You've 00:17:28.069 --> 00:17:30.250 still got hurricane -force winds out there, so 00:17:30.250 --> 00:17:32.529 keep it up. And there's been a lot of occasions 00:17:32.529 --> 00:17:36.849 like that, and the reports we've gotten will 00:17:36.849 --> 00:17:42.049 help give a better report about what's going 00:17:42.049 --> 00:17:44.829 on with the storm. One of the ones that really 00:17:44.829 --> 00:17:48.190 blew my mind is sort of an interesting story. 00:17:48.970 --> 00:17:52.349 When I first joined the hurricane back in 2000, 00:17:52.829 --> 00:17:55.109 the first one we worked that year was a storm 00:17:55.109 --> 00:17:58.509 by the name of Keith. It hit around October of 00:17:58.509 --> 00:18:03.410 that year. And what was interesting is that storm 00:18:03.410 --> 00:18:08.170 hit the country of Belize and there was one time 00:18:08.170 --> 00:18:12.730 that storm just hours before it made landfall. 00:18:13.289 --> 00:18:16.009 I was one of the net controls at the time and 00:18:16.009 --> 00:18:18.809 I got a report that the winds was so strong out 00:18:18.809 --> 00:18:21.809 of the north that it blew all the water out of 00:18:21.809 --> 00:18:27.369 the bay of Chetumal and people were out walking 00:18:27.369 --> 00:18:33.279 on what used to be It's a big lake. And I'm thinking, 00:18:33.640 --> 00:18:36.279 this ain't good. Please, guys, tell them to get 00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:38.240 out of there. Because when that water comes back 00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:41.140 in, you know, it's going to be ugly. We got that 00:18:41.140 --> 00:18:45.259 report into the Hurricane Center. And Stacy Stewart, 00:18:45.400 --> 00:18:49.720 who is one of the hurricane specialists, got 00:18:49.720 --> 00:18:53.279 word of it. And not only did he, instead of sending 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:55.960 word back to the radio stations they're at, located 00:18:55.960 --> 00:18:58.420 at the National Hurricane Center, He got on there 00:18:58.420 --> 00:19:01.220 himself and said please tell those folks to get 00:19:01.220 --> 00:19:03.099 out of there because when the water comes back 00:19:03.099 --> 00:19:06.500 they're going to drown So, uh, I mean, but can 00:19:06.500 --> 00:19:09.380 you imagine you living in an area? Been there 00:19:09.380 --> 00:19:12.319 all your life and in the you see this bay that's 00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:14.380 been always full of water But yet all of a sudden 00:19:14.380 --> 00:19:18.380 it's empty from this storm, you know Makes people 00:19:18.380 --> 00:19:20.420 probably thinking what in the world's going on 00:19:20.420 --> 00:19:23.779 here. So uh, but you know, you find amazing things 00:19:23.779 --> 00:19:27.569 that happen and uh because Outside the United 00:19:27.569 --> 00:19:29.990 States, a lot of the countries throughout the 00:19:29.990 --> 00:19:32.089 Caribbean, they don't have all the technologies 00:19:32.089 --> 00:19:34.170 that we have, plus they don't even have their 00:19:34.170 --> 00:19:37.250 own weather service. They get the majority of 00:19:37.250 --> 00:19:39.789 their weather from the United States and a lot 00:19:39.789 --> 00:19:44.730 of it comes by way of ham radio. Well, it sounds 00:19:44.730 --> 00:19:50.430 like it's very similar to around this area. We're 00:19:50.430 --> 00:19:53.769 spotting tornadoes and looking at that, but the 00:19:53.769 --> 00:19:57.650 radar can only go down so far. And the radar 00:19:57.650 --> 00:20:00.049 can only see certain things, so you need those 00:20:00.049 --> 00:20:05.230 eyes and ears out there in the field to observe 00:20:05.230 --> 00:20:09.750 those things and report it back. And there's 00:20:09.750 --> 00:20:13.289 no replacement for that human connection there 00:20:13.289 --> 00:20:18.250 to see all of those things. Now, in your area, 00:20:18.710 --> 00:20:26.009 then, in your SkyWarn training, do you have special 00:20:26.009 --> 00:20:30.210 hurricane spotters kind of thing where we kind 00:20:30.210 --> 00:20:35.049 of focus on tornadoes here do you have certain 00:20:35.049 --> 00:20:38.670 criteria that you're looking for specifically 00:20:38.670 --> 00:20:42.450 or is that kind of the same same kind of thing 00:20:42.450 --> 00:20:48.210 so that's an interesting question with course 00:20:48.210 --> 00:20:51.109 with Skywarn you're trained with people here 00:20:51.109 --> 00:20:53.839 in the United States is a certain things to Look 00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:55.759 forward as far as the cloud pattern so you start 00:20:55.759 --> 00:20:58.759 looking for what they call a wall cloud and or 00:20:58.759 --> 00:21:02.000 start looking for rotation Difference between 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:06.579 a funnel cloud and that of a actual tornado But 00:21:06.579 --> 00:21:09.819 as far as you know spotting hurricanes well, 00:21:10.059 --> 00:21:11.940 we've got big satellites that are really good 00:21:11.940 --> 00:21:15.460 at doing that part Where where we come in at 00:21:15.460 --> 00:21:20.839 is to try to get the actual? Ground truth data 00:21:20.839 --> 00:21:23.769 is what's actually going on at the surface and 00:21:23.769 --> 00:21:28.150 as to confirm or unconfirm what the wind speeds 00:21:28.150 --> 00:21:32.829 are. Some of these hurricanes, the wind field, 00:21:33.390 --> 00:21:36.809 as far as the hurricane strength winds, may only 00:21:36.809 --> 00:21:39.390 stand out like 10 to 15 miles, kinda like it 00:21:39.390 --> 00:21:42.809 did with Hurricane Otto that hit on Thanksgiving 00:21:42.809 --> 00:21:47.009 Day just a couple weeks or so ago. Then you got 00:21:47.009 --> 00:21:52.279 other storms like Katrina back in 2005. Well, 00:21:52.339 --> 00:21:54.119 those hurricane -force winds may extend outwards 00:21:54.119 --> 00:21:59.180 up to 150 miles. And so there's a lot of discrepancy 00:21:59.180 --> 00:22:03.500 on the storms on how they form and how big they 00:22:03.500 --> 00:22:08.980 get. And by having spotters or reporting stations, 00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:13.940 as we call them, that can give us weather information, 00:22:14.099 --> 00:22:16.579 we'd like to get everything measured if possible. 00:22:16.759 --> 00:22:19.180 Of course, there are ways you can estimate wind 00:22:19.180 --> 00:22:21.839 speed. And it's called using the Beaufort wind 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:23.859 scale. And if you're unfamiliar with that, you 00:22:23.859 --> 00:22:27.720 can visit our website at hwn .org. And there's 00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:29.619 a link at the top that's called useful tools. 00:22:29.819 --> 00:22:31.380 Click on that and there's a link that after that 00:22:31.380 --> 00:22:34.799 is called Beaufort wind scale. But anyway, it 00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:36.299 gives you a lot of information on how you can 00:22:36.299 --> 00:22:39.660 look at how the wind is doing and give a really 00:22:39.660 --> 00:22:42.480 good estimate of what the wind speed is from 00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:47.720 that. If the if they're calling for like 75 mile 00:22:47.720 --> 00:22:51.740 per hour winds at say like We'll just pull in 00:22:51.740 --> 00:22:54.099 a town out of the hat and say like in Miami, 00:22:54.119 --> 00:22:58.019 Florida Well, they're only getting maybe 25 miles, 00:22:58.039 --> 00:23:00.480 but then you go further south. Well, that's where 00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:03.480 the 75 mile per hour winds are at We get that 00:23:03.480 --> 00:23:05.119 information to the forecasters that will let 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:07.039 them know Well, maybe the center of the storm 00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:08.880 is moving a little bit further south than what 00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:11.359 we were expecting and that can allow them to 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:14.970 know what to give a correction on the the path 00:23:14.970 --> 00:23:19.930 of the storm And those change constantly they 00:23:19.930 --> 00:23:21.890 constantly change and that's another thing we 00:23:21.890 --> 00:23:25.210 always try to alert folks to is When you're looking 00:23:25.210 --> 00:23:27.309 at that fine dotted line that showing where the 00:23:27.309 --> 00:23:31.069 track of it is That's that like you say that 00:23:31.069 --> 00:23:34.769 can change if you're in that in that big swath 00:23:34.769 --> 00:23:37.650 or even in just the warning area then you need 00:23:37.650 --> 00:23:39.769 to watch out because I mean that's the storms 00:23:39.769 --> 00:23:46.599 can change and And sometimes, you know, a really 00:23:46.599 --> 00:23:50.640 great storm story I've seen was back in 1985. 00:23:51.220 --> 00:23:54.220 We had a storm that was named Elena. It came 00:23:54.220 --> 00:23:56.900 across Cuba, and it came right across the Gulf 00:23:56.900 --> 00:23:58.259 of Mexico. It looked like it was going to hit 00:23:58.259 --> 00:24:01.920 Gulfport, Mississippi. And then about halfway 00:24:01.920 --> 00:24:05.599 up the Gulf, the storm made a 90 -degree turn, 00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:08.900 and it starts heading towards the Tampa Bay, 00:24:08.900 --> 00:24:11.839 Florida area. Well, I happened to be on the Gulf 00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:15.500 Coast that night, or that day working on equipment, 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:19.059 and I knew the storm was heading that direction. 00:24:19.099 --> 00:24:21.559 When I got home about midnight, I turned on the 00:24:21.559 --> 00:24:23.799 TV to see, well, how bad is Tampa getting hit? 00:24:24.779 --> 00:24:26.519 Well, they're not getting hit at all. There's 00:24:26.519 --> 00:24:28.160 hurricane warnings back from Mississippi because 00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:31.960 that storm made a 180 turn, and it started coming 00:24:31.960 --> 00:24:36.619 right back to Gulfport, Mississippi. So like 00:24:36.619 --> 00:24:39.519 we say, when they show what that dotted line 00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:42.660 is, You know, pay attention, but don't let that 00:24:42.660 --> 00:24:45.359 be, you know, why am I side of that line? So 00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:48.759 I'm safe. No, these storms can't change. And 00:24:48.759 --> 00:24:50.619 as I say, when you think you got mother nature 00:24:50.619 --> 00:24:55.180 figured out, she will change on you. So, absolutely. 00:24:56.859 --> 00:24:59.259 Well, uh, we do need to take a break, but before 00:24:59.259 --> 00:25:04.619 we do, um, want to jump in a little bit to how 00:25:04.619 --> 00:25:08.240 hams can help with the net. And, and it may be 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:13.200 as simple as. Stay off this frequency, you know 00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:16.259 To keep the frequencies clear. I know that was 00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:20.099 an issue with some of the big ones that you've 00:25:20.099 --> 00:25:24.019 had to deal with this year and who should report 00:25:24.019 --> 00:25:26.160 and who shouldn't and what you should report 00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:31.039 so give us a quick rundown of how hams can interact 00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:36.599 or Help the interaction that needs to take place 00:25:36.599 --> 00:25:40.420 with the net. Yeah, sure Yeah, I wouldn't say 00:25:40.420 --> 00:25:42.680 we don't want anybody on the frequency. I mean, 00:25:42.900 --> 00:25:46.500 we need people around to listen. And we welcome 00:25:46.500 --> 00:25:50.900 people to listen, but follow the lead of the 00:25:50.900 --> 00:25:52.880 net control operator because what we're looking 00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:56.400 for, we'll always announce the areas that we're 00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:59.799 looking to get information out of. And such information 00:25:59.799 --> 00:26:03.859 we're looking for is wind speed, wind direction, 00:26:04.539 --> 00:26:09.420 wind gust. If your information is measured or 00:26:09.420 --> 00:26:12.240 estimated, we always prefer the measured data, 00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:16.720 but we'll take estimated. If you are using measured 00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:19.019 measuring equipment, let us know the height and 00:26:19.019 --> 00:26:22.160 location of your ananometer. That's very important. 00:26:23.380 --> 00:26:25.059 Say, for instance, you've got your ananometer, 00:26:25.119 --> 00:26:28.519 which is your wind speed indicator. If you've 00:26:28.519 --> 00:26:30.440 got it mounted on the gable end of your house, 00:26:30.500 --> 00:26:31.859 it's maybe only like two or three feet above 00:26:31.859 --> 00:26:35.019 the gable, your information is gonna be wrong. 00:26:35.230 --> 00:26:38.950 Because when wind hits the pitched roof will 00:26:38.950 --> 00:26:40.930 actually that wind will speed up trying to get 00:26:40.930 --> 00:26:44.269 over it So you may be indicating 50 mile per 00:26:44.269 --> 00:26:48.210 hour winds when all actuality may be 25 So knowing 00:26:48.210 --> 00:26:50.950 the location of that an anometer is as important 00:26:50.950 --> 00:26:53.130 to us as well other information We're looking 00:26:53.130 --> 00:26:55.569 for is if you have a barometer. Let us know what 00:26:55.569 --> 00:26:59.190 the barometer pressure is This trend whether 00:26:59.190 --> 00:27:03.640 it's falling or rising How much rain? over X 00:27:03.640 --> 00:27:05.339 amount of time on the rainfall you're getting 00:27:05.339 --> 00:27:09.900 any damage reports from your location if it's 00:27:09.900 --> 00:27:13.500 safe to get that. If you're close to the coastal 00:27:13.500 --> 00:27:15.819 area and it's safe to do so, let us know what 00:27:15.819 --> 00:27:18.940 the storm surge is doing. The forecasters this 00:27:18.940 --> 00:27:24.279 year started putting out storm surge warnings 00:27:24.279 --> 00:27:26.799 and they're trying to get a better grasp on that 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:30.079 due to the size and strength of the storm on 00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:32.769 how much the storm surge will do. And then also 00:27:32.769 --> 00:27:37.049 knowing how much rainfall is coming down, they 00:27:37.049 --> 00:27:41.109 may have to up the forecast on the overall rainfall 00:27:41.109 --> 00:27:46.069 as the storm moves further inland. And that's 00:27:46.069 --> 00:27:47.250 the type of information we're looking for. Wind, 00:27:47.309 --> 00:27:50.289 wind speed, wind gust, wind direction, barometric 00:27:50.289 --> 00:27:54.130 pressure, damage, and storm surge. And all that 00:27:54.130 --> 00:27:58.349 information is very vital to helping the forecasters 00:27:58.349 --> 00:28:01.900 give a more accurate forecast on what the storm 00:28:01.900 --> 00:28:05.460 is doing and where it's headed. All right great 00:28:05.460 --> 00:28:09.420 information and we'll give some people a chance 00:28:09.420 --> 00:28:13.740 to call in and ask some questions when we come 00:28:13.740 --> 00:28:17.019 back but we will take a quick break and we'll 00:28:17.019 --> 00:28:19.980 be back to take your calls right after this message 00:28:19.980 --> 00:28:23.059 from Tower Electronics right here on HamTalk 00:28:23.059 --> 00:28:25.819 Live. This episode of HamTalk Live is brought 00:28:25.819 --> 00:28:29.480 to you in part by Tower Electronics. Tower Electronics 00:28:29.480 --> 00:28:32.720 has been the Ham's Dime Store since 1978. When 00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:35.440 you need connectors, mobile and handheld antennas, 00:28:35.700 --> 00:28:38.900 cables, or adapters, visit Scott or Jill at a 00:28:38.900 --> 00:28:42.220 HamFest near you. Or you can order online at 00:28:42.220 --> 00:28:49.980 PL -259 .com or call 920 -435 -2973. Stock up 00:28:49.980 --> 00:28:53.200 on those supplies like PL -259 and end connectors, 00:28:53.640 --> 00:28:56.799 SMA adapters, audio cables, soldering supplies, 00:28:57.039 --> 00:28:59.799 mobile antennas, and hamsticks. Their silver 00:28:59.799 --> 00:29:02.720 -plated end connectors are even used on the International 00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:06.039 Space Station. Tower Electronics carries MFJ, 00:29:06.259 --> 00:29:10.380 Comet, Daiwa, OPEC, Workman, and HamPro products. 00:29:10.619 --> 00:29:14.140 And don't miss their 0 % off sale going on now. 00:29:14.440 --> 00:29:18.779 Tower Electronics online at PL -259 .com. Proud 00:29:18.779 --> 00:29:26.589 to sponsor this episode of HamTalk Live. This 00:29:26.589 --> 00:29:33.490 is HamTalk Live with Neil Rapp. Join the conversation. 00:29:33.890 --> 00:29:37.349 Call us on voice with Skype at HamTalk Live or 00:29:37.349 --> 00:29:41.829 give us a call at 812 -NET -HAM -1. That's 812 00:29:41.829 --> 00:29:49.809 -638 -4261. Now here's more HamTalk Live. Thanks 00:29:49.809 --> 00:29:52.730 to Scott and Jill over at Tower Electronics for 00:29:52.730 --> 00:29:54.789 sponsoring the show once again tonight to help 00:29:54.789 --> 00:29:57.710 bring you HamTalk Live. They will be at the Tampa 00:29:57.710 --> 00:30:00.349 Florida HamFest this weekend before returning 00:30:00.349 --> 00:30:04.109 home to Green Bay, Wisconsin. for a little bit 00:30:04.109 --> 00:30:09.309 of a break. Call 920 -435 -2973 if you can't 00:30:09.309 --> 00:30:12.630 make it to Tampa, or visit their website at pl 00:30:12.630 --> 00:30:15.670 -259 .com and tell them you heard it on HamTalk 00:30:15.670 --> 00:30:18.569 Live. And be sure to listen to HamTalk Live every 00:30:18.569 --> 00:30:21.730 Thursday night at 9 p .m. Eastern time, right 00:30:21.730 --> 00:30:24.329 here at hamtalklive .com. Also check out our 00:30:24.329 --> 00:30:27.509 Facebook page and Twitter feed. Just search for 00:30:27.509 --> 00:30:31.670 HamTalk Live. So it is time for your calls now. 00:30:31.950 --> 00:30:34.950 If you have a question about the Hurricane Watch 00:30:34.950 --> 00:30:37.450 Net or some of this Skywarn stuff we've been 00:30:37.450 --> 00:30:43.269 talking about, give Bobby your question by calling 00:30:43.269 --> 00:30:52.869 812. Net Ham 1, that's 812 -638 -4261. If you've 00:30:52.869 --> 00:30:55.809 got mic fright, you can tweet us at HamTalk Live. 00:30:55.930 --> 00:30:59.609 You can send your question in that way as well, 00:30:59.609 --> 00:31:03.630 but give us a call. Again, the number 812 -Net 00:31:03.630 --> 00:31:10.170 Ham 1, 812 -638 -4261 to ask your questions of 00:31:10.170 --> 00:31:15.049 Bobby Graves. the Hurricane Watch Net Manager. 00:31:16.109 --> 00:31:18.630 While we're waiting on those calls to roll in 00:31:18.630 --> 00:31:22.490 here, Bobby, I wanted to ask you about a story 00:31:22.490 --> 00:31:30.869 or two where there was directly lives saved as 00:31:30.869 --> 00:31:36.970 a result of some of these nets that you're involved 00:31:36.970 --> 00:31:43.519 in. That's a very good question One comes to 00:31:43.519 --> 00:31:48.359 mind right off the bat Over the past most since 00:31:48.359 --> 00:31:52.680 about 2005 that the number of landfalling hurricanes 00:31:52.680 --> 00:31:56.039 has just been very very small and especially 00:31:56.039 --> 00:31:59.700 here in the United States and I know a lot of 00:31:59.700 --> 00:32:02.079 the forecasters I've talked to and even a lot 00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:06.960 of emergency managers have admitted to something 00:32:06.960 --> 00:32:10.859 known as hurricane and hurricane amnesia. Folks, 00:32:11.119 --> 00:32:13.440 it's just been such a long time since we've had 00:32:13.440 --> 00:32:18.200 any type of storm to cause any really bad damage 00:32:18.200 --> 00:32:22.259 or a lot of lives being lost. But when Hurricane 00:32:22.259 --> 00:32:27.220 Matthew a couple months ago was forming and getting 00:32:27.220 --> 00:32:31.299 geared up really big and strong just off of the 00:32:31.299 --> 00:32:34.740 Nicaragua, Colombian coast and grew up to be 00:32:34.740 --> 00:32:38.140 a A very strong category five hurricane with 00:32:38.140 --> 00:32:40.140 maximum sustained winds at a hundred and sixty 00:32:40.140 --> 00:32:43.039 miles per hour. First CAT5 storm we've had in 00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:47.220 the Atlantic Basin since 2007, which was Felix 00:32:47.220 --> 00:32:53.299 that hit Nicaragua in 07. The storm was just 00:32:53.299 --> 00:32:54.859 sitting there and stalled. It would move a little 00:32:54.859 --> 00:32:58.019 bit and not go anywhere, but it kept looking 00:32:58.019 --> 00:33:01.599 like it was going to hit either Jamaica or either 00:33:01.599 --> 00:33:05.670 Haiti, then move on up to Cuba. The Bahamas and 00:33:05.670 --> 00:33:09.089 then who knows after that but while it was on 00:33:09.089 --> 00:33:11.250 after the storm started getting a better idea 00:33:11.250 --> 00:33:14.710 of what was going I just sent an email blast 00:33:14.710 --> 00:33:17.609 a lot of ham friends that I have in Jamaica as 00:33:17.609 --> 00:33:21.950 well as Haiti and To my amazement. It's like 00:33:21.950 --> 00:33:25.930 two days away now a Couple guys there in Haiti 00:33:25.930 --> 00:33:28.410 send me an email back saying thanks for letting 00:33:28.410 --> 00:33:30.450 us know about this, but you're not going to believe 00:33:30.450 --> 00:33:33.559 it The country of Haiti has not even told us 00:33:33.559 --> 00:33:35.980 anything about a hurricane being in the Atlantic 00:33:35.980 --> 00:33:39.299 Thanks for letting us know. How bad is it? I 00:33:39.299 --> 00:33:42.819 said, it's just not a hurricane This is a cat 00:33:42.819 --> 00:33:45.920 five right now and it's coming towards you and 00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:48.859 whether or not it makes landfall there on Haiti 00:33:48.859 --> 00:33:52.099 the amount of rain this forecast which is upwards 00:33:52.099 --> 00:33:55.619 of 40 inches of rain up in the mountain areas 00:33:55.619 --> 00:33:59.380 that's gonna create a lot of flooding and mudslides 00:33:59.380 --> 00:34:04.710 and The day before the storm actually hit Haiti 00:34:04.710 --> 00:34:07.750 One of the same guys called me back. They actually 00:34:07.750 --> 00:34:09.929 picked the phone and called me He said you're 00:34:09.929 --> 00:34:12.269 not gonna believe it The government of Haiti 00:34:12.269 --> 00:34:14.469 just finally let us know there is a hurricane 00:34:14.469 --> 00:34:16.289 coming but not to worry It's not going to be 00:34:16.289 --> 00:34:21.809 that bad I'm thinking you've got to be kidding 00:34:21.809 --> 00:34:24.829 me. This is still a cat for storm at a hundred 00:34:24.829 --> 00:34:27.570 and forty five miles per hour Please whatever 00:34:27.570 --> 00:34:31.730 you can do I know it's just a few hams that are 00:34:31.730 --> 00:34:34.929 on there in Haiti, but if you can, just keep 00:34:34.929 --> 00:34:36.550 on like I told you the other day, keep spreading 00:34:36.550 --> 00:34:39.210 the word across the country to do whatever you 00:34:39.210 --> 00:34:43.030 can to secure, to help protect yourselves. I 00:34:43.030 --> 00:34:45.929 know it's going to be tough. I know it's a poor 00:34:45.929 --> 00:34:48.610 country. Getting the word spread across is going 00:34:48.610 --> 00:34:52.690 to be tough, but you know, this is a killer storm 00:34:52.690 --> 00:34:55.769 coming, so do whatever you can to do that. Thank 00:34:55.769 --> 00:34:58.849 goodness my contacts there they survived but 00:34:58.849 --> 00:35:01.329 there's quite a few that did not and that's the 00:35:01.329 --> 00:35:03.570 country that got devastated just like Eastern 00:35:03.570 --> 00:35:09.210 Cuba did but I'm glad I sent those email blasts 00:35:09.210 --> 00:35:11.550 to folks in those regions of course like I did 00:35:11.550 --> 00:35:13.489 trying to reach out to those that I could find 00:35:13.489 --> 00:35:17.750 and throughout the Bahamas and of course as the 00:35:17.750 --> 00:35:19.429 storming started getting towards the United States 00:35:19.429 --> 00:35:23.110 then I also sent out email blasts to the ARRL 00:35:23.110 --> 00:35:27.070 section managers division directors and state 00:35:27.070 --> 00:35:30.670 emergency coordinators throughout the region 00:35:30.670 --> 00:35:32.610 that looked like it was going to be hit. So they 00:35:32.610 --> 00:35:35.329 didn't know if we'd be there and anything we 00:35:35.329 --> 00:35:37.750 could do to help before, during, and after the 00:35:37.750 --> 00:35:43.730 storm. But yeah, it's hard to say how many lives 00:35:43.730 --> 00:35:46.190 you actually saved when you start seeing afterwards. 00:35:46.389 --> 00:35:50.309 There was a lot that perished, but it's better 00:35:50.309 --> 00:35:54.349 than... I just hate to know what would happen 00:35:54.349 --> 00:35:56.250 if I hadn't because I would not have been able 00:35:56.250 --> 00:35:58.750 to sleep with myself. So that's the best we can 00:35:58.750 --> 00:36:00.949 do is just get out before and then of course 00:36:00.949 --> 00:36:02.769 while we're on the air keep letting people know 00:36:02.769 --> 00:36:05.329 this is what the storm is doing and whether we're 00:36:05.329 --> 00:36:07.769 getting ham operators coming back. We do know 00:36:07.769 --> 00:36:10.510 this. There's a lot of people throughout the 00:36:10.510 --> 00:36:12.750 Caribbean that are shortwave listeners and I 00:36:12.750 --> 00:36:16.829 get emails from various folks in various locations 00:36:16.829 --> 00:36:19.289 that say thank you. Thank you for being there. 00:36:19.449 --> 00:36:23.110 you are our only means of getting weather information 00:36:23.110 --> 00:36:25.610 of what the storm's doing, where it's forecast 00:36:25.610 --> 00:36:28.190 to go, and allowing us to know whether it's safe 00:36:28.190 --> 00:36:30.489 to get out, what to do, and so on and so forth. 00:36:32.190 --> 00:36:36.329 Well, that's a great service that you and the 00:36:36.329 --> 00:36:40.289 hams that are involved are offering to all of 00:36:40.289 --> 00:36:43.429 those people. So we are very grateful and thankful 00:36:43.429 --> 00:36:48.179 that that you and your team are taking this on 00:36:48.179 --> 00:36:52.239 and doing that. So congratulations on all of 00:36:52.239 --> 00:36:56.380 that. And yeah, it's hard to believe that they 00:36:56.380 --> 00:37:00.320 wouldn't have a warning on a Cat 5 hurricane, 00:37:01.420 --> 00:37:05.880 but that's the kind of thing that happens. We're 00:37:05.880 --> 00:37:11.260 lucky to have that resource here. 812 -NET -HAM 00:37:11.260 --> 00:37:17.360 -1 is the telephone number, 812 -638 -4261. We'd 00:37:17.360 --> 00:37:19.920 like to get your calls in here. We have just 00:37:19.920 --> 00:37:23.400 a few minutes left, so if you have a chance, 00:37:23.539 --> 00:37:26.920 give us a call or give us a tweet here. If you 00:37:26.920 --> 00:37:29.099 have a question about the Hurricane Watch Net 00:37:29.099 --> 00:37:34.539 or SkyWarn or just a question for Bobby, let 00:37:34.539 --> 00:37:39.530 us know. We have just a few minutes left. 812, 00:37:39.690 --> 00:37:49.550 Net Ham 1, 812, 638, 4261, call now. So we'll 00:37:49.550 --> 00:37:52.849 keep waiting here and see if we pick up anybody. 00:37:55.710 --> 00:38:02.590 We do have a few minutes here. What do you see? 00:38:03.289 --> 00:38:09.050 as the near future of the hurricane watch net 00:38:09.050 --> 00:38:13.309 water. Are you looking for coming up? Are there 00:38:13.309 --> 00:38:16.869 any major changes you're looking at making? I 00:38:16.869 --> 00:38:21.130 know we've heard that some of the emergency alert 00:38:21.130 --> 00:38:23.730 tones have been updated. There's some some new 00:38:23.730 --> 00:38:29.289 ones for next season. Tell us a little bit about 00:38:29.289 --> 00:38:33.519 the future of what you expect to to come for 00:38:33.519 --> 00:38:37.219 the hurricane watch net? Well the biggest thing 00:38:37.219 --> 00:38:40.500 I've been working on is to increase our, well 00:38:40.500 --> 00:38:43.599 just not our numbers, to like get members and 00:38:43.599 --> 00:38:46.199 locations that were like in states or maybe countries 00:38:46.199 --> 00:38:50.139 we don't have any. But I'm also working to increase 00:38:50.139 --> 00:38:53.539 the number of bilingual operators because since 00:38:53.539 --> 00:38:58.579 we're now a 24 -hour operating net prior to the 00:38:58.579 --> 00:39:02.300 2011 season, the hurricane watch net pretty much 00:39:02.300 --> 00:39:08.400 operated on 20 meters only on 14 -325 and that's 00:39:08.400 --> 00:39:12.280 pretty much always bothered me and because storms 00:39:12.280 --> 00:39:15.559 make landfall at nighttime and 20 meters at nighttime 00:39:15.559 --> 00:39:18.099 you know it fades away until the next morning 00:39:18.099 --> 00:39:22.139 when propagation comes back and in 2011 we started 00:39:22.139 --> 00:39:25.039 testing the idea of operating on 40 possibly 00:39:25.039 --> 00:39:27.679 even 75 meters that was during Hurricane Irene 00:39:27.679 --> 00:39:32.940 we tried again in 2012 with Isaac and Superstorm 00:39:32.940 --> 00:39:38.019 Sandy. And when I became a net manager in 2013, 00:39:38.059 --> 00:39:41.739 I just made our protocol. When we need to activate 00:39:41.739 --> 00:39:44.699 for a storm, we're going 24 -7 until no longer 00:39:44.699 --> 00:39:48.039 a threat. And since these storms affect a lot 00:39:48.039 --> 00:39:51.719 of areas that have Spanish -speaking people, 00:39:51.940 --> 00:39:57.159 say like Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, some of 00:39:57.159 --> 00:40:01.050 the Caribbean islands, We need to have people 00:40:01.050 --> 00:40:04.469 that can help, you know, translate Spanish into 00:40:04.469 --> 00:40:07.449 English and vice versa. And I've been working 00:40:07.449 --> 00:40:11.150 to increase those numbers and hope we're out 00:40:11.150 --> 00:40:14.690 of a membership of 40. We've got 10 members now 00:40:14.690 --> 00:40:17.050 that are fully bilingual. Actually, we've got 00:40:17.050 --> 00:40:21.170 one guy that speaks five languages. He's there 00:40:21.170 --> 00:40:25.429 on the island of Aruba, P43 Lima. His name is 00:40:25.429 --> 00:40:29.760 Losandro. He's the... meteorologist at the airport 00:40:29.760 --> 00:40:34.380 there in Aruba. I can't remember all the languages 00:40:34.380 --> 00:40:36.519 he speaks. I know he speaks Spanish, English, 00:40:37.619 --> 00:40:42.119 French, Italian, and then the language they use 00:40:42.119 --> 00:40:44.559 there in the islands. I forget the name of that 00:40:44.559 --> 00:40:47.159 language, but he speaks five languages, fluently 00:40:47.159 --> 00:40:51.719 even. But we're looking to, I'd love to double 00:40:51.719 --> 00:40:54.519 that number over the next five to ten years. 00:40:54.730 --> 00:40:58.829 And we're also in the process of revamping our 00:40:58.829 --> 00:41:02.190 website and getting into what we're doing here, 00:41:02.250 --> 00:41:06.590 podcasting, looking to create a podcast for the 00:41:06.590 --> 00:41:11.610 Hurricane WatchNet to help out on outreach and 00:41:11.610 --> 00:41:14.670 education, something that Dr. Rick Knapp is really 00:41:14.670 --> 00:41:17.449 pushing for. So we're looking forward to getting 00:41:17.449 --> 00:41:22.730 that kicked off spring of 2017. Sounds great. 00:41:23.260 --> 00:41:26.480 Hey, we've got a couple of tweets here from Dr. 00:41:26.639 --> 00:41:30.820 Scott Wright, KZeroMD. He wants to know a couple 00:41:30.820 --> 00:41:33.599 of things. First of all, he does spend some time. 00:41:34.030 --> 00:41:38.010 in Turks and Caicos, especially during CQ Worldwide. 00:41:38.829 --> 00:41:42.849 So he wants to know if you've got anybody involved 00:41:42.849 --> 00:41:45.489 in the net from that area. And then the other 00:41:45.489 --> 00:41:49.090 thing is he wants to know if you've used any 00:41:49.090 --> 00:41:56.409 digital modes to transmit any kind of data or 00:41:56.409 --> 00:42:03.510 images over the air in addition to you know, 00:42:04.250 --> 00:42:07.409 the raw data. Are you able to transmit any pictures 00:42:07.409 --> 00:42:14.030 or use D -Star or anything like that or Windlink 00:42:14.030 --> 00:42:18.610 to transmit those? Well, Dr. Scott, I appreciate 00:42:18.610 --> 00:42:22.369 the question and we used to have a net member 00:42:22.369 --> 00:42:27.530 there on the Turks and Caicos, Burl VP5DB Delta 00:42:27.530 --> 00:42:31.119 Bravo. He's been quite busy over the past few 00:42:31.119 --> 00:42:34.320 years, other things going on. I hope one day 00:42:34.320 --> 00:42:38.219 we can get him back involved with us. As far 00:42:38.219 --> 00:42:42.260 as the digital stuff, years ago, one of our co 00:42:42.260 --> 00:42:47.280 -founders for the Hurricane Net had a Amtor running 00:42:47.280 --> 00:42:50.360 FEC mode to transmit weather data. This was back 00:42:50.360 --> 00:42:55.800 before the days of the internet. He was Colonel 00:42:55.800 --> 00:42:59.539 Don Kay, K -0 IND, lives down in Panama City 00:42:59.539 --> 00:43:03.679 Beach, Florida, and he was able to get a direct 00:43:03.679 --> 00:43:07.380 weather feed from the local weather office to 00:43:07.380 --> 00:43:10.579 his house, and then in turn would send out some 00:43:10.579 --> 00:43:13.739 of the weather, all the tropical weather data, 00:43:14.300 --> 00:43:16.440 as far as the advisories, bulletins, so on and 00:43:16.440 --> 00:43:20.239 so forth, by way of Amtor to our other members 00:43:20.239 --> 00:43:24.119 and anybody else that could receive it. And of 00:43:24.119 --> 00:43:25.500 course, you know, nowadays with the internet, 00:43:25.639 --> 00:43:27.639 you can get almost instantly by various means. 00:43:29.079 --> 00:43:30.960 But to answer your question, one thing I'm looking 00:43:30.960 --> 00:43:35.260 at is the idea of using WinLink for forwarding 00:43:35.260 --> 00:43:37.400 data into the Hurricane Center in case there 00:43:37.400 --> 00:43:40.300 is an internet blackout. Say, for instance, the 00:43:40.300 --> 00:43:46.860 center loses means of getting data in. Maybe 00:43:46.860 --> 00:43:48.840 we can get some pictures in from different locations 00:43:48.840 --> 00:43:51.519 that are used as attachments. that may be sent 00:43:51.519 --> 00:43:53.159 to one of our members, then of course we can 00:43:53.159 --> 00:43:55.380 pour that onto the Hurricane Center as well. 00:43:55.579 --> 00:43:57.780 So yeah, we're looking at that. We're not using 00:43:57.780 --> 00:44:01.380 it now, but we are giving those ideas some test. 00:44:02.500 --> 00:44:05.739 Very good. Sounds like some promising use of 00:44:05.739 --> 00:44:09.409 the digital technology. coming ahead. Well we 00:44:09.409 --> 00:44:13.269 are out of time so I want to thank you for being 00:44:13.269 --> 00:44:16.789 there and that is a wrap for this week's edition 00:44:16.789 --> 00:44:19.670 of HamTalk Live. I'd like to thank my guest Bobby 00:44:19.670 --> 00:44:22.909 Graves KB5HAV and all the listeners out there 00:44:22.909 --> 00:44:26.469 in cyberspace. and for Scott for tweeting in 00:44:26.469 --> 00:44:28.710 and invite you back next Thursday night at 9 00:44:28.710 --> 00:44:32.110 p .m. Eastern Time. Again, Rick Garrett, N9GSU, 00:44:32.210 --> 00:44:35.190 will be here to do some comedy. So be thinking 00:44:35.190 --> 00:44:37.710 about the funniest things you've heard on the 00:44:37.710 --> 00:44:40.590 air and be ready to call in with those. Recall 00:44:40.590 --> 00:44:42.750 your funniest stories. Give us a call next week 00:44:42.750 --> 00:44:45.349 with yours. For a list of all of our upcoming 00:44:45.349 --> 00:44:48.849 guests, visit HamTalkLive .com. For now, this 00:44:48.849 --> 00:44:52.510 is Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, saying seven three, seven 00:44:52.510 --> 00:44:55.469 five, and may May the good DX be yours!