Environment Canada enlists help of amateur radio

[g4tut]

Environment Canada enlists help of amateur radio

A report in the Canadian publication, The Edmonton Journal, has reported on how Environment Canada enlists the help of amateur radio operators around the province to keep an eye on the sky.

Fifty ham radio operators from the Edmonton area have taken a five-hour course on the basics of meteorology and what to look for in cloud formations.

Another 50 from central and southern Alberta took the same training, all of it intended to avoid false reporting of would-be major storms.

Now, whenever Environment Canada issues a severe weather watch, it alerts the network of amateur radio volunteers.

Volunteers then contact other members of the ham radio network, asking them to report signs of approaching
severe weather, including lightning, hail or funnel clouds etc.

That eyeball-to-radio system represents a final stage of Alberta's tornado-warning system





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[K8DAD]

Hey, this sounds just like SKYWARN of the Great White North! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[k9wdb]

Some times it take awhile for information to trickle North. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[G0GQK]

It also takes a while for information to trickle east !
The British radio and TV companies insist on repeating weather forecasts every 15 minutes. It drives me nuts, the weather isn't the only thing people in Britain talk about. In fact its an urban myth. However the worst aspect about this constant weather forecasting mania is that they are ALWAYS 50% wrong. If they got it right it wouldn't be so bad but the forecasting is rubbish !

Let's hope radio amateurs can do it better !

G0GQK

[ve3xdb]

Actually, the Canadian equivalent of Skywarn is called Canwarn, and it has been in place for many years. More information can be found at:

http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/severe-weather/canwarn-e.html

Regards,

Doug VE3XDB

[aa1mn]

Hey, great just want we need more of ... meteorologists.
Kinda like lawyers, ya can just have enough of 'em. Looking forward to more alarmist doomsayers predicting the end of times due to global cooling ... no, no, make that global warming ... no, no that isn't right either it's climate change and it's gonna be here in the next 50 years - no, I'm wrong on that it's in the next 100 years ... maybe or maybe not - it'll be here some time though, the cloud formations foretell it.

[VE1AKT]

Come on guys. Don't be so hard on us in the great North! Remember we developed the CANADA ARM which goes on your space shuttles and what what was it used for on the latest mission? Think about us!

As from another Canadian post from Doug, VE3XDB, our Canadian Skywarn system is called CANWARN. It orginated in the London Ontario area way back; we established CANWARN in the Province of New Brunswick CANADA in 1994 and we now cover the entire Province of New Brunswick for CANWARN on a VHF radio linked network. This was made possible with gifts in kind from the Province of New Brunswick Department of Public Safety(Emergency Measures Organization, your FEMA), the Government of Canada National Search Secretariat and the International Repeater Group members. Want to know more? Contact me...I'm one of the organizers of the IRG and one of two net controllers for CANWARN New Brunswick.

Al VE1AKT

[KA0SPM]

As a visitor to Canada many times they have needs we haven't had for while. There are large ares that just do not have many or any people there. Radio is a lifeline. Even to the point of sending messages to people via AM radio stations who live remotely. The hams there do real message handling way more than we do here. Its way past due the credit given to the Canadian hams.

[VE3GNA]

Actually we here in the "Great White North" are not as backward as many would have you believe. Many of the things that you folks take for granted on a regular basis were first conceived north of the 49th. The telephone is one which jumps out at one. Alexander Graham Bell was from Brantford ON and most of his research was done there.
Anyhow, we have had CanWarn in this province and others for many years. Most of us Severe Weather Spotters take annual updating courses sponsored by Environment Canada at locations around the country. The first transatlantic Morse signal was received on Signal Hill in Newfoundland, also a proud part of Canada.
We may be a laid back citizenry, but we are just as proud of our country's achievements as you folks on the south side of the Great Lakes. We are just not as vocal.
73,
Glenn, VE3GNA

[N7YA]

Glenn, dont take it seriously...its just your rowdy neighbors to the south, we love a good fight. If anything we say offends you, just write it off...we do it to everyone. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

73...Adam, N7YA

[K1CJS]

Quote[/b] (VE1AKT @ Aug. 24 2007,12:16)]Come on guys. Don't be so hard on us in the great North! Remember we developed the CANADA ARM which goes on your space shuttles and what what was it used for on the latest mission? Think about us!

As from another Canadian post from Doug, VE3XDB, our Canadian Skywarn system is called CANWARN.........

Al VE1AKT
Its way past time we people here in the states should realize that we do NOT have the monopoly on good ideas and inventions. Then, just maybe, both us and our neighbors to the north--and the south--could co-operate and get along together instead of sniping at each other.

Does it really matter which weather warning idea came first, Canwarn or Skywarn? NO! Its more important to know that they're both there TO TRY TO SAVE LIVES and maybe both could benefit from the sharing of incidents and ideas.

We all live on the same world, people. We should ALL get along and co-operate. To not do so is just plain stupid.

Chris J Smith, K1CJS, Fall River, Massachusetts

[w6em]

Actually, if Environment Canada wants to improve the environment, a good start would be to encourage Industry Canada to better enforce its regulations. Or, do it for them.

There's a great deal of trash-talk out BC way on 20M that seems to continue unabated, despite numerous complaints.

73,

[VE3WGK]

Here in Ontario we have yearly training for the CanWarn program.Courses are set up in several areas of the province each spring.Repeaters are linked across the province for CanWarn spotters to report their info to a net control station who relays it to the Ontario Storm prodiction centre located in Toronto.The Call sign of Environment Canada is VE3YZW. The Main radio hub for Canwarn in Southern Ontario is VE3ULR both VHF/UHF.For more info Drop me a note at VE3WGK@hotmail.com with CanWarn in Subject line. Ward Kennedy CanWarn Toronto and Central Ontario Net control

[VO1GXG]

Quote[/b] (VE3GNA @ Aug. 24 2007,09:51)]....The first transatlantic Morse signal was received on Signal Hill in Newfoundland, also a proud part of Canada...

73,
Glenn, VE3GNA
Can't really say that Newfoundland is a proud part of Canada. Never was never will be . Newfoundlanders are Newfoundlanders first and Canadians on occasion .

a good load of things were invented in Canada . Insulin for one . During WW1 a Newfoundland doctor invented a magical thing called " The gas mask ". The Cobalt bomb for cancer treatment is another Canadian invention .

I have never heard of Canwarn before but i have now and i will join it.......... eventually .

[KA5LQJ]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

And here all this time, I thought that CanWarn #was set-up as a preventive measure to keep those pesky French-Canadians...
The Cannucks from breaking out of Quebec and escaping, eh? #The Brits already ethnically cleansed my ancestors, the French from Acadie (Ahh cah de), now Nova Scotia and I'm proud to be Acadian French (Cajun - Couvillon/Jeansonne clan).

How do Canadian hams have time to watch for bad weather? #I thought the were too busy drinking their Molson's (the hosers) and talkin' about hockey or Canadian football, eh? #Hehehehehe.

Respectfully Submitted,
73,

Don/KA5-LQJ # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[ve2th]

Hi! All,

It would be fun if we had this system here in the Province of Quebec, but we have nothing, I wonder what the clubs are doing or thinking, ?

I talk about it at the local ham radio club but nothing happened yet! Nobodies seems interested!!!

Don, I love your humour, it's great, I'm french Canadian, and I'm proud to be acadian descendant too.

But I really don't know why we are going to be again the last Province to join ? If we join one day...

Have fun , Best 73 Michel VE2TH

[VA3IDJ]

This program originate in Windsor, Ontario 20 years ago, it is called CanWarn©. An excellent program meant to assist Enviroment Canada below the clouds to observe and report inclement weather. Not meant to be storm chasers.. an excellent voulnteer program with trained weather spotters....I am included... http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif