Well, to generalize chasers and spotters as being two different things is offbase. The two go hand in hand.
Your first two sentances are THE example of the mistaken understanding with the general public between "Storm Spotters" and "Storm Chasers", and the differences are 180 degrees apart. Your stating this on a public forum (and thank you for doing it
,
really) shows the public misconception and the difference beween saving lives and costing lives. Hopefully, your bringing this up in a public way just might save a life or two, which is why I am sincerely thanking you instead of being internet snarky--which is wrong when it involes peoples lives.
No joke Slash, you may have saved lives with your post because the vast majority of the American public can't tell the difference either.
Now, let's save a life (or MANY) and see if in the end, we can get more
ARES members as a result!
EXAMPLE: Monday, a cable news network (I won't name) aired the film of a "Storm Chaser" on international TV of him getting within 1/2 mile of an EF-2 tornado simply for the adrenaline rush and to post it on youtube. You could clearly hear his girlfriend in the background screaming and sobbing in fear. At the next intersection, rather than do a 180, pull a U turn and head back South, the "Storm Chaser" FLOORS it, goes to the next intersection and makes a nearly FATAL left hand turn (90 degrees left directly INTO the path of the tornado) and FLOORS it again, all the while his girlfriend continuing to scream and sob--fearing for her life in the background audio. He had no two way radio communication (cell phones are worthless if the tornado has taken out the local towers), was not linked in to a two way radio network tracking the tornado, was not passing live tornado ground speed estimates, was not reporting tornado ground width estimates--worse yet--no one (most likely) besides he and his girlfriend even knew he was there, and broke every trained rule of staying a safe distance--much less providing himself at least two safe safe routes of escape.
That, is EIGHT individual (possibly fatal for himself and passenger) safety mistakes that TRAINED "Storm Spotters" are trained and drilled on time and time again to never make. And THAT, Sir, is what happens when hot dogs go out and put their own lives in possible fatal danger and others (not to mention law enforcement officers who have to try and keep these morons out of harm's way) because they are untrained "Storm Chasers vs a licensed and traind "Storm Spotter". There are still over 200 people missing from the Joplin, MO tornado alone. How many of those (or even the dead) were unlicensed, untrained, uneducated "Storm Chasers" out looking for kicks and a spot on youtube? Prayerfully, hopefully, NONE, but we will never know, will we? This is the 180 degree difference between trained observers with adaquate communications and funerals just waiting to happen.
"Storm Spotters" are trained observers. They have all passed a federal communications license test (between one and three exams, possibly 4 depending on how long they have been licensed) at their own educational study time and personal expense. They then have taken advanced storm spotting and storm safety course through their local ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) club, following the ARRL (Amateur Radio Relay League
http://www.arrl.org ARES syllabus and training materials to get their accreditation. They have communications equipment (at their own expense) and usually participate in weekly on-air network meetings and usually yearly emergency drills (some clubs do hands on drills with local LEO, fire, and hospital participation other than Field Day the last weekend in June). These "hams" are eager if not over-eager to help others (read that "new people") into the hobby and into the ARES service to help in Public Service. ARES classes and education for Storm Spotting is FREE, but available via local clubs to federal licenced radio amateurs only. ARES communications as storm spotters are officially recognised by the National Weather Service as reliable storm spotting information. The National Weather Service also provides in-classroom instruction as part of the ARES study accreditation for "fixed" as well as "mobile" storm spotters. That's the reason you see so many TV stations nationwide re-broadcasting ARES Storm Spotting VHF network communications on local TV during their emergency storm break-away reports. They do this here in Central Arkansas regularly during Tornado Warning situations. THIS is the ONLY time such re-broadcasts are deemed legal by the FCC...emergency communications overrides normal rules for life/death situations.
There very well might be CB'ers or cell phone Storm Chasers, who knows. I do know that unless they are involved in the Storm Spotting Communications Network and ARES they are viewed by NWS as outsiders and their info, even if submitted at all, will be viewed as skeptical.
I was also VERY clear in my PS regarding any storm "fall-back" position as being Lucky and Lucky only in the presence of an EF-4 or EF5 (much less a direct hit from an EF-3) as being LUCKY to survive only. Please re-read my previous post. It's crystal clear on the matter.
