Siren Test Net

The purpose of this net is to collect reports on the function of the outdoor warning system sirens in the cities of Norman, Moore, Noble, and Newcastle during the weekly regional test.

These cities and others in the central Oklahoma area test their outdoor warning system (OWS) sirens every Saturday at Noon local time.

Volunteers Needed

For this net to fulfill its mandate, volunteers are needed. Ideally, operators will “adopt” the siren nearest their homes or at a convenient location for their Saturday afternoon activities. The only requirement is that volunteers be around most Saturdays at noon and be able to report on the status of their adopted siren reliably. It is essential to report that a specific siren is sounding (or not sounding) and not whether the observer “hears sirens.”  If you are out of position on Saturday, feel free to report on a siren near you.

There may be some weekly special requests for specific locations. If you are available to roam, watch for posts on the SCARS Facebook page.

Norman Outdoor Warning System

The City of Norman’s current OWS was purchased in 2011 and consists of 68 sirens. The current system entirely replaced an earlier system that did not adequately cover the entire city and had some components dating back to the Cold War attack-siren days. The city’s system also triggers a unit on the OU campus.

While the system has built-in telemetry and remote diagnostics, South Canadian Amateur Radio Society members can provide value to the city by collecting direct observations of the proper functioning of the individual siren units.  Sirens are set to sound for 60 seconds during a regular test. Three are set to run for 20 seconds based on their location.  Occasionally, sirens will be tested for 3 minutes.  Click on this link for a list of the Norman sirens. Click on the map to view a larger image. A summary of test results is available by clicking this link.

map

Moore Outdoor Warning System

The City of Moore’s outdoor warning system consists of 42 sirens. While the system has built-in telemetry and remote diagnostics, South Canadian Amateur Radio Society members can provide value to the city by collecting direct observations of the proper functioning of the individual siren units.  Some OWS sirens in Moore are electro-mechanical and have rotating components, and rotation or lack thereof should be reported.  The siren test runs for 3 minutes.  Click on this link for a list of the Moore sirens. Click on the map to view a larger image. A summary of test results is available by clicking this link.

Moore Siren Map

Noble Outdoor Warning System

The City of Noble’s current outdoor warning system consists of 5 sirens. These units do not have telemetry, so SCARS members can provide value to the city by collecting direct observations of the proper functioning of the individual siren units.  Some OWS sirens in Noble are electro-mechanical and have rotating components; rotation or lack thereof should be reported.  The siren test typically runs for 3 minutes.  Click on this link for a list of the Noble sirens. Click here to view a larger image. A summary of test results is available by clicking this link.

Newcastle Outdoor Warning System

The City of Newcastle’s current outdoor warning system consists of 6 sirens. These units do not have telemetry, so SCARS members can provide value to the city by collecting direct observations of the proper functioning of the individual siren units.  Some OWS sirens in Newcastle are electro-mechanical and have rotating components, and rotation or lack thereof should be reported.  The siren test typically runs for 3 minutes.  Click on this link for a list of the Newcastle sirens. A summary of test results is available by clicking this link.

Net Structure

The SCARS Norman-Moore Saturday Noon Siren Net is a roll-call net on the SCARS UHF repeater (443.7+ MHz, 141.3-Hz tone). Participating stations will wait until they are called to transmit their report. When called, each operator will reply with their station’s callsign, their assigned outdoor warning siren number, and “Test Good” or “Test Fail.”  If a monitored unit is electro-mechanical, report whether rotation was observed.  At the end of the roll call, you will be allowed to report any siren, even if you’re not on the roll call list. Stations with a “Test Fail” status will be queried for details of the failure for transmission to the appropriate city’s emergency management personnel.

Sample Siren Sound

For those of you who need to have something to compare to, Ed Hatch AG5DV has provided us with a stereo, near-field recording of Siren 20. Yes, this audio is probably loud and will wake the neighbors. Please play at your own risk. It sounded for three minutes on the afternoon of August 5, 2017.