Check for the latest Severe weather updates below (click). For Hazardous Wx Outlook
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/bmx/?n=hwo
The Cherokee County Amateur Radio Emergency Service Group
Updated: March 13, 2010........New AEC Appt. Joey Davis, KJ4KYR
Upcoming Events:
Repeater: 147.075+100.0t and 444.025+100.0t KB4AEA, Leesburg, AL
Cherokee County Skywarn Training Net: Every Thursday night at 7pm.
Cherokee County ARES Training Net: Every Sunday at 2pm.
Alabama Regional Net: Every Sunday at 3pm on 3.965. Ham's with HF capabilites can check in when they call for "Region 6". They also have a Digital net at 2:30pm on 3.570 USB for PSK31, RTTY, and APRS. Mike Watkins, WX4AL, will usually be net control for both nets. I will take our total check-in's from Thursday and Sunday nets and relay them to the net.
Alabama State ARES Webpage: http://www.arrl-al.org/ARES.html
It's not required but encouraged for ARES members to take the Independent Study Courses from FEMA: They are IS-100a, IS-200a, IS700a, IS-800b, and IS-701a, IS-702, IS-703, IS-704, IS-706. The Website to take these courses is: https://training.fema.gov/IS/crslist.asp These are required courses for AEC's. Other ARES members can take these if they want to. The more we have that take them, the more Grants we may be able to get.
Note: Both of these nets are on the Leesburg, Al (KB4AEA) Repeaters, 147.075+ 100.0 tone Linked with the 444.025+ 100.0 tone repeater.
Notice: In the event this repeater goes down we will use 147.075 with 100.0 tone (Output only) as a simplex frequency. (NOT going through the repeater).....Thanks.
Also: During Severe weather outbreaks I will be on EchoLink: KI4LPS-Cherokee Co.AL SKYWARN
To sign up for EchoLink go here: http://www.echolink.org/ Works good on dial-up connection too, all you need to have is a mic(you can buy a cheap mic at Wal-Mart) and some speakers.
Would you like to become an ALERT (Alabama Emergency Response Team) Member? visit: http://alert-alabama.org/ click "How to Join"
BMX SpotterChat: This tool allows you to get watches and warnings (as soon as they issue them) from the Nws, Birmingham and Huntsville. There are also other ham's and storm spotters from across the state on there during outbreaks of severe weather. You can post any damage on there and ALERT members will relay the report to the NWS. The first thing you need is a Gmail account. Once you've have this you can download a IM (instant message) Client called Pidgin. When everything is done it will ask for a handle please put it like this: for example KI4LPS_Matt_Centre We want to do this so they know where you are and who you are. If you are a spotter just leave the callsign off. The following urls will give you more information. BMX Spotter chat link: http://www.alert-alabama.org/spotterchat and Pidgin: http://www.pidgin.im/download/ If you need any help with this call myself or James. UPDATE: When you have finished setting this up, you will need to add bmxspotterchat@muc.appriss.com as a Buddy. After you do this it should work correctly. Google(Gmail) made some changes on how they handle chat rooms, so this had to be added...........thanks....matt
Other Favorite Links: http://www.alabamawx.com/ this is ABC33/40's Blog Page. You can also sign up to be a ABC 33/40 Skywatcher, all you have to do is contact Mr. James Spann and let him know your interested. jspann@gmail.com They have a skywatcher IM chat too, and it works with Pidgin also. The way Pidgin works is you can have more than one room open at a time. So, you can have the Bmxspotterchat and Skywatcherchat open at the same time. Mr. Spann will need your Gmail Id which is the part before @gmail.com. Reason being this is a invite only IM chatroom. UPDATE: Same as above, when you finish with Pidgin and setting it up you will need to add abc3340skywatcher@muc.appriss.com as a buddy. This will allow it to work correctly......thanks
The Post has a Webcam looking down on Main Street in Centre: http://www.postpaper.com/cam/camindex.htm Have talked to Scott Wright and he advised during severe weather he would try to have it pointed toward Leesburg to watch incoming storms.
Nws Hazardous Wx Outlook: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/bmx/hwo/index.php
There are 2 other great sites to become members of: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com and Twitter: http://twitter.com/
Thanks,
Cherokee Co. ARES Emergency Coordinator, Matt Teal, K4BMX....email: k4bmx@tds.net
2nd in Command:
Cherokee Co. ARES Assistant E.C., James Lowery, KJ4GYM....email: jameslowery@tds.net
3rd in Command:
Cherokee Co. ARES Assistant E.C., Joey Davis, KJ4KYR....email: jdavis2970@yahoo.com
Repeater Owner:
Leon Smith, KB4AEA, Former Cherokee EMA Director....email: kb4aea@tds.net