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In all fairness Evansville radio fans(A Moderator's POV)

R

Radiogeek500

I realize that many of us are not happy about the situation with the coverage itself and the aftermath of all of it, but let's realize 3 things.

3. Most stations in Evansville are automated if not assisted by a jock or live person, in fact WIKY is the only one listed as having a live overnight personality.

2. NWS is the orginization to give out warnings. They issue warnings for storm related events based upon the data that they have and from what it sounds like they were able to give a 11 minute warning. I thought that was too small of a window personally, but for right now if that's the best they could do, then that's it. Of course I heard that this was a out of nowhere storm that split off a line that was traveling through MO and Southern IL, so this is a example of Mother nature's way providing suprises. NWS can't forsee every storm.

1. Most importaintly, the time of night played a most significant factor. If this had happened at 2pm we would have a different story, we would have had less deaths, but this happened at 2am at night. While I am up at that time of night, the majority of any city in this world is asleep at that time and thus not really responsive to anything, even sirens. Our bodies just won't get up for just anything unless there is something to push us. Prehaps the residents own bodies blew off the sirens as just a bunch of noise and a "don't disturb me". But another interesting issue arises. Did the mobile Home park provide Storm shelters for the residents, in fact do any mobile home parks provide storm shelters? We probably oughta discuss that on the Off the Air Board.

www.radio-info.com/mods/posts?Board=nonradio

In closing, this was a great tradegy, but we can all learn and hopefully improve the situations for next time<P ID="signature">______________
20 Years of POWERFUL music
Power 106 La's Party Station.

JOSH, Moderating the whole Radio-Info radio state of California and Indiana too!</P>
 
Thanks Josh, I think a lot of people will agree with what you posted. In fairness to radio stations, the primary alert is usually the Civil Defense warning system, but if the people are asleep at 2am, and they can't hear the sirens in their slumber or location (or even over the noise of the storm), and their radios are off, there's not much you can do in that instance, either.

I've been personally tossing around the idea of buying one of those weather alert weather radios that automatically comes on whenever a severe weather emergency happens. They aren't all that expensive, and like a smoke detector, it can provide a warning perhaps when you need it most. I'd especially consider buying one if I happened to live in a place like a trailer park where evacuating and time were critical. We live in an area where tornados can happen anywhere and anytime, I don't know that proper preparedness is something you can emphasize enough.
 
> I realize that many of us are not happy about the situation
> with the coverage itself and the aftermath of all of it, but
> let's realize 3 things.
>
> 3. Most stations in Evansville are automated if not assisted
> by a jock or live person, in fact WIKY is the only one
> listed as having a live overnight personality.
>
> 2. NWS is the orginization to give out warnings. They issue
> warnings for storm related events based upon the data that
> they have and from what it sounds like they were able to
> give a 11 minute warning. I thought that was too small of a
> window personally, but for right now if that's the best they
> could do, then that's it. Of course I heard that this was a
> out of nowhere storm that split off a line that was
> traveling through MO and Southern IL, so this is a example
> of Mother nature's way providing suprises. NWS can't forsee
> every storm.
>
> 1. Most importaintly, the time of night played a most
> significant factor. If this had happened at 2pm we would
> have a different story, we would have had less deaths, but
> this happened at 2am at night. While I am up at that time of
> night, the majority of any city in this world is asleep at
> that time and thus not really responsive to anything, even
> sirens. Our bodies just won't get up for just anything
> unless there is something to push us. Prehaps the residents
> own bodies blew off the sirens as just a bunch of noise and
> a "don't disturb me". But another interesting issue arises.
> Did the mobile Home park provide Storm shelters for the
> residents, in fact do any mobile home parks provide storm
> shelters? We probably oughta discuss that on the Off the Air
> Board.
>
> www.radio-info.com/mods/posts?Board=nonradio
>
> In closing, this was a great tradegy, but we can all learn
> and hopefully improve the situations for next time
>

Josh,

I have to completely disagree with you and others who say its not radio's job to play "weatherman" as one poster put it. It is not only their job but their responsibility.

Even under Brill WSTO had a DTN system in Owensboro and internet in studio that had access to multiple radar sources. With the DTN system 9 time out of 10 I beat the NWS in issuing the EAS when I was on the air. It was important to do so and if the EAS was not activated on WSTO then there should be fines from the FCC along with potential civil action from those who were injured in the storm, especially in Henderson KY as WSTO is a primary relay station for the EAS "web" in Kentucky, which would now probably fall under Kentucky's Homeland Security office.

Furthermore the arrogance of Booker to slam automated stations in lack of coverage in R&R is very hypocritical when WSTO was automated at the time of the storm, when people needed the information the most. The saddest part of it will be that South Central will probably win an AP award for their coveage of the tornado, much like they did with the Owensboro tornado in 2000, when 5 minutes after the storm, with all Owensboro located studios off the air due to a direct hit, it was business as usual with the afternoon guy announcing "sunny skies ahead" while a frightened town was cut off from the rest of the world. I'm sure the same was felt that night as well...as all radio in the area let them down.
 
> > I realize that many of us are not happy about the
> situation
> > with the coverage itself and the aftermath of all of it,
> but
> > let's realize 3 things.
> >
> > 3. Most stations in Evansville are automated if not
> assisted
> > by a jock or live person, in fact WIKY is the only one
> > listed as having a live overnight personality.
> >
> > 2. NWS is the orginization to give out warnings. They
> issue
> > warnings for storm related events based upon the data that
>
> > they have and from what it sounds like they were able to
> > give a 11 minute warning. I thought that was too small of
> a
> > window personally, but for right now if that's the best
> they
> > could do, then that's it. Of course I heard that this was
> a
> > out of nowhere storm that split off a line that was
> > traveling through MO and Southern IL, so this is a example
>
> > of Mother nature's way providing suprises. NWS can't
> forsee
> > every storm.
> >
> > 1. Most importaintly, the time of night played a most
> > significant factor. If this had happened at 2pm we would
> > have a different story, we would have had less deaths, but
>
> > this happened at 2am at night. While I am up at that time
> of
> > night, the majority of any city in this world is asleep at
>
> > that time and thus not really responsive to anything, even
>
> > sirens. Our bodies just won't get up for just anything
> > unless there is something to push us. Prehaps the
> residents
> > own bodies blew off the sirens as just a bunch of noise
> and
> > a "don't disturb me". But another interesting issue
> arises.
> > Did the mobile Home park provide Storm shelters for the
> > residents, in fact do any mobile home parks provide storm
> > shelters? We probably oughta discuss that on the Off the
> Air
> > Board.
> >
> > www.radio-info.com/mods/posts?Board=nonradio
> >
> > In closing, this was a great tradegy, but we can all learn
>
> > and hopefully improve the situations for next time
> >
>
> Josh,
>
> I have to completely disagree with you and others who say
> its not radio's job to play "weatherman" as one poster put
> it. It is not only their job but their responsibility.
>
> Even under Brill WSTO had a DTN system in Owensboro and
> internet in studio that had access to multiple radar
> sources. With the DTN system 9 time out of 10 I beat the
> NWS in issuing the EAS when I was on the air. It was
> important to do so and if the EAS was not activated on WSTO
> then there should be fines from the FCC along with potential
> civil action from those who were injured in the storm,
> especially in Henderson KY as WSTO is a primary relay
> station for the EAS "web" in Kentucky, which would now
> probably fall under Kentucky's Homeland Security office.
>
> Furthermore the arrogance of Booker to slam automated
> stations in lack of coverage in R&R is very hypocritical
> when WSTO was automated at the time of the storm, when
> people needed the information the most. The saddest part of
> it will be that South Central will probably win an AP award
> for their coveage of the tornado, much like they did with
> the Owensboro tornado in 2000, when 5 minutes after the
> storm, with all Owensboro located studios off the air due to
> a direct hit, it was business as usual with the afternoon
> guy announcing "sunny skies ahead" while a frightened town
> was cut off from the rest of the world. I'm sure the same
> was felt that night as well...as all radio in the area let
> them down.

WOW! You hit the nail right on the head!
When today's tornado's came through the tri-state especially the OWENSBORO AND MADISONVILLE area's that WSTO "claims, they own"! WSTO was LIVE ON AIR AND STILL LET THEM DOWN! WKDQ and WBKR stepped up to the plate, putting aside that they are inside "the book" and aired live coverage of the storms for THEIR LISTENERS. Oh and WDKS as well as WGBF aired live coverage for awhile. But not the entire time. Regent let the tri-state know that it is ALL ABOUT THEIR LISTENERS AND THEIR BEING INFORMED TO KEEP THEM SAFE. HATS OFF TO REGENT, THAT IS LIVE RADIO GUYS!!
>
 
I gotta agree that radio stations has the responsibility to cover any type of diaster. Their a community based station every one of them and they should make that a priority to make sure their there for their community. Most likely what it is is that most stations don't want to pay for people to come in and provide live on the air coverage when they can just set the ole EAS to auto and let it do its thing.

I believe stations like WBKR and WIKY just to name a couple knew that they screwed up with their over night coverage so they knew that had to make it right this time.

WBKR did with their simulcast with Wayne Hart at WEHT. ( That man wore out First Warning Doppler )

It seems like their own radar isn't very strong at all tho. Get alittle heavy rain by the radar dome and it cuts the reflectivity back bad. I wonder how many watts WEHT Radar is?
 
HAHAHAHAHA...

Wow, I hope that was supposed to be a REALLY funny joke, Tower...
 
> It seems like their own radar isn't very strong at all tho.
> Get alittle heavy rain by the radar dome and it cuts the
> reflectivity back bad. I wonder how many watts WEHT Radar
> is?
>
Couldn't tell you about wattage, but it isn't a very large dish...4 feet maybe.

I'm not sure, but I don't think wattage is the primary factor in attenuation (sp). I've seen radars that were under a thousand watts and remained very clear when storms passed the site (at least within 25 miles). First Warning Doppler is, like you say, unclear even with a little rain.

For those who didn't know, their radar dish is mounted on a 250 (guesstimate) foot tower at broadast site in Owensboro. It has the ABC25 logo on it, can't miss it.

The good thing about First warning doppler is integration with NEXRAD data. And oh yeah, its better than whatever WFIE has. (Digital Dual Doppler or something)
 
i dont know about the radar but to tell u yes the bigger the dish the better the rain etc

i know the software atleast some on it is via baron services www.baronservices.com i live in the lexington DMA and lex maxtrack doppler with 350,000 watts and vipir has a great map their 14 foot dish and software both is via baron services. one thing ur local tv should do is get a bigger dish and yes maybe more watts.

WFIE has a product from weathercentral.tv one thing i suggest that station to do is get the live:ESP 3-d feature weather central offers
check out lex max track doppler at www.wlextv.com to see how good it is and how good abc 25 could be<P ID="signature">______________
Shawn Cowden
http://www.radioreference.com</P>
 
> > It seems like their own radar isn't very strong at all
> tho.
> > Get alittle heavy rain by the radar dome and it cuts the
> > reflectivity back bad. I wonder how many watts WEHT Radar
> > is?
> >
> Couldn't tell you about wattage, but it isn't a very large
> dish...4 feet maybe.
>
> I'm not sure, but I don't think wattage is the primary
> factor in attenuation (sp). I've seen radars that were under
> a thousand watts and remained very clear when storms passed
> the site (at least within 25 miles). First Warning Doppler
> is, like you say, unclear even with a little rain.
>
> For those who didn't know, their radar dish is mounted on a
> 250 (guesstimate) foot tower at broadast site in Owensboro.
> It has the ABC25 logo on it, can't miss it.
>
> The good thing about First warning doppler is integration
> with NEXRAD data. And oh yeah, its better than whatever
> WFIE has. (Digital Dual Doppler or something)
>


Totally agree. WFIE may have a stronger radar, but WEHT does a much better job of using the NEXRAD radars in conjunction with their own. It seems like WFIE depends almost entirely on their own radar, which really limits their accuracy. Meanwhile, WEHT uses data from multiple sources and presents a much clearer composite picture for the viewers. During yesterday's coverage, Wayne Hart used the WEHT Doppler, along with NEXRAD data from Gibson County, Paducah, Fort Campbell, and Louisville. THAT, my friends, is how you use your resources to blow the competition away with quality work.
 
> > > I realize that many of us are not happy about the
> > situation
> > > with the coverage itself and the aftermath of all of it,
>
> > but
> > > let's realize 3 things.
> > >
> > > 3. Most stations in Evansville are automated if not
> > assisted
> > > by a jock or live person, in fact WIKY is the only one
> > > listed as having a live overnight personality.
> > >
> > > 2. NWS is the orginization to give out warnings. They
> > issue
> > > warnings for storm related events based upon the data
> that
> >
> > > they have and from what it sounds like they were able to
>
> > > give a 11 minute warning. I thought that was too small
> of
> > a
> > > window personally, but for right now if that's the best
> > they
> > > could do, then that's it. Of course I heard that this
> was
> > a
> > > out of nowhere storm that split off a line that was
> > > traveling through MO and Southern IL, so this is a
> example
> >
> > > of Mother nature's way providing suprises. NWS can't
> > forsee
> > > every storm.
> > >
> > > 1. Most importaintly, the time of night played a most
> > > significant factor. If this had happened at 2pm we would
>
> > > have a different story, we would have had less deaths,
> but
> >
> > > this happened at 2am at night. While I am up at that
> time
> > of
> > > night, the majority of any city in this world is asleep
> at
> >
> > > that time and thus not really responsive to anything,
> even
> >
> > > sirens. Our bodies just won't get up for just anything
> > > unless there is something to push us. Prehaps the
> > residents
> > > own bodies blew off the sirens as just a bunch of noise
> > and
> > > a "don't disturb me". But another interesting issue
> > arises.
> > > Did the mobile Home park provide Storm shelters for the
> > > residents, in fact do any mobile home parks provide
> storm
> > > shelters? We probably oughta discuss that on the Off the
>
> > Air
> > > Board.
> > >
> > > www.radio-info.com/mods/posts?Board=nonradio
> > >
> > > In closing, this was a great tradegy, but we can all
> learn
> >
> > > and hopefully improve the situations for next time
> > >
> >
> > Josh,
> >
> > I have to completely disagree with you and others who say
> > its not radio's job to play "weatherman" as one poster put
>
> > it. It is not only their job but their responsibility.
> >
> > Even under Brill WSTO had a DTN system in Owensboro and
> > internet in studio that had access to multiple radar
> > sources. With the DTN system 9 time out of 10 I beat the
> > NWS in issuing the EAS when I was on the air. It was
> > important to do so and if the EAS was not activated on
> WSTO
> > then there should be fines from the FCC along with
> potential
> > civil action from those who were injured in the storm,
> > especially in Henderson KY as WSTO is a primary relay
> > station for the EAS "web" in Kentucky, which would now
> > probably fall under Kentucky's Homeland Security office.
>
> >
> > Furthermore the arrogance of Booker to slam automated
> > stations in lack of coverage in R&R is very hypocritical
> > when WSTO was automated at the time of the storm, when
> > people needed the information the most. The saddest part
> of
> > it will be that South Central will probably win an AP
> award
> > for their coveage of the tornado, much like they did with
> > the Owensboro tornado in 2000, when 5 minutes after the
> > storm, with all Owensboro located studios off the air due
> to
> > a direct hit, it was business as usual with the afternoon
> > guy announcing "sunny skies ahead" while a frightened town
>
> > was cut off from the rest of the world. I'm sure the same
>
> > was felt that night as well...as all radio in the area let
>
> > them down.
>
> WOW! You hit the nail right on the head!
> When today's tornado's came through the tri-state especially
> the OWENSBORO AND MADISONVILLE area's that WSTO "claims,
> they own"! WSTO was LIVE ON AIR AND STILL LET THEM DOWN!
> WKDQ and WBKR stepped up to the plate, putting aside that
> they are inside "the book" and aired live coverage of the
> storms for THEIR LISTENERS. Oh and WDKS as well as WGBF
> aired live coverage for awhile. But not the entire time.
> Regent let the tri-state know that it is ALL ABOUT THEIR
> LISTENERS AND THEIR BEING INFORMED TO KEEP THEM SAFE. HATS
> OFF TO REGENT, THAT IS LIVE RADIO GUYS!!
> >
>

While improvements may have been made in the coverage on Tuesday please don't mistake my original post as an indictment only on WSTO, the entire radio marketplace failed the community. I used WSTO as an example because I spent 4 years of my life there and issued hundreds of warnings in a timely manner, both before and after we automated overnights on the station when i was there. In fact while we were in Owensboro I often would issue warnings on both WSTO and WBKR until Jeff Nalley came in to provide detailed coverage. Point is South Central and Regent both need to reveiw their emergency procedures and training.
 
whats up with fox there and cbs what type of radar or coverage do they have ???<P ID="signature">______________
Shawn Cowden
http://www.radioreference.com</P>
 
> whats up with fox there and cbs what type of radar or
> coverage do they have ???
>


CBS44 doesn't even have a weather crew or newscrew. They stopped offering that a while back atleast 5 years ago.... Now Channel 7 WTVW radar <--- They think isn't even close to anything.... There was so much garbage on their thing they was showing yesterday you the viewer couldn't even make it out. Every storm had a storm track on it with large circles and it looked like (BLEEP).

Ron Rhodes did OK for what he has to work with but still not as good as Wayne Hart... Think about Wayne is he told the viewers that they don't need to put it on Channel 14. He has the most and best coverage of the storms.

I've sent emails to stations asking them what their beam wattage is and what is so surprising is there are some meteorologists that don't even know what the wattage of their radar is.

WBKO - 250 Watt Radar - Very Weak but uses Nexrad LEVEL II from NWS from Nashville,Paducah and Louisville ( GREAT NEWS COVERAGE STATION FOR SMALL MARKET )
WHAS - 250,000 Watt Radar - Decent - Has Stormtracker 3D
WLKY - 250,000 Watt Radar - Has Viper - Decent
WEHT - No Reply From Wayne Hart
WAVE - They don't even know what their old radar is. The meteorologist there stated that with the new technology even high wattage doesn't always mean better. Bull Crap LOL - They use what they call " Triple Team Doppler " Junk in my opinion - They don't have a good radar to cover the area of their own so they depend on 5 minute updates from NWS Nexrad from 3 sights. Gibson County, Paducah and Louisville.
WLEX - 350,000 Watt Radar - Solid Performer

Metrologist Standpoint Grade Of Coverage - Please post your grades

Wayne Hart - B+ to A- ( I give that becuase in my opinion he needs to let the competition go and concentrate on the point in hand not telling viewers to not turn it to channel 14 - I don't understand how WEHT's radar gets so bad with rain close to the radar site. As an earlier post said I've seen radars that beam right thru the rain but WEHT seems like theirs can't do that.

Jeff Lyons - B - Noticed he got confused with all the warnings going out and it was hard for them to keep a steady ball going. Even with Chad Sewich in there still was difficult for them to keep up everything. ALSO THEY NEED TO GET RID OF THE REGULAR PHONE and go to speaker phone or something so they can be on camera not running back to the regular phone

Ron Rhodes - C- - Their radar during the tornado outbreak - Complete JUNK - why would anyone use what they had - Nothing could be made out from what was showing on TV and their coverage was cut short. Very disappointing

Radio side - I would have to give my award to WBKR. No commericals nothing during the simulcast of Wayne Hart - Only thing was and they had to do it was override him during the top of the hour for Station ID. Other than that atleast 3 hours solid simucast.

Thanks

Looking for more posters.
 
shoot id do weather for cbs 44 if they got me the weather equipment. id only have to have the weather xm wizard via baron services and use nexrad sites. i do give wave3 credit though as watching them online they did say possible tornado 5-10 mins before the warnings were issued they said that their new computer is close to 5 years in the future so i dont know. they do give good coverage also.
one thing kewl abc there in eville had it online to watch also i wish wfie did and wlex tv out of lexington

im from london ky but live here in columbus ohio and their radars here are worse then eville any day
2 of them use nexrad data which is 5-7 mins old and one has a live doppler that doesnt really show anything<P ID="signature">______________
Shawn Cowden
http://www.radioreference.com</P>
 
Wayne Hart and Channel 14

Wayne Hart isn't telling people to avoid WFIE; he's telling them that they don't need to switch to another channel that the cable system provides. I believe Insight runs a scroll across the bottom of all channels during severe weather, telling viewers to tune to a specific channel for severe weather info. Because that scroll also appears on WEHT, Wayne is just telling viewers that they can keep watching him and that they don't need to obey the scroll's advice. He's not discouraging people from watching the competition; he's encouraging people to keep watching him so they don't waste their time tuning into some text-only presentation the cable system is putting out.
 
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