East Tennessee Reflections On Radio’s Fade-Podcast 637

One of the greatest benefits to a road trip is seeing old friends. If you spend any time working in radio, you will have a lot of friends all over the country. Even better when they live in East Tennessee. Good thing about friends you went to high school with? They really know you. In East Tennessee Reflections On Radio’s Fade-Podcast 637.

Two Different Paths Same Industry

John Holland and I took different paths in the radio business. When we get together, we compare notes. Naturally radio is going to come up in any conversation. Join us in East Tennessee Reflections On Radio’s Fade-Podcast 637.

Local Radio

Holland appears to be obsessed with the potential of local radio. Specifically a radio station in Taos, New Mexico. I just don’t want to do another political podcast. So, a hot mess of random topics is on the menu in East Tennessee Reflections On Radio’s Fade-Podcast 637.

Taos New Mexico’s Number One

In fact, my friend talked so much about this radio station in Taos, New Mexico I had a vivid dream about working for that perfect radio station somewhere, only to realize it doesn’t exist, and especially not these days. John says it does. In Taos. New Mexico.

Radio’s Fade And The Rise of Digital Media

Radio is fading as a medium and as a business these days. It seems like the part of the reason is a decrease in local radio’s ability to remain relevant to local communities. At least that’s John’s position. I believe much of the fading relevance is due to the fact that people have a vast array of choice on the Internet. Podcasts. Music services. Social Media. E-Books. You name it.

Work Until You’re Dead

The older you get, the more you hear contemporaries talk about retirement. Nether one of us can understand why. My feeling is one should work until they drop. It keeps you engaged and relevant. Finally, what’s so great about Tennessee.

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East Tennessee Reflections On Radio’s Fade-Podcast 637

Storm Chaser Valhalla-National Weather Service Norman-Podcast 636

Blue skies and sunshine on this Storm Chasing Trip. With no storms, it’s a good time to visit the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center at Norman, Oklahoma. The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center is where where all severe weather predictions and updates originate. We’ll go in inside, In Storm Chaser Valhalla-National Weather Service Norman-Podcast 636.

Storm Chaser Valhalla

Storm Chasers use information that originates at Norman. Why? Doppler Radar was developed here. Scientists in Kansas City spent springs here back in the day, to research storms. There was a naval air station here. So, there was plenty of room to locate a brand new radar system.

NEXRAD

Doppler Radar has been a game changer since its inception in the 1990’s. NEXRAD changed and continues to change how the world learns about severe weather. In Storm Chaser Valhalla-National Weather Service Norman-Podcast 636.

Secure Facility

The radar control center is in a secure building shared by several government agencies. One of those agencies is the department of defense. Needless to say, I could not get into this facility. Persistence pays off and after a few calls, NOAA Public Affairs Specialist Keli Pirtle invited me to come over to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center. Storm Chaser Valhalla-National Weather Service Norman-Podcast 636.

Weather Geek Out

It’s all about weather geeks. Thanks to Keli Pirtle for inviting me in on short notice and for the history lesson. How did the radar system get built at Norman? Finally, Warning Coordination Meteorologist Patrick Marsh gives us complete rundown of how the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center works. Plus some stories about what it is like in this center when major weather is breaking.

Storm Chasers

The idea behind tax payer funded NEXRAD is data products should be available to everyone, and this is one of the reasons we get radar and other NWS products on our smartphones. However, severe weather can be unpredictable. A town, person or chaser can be right under a tornado and not be able to to see it until it’s too late. While the National Weather Service does not have an official position on Storm Chasing Even the National Weather Service is not immune as you will hear. Be Safe.

Sponsored by Brush Studio in The West End, Saint Louis Park, Minnesota

Storm Chaser Valhalla-National Weather Service Norman-Podcast 636

 

Road Trip For Storm Chasing Teaches Patience-Podcast 633

Road Trips mess with the traveler’s sense of time. The best way to travel is to just let things happen. When you push you will get frustrated. That’s what happened today. In Road Trip For Storm Chasing Teaches Patience-Podcast 633.

Big plans for Podcast 633

Started the day rolling south thinking, if there are no storm chasers, then I’ll interview locals. I headed out Minnesota 12 West to Minnesota 15 South, all the way across the state line into Iowa. From there, 9 West to 71 South. Spent the whole day on 71 South, all the way to Missouri. Along the way a small storm. I did a video for the Bob Davis Podcasts You Tube Channel so everyone could see why the midwest is great for storm chasing.

Road Trips Teach You Patience

In Road Trip For Storm Chasing Teaches Patience-Podcast 633, we spend some time talking about the day I’ve had, and the plan for tomorrow. It’s always good to experience a reminder that a traveler cannot get frustrated when everything doesn’t go exactly to plan. A good lesson for life.

Too Much Planning?

Getting a haircut is one thing. Updating software? Maybe not the best idea. Checking out the maps is good. Working from an itinerary of where you’re going to be and what you’re going to do? Not so good. Well, at least we loaded everything we needed into Mobile Podcast Command!

Hello Road! It’s Been Awhile

If you have too many things you think you’re supposed to be doing, there’s no time to stop and smell the roses. Or to check out the ‘Axe Murder House Museum‘ or the world’s largest popcorn ball.

Storm Chasing Through Rural America

Even though it feels like I got nothing accomplished today, the best part of the trip is rural America. The midwest is great for this, with lots of small towns and some big ones along the way. So here’s to tomorrow. Maybe we’ll connect up with our storm chasers, and maybe we won’t.

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

Road Trip For Storm Chasing Teaches Patience-Podcast 633