| Date of Spotter Training | County and Location of Venue | Time of Spotter Training |
| Basic Training: Thursday, November 7th 2024 | Virtual - Register | 7:00-8:30 PM EST |
| Basic Training: Thursday, November 14th 2024 | Virtual - Register | 7:00-8:30 PM EST |
| Basic Training: Tuesday, November 19th 2024 | Virtual - Register | 7:00-8:30 PM EST |
| Advanced Training: Tuesday, December 3rd 2024 | Virtual - Register | 7:00-8:30 PM EST |
To register for online spotter classes, please click the link in the table above.
This table will be updated as spotter classes are added. Entries will be removed once completed
Weather Spotter Links
| The Weather Spotter's Field Guide. | A useful summary of many aspects of our spotter training and things to look for. This is also a guide on what kind of things we need to hear about. |
| Spotter Quick Reference Guide. | A quick reference guide on what things are useful to report to the NWS Office. Also a link to various references relevant to spotters. |
| CoCoRaHS Information. | A link to information about the CoCoRaHS network. A way to report Rain, Hail, and Snow reports to the NWS. |
| Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador Application. | More information about the Weather Ready Nation Ambassador Program. |
| Post-Spotter Class Registration | After you have been through a spotter class from one of our NWS Meteorologists, please fill out the linked form. |
Weather Spotter Training Videos (prepared by NWS Tallahassee)
After going through our training, please go through and update your contact information with us here:
Social Media Dashboard (easiest way to report weather to us)
To report severe weather: Call 850-942-8833 (option 9 to ring through to forecaster)
Welcome to our SKYWARNTM page! The most important goal of the National Weather Service (NWS) is to protect lives and property through timely watches and warnings, and the SKYWARNTM program is an essential part of achieving this goal.
Since SKYWARNTM began in the 1970s, thousands of volunteers have helped the NWS issue more accurate and timely severe weather warnings by acting as spotters. The role of the spotter is to serve as the eyes and ears of the NWS during severe weather situations.
Most SKYWARNTM volunteers are involved with amateur (HAM) radio, because HAM radio operators are well-equipped to relay their reports of severe weather. However, the SKYWARNTM program also includes law enforcement agencies, emergency management personnel, public utilities workers, and even people who are simply interested in the weather.
Although the NWS office at Tallahassee has obtained modernized equipment such as the WSR-88D Doppler radar to better detect severe weather, SKYWARNTM spotters continue to be essential to our warning process. Even with all the new technology, an accurate report from a SKYWARNTM spotter often provides critical information required by the forecasters to issue timely warnings, which can save lives.
If you live within our forecast area, we invite you to become part of the SKYWARNTM program. We offer seminars that train spotters to identify and report severe weather, and to also look for indications that severe weather may be imminent.
A very important part of our SKYWARNTM network is Amateur (HAM) Radio. HAM radio operators, or HAMs, are a valuable resource to the NWS because of their ability to communicate during times of severe weather when other communication media may fail. Many HAMs have radios in their cars, which allows them to "go mobile" and get to areas where severe weather is occurring.
At least one HAM is also stationed at the NWS office when severe weather is occurring. It is the duty of this HAM to act as a network controller by relaying information between HAMs in the field and NWS personnel. HAMs report their positions and eyewitness reports, while NWS personnel give information about storm locations and motions. This allows the net controller to instruct other HAMs where to go.
Area HAMs recently set up an Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS) at the NWS Tallahassee office. APRS uses packet radio to relay data that can be displayed on a computer.
If you want to learn more about Amateur Radio, a good place to start is the Amateur Radio Relay League. Excellent resources for getting started in HAM radio can also be found at local HAM Radio clubs.
Any amateur radio or county government organization that would like to receive SKYWARNTM spotter training should contact Mark Wool.
Please send questions or comments about this page to Mark Wool.
| SKYWARNTM Repeater Frequencies |
Even if you do not have a HAM radio license, you can still monitor the frequencies below with a scanner to hear the latest weather reports provided by SKYWARNTM Spotters in or near our County Warning Area (CWA).
| Tallahassee Area | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Call Sign | Location | Remarks |
| 146.655- | AE4S | Tallahassee | PL 94.8; for SKYWARNTM |
| 146.910- | KC4YWP | Tallahassee | PL 123.0; TARS club |
| 147.03+ | K4TLH | Tallahassee | PL 123.0; TARS club |
| 146.610- | N4PG | Tallahassee | PL 203.5 |
| 147.345+ | KG4CJX | Tallahassee | |
| 146.865- | KS4JW | Tallahassee | PL 94.8 FSU campus |
| 442.000+ | KS4JW | Tallahassee | PL 151.4 FSU campus may be linked with 146.865 |
| 442.850+ | K4TLH | Tallahassee | PL 123.0 |
| 443.400+ | KB4ES | Tallahassee | PL 131.8 |
| 443.950+ | AE4S | Tallahassee | PL 94.8 |
| 444.400+ | KD4MOJ | Tallahassee | PL 131.8 |
| 444.800+ | KC4TOC | Tallahassee | |
| 145.430+ | N4EHX | Monticello, FL | PL 103.5 NET 8:30 PM Tuesday |
| 145.250+ | KD4DSU | Chattahoochee | |
| 146.715- | KF4DYR | Bristol, FL | |
| 147.165+ | KB4RRT | Quincy, FL | |
| 147.015+ | Madison, FL | AROM club | |
| 146.970- | W4RTN | Perry, FL | |
| Southwest and South Central Georgia | |||
| 147.060+ | W4UCJ | Boston | |
| 147.195+ | W4UCJ | Metcalf | PL Tone 141.3 |
| 146.820- | W4MM | Acre | Albany club repeater primary SKYWARNTM frequency |
| 146.700- 444.500+ |
W4MM | Albany | club repeater |
| 443.000+ | Bainbridge | PL 100.0 | |
| 147.285+ | W4PVW | Chula (near Tifton) |
Coastal Plains ARC PL 103.5 (444 from tonepad overrides) |
| 146.790- | WD4KOW | Moultrie | |
| 145.130- | WR4SG | Valdosta | also 444.350 T141.3 Tall Pine Intertie |
| 145.310 | KB4JF | Nashville | T141.3 Tall Pine Intertie |
| 147.135 | WR4SG | Lake Park | T141.3 Tall Pine Intertie |
| 147.285 | W4PVW | Ashburn | T141.3 Tall Pine Intertie |
| 146.760- | KF4BJM | Valdosta | T141.3 |
| Florida Panhandle | |||
| 146.940- | NX4E | Panama City | Local PL tone 103.5. Located north of P.C. |
| 145.210- | W4RYZ | Panama City | club repeater |
| 53.050- | AC4QB | Panama City | 6m repeater back in operation |
| 145.330- | AC4QB | Panama City | PL 100 Hz; linked to KF4JMM |
| 145.210- | W4RYZ | Panama City | primary club repeater |
| 147.520 (now simplex) | W4RYZ | Panama City | 2-10m link (29.600 FM) [inoperative at this time] |
| 146.940- | NK4A | Panama City | Bay County info. net |
| 145.390- | KD4VGX | Panama City | PL 103.5 |
| 147.390+ | WA6QKN | Panama City | |
| 444.825+ | KD4HDI | Tallahassee | |
| 147.300+ | W4WEB | Port St. Joe | |
| 444.000+ | KD4RZP | Port St. Joe | |
| 444.975+ | WA4ISJ | Shell Point | |
| 444.750+ | KT4QH | Tallahassee | |
| 147.285+ | KF4PDX | De Funiak Springs | PL 100.0 WCARC repeater |
| 147.375+ | W4XLG | De Funiak Springs area | PL 100.0 weather & ARES |
| 443.750+ | KG4IDW | De Funiak Springs area | PL 100.0 |
| 444.825+ | KF4JMM | Local 103.5 PL Tone | |
| 444.500+ | KF4JMM | Local 103.5 PL Tone | |
| 444.075+ | KF4JMM | Local 103.5 PL Tone | |
| 147.360+ | N Okaloosa County | just W of our CWA - SKYWARNTM | |
| 146.790- | S. Okaloosa County | just W of our CWA - SKYWARNTM | |
| Southeast Alabama | |||
| 147.340+ | N4RNU | Dothan | EMA for RACES/ARES |
| 147.240+ | WD4ROJ | Enterprise | club |
| 145.270- | W4UZR | Geneva | PL 103.5 |
| 147.260+ | WC4M | Andalusia | Covington County just W of our CWA |
| 146.570 | Andalusia | simplex SKYWARNTM frequency | |
| 137.345 | K2DAL | Daleville | Daleville Area Amateur Radio Service/Dale County AREs. + 0.06 offset 123.0 Hz tone |
| SKYWARNTM HAM Radio Clubs |
(some information provided courtesy of the ARRL)
ALBANY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
Specialties: General Interest
Call sign: W4MM
Services: Help for newcomers, Entry-level classes, Higher-level classes
PO Box 70601
Albany, GA 31708-0601
Contact: SHIPLEY WM A, N4GPJ
Phone: (912)439-7055 (D) (912)439-7055 (N)
Web: http://www.w4mm.com
AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS OF MADISON (AROM)
214 W. Base St.
Madison, FL 32340
President: Pat Lightcap (WD4ODB)
Treasurer: Pat Cantey (N4UXE)
Meetings held on local repeater 147.015
COASTAL PLAINS ARC, INC.
Call sign: W4PVW
Services: Help for newcomers, SKYWARNTM
327 Hudson Ave
Ashburn, GA 31714
Contact: Greg Walls, W4GHW
Phone: Day: (229) 567-1480 Night: (229) 567-4610
Web: http://www.facebook.com/w4pvw
E-mail: W4GHW@arrl.net
COLQUITT CTY HAM RADIO SOCIETY
Specialties: General Interest
Call sign: WD4KOW
Services: Help for newcomers, Entry-level classes
PO BOX 815
Moultrie, GA 31776
Contact: JOEL D GOINGS, AA4P
Phone: (912)985-3241 (D) (912)985-3241 (N)
DALEVILLE AREA AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE
Specialties: Amateur Radio Emergency Services
Call Sign: K2DAL
P O Box 724
Daleville AL 36322
Contact: Kevin Turley, K9ADE
Website: www.Daleville.US
ARES Net: Sundays at 3 pm on the K2DAL repeater
ENTERPRISE AMATUER RADIO SOCIETY (EARS)
Specialties: General, BBS/Internet Gateway, APRS
Call sign: WD4ROJ
Services: Help for newcomers, Testing, Other
P.O. Box 310034
Enterprise, AL 36331-0034
Web: http://www.earsweb.com
PANAMA CITY Amateur Radio Club (PCARC)
Specialties: General Interest
Call sign: W4RYZ
Services: Help for newcomers, Entry-level classes, Other
130 Church Ave, Panama City 32401
Contact: Kenn Handschuh, KG4VQI
E-mail: president@w4ryz.org
Web: http://www.w4ryz.org
PLAYGROUND AMATEUR RADIO CLUB (Ft. Walton Beach, FL)
Web: http://www.w4zbb.org/
SOUTH ALABAMA RADIO CLUB
Call sign: WC4M
P.O. Box 1923
Adalusia, AL 36420
Contact: 73 Larry, KF4GRA
E-mail: kf4gra@yahoo.com
Web: http://www.wc4m.net/
TALLAHASSEE AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY
Specialties: General Interest
Call sign: K4TLH
Services: Help for newcomers, Entry-level classes, Higher-level classes
PO BOX 37127
Tallahassee, FL 32302-2644
Contact: KENT B HUTCHINSON, KC4TOC
Phone: (904)487-9164 (D) (904)574-4200 (N)
Web: http://www.k4tlh.org/
THOMASVILLE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
Call sign: W4UCJ
PO BOX 251
Thomasville, GA 31799
Contact: Mike Brown KE4FGF
Phone: (912) 226-5060
Club E-mail: t.a.r.c@rose.net
VALDOSTA AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
Specialties: General Interest
Call Sign: KF4BJM
Services: Help for newcomers, entry and higher level testing/classes
PO BOX 3712
VALDOSTA, GA
Web: http://www.varc.net/
WALTON COUNTY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB (De Funiak Springs, FL)
Call sign: WF4X
75 South Davis Lane
De Funiak Springs, FL 32435
Contact: Bill Bishop
Phone: (850) 585-1121
FAX: (850) 892-7272
Club E-mail: wf4x@waltoncountyarc.com
Web: http://www.waltoncountyarc.com/
WIREGRASS ARC
Specialties: General Interest
Call sign: WB4ZPI
Services: Help for newcomers, Entry-level classes
PO BOX 958
DOTHAN, AL 36301
Web: http://www.wb4zpi.org
Calhoun County, FL
Contact: Jim Voivedich
E-mail: jimstormspoter@webtv.net
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