Storm Chasing With Mobile Phones and GPS Units By: Dorian J. Burnette

Introduction:

Mobile phones and Global Positioning System (GPS) units are being used more and more for storm chasing. I will use the term mobile phone, as the old fashion cellular is beginning its demise with the advent of digital technology. Mobile phones are very handy for storm chasing, as you do not have to be in a city or town to call in a report of severe weather, and with digital technology, wireless connections to the Internet are available. All that said, mobile phones continue to have reliability issues when storm chasing. GPS units are not nearly as unreliable. However, you still need to monitor them particularly if they are running on batteries and not vehicle power.

Mobile Phones:

Without a doubt, wireless connections to the Internet come in very handy during storm chases. However, there needs to be a "reality check" here...you must be in digital service in order to be able to dial into the Internet. Digital service is becoming better due to a method called tower sharing that some providers are doing. However, for those providers who do not tower share, their digital service is usually limited to major metropolitan areas and major highways. In other words, if you are out in Stickville, U.S.A., then the ability to dial into the Internet is nil. Obviously, it is in the best interest of storm chasers to maximize the digital service coverage. Unfortunately, even the largest service areas like those offered by Verizon and Cingular still have plenty of holes where the Internet connectivity is nil. The other thing you have to keep in the back of your mind is connection speed. Most wireless connections are around 14.4 kps instead of the normal 56 kps or broadband that we are use to at home though speeds are increasing. This means downloading large images from the Internet will eat up considerable time. I have the webpages that I use most often for weather information saved on my laptop. That way the time spent online is actually spent gathering the data that I need and not spent surfing through webpages to get to the right link to finally download the data.

The other use of mobile phones for storm chasing involves calling in reports and receiving information from someone who is watching the conditions. Most mobile phones can communicate in both digital and analog (old fashioned cellular) modes. As before, digital service is usually limited to major metropolitan areas and major highways unless tower sharing takes place. Elsewhere, the phone goes into analog, and using the phone can be a significant challenge. Depending on who your particular provider is, being in analog does not necessarily mean you are in roam. Analog roam is normally the worst mode. Not to mention, there is also an extra charge to use roam with most providers. Then, of course, there is the extremely frustrating issue of being able to hear the person you are talking to, but they cannot hear you. That issue and the issue of "dropped calls" frustrates me to no end. There were several times during 2002 when my mobile phone dropped my call while I was on the air with KSN describing what I was observing. I can understand having my call dropped every now and then, but in 2002 it occurred way too often. Needless to say, I no longer do business with the company that dropped my calls. I also have a backup plan in the form of 1-800 numbers. All I have to do then, is stop in some small town, and make a call at a pay phone. Again, one day the mobile phone coverage will be better, but right now, the point is to have a backup plan. Mobile phones also use batteries, so make certain that you have a battery charger. A hands-free mobile phone kit is highly recommended too. Finally, I must recommend against the use of a mobile phone to keep in contact with another car that is chasing with you. It is absolutely imperative that your communication with each other remain intact. I have learned this lesson the hardway (fortunately not in the heat of a storm chase). My solution was to purchase a couple of Family Radio Service (FRS) radios. They are good for only a mile or two (depending on terrain and other obstructions), but nonetheless, they work even in Stickville, U.S.A. These devices do use batteries too, so make certain that you take extra batteries with you. HAM radios are also another very good source for communication, but they do require a license.

GPS Units:

I have found GPS units to be extremely helpful during storm chasing. It takes a little bit more of my mind off the map and on the storms. That said, you cannot completely take your eye off the map...the point is to reach a happy medium. GPS units come in all sorts of ranges and prices. I have a simple one that plugs into my laptop and plots my location and my vector (speed and direction) on a map along with other information. Again, I try to keep things simple. You can go overboard in this department just like you can with mobile phones and the Internet, but simple things will suffice.

I have ran into a couple of GPS issues. One is in regard to battery life. My GPS eats batteries like there is no tomorrow. The problem can be fixed by either taking extra batteries with you on the storm chase, or using your laptop or vehicle power to power the GPS. I use the later method, as there is no low battery warning and batteries can be inconsiderate regarding the time they expire (need I say more <grin>). The other problem is plain and simple technology. The rule is whenever technology is involved, have a backup plan. This is no different with the GPS. There was one circumstance, when I pulled into a gas station to fill up prior to going after some growing storm towers. During the stop, I switched the laptop over to battery power. Upon leaving, I allowed the laptop to resume using the car power. In between the switching, the GPS program froze Windows 2000, and forced me to do a complete ugly power off of the laptop computer. Thankfully, I was not in the heat of a storm chase, but it does give a lesson in reliability. A little paranoia goes a long way...I will never leave on a storm chase without taking ordinary paper maps with me.

Final Comments:

Without a doubt, mobile phones and GPS units can be very helpful on a storm chase. However, a storm chase should never come to rely on them. When using these devices on a storm chase, always have a backup plan.

Last Update: 17 January 2006