Eric,   
      
   EH>I've been MIA for awhile too, but finally back to BBS'ing. Like to get back   
   EH>into Hammin' too, but in my postage stamp I call an apertment, well, it's a   
   EH>bit difficult. Not to mention, the apartment is in an RF HOLE! Not even a   
   EH>Verizon signal here...   
      
     My place is the same way...lots of trees around it. And, because it's H.U.D.   
   subsidized housing for the disabled...not to mention with monthly   
   inspections...I can't have RF gear, coaxial cable, antennas, etc. So, I   
   operate "VoIP" with Packet Via Telnet, Echolink, D-Star, and D-Rats. I run 3   
   D-Star and 2 Echolink Nets per week, and check into at least 20 others.   
      
     I've been given the "title" of "The Jim Cantore Of D-Star". :) However,   
   unlike Cantore (Professional Meteorologist and Storm Tracker On The Weather   
   Channel), I'm an amateur weather enthusiast (but know enough to be   
   dangerous)...I have a full head of hair...and (as was the case this past   
   September), "I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night".   
      
      
     Seriously, with the El Nino winter (which may cause weather headaches for   
   Arkansas), there's a lot of potential for severe weather and winter weather   
   here. Indeed, we have both a flash flood and tornado threat here from Monday,   
   Nov. 16 into Wednesday, Nov. 18...some areas could approach 6 inches of   
   rainfall.   
      
     The Arkansas Weather Net will likely be activated on Tuesday, especially if   
   a Tornado Watch is issued. It can be monitored live from a link from the   
   Central Arkansas Radio Emergency Net (CAREN) Club website. So, if you see a   
   Tornado Watch in Arkansas on Tuesday, with a squall line moving across the   
   state...and especially if individual discrete supercells develop ahead of the   
   line...the net will likely be up.   
      
     However, it got to be such a madhouse on there at times, with some hams who   
   would NEVER check into the monthly "Skywarn Training Net", yet they come on   
   the air, with reports like:   
      
   1) "I have a funnel cloud that's not rotating". WTH??!! They likely saw scud   
   clouds.   
      
   2) "It just started raining here".   
      
   3) "It's lightning outside".   
      
   4) "The tornado sirens are going off".   
      
     Yet, when Net Control declares "reportable criteria only", it's like these   
   "lids" can't follow directions.   
      
     In short, if I have weather traffic, I call the Skywarn Spotter Hotline   
   direct, and make my report.   
      
   Daryl, WX1DER   
      
   ---   
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