VoIP Hurricane Net Control Operations Training

1. VoIP Hurricane Net Control Operations Training Authored by: Rob Macedo – KD1CY, Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net kd1cy@voipwx.net

2. Net Control Operations Training Agenda • This presentation is to get perspective net controls familiar with proper net control procedures. Topics covered include the following: • Mission of the VoIP Hurricane Net • VoIP Hurricane Net Activation Policy • VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team Functions • Principles of Disaster Communications • Net Control and Liaison Station Descriptions and capabilities. • Checklist for Primary and Backup Net Control Stations. • How to utilize the AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) VoIPWXNet chat capability. • What the reporting criteria is and how to get the specific reporting information. • Description of National Hurricane Center products, when they are issued and what data should be read over the net. • Sources of National Hurricane Center Information. • Sources of Radar and Satellite Information

3. VoIP Hurricane Net Mission • The VoIP Hurricane Net mission is as follows: • Provide real-time or near real-time measured weather data and damage reports to WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Reporting criteria is similar to SKYWARN reporting criteria and is posted on the voipwxnet web site. • Provide a means of interoperability for Emergency Operation Centers (EOC), Red Cross/Salvation Army agencies/shelters and National Weather Service (NWS) forecast offices to communicate between each other and send appropriate data up to WX4NHC as required. • Liaison to other net operations that may be on EchoLink and IRLP and pass that information to WX4NHC as required. • Disseminate National Hurricane Center advisories and updates as needed for stations in the affected area. • The VoIP Hurricane Net meets on the Echolink *WX-TALK* conference Node: 7203, IRLP Reflector 9219 system. • The backup system is IRLP reflector 9508 with EchoLink Conference server *VKEMCOMM* Node: 270177. This system is also used for listen-only capability for net activations. • The *WX-TALK* Node:7203 conference server can be aliased to the backup system when required.

4. VoIP Hurricane Net Activation Policy • The VoIP Hurricane Net has the following activation policy: • The VoIP Hurricane Net will activate upon activation of WX4NHC provided there are EchoLink stations/nodes or IRLP nodes or a means to gather information in the affected area of the hurricane. • The VoIP Hurricane Net will self-activate if the net manager and/or director of operations see a threat from a hurricane over an area and there are EchoLink station/nodes/IRLP nodes or a means to gather information in the affected area. • Activation may occur for a strong tropical storm that could potentially obtain hurricane strength. • The VoIP Hurricane Net will self-activate if support is requested by a NGO (Non-Governmental Organization), government organization or Amateur radio group affected by a hurricane. • That support could be net controls to support the requesting group’s local operations for a hurricane or other disaster related incident or an actual net activation on the EchoLink *WX-TALK* Node 7203/IRLP reflector 9219 or backup IRLP 9508/*VKEMCOMM* Node 270177 system. • The EchoLink *WX-TALK* Node 7203/IRLP 9219 system and its backup systems are always “on” and operational.

5. VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team Functions • The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team watches over the Tropics in the Atlantic and Pacific closely. • Monitors Tropical Weather Outlooks, Special Tropical Disturbance Statements and all named system Tropical Advisories and discussions. • As systems get close to land areas, coordination is made with the National Hurricane Center Amateur Radio Coordinators to see what their plans are. • If a system unexpectedly intensifies, the Net Management team will react and self-activate (Examples: Hurricane Emily in 2005, Hurricanes Humberto and Lorenzo in 2007, Hurricane Tomas in 2010). • During nets, the net management team conducts a AIM chat between the net management team and the net controls for coordination purposes among other things. • The Net Management Team attempts to prepare those that are participants in the VoIP Hurricane Net for what a Hurricane Season can bring to the Coasts of the US especially the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. • The net’s activation status is decided by net management team members only coordinating with WX4NHC coordinators when needed.

6. VoIP Hurricane Preparation Net • There is a monthly VoIP Hurricane Preparation Net on the first Sunday of each month at 0000 UTC (Saturday Evening across most of North America) • The Prep Net is scaled up to weekly during hurricane season. • The net provides a forum to ask technical questions, give weather training topic presentations and for net controls to practice basic net control skills. • Nets for actual activations can run quite differently but basic net control protocols can be practiced through the weekly net. • Web site is http://www.voipwx.net • Facebook is http://www.facebook.com/voipwxnet • Twitter feed is http://www.twitter.com/voipwxnet

7. Principles of Disaster Communications • Keep the QRM level down • Monitor established disaster frequencies • Accuracy — Avoid Spreading Rumors • Use all communications channels intelligently • Authentication — Authenticate All Messages • Strive for Efficiency • Don't Broadcast • NTS, ARES, RACES, SKYWARN, MARS leadership cooperation

8. Net Control Stations (NCS) • NCS Stations do the following: • Control or lead the net, no station is recognized without the permission of the Net Control Station. • Designate other hams and backup net control to run and do things as required as backup NCO/liaison. • Examples: Have backup net control/liaison stations look for weather reports on other EchoLink/IRLP nodes, APRS/CWOP, PWS and weather underground. • Monitor HF frequencies where Amateur Radio nets are taking place. • Monitor radioreference scanner and Amateur Radio feeds. • Monitoring VoIP Hurricane Net facebook (http://www.facebook.com/voipwxnet) and Twitter (VoIPWXNet) feeds. • Have stations looking for other priority emergency stations on other frequencies or be ‘liaison’ to the Net control Station. • Dictate and control whether a net is formal or informal. • Writing down information as needed. • Making phone calls as requested. • Take over Net control as needed.

9. Backup Net Control/Liaison Stations • Backup Net Control/Liaison stations do following: • Home Stations offer the best form of Net Control Stations both primary and backup as well as being a liaison station. • Net Controls at home can typically perform net control for longer periods of time. • Allows “immobilized” Amateurs to participate in the VoIP Hurricane Net and serve a vital function. • Provide tremendous assistance to VoIP Hurricane Net operations. • A ‘Liaison’ station may also be a station at an official agency • Such as the National Hurricane Center (WX4NHC), NWS Forecast Office, State/County/local EOC, Red Cross National Headquarters etc. • May be providing information to the net while requesting reports and information from the net. • Also applicable to Public Service Event and other forms of Net.

10. Basic Rules of Net Control • As NCS, ALWAYS be on the frequency, if you need to leave the frequency, have someone else take the net over. • As NCS, ALWAYS respond to the station calling, if you are unsure who is calling or if two stations were double keying, ask for more stations to check into the net. • As NCS in a formal net, you control how stations conduct themselves to you as net control and to other stations on the net. • If there are stations that are weak and you cannot hear the stations, look for stations on the given node that can check on the input of the repeater to see if they can be heard and have the appropriate information relayed. Also have all other net stations do the same in case someone can relay to you as net control. • Utilize backup net control/‘liaison’ stations wherever possible to assist you in doing tasks.

11. Basic Rules of Net Control • As NCS, you must be aware of the stress the stations in the affected area are experiencing. • Be patient with the stations. • Empathize with their situation and check on their health and well being along with requesting for any information from the station in the area in times of light traffic. • The stations may make requests that maybe unusual. Do your best to answer those requests provided they are legal. Even if they are somewhat beyond the scope of the net, any help provided to the station in the affected area means they will do more to help the net further. • Keep in mind as a Net Control you will sense and feel the stress they are feeling being involved in the operation. • Try and control that stress and be kind and considerate to the stations in the affected area that need our support.

12. Tactical IDs • Tactical Call signs -- station ID • for post/location/unit • Use individual digits • additional must give FCC id at end of QSO. ”Net from Mobile EOC K1AAA". • Net control every 10 minutes (and hour) • Frequency Designators • tactical ID for repeaters / channels

13. Prosigns/Prowords • Use Unambiguous words when answering questions • such as "Affirmative" or "Negative" • rather than "Yes" or "no", "QSL" or "Roger". • Do not use slang. • Spelling (when needed) • use phonetics from the ICAO alphabet only

14. Be prepared to operate. Check equipment, cords, antennas and emergency power (if available). Have pen, pencils, paper and any computer logging tools ready to take down necessary information. Have VoIP Hurricane Net training presentation/sysop commands and reporting criteria on hand for reference. Have links to latest NHC advisory information and local warnings and hurricane info on hand to disseminate. Have radar/satellite information on hand for review as needed. Utilize “sample” preambles provided in this training power point as a way to maintain a steady flow and info on the net frequency. Assure Audio levels of your station are set properly. Assist with distinguishing what information is criteria for WX4NHC and what information is useful for the net but not reportable. Assign tactical ID’s if appropriate and not already specified. Do routine call-ups if activity is light to verify all stations are still operating and there are no issues. Maintain steady flow of info and traffic on the net frequency by providing advisory updates and local warning information to the net as needed. NCS and/or Liaison stations should assure the delivery of all traffic to the agency or individual requesting information. Initial Checklist for Primary and Backup Net Control Stations

15. How to Access the VoIP WX Net AIM Chat • There is an AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) VoIPWXNet chat room for net controls and net management to utilize during the weekly VoIP Hurricane Net and Net activations. • To access the chat room do the following: • Add your AOL Screen name to your buddy list. • Right click on your name and choose the selection that says either “chat”, “Buddy Chat”, “Group Chat” or a selection that says “Send Chat Invitation”. • A chat invitation box will appear. In the Chat Room row you will see text that says “chat” and a long #. Replace the long number so it reads “chatvoipwxnet” without the quotations and click send. • You will then be brought into the chat room. You may need to click an accept to the invite after you do step 3.

16. Sysop Control of the IRLP/EchoLink Conference System • System can be controlled easily through the EchoLink side of the system. To control the system do the following: • Type .sysop <password> (Correct Password in the PDF in the NCO yahoogroups) • If you have put in the correct password, the system will reply with the statement “By Your Command”. • Be sure to enter the period before the word sysop or the sysop password will be passed over the system. If this happens, please notify the net management team that this has happened so the password can be changed. • If you type in the .sysop <password> and you did not get a reply from the system, you have not obtained sysop access. Try again and make sure you have the correct password. • Once you have access you can mute, unmute, kick and disconnect stations. Some examples follow below: • .mute kd1cy or .mute stn6390 (stations listed as stn and the number are IRLP nodes.) • For muting of links or repeaters be sure to include the –R or –L if linked via echolink such as .mute KD1CY-L or .mute KD1CY-R • To unmute stations do .unmute kd1cy or .unmute stn4159. • You may also disconnect or kick nodes off the system by doing .kick kd1cy, or .disconnect vk3rtl-r.

17. Sysop Control of the IRLP/EchoLink Conference System • New Sysop Commands that work on both IRLP and Echolink stations: • Command sets have been expanded to better covering muting and disconnecting of IRLP nodes. Some examples follow below: • .imute –persistently mutes the node given. • Example: .imute kd1cy or .imute stn6390 (stations listed as stn and the number are IRLP nodes.) This can be used to permanently mute stations replacing .mute –p <station>. • .iunmute –unmutes the node or station and used the same way as muting a station. • For muting of links or repeaters be sure to include the –R or –L if linked via echolink such as .imute KD1CY-L or .imute KD1CY-R • .ikick –disconnects an IRLP node or Echolink station. • You may also disconnect or kick nodes off the system by doing .ikick kd1cy, .ikick stn4260.

18. Assuring Proper Audio/Config Settings on Your EchoLink/IRLP Node or Station • Net Controls need to make sure their EchoLink PC station or EchoLink/IRLP node has loud enough and crisp enough audio. • You can check and make sure your audio is correct by doing the following: • On the EchoLink side, connect your node or PC to the *ECHOTEST* conference server, node #9999. • If you’re on an EchoLink node, listen to the audio to check for quality. If you’re on a PC, listen to the audio and make sure when you talk, the meter touches into the yellow when you speak. Adjust volume levels in EchoLink by going into Tools->Adjust Volume->Microphone. • For IRLP, you can check into any IRLP Reflector channel from 9990-9999 and talk and the audio will be played back for you with channels 8 and 9 being. Channels 9998/9999 are GSM channels. • Please be sure to disable conferencing on an EchoLink PC/node by going into Tools->Preferences->Connections. Make sure allow conferences is not checked. • If you are coming in through an EchoLink or IRLP node/link and the audio needs work or conferencing needs to be shut off, you will need to work with the node owner to make sure the audio levels/conferencing configuration can be corrected.

19. Conducting a VoIP Hurricane Net Activation • There will be timeframes based on the affected area and connection to the affected area where traffic volume on the net will be low. • During those timeframes, it is important to poll the net for reports and to maintain control over the number of connections to the system. • Example of polling the net for reports: • This is KD1CY, Net Control for the VoIP Hurricane Net. We are looking for reports from stations in the affected area or stations with relays into the affected area with measured winds sustained or in gusts of 35 MPH or greater, wind damage, tornadoes, coastal storm surge flooding or inland river/stream or urban flooding. Stations with reports meeting this criteria, please call net control.

20. Conducting a VoIP Hurricane Net Activation • Example of moving non-affected area stations or non-affected area stations with no relays to the affected area to listen-only systems (assuming low net traffic volume): • This is KD1CY, Net Control for the VoIP Hurricane Net. Stations that are not in the affected area or relaying reports from the affected area that would like to listen to the net are asked to move to the *VKEMCOMM* Conference node number 270177/IRLP Reflector 9508. This will save bandwidth on the VoIP hurricane net system for stations in or providing information from the affected area. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation and this is net control, KD1CY, continuing to monitor. • Other listen-only systems may be available for various nets and can be added to this example where needed. • Periodically, advisory information can be summarized or read in its entirety on the net assuming low net traffic volume. • Advisory issuances and how they are read are covered later in this training presentation.

21. Handling Reports and the Reporting Criteria • There is a specific reporting criteria that is similar to most SKYWARN reporting criteria that should be utilized when sending reports to WX4NHC. • The reporting criteria is posted on the VoIPWXNet web site at the following link: http://www.voipwx.net/node/236 • To send in the reports go to http://www.voipwx.net and click on the reporting form which will appear in the main menu. The direct link to the reporting form is http://report.voipwx.net/qilan/nhcwx/webform?auth=OK • Reporting forms are taken offline from the various web sites when the net is not active to prevent spammers from putting false reports or erroneous information. • If the reporting form link is not visible, contact net management for the link to the reporting form on the voipwx.net web site and to turn the link to the webform on for the main menu of the voipwx,net web site. • After the training session, net controls should add the reporting form link as a favorite in case the link to the form on to the web site is off. • Let’s take a moment to go through the reporting criteria and the criteria notes and then the two entry forms for data. Net Controls should try and get as much information as possible if the Amateur is at a safe location and has time to provide the information.

22. Handling Reports and the Reporting Criteria • Data from official NWS Airport locations as well as other country’s airport weather stations are good information for the net but should NOT be sent via the hurricane net reporting form. • NHC/NWS already receive this information. • Weather station data from APRS/CWOP (Citizens Weather Observing Program) as well as the ‘Weather Underground’ Personal Weather Stations (PWS) should be sent in if they meet the SKYWARN reporting criteria. • NHC Operators will advise if they are receiving this information by other means. Typically, we’ve provided this information in the past. • Weather and damage reports collected first hand via Amateur Operators or relayed by Amateur Operators through other means are reports that we want forwarded with as much detail as possible. • Data from storm blogging web sites such as stormcarib.com and the American WX Forum can be good data sources. • Net Management can post updates on looking for reports via our facebook page via ‘wall posts’. This will automatically send updates out on the voipwxnet twitter feed and the Twitter news feed can be monitored for data/reports.

23. Handling Reports and the Reporting Criteria • Data from United States media outlets should not be forwarded via the web form. • This data is received by the National Hurricane Center by other means. • Data that is already in local NWS Forecast Office products are good information to give over the net but they do not need to be forwarded to the NHC. Same with any info in NWS Chat. • Data in NWS Local Storm Reports and other NWS official products and in NWS Chat get sent to NHC automatically. • Data from local media in non-US locations can be helpful to send to WX4NHC with the source given. • NHC typically is unable to monitor local media in foreign countries. • Amateurs who are bi-lingual can often help in translating what the local radio broadcasts are saying in various countries. • The VoIP Hurricane Net management team typically will send out web links to weather station and other sites where data should be forwarded prior to net activation.

24. Handling Reports and the Reporting Criteria • Be sure to select the right ocean for the voipwx.net webform and get the town and state (or town, province and country) of the reporting station and fill out the correct date and time for the report. • Have a map available to look up the location and possibly provide the county of the report. This will also allow you to spell the location correctly. • With estimated or measured wind reports, try and get an approximate wind direction and a sustained and peak wind gust if the Amateur has the information. • If the Amateur has a weather station, be sure to get the wind direction, sustained wind and peak wind gust, barometric reading (if available) and rain gauge total for the event (if available). • If the Amateur is reporting tree and power line damage, ask for the diameter of the trees or tree branches, whether its wires down or whole utility poles and the diameter if utility poles are reported blown down. • Have the Amateur estimate the winds sustained and in gusts if any damage is reported.

25. Handling Reports and the Reporting Criteria • If the Amateur is reporting structural damage to a home, business, school, shelter or other structure, try and get as much information as possible provided the station has the time and is at a safe location. Some key points to ask: • If the roof is damaged, the type of roof and how much damage (is it a flat roof, flat tar roof, is it shingles blown off the roof as a few example questions.) • Is there any structural damage to doors, windows or walls of the structure. • Are there any known injuries or deaths. • Is there any need for immediate assistance.

26. Handling Reports and the Reporting Criteria • If a tornado, funnel cloud or waterspout is reported, ask the Amateur where its located and the direction of travel possibly giving landmarks or major routes in the area of where its being reported. Also, give any damage that can be seen from the Amateur’s location if they are in a safe place. • For storm surge flooding, determine a rough depth to the flooding and any damage to coastal homes, docks, boats and other structures. • For river/stream/urban flooding, determine the depth of the flooding, what roads are affected, what rivers or streams are out of their banks or if its flooding caused by poor drainage/excessive rainfall in the area. • If pictures can be obtained and emailed (if safe to do so) to the NCO or Net management team, that can also be very helpful and the information can be forwarded to WX4NHC via email where possible.

27. Handling Reports and the Reporting Criteria • Remember, gauge the situation on the Amateur’s ability and amount of time to give you more specific information. • Make sure their well-being is not in danger and that you are concerned about their well-being and very much appreciate that they are giving you this information in a potentially dangerous situation. • If the report meets criteria but is incomplete, fill out the reporting form and state what details are available. • Use judgment in determining whether the report should be filed online. There may be cases where the report is so incomplete it should not be filed at all or shouldn’t be filed until more details are known. • Check with net management/more experienced NCOs to see if the report should be filed. • Check with WX4NHC on air if available on whether the report should be filed and have NHC go direct with the station if necessary. • This is one of the most difficult tasks of net operation.

28. How to Enter Data into the VoIP Hurricane Net Reporting Form • The VoIP Hurricane Net Reporting form link is as follows: • Reporting Form off the Main Menu of the voipwx.net web site. Direct reporting form link as listed previously: http://report.voipwx.net/qilan/nhcwx/webform?auth=OK • Sections of the webform: • Enter the Event Storm Name from the dropdown list. • Enter the Submitted by as your station and your email address. • Enter the Date observed and the time of the observation. • The ‘Reported by’ section should be the station or person that reported it. If it is from a weather station online, put the source or link in the comments section and leave this section blank. If from a storm blog, put the name of the person in the report if given. • Location information – fill-in as much as possible. If a sub-section of a city/town/location is given, enter in the Address/Location reference. Lat/Lon can be given or left blank. • Wind speeds should be put in with the correct unit of measure, same as with the Barometer and rainfall. If that info is not available, put N/A. • Comment field should have any damage/flooding report information or weather station source, storm blog information etc.

29. How to Enter Data into the VoIP Hurricane Net Reporting Form

30. How to Enter Data into the VoIP Hurricane Net Reporting Form

31. How to Enter Data into the VoIP Hurricane Net Reporting Form

32. How to Enter Data into the VoIP Hurricane Net Reporting Form • When entering a weather station report from a Ham on the air: • Obtain his call-sign and first name • Exact location of the Weather station • Measured sustained wind speed and wind gust along with wind direction. • Barometric Pressure Reading and whether its rising or falling. • Rainfall total • Request any damage or flooding reports from the individual’s location that can be entered in the comments field of the report. • Any fields that can’t be filled out should be listed as N/A.

33. How to Enter Data into the VoIP Hurricane Net Reporting Form • When entering a weather station report from a Personal Weather Station or APRS/CWOP station off Mesowest or other sources: • Leave the name/call sign fields blank unless it is an Amateur Radio Station via APRS where the Amateur Radio Call of the station can be listed and name and other info can be obtained via QRZ Call-Sign database. • Site the source (WX Station ID) and/or the link of the weather station. • When entering a wind damage or flooding report. • Call-Sign and Name of reporting station or name of individual if from a storm weather blog such as the ‘American WX Forum’ or ‘stormcarib.com’ along with a link to the data. • Put the report with as much detail as possible in the comments field. • Include a wind estimate if given and in the absence of other measured reports. • The following are screen shots of examples of data entry from past tropical systems. • When needed damage reports from other Amateur Radio Operators can be combined with other weather station reports as part of the same web form entry.

34. Example #1: Amateur Radio Station Report from Ham On The Network

35. Example #2: Amateur Radio Station Report from an APRS/CWOP Site

36. Example #3: Amateur Radio Station Report from ‘WX Underground’

37. Example #4: Amateur Radio Station Damage and Storm Surge Report

38. Example #5: WX Station and Combined Damage Reporting

39. National Hurricane Center Advisory and Updates • The National Hurricane Center issues advisories and tropical cyclone updates at different time intervals depending on the intensity of the hurricane and its proximity to land areas. • There are three different products all net controls/backup net controls and liaisons should understand: • Tropical Cyclone Public Advisories (Other products such as the Marine advisories, Technical Discussion and Tropical Cyclone probabilities are part of the overall advisory package.) • Tropical Cyclone Position Estimates • Tropical Cyclone Updates • We will break down each of these products and teach how important it is to know when each product is issued and to be monitoring and updating the net with the key information from these products as they issued. • It is important to pass on the latest information to the net. Stale information via the net can result in confusion and can hurt the integrity of the net. • The source of the upcoming slides on National Hurricane Center products is via the following web link: • http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutnhcprod.shtml

40. NHC Tropical Cyclone Advisory Issuance & Descriptions • Advisory packages include a public advisory, a marine advisory, a technical discussion and strike probabilities. Public advisories are typically the only advisories read over the air. • When first issued, the advisory is typically read in its entirety, however, it can be read in abbreviated form at the Net Control’s discretion as required if traffic on the net is heavy. • The advisory should also be read periodically in abbreviated form if traffic on the net is light or if a summary of advisory information is requested. • Other parts of the advisory package can be used as a precursor for watching for the issuance of the public advisory which can be read over the net. • Advisories are typically issued by the National Hurricane Center every 6 hours when no coastal watches and warnings are in effect. • When coastal watches/warnings are in effect, advisories are typically issued every 3 hours. • When a discernable storm center can be identified via radar, intermediate advisories are issued every 2 hours with a tropical cyclone position estimate issued when an advisory is not issued. • Special public advisories are issued anytime there are significant changes in the system or changes in watch/warning information.

41. NHC Tropical Cyclone Advisory Monitoring and Sample of Summarizing an Advisory • The end of each advisory contains when the next scheduled advisory is expected. • When intermediate advisories are issued every 2 hours, the Tropical Cyclone Position estimates are issued on the hours the advisories aren’t issued but this is not mentioned in the advisory statement. • Net Controls need to pick up these Tropical Cyclone Position estimates on the hour cycles where advisories are not issued. • Net Controls should make sure they are monitoring for the next advisory when they are not busy fielding reports and utilize their backup net control/liaison to monitor for new information from the National Hurricane Center. • Sample of Reading an Abbreviated Advisory from Hurricane Irene Advisory #32: • Latest Hurricane Irene Advisory Summary as of the 5 AM EDT/0900 UTC Sunday August 28th, 2011 Advisory • LOCATION...39.2N 74.5W • ABOUT 15 MI...25 KM SSE OF ATLANTIC CITY NEW JERSEY AND ABOUT 115 MI...190 KM SSW OF NEW YORK CITY • MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...75 MPH...120 KM/H • PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNE OR 20 DEGREES AT 18 MPH...30 KM/H • MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...958 MB...28.29 INCHES

42. NHC Tropical Cyclone Position Estimate Description • Tropical Cyclone Position Estimates are issued between 2-hourly intermediate advisories whenever a tropical cyclone with a well-defined radar center is within 200 nautical miles of land-based radar in the United States. • These estimates give the following: • Center location in map coordinates. • Distance and direction from a well-known point. • If you note advisories being issued at 2 hour intervals in the public advisory, look for these tropical cyclone estimate products. • They are short and provide the latest position of the system. • Should replace abbreviated advisory reading at 15 minute time intervals if traffic on the net is light. • Gather the maximum sustained wind information and minimum central pressure information utilizing the previous full public advisory as listed in the summary information section of the public advisory.

43. NHC Tropical Cyclone Update • Tropical Cyclone Updates are brief statements issued in lieu of or preceding special advisories to inform of significant changes in a tropical cyclone or to post or cancel watches or warnings. • If issued, these updates should be read on the net if traffic is light and then read periodically as required. • When issued, net controls should see if a special advisory will be issued and be on the lookout for the advisory and be prepared to obtain that advisory to update the net.

44. Sources for National Hurricane Center Advisory Information • The National Hurricane Center main page has links to advisory and graphical information. The link to the NHC web site is listed below: • http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ • The NHC web site can be slow under heavy web traffic and advisories tend to come out faster via other web links. • Additional web links that contain advisory and tropical cyclone updates and are quicker to post them to the web site include the following links: • http://www.weatherundergound.com/tropical • Will carry the advisories under the name of each system. • http://twister.sbs.ohio-state.edu/main.php?pageloc=tropical • Updated advisory links are now posted right to the VoIPWXNet web site.

45. Links to Radar and Local Warning Information for the Affected Area • The following are links to local radar, satellite and warning information to assist with tracking of the hurricane: • Every radar site (delayed by 10 minutes) is available via this link: • http://www.nws.noaa.gov/radar_tab.php • Satellite information is available via this link: • http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/satellite.shtml • Watch/Warning information is available via the following sites: • http://kamala.cod.edu/svr for local Tornado and flood warnings. • http://kamala.cod.edu/SPC for SPC Tornado Watches and discussions • http://www.spc.noaa.gov for SPC Tornado Watch info and discussions • http://twister.sbs.ohio-state.edu/main.php?pageloc=severe for watch information and http://twister.sbs.ohio-state.edu/main.php?pageloc=wxbystate for warning infromation • http://www.nws.noaa.gov/ select state and click go for watch/warning info. • As time allows Net Controls/backups can pass along this data keeping in mind the main goal is to gather weather and damage reports and connect agencies together and to provide these agencies with the data if required.

46. Radar and Local Warning Information for the Affected Area • Net Controls may have access to WeatherTap, WX-MSG, EMWIN, StormLab, Gibson Ridge and other premium or local sources for warning information for the affected area of hurricanes. • Net Controls can utilize those resources as required provided they are timely and precise. • This presentation gives a sampling of the links and resources that are available. • There maybe other resources that may be of use to the Net Controls not mentioned in this presentation and provided those resources are timely, they can be utilized as well. • The VoIP Net Management team is working on making more resources to pertinent severe weather information available via the web site, http://www.voipwx.net

47. Questions and Comments on This NCO Training Seminar • This NCO training seminar is a work in progress and more changes and work will be done to this seminar as things change and as we get feedback. • Now that we are at the end of this seminar, we’d like to ask for any questions or comments on this session. • A list of contacts for the net and the VoIPWXNet web site is listed on the last slide.

48. Contact Information • Rob Macedo-KD1CY, Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net: kd1cy@voipwx.net • Dennis Dura-K2DCD, Assistant Director of Operations for VoIP Hurricane Net: k2dcd@voipwx.net • Jim Sellars-N0UAM, Assistant Director of Operations for VoIP Hurricane Net: n0uam@arrl.net • Dustin Cox-N0DRC, Assistant Director of Operations for VoIP Hurricane Net: n0drc@live.com