The Delaware SKYWARN group activates as DELCO WEATHER. The net operates during weather warnings or when we determine that the weather is severe enough to warrant a net) when the national weather service issues a weather watch sometimes during warnings or when we determine that the weather is severe enough to warrant a net.
- Primary 145.29 repeater
- 123 tone (but generally turned off during net)
- or listen on your scanner.
- Backup repeater 145.19 (123 tone)
- Simplex 146.46
- Data frequencies, repeater 145.19 and 146.46 simplex
Monitor this repeater if weather is imminent and other weather sources such as local radio, TV and phone apps. All licensed amateurs weather spotters are welcome. It is a directed net, i.e., someone is the net control and requests participation with their call sign and calls on a call sign for their report.
SAFTEY FIRST is the rule. Only report if you and family are safe. Have an escape route and shelter in a safe place if needed. While not our function, if there is an personal emergency, call 991 first, but if that is unavailable, we will forward your information on to the appropriate agency.
We are interested in Who, What, Whenm and Where. Report on what has or is happening. Items are wall clouds, tornado sightings, wind speed >40mph, rainfall amounts 0.5"/hour, hail>penny size and snowfall depth. You may not have the instruments to measure all these but report on what you do know. Your reports are combined and reported to both the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Delaware EMA. This allows them to monitor the storm on the ground and notify emergency services in the case of heavy winds, fallen trees and of course tornadoes.
The NWS encourages weather spotters to be trained so they can report accurately, know what tornados and wall clouds look like and communicate in terms that the NWS uses. Training classes are free and available in person and online, mostly in the Spring.
The radar for Delaware county is just north of Cincinnati. As such they can't "see" near the ground in Delaware because of the curvature of the earth. So our report are helpful for them to know what is happening on the ground.