In today's Severe weather discussion as a part of the awareness week we discuss Ham Radio and NOAA weather Radio. Fast Breaking Severe weather can occur anytime day or night, Local Media and News is good however since News comes on a specific time and weather is only told once or twice it is a good idea to have something more other than internet to monitor threatening weather. The best monitoring device would be a SAME encoding Noaa Weather Radio Alarm device, these weather radios are bought at Radio shack or any other stores and used to warn you of the impending danger. The Specific Area Emergency Encoding Device is set for your county codes with whatever you county you want even if you need alerts for only your county and not for alerts going on miles and miles away from you that may not even hit or even be in your area. Also the National Weather Service for your local county adjacint to the emergency management will activate the alarm for special tests. These tests are conducted once a week or so to make sure your equipment is working properly. Please note that Severe weather watches and warnings will only recieve alerts for your county and areas only. Counties far from that may not recieve warnings or alerts.

Ham Radio is also a good source for Severe weather, some of you firefighters first responders or police departments may use this to relay a source of information not only for severe weather but for emergency radio rescue as well. Ham radios are a great source for your department or station and is used by those only with Ham License. Classes for Ham Radios may be set up at your local Department or church check latest public listings for information. Ham radios use to have a thing called morris code. This may still be used for some locations however most people have dropped it out of the picture to just being plain language only. Spotters and Chasers also use Ham Radio for Severe weather information as well, when severe weather is expected the National Weather Service will contact all Ham personalle to be ready to activate should severe weather develop. Also in some areas the National Weather Service may have something called the Liasion Net this is were a group of Satellite for Ham comes together for reporting conditions. Remember once you get your license and pass the test you will recieve your call sign.

How do I use Ham Radio?

I'm just gonna be blunt to you and I am very sorry about this but I will tell you that using Ham is a very important life saving procedure device and not used for anything else but for emergency contact as with any scanner.a

Report any severe weather or damage to Ham and it will related to the 911 dispatch operator and then the operator will relay it to the National Weather Service.

Tell the EMA affiliate your call sign and county your from and the report you do make it brief to cut out from walking on other traffic.

Steve Cooper