Ottawa Area Radio Club W8MCB

01/12/2023

An area of rain will spread north into areas mainly along and southeast of US 24 late tonight into Thursday. A few snow showers and flurries will then be possible behind this system Thursday night into Friday as cooler air moves in, especially in northwest Indiana and far southwest Michigan. Little to no snow accumulation is expected.

01/11/2023

Yes, we know it is still winter but it’s never too early to prepare! The 2023 Severe Weather Awareness Week is March 19-25 & the Statewide Tornado Drill is Wednesday, March 22 at 9:50 a.m.
Learn more about preparedness at www.weathersafety.ohio.gov

12/29/2022

Take the pledge to make safe choices around railroad tracks and trains: https://bit.ly/3v8kJIh

12/25/2022

NO8C, KE8BTJ, and I (KE8BTS) met with Putnam County EMA Director Brian Hilvers, and Sheriff Brian Siefker, on December 13, 2022, at the Putnam County Office of Public Safety. We went over a brief overview of how the Eclipse of April 8, 2024, will affect our area. It appears it will significantly affect our essential infrastructures such as our cell phones and also the MARC’s radio system which will have a huge impact on our county’s public safety and emergency services.

Putnam EMA and the Sheriff are asking for our help. They would like to have us help on that weekend in being the relay between their units and Putnam e County Dispatch and the EMA’s Emergency Operations Center(EOC). We are well known as Ham Radio operators to be the ones to get through when no one else can. They need our help at this time. It is possible nothing will happen and that would be great! Nothing was wasted but some good planning in case this type of incident happens again but they need our help.

No special license is needed other than a technician’s license. At this time, we are looking to use the two repeaters already established in the county, W8MCB a 2m repeater located at the Putnam County Health Department in Ottawa, and the NO8C repeater which is a 40m repeater located in Miller City, Ohio.

At this time, it looks like we will be riding with Sheriff’s Deputies and Law Enforcement and be their radio connections to Dispatch the EOC. We may also be asked to assist with such things as riding with fire and ems or even standing by at the mobile hospital being called in or Putnam Ambulatory Care Center to provide communications between units and those locations.

More will be coming on this but this is where we are right not with the planning. Please let me know if you are interested and may be available to help on that weekend.

The next meeting with EMA, Sheriff’s Office, and other stakeholders is on February 7th at the Office of Public Safety at 13:00 hours. If you are interested in the information and are unable to attend please let me know and I will get the information from that meeting.

Thank you for your assistance in advance.
73,
Abbot Carder KE8BTS

12/25/2022

Merry Christmas from W8MCB!

11/19/2021

As part of Skywarn Recognition Day (December 4th) - we would like to feature some of your questions. We have set up a Google Form to submit questions. Act now, we will stop accepting questions after November 19th.

We will select a few of the questions and post our responses on our social media accounts.

http://ow.ly/cfzR50GMpiX

02/19/2021

With all the snow, is it really time for Spring Spotter Training?

You BET!

Spring 2021 Skywarn Spotter Training registration is now open.

There will be four sessions and all sessions will be virtual (no in person classes.)

More details online at http://ow.ly/Mvkz50DDMB6

02/15/2021

Potential for Sustained wind or frequent gusts > 35 mph and visibility ¼ mi < in S/BS for > 3 hrs in the next 12 to 48 hours

12/03/2020

https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarnrecognition

We are processing the 2008 logs as they are being received.  Event Statistics will be posted weekly as they become available.

09/26/2020

Interested in becoming a Skywarn Spotter? Need a refresher on reporting to the NWS? Just want to learn a little more about the weather?

Join us online in October for our Virtual Skywarn Spotter training. Registration is required.



http://ow.ly/r3GO50BBDT2

09/11/2020

Fall Spotter Training Sessions will be conducted in October. These sessions will be held in a virtual setting and registration is required. 2 days/2 times per week.

More details at the Northern Indiana Skywarn Resource Page. http://ow.ly/vD3C50Bosib

08/10/2020

A destructive line of thunderstorms is moving across northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. These storms are producing wind gusts of 70 to 100 mph and widespread wind damage. These storms will move into northwest Indiana and southwest Lower Michigan after 5 PM EDT and will track across the remainder of the area through 9 PM EDT. This is a very dangerous situation, be sure to follow any watches and warning that are issued and have a place you can go to for safety. Even after the strongest wind gusts, wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph may persist for up to 30 minutes after the strongest winds. Widespread wind damage is expected.