Monday, February 16, 2009

If ANYONE should come across an AvMap G5 for sale for a price that looks
too good to be true...my G5 was a victim of a smash-n-grab the past
couple of days here in Oklahoma City, right in my driveway.

Unit serial number: 804U01173.

No engraving or other marks, unfortunately.

Thanks for any assistance or leads. Contact me via direct e-mail, or at
the phone number below.

Regards,

Bob Williams KN7I
405-735-9305
kn7i@att.net

Thursday, February 12, 2009

http://blogs.woodtv.com/2009/02/11/tornadoes-in-oklahoma/ is a work about the Lone Grove, OK tornado of February, 2009.

One of the quotes in the comments involved a trucker's wife. Seems she is happy her husband is out of the State.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090211/ap_on_re_us/severe_weather reports a ... "trucker driving through town was also killed when winds slammed into his rig".

That produces thought that truckers need the same warning the rest of us get. How do they get warnings?

http://truckerweatherwatch.org/ is the Trucker's Weather Watch. It's a site founded "by Sean Kiaer of Everett, Wa. on October 12 2006 to integrate the Trucking industry in to the National Weather Service's Severe Weather Reporting Network, known as SKYWARN™.

Folks who go to Skywarn training regularly hear "never try to outrun a tornado".

As one puzzles over how to get information into the trucks of the trucking industry, remember, in Oklahoma, at truck stops, the National Weather Service NOAA weather radio is played in the background in the rest rooms. Rather than MUZAK, the weather radio provides potentially lifesaving information.

Some, though not all, use Citizen Band radios with weather radios incorporated in them. Some relay on the goodness of dispatchers, friends, and truck stops to keep them informed of weather.

Of course, others are amateur radio operators. Those that travel the highways frequently, along the same route, have the active repeaters programmed into their radios.

Some use their cell phones, if they have a relative or friend in some sort of emergency management or weather service.

Some, it is feared, have nothing.

This is one of the reasons why Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) is so important. Can a system be developed to get the life-saving message into the hands of those that need it, before they need it?

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

While tornadoes typically occur between March and May in Oklahoma, with a second season in October through December, remember that tornadoes can occur at any time during any season.

From our Friends at the National Weather Service:

Public Information Statement

... february and deadly tornadoes...

tornadoes struck in central and south central oklahoma tuesday
evening affecting the cities of oklahoma city and edmond in central
oklahoma... and lone grove and ardmore in south central oklahoma.
storm survey teams will visit the affected areas on wednesday to
determine the details of these tornadoes.

... february tornadoes...

there have been 44 documented february tornadoes within the state of
oklahoma between 1950 and 2008.

there have been two previous deadly tornadoes in february in
oklahoma since 1950... both occurring on february 22 1975 in
southwestern oklahoma. on that day... one tornado struck altus
killing two people... and another tornado killed one person near
mountain park. these were two of six tornadoes that struck between
midnight and 3 am in oklahoma.

the strongest tornadoes since 1950 to have occurred within oklahoma
in february are two f3 tornadoes both that struck on february 17
1961. one f3 occurred in eastern oklahoma county from near spencer
to northeast of luther... and the other f3 was part of a tornadic
storm that moved from near stratford to konawa... wewoka and to
south of shulter.

before tuesday... the last february tornado in oklahoma occurred on
february 25 2000 in tulsa.

... deadly tornadoes...

a list of the deadliest tornadoes in oklahoma since 1950...

1. 36 fatalities 5/ 3/1999 f5 bridge creek - oklahoma city - moore
2. 20 5/25/1955 f5 blackwell
3. 16 5/ 5/1960 f4 wilburton - keota
16 5/ 5/1961 f4 talihina - reichert - howe
5. 14 6/ 8/1974 f4 drumright - olive - lake keystone
6. 10 1/22/1957 f4 gans
7. 8 4/26/1984 f3 morris
8. 7 5/ 9/1959 f4 north of harden city and stonewall
7 4/24/1993 f4 catoosa
10. 6 * 5/10/2008 f4 picher

* the picher tornado was responsible for 6 fatalities in oklahoma...
but 21 fatalities along its entire path in oklahoma and missouri.

a list of the deadliest tornadoes in oklahoma since 1882...

1. 116 fatalities 4/ 9/1947 woodward
2. 97 5/10/1905 snyder
3. 71 5/ 2/1920 peggs
4. 69 4/12/1945 antlers
5. 52 4/27/1942 pryor
6. 36 5/ 3/1999 bridge creek - oklahoma city - moore
7. 35 6/12/1942 oklahoma city /southwest/
8. 33 4/25/1893 cleveland county
9. 23 11/19/1930 bethany
10. 21 5/ 8/1882 mcalester

Now that you know that tornadoes can occur at any time, in any month:

1. Learn how to get warnings
2. Make a Plan
3. Make a Kit that supports the plan
4. Help your neighbors

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

At a preparedness site, there has been some discussion about martial law.

Clearly, this may be a concern in some countries. In the USA, it's less of a concern.

In the book, The Military Commander and the Law 1998 references, in detail, the Posse Commitatus Act of 1978. This is a publication of the Air Force Judge Advocates General School.

The Act, an outcome of the American Civil War, prohibits the use of Military in the support of Civilian Law Enforcement.

- Prohibitions
The Armed Services are precluded from assisting local law enforcement officials from enforcing civilian laws, except where authorized by the Constitution or act of Congress.

--- Only the Army and Air Force are mentioned in the statute
--- The Navy follows Posse Comitatus by policy
--- The Act applies to the Reserves and to the National Guard while in Federal (Title 10) service but not to the Guard while in 'Title 32 (state) status.
--- The Act does apply to the Coast Guard
-- The act does not apply to off-duty conduct unless "induced, required, or ordered" by Military officials.

Emergency managers can tell you the guidelines it takes to get troops to engage, even in Civilian humanitarian efforts.

If you have concern about Civilian use of Military resources, please visit with your local emergency manager.

Monday, February 09, 2009

Since one works on one side of the State and the Wife lives on the other side of the State, commuting has taken an adventure with High Frequency Radio.

Back in the 70's, when we were dating, the trip, every other week, was made with a Webster BandSpanner and a Swan 350. During those trips, HF CW (Morse Code) was done. Can't say there will be an HF CW effort in the near future. The Government's already talking about making folks hang up their cell, even with Bluetooth. Lets not give them anything else to think about.

At Twitter, one can follow the announced frequencies for the travels. There should also be a link to follow on Automatic Position Reporting System.

Nevertheless, HF mobile operations seems to be fun. Recent contacts have been made with Wyoming, Tennessee, Florida, Kansas, Arkansas, Texas, and Indiana, just to name a few, on 20, 40, 60, and 75 meter bands.

Come join the fun on HF. One never knows which interesting person will chat next.

73

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