June 2025

DEC Bulletin

The North American Monsoon Season commences on June 15 and continues until September 30. During this period, the southwest desert receives most of its annual rainfall. This presents an ideal opportunity to discuss essential items that weather spotters should carry while observing storms. As noted in the SKYWARN® training, amateur radio is not covered extensively. Below, I will provide a list of equipment that may facilitate storm spotting. It is important to note that there is no obligation to acquire all the equipment mentioned immediately.

Safety is the top priority in weather spotting. It is crucial to select a vantage point that is not in the path of the storm and maintain a safe distance. Make sure to have a map of the area to determine the best escape route if the storm changes course. The optimal vantage point is at the right rear flank of the storm, allowing the spotter to observe what is following behind the current storm. However, in the desert southwest, this vantage point may not always be achievable due to the proximity to the border with Mexico.

Form a team of two individuals. One member should serve as the driver, focusing exclusively on driving and road conditions. The other member will assume the roles of navigator, spotter, and radio operator. The radio operator must maintain constant communication with the net control station if an active net is ongoing. In the absence of an active net, it is advisable to have a fixed station on frequency that is aware of the presence of spotters in the field and their proximity to the storm. The net control station or fixed station should also have access to radar imagery and provide alerts to mobile spotters in the field regarding potential storms approaching from behind.

The amateur radio station out at the El Paso NWS can handle HF, UHF/VHF analog, or UHF/VHF DV (D-Star) reports.

Having an APRS tracker in the vehicle is another asset. This way operators at the NWS can track your location on APRS.FI while in the field.

The D-Star mode brings some capabilities that are unique to the nets. The same radio can be used to receive voice reports and run D-RATS to send/receive low speed data spotter report forms with attached photos. D-Star also has its own form of APRS called D-PRS so the spotters can be followed in the field on the Internet. D-PRS tracks are also available on APRS.fi. A word of advice when using D-PRS set the radio to beacon position information only when the PTT is depressed. The location can be determined, and the NWS operator can have your back. D-Star does not necessarily need the Internet present. It also works great on simplex or over a local D-Star repeater. However, D-Star can be used to quickly set up a wide-area network with the use of the Internet and reflectors. This would be especially effective in situations such as tornados when getting reports back to the state capital would be important. D-RATS has a map which is provided by Thunderforest Maps. There are different overlays that can be displayed. One is the Landscape, and this overlay shows contour lines. Tell D-RATS that an external GPS receiver is attached eliminates the guess work as to exactly where you really are. It will read the coordinates from the GPS receiver and insert them in the report form for you.

If the vehicle is not equipped with an onboard navigation system, it is advisable to have navigational aids such as a Magellan or Garmin GPS unit for the vehicle. Additionally, maintaining an up-to-date paper map as a backup is recommended. City and county maps will assist in identifying escape routes, while topographical maps provide contour lines and elevation details that can aid in determining suitable locations for observation. Google Earth maps offer current mapping data that can be useful for laptops.

This is part one of a three-part article. We will get into some of the items that will be needed and some nice to have items while out spotting for the NWS next month.

The SKYWARN® name and logo are trademarked: SKYWARN® is a registered trademark of NOAA’s National Weather Service and are used by permission.

Questions and comments are always welcome and encouraged concerning this article. Send questions and comments to the address shown below.

Lew Maxwell, KB5HPT

Amateur Radio Emergency Service

DEC, District 6, WTX Section

TX RACES: DRO-8A

Email: kb5hpt@arrl.net