ALERT - Latest Comments

Re: ALERT Activation – 01/22/2012

RussellThomas — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:04:48 -0000

Ronnie King WX4RON and Deryl Whittle WD4IGK from 8 - 10:30pm

Tom and Mellisa Overall WX4WIA WX4WIC from 10:30 - 4am

Re: ALERT Activation – 11/22/2011

WX4NLJ - Nathan — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:09:43 -0000

Updated callout schedule

David Reed: 3-7
Bobby Best: 3-7
Ronnie King: 7-11
Stephanie Honeycutt: 7-11

Re: ALERT Activation – 11/22/2011

Zac Hollingsworth — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:46:00 -0000

I'm available for any shift W4ZAC Zac Hollingsworth 205-629-0892

Re: ALERT Activation – 11/22/2011

WX4NLJ - Nathan — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:45:02 -0000

Callout schedule as of 11/22/11 16:45 for activation on 11/23/11

David Reed: 3-7
Bobby Best: 3-7
Ronny Kink: 7-11

Still need operators for 1- 7-11 slot and 2 operators for 11-3.

Re: ALERT Activation – 11/22/2011

WX4NLJ - Nathan — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:38:00 -0000

ALERT callout schedule for 11/23/11 as of 4:30pm 11/22/11

David Reed: 3-7
Bobby Best: 3-7
Ronnie King: 7-11

Still need 1 person for 7-11 and 2 people for 11-3

Re: ALERT Activation – 4/27/2011

RussellThomas — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:51:17 -0000

I was on the 146.880 as well as the 147.140, using a dual band radio, both repeaters were being used for the spotting. I don't know when you were listening, but, there was welfare traffic, but anytime anyone had location info it was priority !

Thanks and 73's,
Grady Evans

W4GLE

Re: ALERT Activation – 4/27/2011

W4AGA — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 22:09:11 -0000

Hi Louis,

We do not broadcast weather watch and warning products during an ARES emergency weather net.

Your best source for current information is to monitor NOAH Weather Radio, broadcast media (TV and Radio), or install the free http://wxspots.com software called WxWarn which allows you to see all NWS products for Alabama or just select county weather products.

I highly recommend the WunderMap at http://www.wunderground.com. Turn on Storm Tracks and you will see every storm, severity info and tracking for its expected path (prediction cone) for where it is expected to be in the next 20, 40 and 60 minutes.

If all you have is VHF then ask for an update for your location from K4NWS, our ALERT radio station at the National Weather Service which is manned anytime we expect severe weather in central Alabama.

Our emergency nets need to remain clear for the receipt of severe weather and storm damage reports.

I encourage you to join ARES and ALERT. Especially right now as we respond to this disaster we need radio operators willing to serve.

Ed Manley
ARES Jefferson County Assistant Emergency Coordinator
W4AGA@arrl.net
205-914-6814

Re: ALERT Activation – 4/27/2011

w4avd — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 21:46:58 -0000

the w4cue repeater on 146.88 MHz is the home of the jefferson county emergency net. That net handles all types of traffic during an emergency and is designed to serve the appropriate agency (e.g. National Weather Service, Emergency Management Agency). During this latest event, I manned the KF4OUS station (Jefferson County Emergency Operations Center) and was actively participating in the Jefferson County Emergency Net. During the tornado warning for Jefferson County the majority of the reports taken by the Net Control Station were severe weather (storm spotter) and damage reports. It was not until after the warning expired that Health & Welfare traffic started to appear.

Also, the Jefferson County Emergency Net is not designed to keep the Amateur Radio community informed as to the position of any given storm. It is designed to facilitate communications between volunteers and served agencies (e.g. storm spotters & the NWS). One should not rely on the Jefferson County Emergency Net for personal safety as reports on that net can sometimes be unreliable and calling in to ask can disrupt the flow of critical information. For severe weather we should all be prepared having a battery operated fm radio and a NOAA weather radio should be a priority.
Alex - W4AVD

Re: ALERT Activation – 4/27/2011

Wd4nyl — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 21:26:23 -0000

The primary ARES frequency is 146.880, with a backup of 146.760.

Net operations of the Jefferson County ARES Emergency Net are conducted by BARC & Jefferson County ARES, not ALERT.

ALERT, which is not part of ARES, doesn't conduct net operations but, collects storm spotter reports from the various skywarn nets throught central Alabama.

Though we are a seperate independent organization, we maintain do enjoy good close working relationship with ARES and, I'll be glad to pass your concerns on to Jeffco ARES leadership.

Mark Wells
WD4NYL
President of ALERT
wd4nyl@bellsouth.net

Re: ALERT Activation – 4/27/2011

Louis Bohorfoush — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:41:10 -0000

I have a question and a comment. What frequency was used for spotting in the Bham area ? I ask becasue I tried to listen to the 88 repeater as the tornado was entering the Bham area and my satellite tv signal was down to find out the location of the tornado. I heard nothing about the current location, only what could be characterized as health and welfare traffic. Please, in the future, move such traffic to another frequency and keep us informed of the storms' current position. Thanks. Louis Bohorfoush WB4CXD.

Re: ALERT Activation – 4/27/2011

RussellThomas — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:52:25 -0000

Responders:
Steven Moss KB4FKN
Tom Overall KG4WIA

thanks guys!

Re: ALERT Activation – 4/27/2011

RussellThomas — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:32:42 -0000

fixed, thanks for the heads up...

Re: ALERT Activation – 4/27/2011

W4AGA — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:27:23 -0000

On 4/6/2011? Really?

Re: ALERT activation

RussellThomas — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:46:15 -0000

Howard Moss and Ronnie until 5pm.
Ed Manley and Jonnie Knoblock from 5pm til midnight

Re: ALERT Activation – 02/01/2011

RussellThomas — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 09:33:14 -0000

Many thanks to Terry Christian KJ4KZR & Ed Manley W4AGA for manning K4NWS during Tuesdays callout.

Re: ALERT Activation – 01/09/2011

RussellThomas — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:52:59 -0000

Grady Evans W4GLE responded:
Checked in 01-09-11 @ 5:20pm, checked out at 01-10-2011 @ 10:00 am

Re: ALERT Activation – 12/31/2010

RussellThomas — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:24:20 -0000

Johnnie Knobloch and Howard Moss responded. Howard Came in at Midnight & Johnnie came in at 1:30AM & stayed till noon.

Re: ALERT Activation – 11/29/2010

RussellThomas — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 08:23:26 -0000

Hi everyone,

I would like to thank Alex Davies W4AVD & Ed Manley W4AGA for responding to K4NWS for the ALERT callout of November 30, 2010.

ALERT was activated at Midnight & was in operation until 11AM Tuesday

Alex was on station from midnight till 6AM & Ed was on station from 6AM until 11AM, operating both K4NWS & the Spotterchat system.

You dedication and support are appreciated

Thanks!

Mark Wells
WD4NYL
President of ALERT

Re: ALERT Activation – 05/01/2010

RussellThomas — Tue, 04 May 2010 08:23:11 -0000

Hi everyone,

I would like to thank Terry & Fredia Dillard, KI4YZI & KT4TEA for responding to K4NWS for the ALERT callout of Saturday May 1.

ALERT was activated at 1 PM Saturday for tornado watch #124 as severe thunderstorms affected Western Alabama.

You help and support are appreciated.

Mark Wells
WD4NYL
President of ALERT
.

Re: ALERT Activation – 04/23/2010

RussellThomas — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 10:38:29 -0000

Alert Friends and Family,

On behalf of Jim Stefkovich and the entire office, I want to commend you and thank you for the outstanding response to the call-out for the prolonged event this past weekend. With your help, the NWS SAVED LIVES, and you all played an important part through the entire event.

Thanks again,
John
--

John D. De Block
Warning Coordination Meteorologist

Re: ALERT Activation – 04/23/2010

RussellThomas — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:51:44 -0000

Hi everyone,

I would like to thank those who participated in Saturdays callout. ALERT was activated for an extended callout of 19 1/2 hours for a series of PDS (Particularly Dangerous Situation) tornado
watches. We were under a "High" risk for large long track tornadoes. We know so far that this system from its inception has spawned at least 114 tornadoes over the Southern States & is responsible an EF-0 tornado in Marion county with 80 MPH winds that damaged three buildings and an EF-3 tornado that struck Parrish with 140 MPH peak winds, damaging 70 to 80 homes and businesses & continued on a 29.5 mile path through Walker, Jefferson and Blount Counties.

Other damage was reported and NWS storm surveys are ongoing.

ALERT was activated at 6AM Saturday the 24th & was released early Sunday morning.

The following members participated as follows:

WX4NLJ Nathan Jones, ALERT NWS Liaison originated the two callouts & orchestrated the response.

N4RDX Jamie Lucas opened K4NWS and handled the first shift from 6 AM to 10 AM
KQ4JC Teresa Wells & WD4NYL Mark Wells handled the 10 AM to 2 PM shift.
N4RDX Jamie, Johnnie Knobloch KJ4OPX & Tim Hughes KJ4PZI handled the 2 PM to 6 PM shift.
N4PHP Ron Arant & KB4FKN Steven Moss handled the 6 PM to 12 Midnight shift.
KJ4OPX Johnnie handled the 12 Midnight shift and closed out operations at K4NWS.

N1LF Les Rayburn acted as liaison between K4NWS and the statewide ARES net on 3.965 MHz via 220 MHz.

220 MHZ, 440 MHz, 146 MHz & D-Star were all effectively used, as was the Chatroom system.

I appreciate N4HUB Hub Harvey and those who monitored the Spotterchat. Things got a little hectic and I didn't write the names down. But, I saw you and I do appreciate your efforts.

APRS coverage was available and was used to contact Jeffco EMA.

As I said in the "heads up" email of the 21st, remember that your participation has saved lives

We - ALERT & the NWS appreciate your help & support.

Mark Wells
WD4NYL
President of ALERT

Re: ALERT Activation – 03/25/2010

RussellThomas — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 20:31:39 -0000

sorry to hear that... we are praying for your family.

Re: ALERT Activation – 03/25/2010

RussellThomas — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 20:30:32 -0000

thanks to Jamie N4RDX for responding 2pm til the end! your help is greatly appreciated!

Re: ALERT Activation – 03/25/2010

K4DFR — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 01:16:35 -0000

K4DFR here...I will not be available to come to the NWS, as I will be going back to work Thursday night after a bereavement leave from work (my mother passed away on Wednesday 3/17). I will be logged in on the BMX spotter chat and will monitor conditions in the Shelby area...but otherwise I will be trying to get some sleep before work, if that is even possible.

Re: ALERT Activation – 3/10/2010

RussellThomas — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 21:14:54 -0000

no response to the callout.