Nets

Frequencies

  • Primary 146.760/R    PL 110.9
  • Backup 146.880/R    PL 110.9
  • Backup/Coordination 442.125/R    PL 82.5
  • Simplex 146.475 PL 100.0

Net Types

  • Weekly Practice Net: Every Wednesday at 8:30 PM Eastern Time from April through September.
  • Standby Weather Net: May be activated at the discretion of the net control station when severe weather is expected to threaten Cuyahoga County soon, but no warning has been issued yet. During a Standby Weather Watch, all stations are free to contact each other without permission from net control.  However, they are asked to please keep transmissions short; and yield to breaking stations, as they may have traffic to pass.
  • Directed Severe Weather Net: Activated anytime NWS issues a severe thunderstorm or tornado WARNING for Cuyahoga County. During a Directed Severe Weather Net, the repeater is closed to normal use and all traffic must pass through net control.

Net Procedures

Please review the net procedures below. Following these procedures carefully will help ensure all information is passed on the net as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Check-Ins

During severe weather, check-ins to the net are not always necessary. If you have something to report, simply follow the procedure below. The Net Control Station (NCS) will advise when it is appropriate to check in to the net without any severe weather to report. When doing so, please give your call sign and location only.

Reporting Procedures

Stations with reports should call net control by stating their call sign. Please wait until net control acknowledges you before giving your report.

Simplicity and Clarity

Please try to make reports as brief and concise as possible. Transmissions should be kept as short as possible. A proper report sequence should go like this:

  • Spotter: “Net control N8ESG”
  • NCS: “N8ESG go ahead”
  • Spotter: “reporting 50 mile per hour sustained winds, measured, in Parma at: (the closest MAJOR intersection to your location) State and Snow occurred at 4:59 PM”
  • NCS: “copy 50 mile per hour measured at State and Snow in Parma at 4:59 PM.  Thank you.”

Have Patience!

The net control operator’s position can be hectic at times. Remember to speak slowly and clearly and use PROPER PHONETICS.

 Phonetic Alphabet

Reporting Criteria

Cuyahoga County Skywarn requests that spotters use these criteria during severe weather nets. Always note the start and end time of each event being reported:

  • Tornadoes – Location and direction of movement.
  • Funnel Clouds – Location and direction of movement.
  • Wall Clouds – Location and direction of movement. Rotation visible?
  • Winds in excess of 50 miles per hour – Measured or Estimated?
  • Hail – Size. The duration of the hail.
  • Flooding in progress – Location. In road, or on land? Approximate depth in inches? Area prone to flooding?
  • Storm Damage – Location. If known, what element of the storm caused the damage?
    • If trees are damaged, was the tree healthy or diseased, diameter of broken area; tree snapped, or uprooted; how many trees?
    • If building damage, what was the extent of damage? Are there any injuries?

Please make sure your report meets this criteria before calling net control. Other reports tie up the net frequency and do not provide necessary information. Please do not report anything you have not seen personally.

If it is on the Internet/TV/radar, the National Weather Service already knows about it. Do not call these reports into the net.

Reports such as “It’s getting cloudy here” or “The Sun is back out” are not valid reports. Reports of lightning are also not needed.

Occasionally, the NCS will ask for reports that differ from the above criteria. When this occurs, it is OK to report what is requested. Such special information requests are usually from the NWS to coordinate with their radar and other information they may have.