THE SKYWARN NET:

The main purpose of the SKYWARN Net is for the gathering of severe weather information to be forwarded to the National Weather Service in State College Pennsylvania. The SKYWARN net is a regular Net with a Net Control (NCS). The SKYWARN Net run by the C.V.A.R.C. is a simple Net with some very simple rules. First, anyone may pass weather information to the SKYWARN Net at any time. While it is better to have some SKYWARN training, this is not required. In fact, I would encourage everyone to check into a SKYWARN Net as the more reports we can send to the forecasters, the easier it is for them to develop a picture of what is happening here on the ground in Franklin County. Remember, although they have Doppler radar and satellites, NOTHING takes the place of human observation! And what we report helps them to tell others what to expect. Many severe storms are 'born' here and affect the major metropolitan areas.

Of course, any other Emergency traffic will take precedence in the SKYWARN Net. If you have a hazardous situation that you need to be reported to the authorities, please contact the SKYWARN Net control and have them relay the information immediately.

When SKYWARN is not taking traffic, any Amateur may use the repeater. Please, however, leave breaks in between your transmissions so that someone may contact the Net Control if necessary. Also, the Net Control will, at 15 minute intervals, read from a prepared script giving the Net information and any severe weather bulletins that are active. If you spot severe weather,and do not hear a SKYWARN net on the repeater, please give a call to SKYWARN. There is usually a NCS 'listening' in the background even though the Net has not been officially activated. Many times the Net is in a 'standby' mode because the activity has not reached our area and we are not ready to bring the full Net online. Also, if you are outside the county, please feel free to pass SKYWARN information via our Net. While we focus primarily on Franklin County, we will gladly take information from any of the surrounding areas.

There will be a new NOAA NWS station on the air soon. NWS State College is adding 162.525 from Huntingdon County sometime in March 1998. WWG52 will broadccast with 1 kW of power from the Three Springs area. (Thanks to Tom Dunham, N2KBI for this info).

FIPS code, NOAA RADIO AND EAS

Big changes have been made in NOAA Weather Radio and more are on the way. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) replaced the Emergency Broadcast System as the source of emergency information including weather watches and warnings. Every NOAA Radio station now attaches special digital codes to all severe storm warnings. The codes indicate the county, the type of warning and the time. Up to two minutes of audio is also transmitted. Digital codes mean information can be extracted untouched by human hands by commercial EAS stations and directly relayed to users. The codes also mean stations can program only the counties in the listening area and only the specific warnings they wish to rebroadcast. For stations that run unattended at night, the codes permit equipment to break into programming,broadcasting the audio warning message and return to automatic operation.

(taken from the FALL 1997 edition of SKYWARNEWS)

Surrounding CVARC Pennsylvania County FIPS Codes:

• ADAMS 001
• CUMBERLAND 041
• FRANKLIN 055
• FULTON 057
• HUNTINGDON 061

So you see, those codes are for the different counties. If you have one of these receivers you can set it to lock out all bulletins for any county other than yours by punching in the code for your county. I don't have them, but there are other codes for the type of warning too. You now hear these data bursts on commercial radio and TV stations. NWS radio will still broadcast the alert tone too 'cause there are many of those older rcvrs still out there. I have only seen these new ones at Radio Shack for $75. If you have to see any anywhere cheaper, please let me know.

FRANKLIN COUNTY SKYWARN NET SCRIPT
(updated:5/14/06)

(Notes in " ( ) " are for Net Controls -- do not read over the air!)


OPENING SCRIPT

This is (your call), Net Control for SKYWARN. At this time we are activating the SKYWARN NET due to severe weather in the area.

(If you cannot contact a CVARC Control Operator to do the following, continue on with the During Script below)

All stations please stand by...

(pause)

(Contact a Control Operator, or a designated SKYWARN Net Control to set the repeater tones to ’WX’ for you. If you are a designated SKYWARN Net Control refer to the Repeater Tone Sheet)

(Please go to the During Script next)


DURING SCRIPT

(If there is a Severe Weather Watch - please read this script every 30 minutes)
(If there is a Severe Weather Warning - please read this script every 15 minutes)


This is (your call), Net Control, with the Franklin County SKYWARN Net. The Net has been activated for the purpose of gathering severe weather information.

(pause)

The National Weather Service has issued the following weather advisories:

(Read the latest weather watches/warnings)

We are looking for the following severe weather information:

(Select from the following list and read over the air:)

----------


(SUMMER ONLY)
TORNADOES, FUNNEL CLOUDS, OR WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MILES PER HOUR
HAIL
RAIN IN EXCESS OF 1 INCH PER HOUR
STREAM, CREEK OR ROAD FLOODING
ROAD HAZARDS CAUSED BY SEVERE WEATHER
DOWNED TREES OR POWER LINES
OR ANY STORM RELATED DAMAGE
 

(WINTER ONLY)
NEW SNOWFALL MEASUREMENTS IN EXCESS OF 4 INCHES
SEVERE ICING ON TREES, ROADS, OR POWER LINES
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MILES PER HOUR
ROAD CLOSURES DUE TO DRIFTING, DOWNED TREES OR POWER LINES
OR ANY STORM RELATED DAMAGE

----------

(pause)

Franklin County SKYWARN is on (choose one: STANDBY/ACTIVE) status. All Amateurs are requested to contact SKYWARN with reports of severe weather.

(If RACES is at Level 3, use the following script):

RACES is at LEVEL 3. All RACES members are advised to be prepared for an activation.

(pause)

When SKYWARN is not taking traffic, the repeater may be used for normal communications. Please give SKYWARN traffic priority at all times.

This is (your call), SKYWARN NET CONTROL standing by.


CLOSING SCRIPT

This is (your call), SKYWARN Net Control. At this time we are securing the SKYWARN Weather Net. We would like to thank the Cumberland Valley Amateur Radio Club for the use of their repeater. We would also like to thank all stations who participated in the Net - your help was appreciated!

All stations please stand by...

(1. Contact a Control Operator, or a designated SKYWARN Net Control to reset the repeater tones to normal for you. If you are a designated SKYWARN Net Control refer to the Repeater Tone Sheet)

The W3ACH repeater is now returned to normal service and (your call) is clear.