NWS Quad Cities (DVN) Service Area Ham Radio Protocol

Important points to Remember During an Active Severe Weather Net

  • The NWS Quad Cities Forecast Office service area covers 36 Counties in Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri.  Because of the size of this coverage area, it is important to maintain efficient and effective communication. 
  • It is the job of Net Control to "triage" reports, taking to most urgent and critical first.
  • Take the time to be sure of your observation.
  • Take the time to formulate your report before keying the mic.
  • If you are mobile, make sure you know where you are at all times.
  • Remain CALM.
  • Speak slowly and clearly.
  • Use standard phonetics.
  • During an active net, please do not relay second-hand reports from TV, scanners, etc.


Reporting Criteria

During an active Severe Weather Net, please report only the following:


 Details:
Weather-related injuries/fatalities
  • Number injured/dead
  • Cause of injury
Weather-related damage
  • Size/number of trees or limbs down
  • Damage to cars, trains, tractors, other vehicles
  • Damage to buildings
  • Significant crop damage
  • Power lines or poles down
  • Damage to signs, traffic signals, etc
Tornado
Rotation visible - Yes, No, Not sure.
Funnel Cloud
 Rotation visible - Yes, No, Not sure.
Wall Cloud Rotation visible - Yes, No, Not sure.
Hail
  • Measured or estimated
  • Size- no marbles!
Wind Gusts (40 mph or greater) Measured or estimated
Heavy rain (1” or more per hour) Measured or estimated
Flash flooding (give details)
  • 6-inches of water (curb-deep) or more covering roads
  • Roads closed
  • Roads washed out
  • Creeks or streams out-of-banks
  • Floating cars
  • Buildings with basements or first floors filling with water, especially where it is uncommon
  • Mud or rock slides or debris flow



Reporting Procedure

During an active Severe Weather Net, please use the following procedure.

  1. Station Calling:
 {"Call Sign + Event"}
  2. Net Control: {"(Call Sign) or Station reporting (event), go ahead"}
  3. Station Calling: {"Time, Location, Condition" (TLC)}
  4. Net Control: {"Roger."}
     
Example: 1. Station Calling: KC5 Mike Delta Oscar, Hail
  2. Net Control: KC5MDO, Go ahead or Station reporting hail, go ahead.
  3. Station Calling: At 4:50 pm, 1.5 miles north of Donahue, IA, golf ball sized hail.
  4. Net Control: MDO, I have your report of golf ball sized hail 1.5 miles north of Donahue.  Thank you.
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