1. April 12
2017
CLUB MEETING
Loren Lawrence – Club President
N5PUV

2. BCRO Agenda INTRODUCTION TREASURERS REPORT OLD BUSINESS NEW BUSINESS
VISITORS MEET AND GREET
TREASURERS REPORT
MARK MADDOX
OLD BUSINESS
Storm Spotting Training
Laka Atalanta Duathalon Event
Goodman Missouri
NEW BUSINESS
May 13th Sprint the Bent
May Hickory Creek
Great Ozark Open Water Swim
June 17 Tour de Fun
Field Day Locations
2 possible Locations now
Must pick 1 tonight
TRAINING PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT (Loren)
Storm Spotting Highlights
BCRO Agenda

3. Treasurers Report March 2017
Beginning Balance $
Income (-) (+)
Dues
Expenses
Ending Balance $

4. Old Business

5. Storm training class, who all went?
The OAK Room at
NWACC at Center for Health Professionals
I-49 Exit for
Highway 62
Exit 86

6. LaKe atalanta event! Was lots of Fun!, recap
Notes
Was lots of Fun!, recap
Yes, I used the vertical OCFD I showed you all how to build in the last meeting!!

7. Lake atalanta road race records
Position 4 across from Monte Chicken
Position 5, crossing New Hope,
Position 6 near closed convenience store
New Order of Race
Foot Race
Bike Road Race and Mountain Bikes
Foot Race Again 4 6 5

8. Goodman, Just a few miles away….

9. Goodman and Rogers

10. Tuesday Night at 6:45pm an EF2 comes to town

12. https://weather.com/storms/severe/video/tornado-reported-in-goodman-missouri

13. New Business

14. May 13th Sprint the Bend

15. We need several volunteers:
Sprint the Bend is a sprint distance triathlon consisting of a 500 yard open water swim, a 15 mile road ride, and a 5K run.
Event DATE: May 13, 2017 Event TIME: 7:30am Location: Horseshoe Bend Park
Event Schedule:
5:30 a.m. Transition Opens
6:50 a.m. Transition Closes
7:00 a.m. National Anthem and Pre race meeting
7:30 a.m. First Wave Starts
We need several volunteers:
2 in Park with HT’s
4 on the road race with Mobile units on 70cm or 2 meter
1 or 2 Net Control = 7 volunteers

17. May 27-28th Great Ozark Water Swim – Hickory Creek

18. The Great Ozark Open Water Swim Festival powered by GPP Everyman Series takes place in the scenic Ozark Mountains in beautiful Beaver Lake at Hickory Creek in Springdale, AR
This open water swim festival offers 4 distances for all level of swimmers! 1k, 2k 5k, and 10k.
Event DATE: May
Event TIME:
Friday: 6pm
Saturday & Sunday: 8:30am
Volunteers Needed:
This one is a water based event at Hickory Creek.
We need Hams in Kayaks or small boats with HT’s and perhaps some in the park.
1 or 2 Net Controls Near the action.
Remember this is a 3 day (evening, and two mornings) event
So we will take all the volunteers we can when they can be there

20. June 17th Tour de Fun Rogers

21. Includes Downtown Rogers and Lake Atalanta for Mountain Bikes
A road and mountain ride is here for this year's Tour de Fun. What else? The Beer Garden afterwards is at the GPP Cycling and Multisport Patio! All on Saturday, June 17.
Includes Downtown Rogers and Lake Atalanta for Mountain Bikes
The Tour de Fun is TASC's biggest annual fundraiser held every year to help TASC continue in its support of local teens.  Without your participation in this event, hundreds of teens in NWA would go without accessible counseling, resources, and service opportunities.
Saturday Fun Fest 50k Bike Ride 6:45 a.m. Saturday Fun Fest 100k Bike Ride 7:00 a.m. ​Saturday Fun Fest Mountain Bike Ride 7:10 a.m.
Volunteers Needed:
1-2 Net Control
2 Mobile or Walk a Ham radios or Ham Bikes
2 HT’s will work on street corners = 5

22. Field Day Locations we have to decide on this year

23. One is out toward Decator, where we had it last year
8030 La Croix Road
Generators allowed
RV campers allowed
Long way there for most
Few visitors experienced
Kind of intimidating?
Hard for news to find or visit
They have never come

24. Generators allowed (Honda) Tents allowed Easy to find
New Site is In Rogers!
905 S 13 street
Generators allowed (Honda)
Tents allowed
Easy to find
In Town, News can find
Perhaps others can too
It’s a wooded lot also
Closer to town
We need to decide which one is where we want to do Field day this year
WE need a vote from Members!

25. Spotter Guidelines Presentation

26. Severe Weather Spotting Preparation, Safety, and Communications
Steve Hilberg, N9XDC
Debbie Fligor, N9DN
Amateur Radio Emergency Service
Introductions
Why and how we got interested
Why this training? How it's different from the NWS training

27. Attitude and Frame of Mind
You are a storm SPOTTER, not a storm chaser!
Your job is to provide factual, real-time information about weather conditions
We all work together in the interest of public safety
With title on screen - ask about experience.
How many first year?
How many less than five years?
How many 6-10 years?
Over 10 years?

28. Attitude and Frame of Mind
Severe thunderstorms can be deadly
To be an effective storm spotter you must also pay attention to your own safety!
Training
Awareness
Training is important!
NWS training every two years - recommended every year.

29. Awareness
Know What’s Going On

30. Awareness Understand how the system operates Know the terminology
Key to effective communication
"terminology" is not necessarily jargon. In order to communicate effectively everyone must be speaking the same "language"
Olympic/Curling analogy - a lot of comon words, but with completely different meaning
"end" "draw", "house", "hammer"
END - similar to an inning in baseball
HOUSE - the scoring area
DRAW - a rock that stops in front of or in the house
HAMMER - the last rock of each end

31. Awareness
Daily Convective Outlooks are issued by the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, OK

32. Four Levels of Risk APPROACHING SLIGHT
Strong thunderstorms are possible but little or no severe weather is expected
SLIGHT
Well-organized severe thunderstorms are expected, but in small numbers and/or low coverage

33. Four Levels of Risk MODERATE HIGH
A greater concentration of severe thunderstorms, and often greater magnitude
HIGH
A major severe weather outbreak is expected
Usually “PDS” (Particularly Dangerous Situation) included in Public Severe Weather Outlooks (PWO) and watches

34. Convective Outlooks Day 1 issued five times a day
01:00, 08:00, 11:30, 15:00, 20:00 CDT
Day 2 issued twice a day
02:30 and 12:30 CDT
Day 3 issued once a day
02:30 CDT

35. New Experimental Outlook
Day 4-8 Outlook

36. Watch
Means the conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms or tornadoes to develop
Issued for a period of 4 to 6 hours
Area covered may be as much as 20,000 to 40,00 square miles
May be trimmed, canceled, replaced, or re-issued as required

37. Watches

38. Warnings Issued by local NWS office
Issued when severe weather detected by radar, observed by spotters, or observed by public safety officials
Typically for periods of 15 to 60 minutes
Area covered is usually one to three counties or parts of counties (polygons)
Know the difference between WATCH and WARNING!

39. Items to have with you for safe and effective spotting
Ready Kit
Items to have with you for safe and effective spotting

40. Required County or site map Radio or other communications equipment
If using H-T, be sure to have extra batteries and/or auxiliary power cable
Clipboard, paper and pen
Identification – ARES or ESDA ID, drivers license, vehicle placards

41. Strongly Suggested
Report forms or a micro cassette recorder to keep logs with
Wind gage, ruler, compass or GPS
Flashlight with extra batteries and bulbs

42. Recommended Binoculars or small telescope
Rain coat that is bright colored or worn with orange vest

43. Optional Folding chair or lawn chair if you are not under lightning
Snacks, non-alcoholic drinks
Video or film camera, with extra tapes, batteries and film
Fire extinguisher and first aid kit
Spare fuses, paper towels, insect repellant

44. Vehicle Preparation
NSSL Doppler on Wheels - the ultimate storm spotting vehicle!

45. At the Beginning of Storm Season, and Occasionally Thereafter
Make sure the lights all work: headlights, flashers, turn signal, break/backup
Check your fluid levels: oil, coolant, brake, battery and windshield cleaner
Inspect your radios, coax, power connectors, antenna and antenna connector

46. Every Time You Go Out Fill the gas tank
Check your windshield wipers – it’s going to rain on you
Check your tires – tread, pressure, and spare
Put a fresh coat of Rain-X on the windshield if you have time

47. On the Volunteer Activity
Your Safety is Important!

48. Spotter Safety Take a partner if possible
Driver concentrates on the road
Spotter concentrates on spotting and navigating
Always let net control know where you are

49. Survey Your Spotting Location
Spotter Safety
Survey Your Spotting Location
Move completely out of traffic
Be visible - parking lights (not hazard flashers) or yellow caution light
Be sure you have a good field of view (at least 180o)
Important for spotting and safety
Are there power lines overhead?

50. Survey Your Spotting Location
Spotter Safety
Survey Your Spotting Location
Too much mud?
Tall dry grass - a potential fire hazard near your exhaust
Avoid low spots or ditches that may flood quickly in heavy rain
Know your escape routes! Have more than one escape route!

51. Spotter Safety Driving Safely
Rural intersections can have low visibility due to crops or weather
Heavy rain and hail=poor visibility and may mean you are in “wrong” part of storm!
Avoid water flowing over roads - six inches can float a moving car (hydroplaning)
Lightning can strike miles away - stay in your vehicle

52. Communications Your job is to observe and communicate
CREDIBILITY is key!
Be objective in your reporting
Report what you observe or experience, despite what you may hear on the radio
Avoid subjective and personal descriptions
Observation should be communicated in something measurable or comparative
Distance, direction, and movement should be a part of every report where applicable

53. Communications Give all reports with respect to your location
Estimate wind speeds or describe damage being caused
“When in doubt, don’t shout.”
If not sure of what you are seeing, take extra time to observe before you report
Report only what you see

54. Communications
Avoid using the words “tornado” and “funnel cloud” unless you actually observe one!
May cause unnecessary public panic
May confuse other spotters
Avoid mentioning specific towns or locations unless you are sure event is occurring there

55. Communications Know WHAT to report
A thunderstorm is classified as severe if one or more of the following are observed:
tornado or funnel cloud
winds 58 mph or greater
hail 3/4 inch or greater in diameter (penny)

56. Communications Tornado Funnel cloud Rotating wall cloud Flash flooding
URGENT Priority
Tornado
Funnel cloud
Rotating wall cloud
Flash flooding

57. Communications Hail 3/4 inch or greater in diameter
HIGH Priority
Hail 3/4 inch or greater in diameter
Winds speeds greater than 58 mph (or damaging winds)
Persistent non-rotating wall cloud
Rainfall 1 inch or more per hour

58. Communications Hail 1/4 inch or larger
Lower Priority
Hail 1/4 inch or larger
Winds speeds greater than 40 mph
Cloud features suggesting storm organization (if you are familiar with these)

59. Communications
Use break tags if necessary to break into existing net traffic
PRIORITY – used to report important but non-life threatening info (such as damage)
EMERGENCY – used only for life or property threatening or damaging incident

60. Communications Examples of reports we DON’T want to hear...
“I have light rain at my location”
“I can see lightning off in the distance!”
“It’s starting to brighten up here.”
“The clouds are really dark to the west.”
WHY don't we want to hear these type of reports?

61. Communications Log all of your reports
Note time, location, and what you observed
If you have something to report but cannot for some reason, LOG IT!
This information can be valuable in reconstructing storm events in post storm investigations.

62. Servere Weather Report Form

63. Communications Keep your radio traffic... BRIEF CONCISE ACCURATE THINK
about what you are going to say before you say it!

64. Communications Use proper radio procedures
“Hey you, It’s Me”
“Net control, this is N9XDC”
Repeat message back so person you are communicating with knows you understand
“I copy you want me to relocate to the intersection of 1200N and 500E”
“I copy your report of 1 inch hail at your location”

65. Network Operations & Procedures
Communications
Network Operations & Procedures
Ask how many net copntrol operators in room?

66. Network Operations & Procedures
Be sure to follow procedures for the particular net you participate in
This is critical to effective and efficient flow of information
Most nets are directed nets, i.e. all communications are directed to and through a net control station (NCS)

67. Network Operations & Procedures
Recommended General Procedures
Participating operators must check in with NCS by giving call sign and current location.
If you are not available, do NOT check in!
If you check in to the net, be sure to check out when you must leave
Remain at check-in location until dispatched or directed by NCS

68. Network Operations & Procedures
Recommended General Procedures
Notify NCS prior to any change in location, except in case of emergency or dangerous conditions
Get to safety. Report new location to NCS as soon as possible once situation is secure
Report significant events only!
APRS trackers are useful for keeping NCS aware of your location. However, they DO NOT replace the need for notifying net control of your location or change in location

69. Advanced Spotter Guide
ed/advanced02.htm
aining
Advanced Spotter Guide

70. Please help us put any chairs and tables up!
Almost Time!
Please help us put any chairs and tables up!
73!
The Library wants this room to be cleared
after our meetings