Severe weather spotter training, aka "spotter talks", are usually hosted by various amateur radio or public service groups around the area. These sessions are usually conducted by personnel from the National Weather Service office in Indianapolis.
For a list of scheduled spotter talks, click here. Most spotter talks are scheduled in the late winter or early spring to prepare for the upcoming severe weather season.
You will also find at the link above downloadable spotter guides and an online spotter training video.
FEMA Region V (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin) conducts an Auxcomm radio communications net on the second and forth Sunday of every month beginning at 2100Z (4:00pm EST) (during standard time*) with rotating Net Control operators from participating states.
This net begins on 60 Meters channel 4. If channel 4 is busy we change to channel 5, then 1, 2, and 3, in that order, until an open channel is found.
The net changes to 40 Meters at 2110Z (4:10pm EST) on 7180 KHz and up until an open frequency is found.
The net changes again to D-Star reflector 024A at 2120Z (4:20pm EST)
And at 2130Z (4:30pm EST) to DMR talk group 31673 (also labeled as R5AUXCOMM).
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In addition to VOICE NETS, R5 Auxcomm is soliciting check-ins via WinLink.
First off, a hearty thank you to all the stations who checked in on the 9 January FEMA 5 AUXCOM Winlink Net. Although this net is conducted on the second and fourth Sunday of each month by FEMA Region 5 AUXCOM group, it is open to all amateur radio operators and SHARES operators. The purpose of the net is to familiarize Winlink users with the Winlink system and use of the available message templates. A list of the stations checking in on the 9th follows this message.
This Sunday, 13 February, is the second Sunday of the month and we will hold the next FEMA Region 5 AUXCOMM Winlink Net. While this net is sponsored by the FEMA Region 5 AUXCOMM group, all ham radio operators and those with SHARES callsigns are welcome and encouraged to check in. The purpose of this net to help Winlink skills current by providing practice with the Winlink Express program and its features.
For this week's net, please use Winlink to send a Winlink Check In form to my email address. I hope as many stations as possible will check in and invite others to check in also.
If you have a Winlink account:
1. Start Winlink
2. Start a new Winlink message
3. In the 'To' field, enter W9REL.radio@gmail.com.
4. On the ribbon menu, click 'Select Template', then click the '+' sign next to General Forms, then double click 'Winlink Check In'. Watch as a Check in form miraculously appears before your eyes.
5. Complete the form. In the comments field, insert 'Exercise #2022-03' followed by your grid square, first name, your call-sign, your city, your state abbreviation, and the method you used to send the message (telnet, packet VHF, Vara HF, pactor, carrier pigeon, whatever).
6. On Sunday (13 February), send your message.
If you DO NOT have a Winlink account, what the heck? This is, after all, a Winlink net. Starting a Winlink account is free, as in no charge, zero denaro, butkus. Plus Winlink is easy to use, especially so if you regularly check in to this net. Go ahead, you know you want to.
To check in via email:
1. Open your email client.
2. In the 'To' field, enter w9rel.radio@gmail.com.
2a. Start the Subject line with '//WL2K /R Feb 13th Check In'
3. Enter the following information (This would be much easier if you had the report form available on Winlink Express):
3a In the text field of your email, enter 'Exercise #2022-03 Check In' followed by your grid square, your first name, your callsign, and your state. If you wish, you can also include your blood type, your right thumbprint, and a DNA sample. It's up to you.
4. On Sunday the 13th, send your message.
Did You Know: When sending a Winlink message via email, you must start the subject line with //WL2K otherwise Winlink will not accept the message.
Keep healthy, warm, and safe and keep good situational awareness
---------------------------
Skip Sharpe W9REL
Stations checked in of 9 January:
KE8BSM W8WTD WV8WVF N0CFT N0BYH AA8RK KB8BKE KK6KTX NNA9AM
KL7RF W8ISH N3FMO KE8WIP WB8HRO KL7RI KB9TMB KD9CKW KC9NVV
W9NMM N8FVM K9HAH K8NET KM6CRL W0ODE K8JMH KG6DI WN9Q
WN9Q KB8QAS KA3MTT WD8SAB W9GRB WB8CXN KB0D KE8DON KC9TYA
KB0D AA8BN K0GCP W8LRJ AC8JW WB9YIG N8NIF WD8SDH KM9S NNA5SA
W9PFD KD8JQE K8RJH WX8OH KA5NHU KC8NZJ KJ7GVY KA8OAD KD9AQM
WB9ADB W8DAY WD8USA AB9VM K5EYC K9STN KD8IOQ K4WTH NM1S
W8AYN NNA5KA N8HEE WD8DBY AA9WP W9DSR N9BA KA0AZS KE0U
WX8BOB KE8RXQ KB8GYB N0SJS N8MXX KD9NJR KB9MMC N2LC
I look forward to getting check-ins from all of you on Sunday.
Keep warm, safe, and healthy
Skip W9REL
Always keep good situational awareness
---------------------------
Skip Sharpe W9REL
Wide area net with traffic and announcements. See https://www.mcinares.org/ for more info about Marion County ARES.
2018 Indiana Severe Weather TEST is on Tuesday, March 20
Outdoor Weather Siren Testing is in MORNING SESSION ONLY --- 10:15AM
Amateur Radio Skywarn Test Nets
On March 20 at about 10:15am, during the State Tornado Drill Marion County Skywarn will hold a test net. During this net we will take check ins as well as siren operation reports.
We will hold a second net at about 7:00pm. There will not be a siren test, but we will still take check ins and give a couple brief announcements.
The nets will take place on the 146.760MHz repeater (no tone), linked to the 443.250MHz (100pl).
https://www.weather.gov/media/ind/PrepWeeks/Severe/2018_IN_SVR_WX_WkNews...
Attached is the ARRL's ARES application. If you would like to join the Marion County ARES group, feel free to print this, fill it out, scan it in, and email it to ws9h@arrl.net.
For more information, go to: http://indianacw.net
For more information, go to: http://indianacw.net
The Hamilton County ARES Net is every Sunday at 2000 hours on the 145.170 (PL77) repeater which is linked to the 443.550 (PL77) repeater.
Repeaters
N9EOC Repeaters
Hamilton County RACES, ARES, and CIARA operate four repeaters. These repeaters are funded by Hamilton County Emergency Management Agency to provide communications in threatening weather and other emergency situations.
Hamilton County Repeaters
Primary Repeaters – located in Noblesville
145.170 (-) MHz
443.550 (+) MHz
Both with a 77 Hz tone
Digipeater 145.090 – located in Noblesville
Digital C4FM Fusion Repeaters – located in Hortonville
443.950 MHz- 77 Hz tone analog
146.865 MHz – 77 Hz tone analog
Reprinted from the ARRL ARES® E-letter, May 25, 2011:
Having spent two months talking about how to build and kill EMCOMM groups, this month I'll touch on what it takes to be the volunteer every leader wants on his or her team. Here are seven tips:
Reprinted from the ARRL ARES® E-letter, April 20, 2011:
Last month, I offered what I believe are ten ways to grow an ARES® or EMCOMM program. This month, I'll offer a list of ways to do just the opposite. Most are related to leadership.
Politics: If you've been around a while, you've experienced the evil of Amateur Radio politics, often made worse because we're a passionate bunch and nobody really has an important (job, money, family) stake in the debate. ARES® is different. We have a public safety mission and people count on us. We do not have time for politics.