Hello H3ers

[Storm Chaser]

I purchased my Hummer H3 last month in San Antonio and began surfing the web looking for aftermarket products. Consequently, I stumbled upon this discussion board and began reading the very informative tech threads included on site. It looked like a good community to belong to so decided to jump right in. I am very excited about this site and the information it contains for new Hummer owners. Currently, I am attempting to equip my H3 for storm chasing this spring in the panhandle of Texas. This includes installation of radio gear, laptop, navigation etc. I would be especially interested in getting to know other avid CBers, Amateur Radio Operators or others with similar interests in storm chasing as well as learn tips and tricks from veteran H3 owners. Thanks to all for providing this site and information.

[wordstew]

Hey could you get back to me and let me know If the H3 is Tornado Rated.

[Lex_Ordo]

Welcome to the forum. You will, as I'm sure have already seen, that there is no better place on the web for obtaining useful and knowlegdable info about Hummers in general, and the H3 in particular.
Again Welcome.

[marin8703]

wow, i guess yours would be the first Hummer Storm Chaser, well at least that I have heard of. pretty cool. now that I think of it there has to be an H1 in this type of work. Anyway you might be the first H3 Storm Chaser.:clapping: by the way, by storm chaser do you mean just big storms or are you also going after tornadoes and hurricanes?

post pics of the H3 in the eye of a tornado, that be way cool!:excited:

[Storm Chaser]

Thanks for the welcome and the humor. I will get back to you on the tornado rating :) . I am just beginning this hobby so I have no idea what I am in for, but weather has always intriqued me and this is something I have always wanted to do. Storm chasing seems to be based solely on luck and being at the right place, at the right time. Especially catching a tornado in action which happens seldom even for the experienced storm chaser. But, it will give me a reason for excursions in my H3 and I love messing with radio, electronics and film. It should make for a pretty unusual vehicle once complete.

[Storm Chaser]

Being from Florida, you sound as though you speak from experience. I don't think I would want to ride a hurricane out in any vehicle. Think I will just concentrate on the panhandle for now.

[f5fstop]

no one chases HURRICANES

RYD

No one chassis Hurricanes? Really?
Tell that to the brave men and women of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron; aka Hurrican Hunters.

http://www.hurricanehunters.com/

[f5fstop]

Not a great one!

Just correcting a statement with the phrase, "no one." When there are some who do.:clapping:

[Storm Chaser]

Too funny, Guys... Well, I can think of a couple of well known exceptions ie. Weather Channel, CNN, MSNBC, Fox Network etc., but they chase them professionally, have logistical support and get paid pretty well for the risk. It would be pretty scary in an H3 for a lonely amateur with no resources although it would be fun to document a hurricane to video off the beaten path. Maybe find a hurricane party to weather it out.

[K9sH3]

no one chases HURRICANES

RYD


Umm RYd.. I used to go right to where they were for good surfing, I will say from experience not to do that again.. It was fun at the time, but now that I am older.. Damn I was f'n dumb!
But you know as I know most of Fl folk don't leave anymore, just plain over it.
and I still think my moutain is better :giggling:

[K9sH3]

Some advise!

Been through ANDREW, KATRINA & WILMA...

Discover a different thrill, Lifes short enought. My roof is still not fixed from Wilma.

After Andrew, South Florida added another word to the WORLDS DICTIONARY.

ROOFERS FROM HELL !!! look it up

RYD

He speaks the truth for those of you not from FL. And you can include all the other states hit by Hurricanes.

[Storm Chaser]

I will have to admit that we have been pretty fortunate in Texas. Florida has really had a bout with it. Key West seems to be the luckiest place in Florida. They haven't really been hit, have they?

[K9sH3]

Not in a long long time, when Andrew came through I was at "Naval Air Base, Key West" living in Marathon. Andrew was to be a direct hit and everyone evac to Homestead and MIA. It missed the keys and hit Homestead and MIA. Lucky for me I was on leave at that time and was in DC. But a few weeks later the keys (Marathon) got hit by a Noreaster that did more damage than Andrew did. Strange how Mother nature does her thing. As strange as this may sound, I like Hurricanes better than most other natural storms, at least we have a heads-up that they are coming unlike a earthquake, and its with concern that with the notice that a Hurricane is coming most of the ppl will not leave.

[Storm Chaser]

Strange how Mother nature does her thing. As strange as this may sound, I like Hurricanes better than most other natural storms, at least we have a heads-up that they are coming unlike a earthquake, and its with concern that with the notice that a Hurricane is coming most of the ppl will not leave.

Just imagine what those people in the Tornado Alley feel while waking up in the middle of the night with no warning whatsoever.. I'm with you. At least you can somewhat predict a hurricane path once it gets a few hundred miles from landfall.

[NEOCON1]

welcome :beerchug:

[Storm Chaser]

Thank ya much, Neo. Cheers to you as well. And thanks to everyone that posted and welcomed me today. It was a great first day on the board. Just completed installing my big CB. Used a LowBoy mount attached to the dashboard (no drill) above the vents and a side mount antenna above the GM logo (drilled) through a discreet utility hole in the firewall (drilled). Looks pretty kewl and will attach a pic when I get the wiring completed and SWR checked. One more radio to go but have done enough for the night. Going to watch the Spurs play.

[jp's-h3]

Welcome!
I like to chase women! :D

[K9sH3]

Welcome!
I like to chase women! :D

:excited: :iagree:

[Storm Chaser]

Welcome!
I like to chase women! :D

For me, this is just as dangerous but whole lot more satisfying! ;)

[westhillsat]

Welcome!!!

Congratulations on your H3 :beerchug:

[TxFireman]

Welcome, from another SATX H3. Just what are you going to do when you catch a tornado, .. and more impotantly, where are you going to keep it?


LOL

[NEOCON1]

Welcome!
I like to chase women! :D

LMAO :beerchug: :jump:

[Storm Chaser]

Welcome, from another SATX H3. Just what are you going to do when you catch a tornado, .. and more impotantly, where are you going to keep it?


LOL


Thanks westhillsat for the welcome..

TXFireman. I guess it will just stay in the film canister or on digital format when I finally catch one. LOL

Hey, I am looking to either join a preexisting club or maybe start one. Do you know of any H2 or H3ers in the SATX area that be interested in a few local excursions? Seems that part of the fun may be in the camaraderie. Back in the late 70's I used to belong to a van club and we used to have lots of fun on outings. I can imagine what fun it would be having 4x4 capability. I was hoping I would run into someone from SA on this board. I thought about calling Ken Batchelor Caddilac-Hummer and see if they knew of anything happening or folks I could contact. I see from your profile that you bought your H3 there as well.

[PARAGON]

Thanks westhillsat for the welcome..

TXFireman. I guess it will just stay in the film canister or on digital format when I finally catch one. LOL

Hey, I am looking to either join a preexisting club or maybe start one. Do you know of any H2 or H3ers in the SATX area that be interested in a few local excursions? Seems that part of the fun may be in the camaraderie. Back in the late 70's I used to belong to a van club and we used to have lots of fun on outings. I can imagine what fun it would be having 4x4 capability. I was hoping I would run into someone from SA on this board. I thought about calling Ken Batchelor Caddilac-Hummer and see if they knew of anything happening or folks I could contact. I see from your profile that you bought your H3 there as well.

No, he wouldn't know of any unless they bow down to the greatness that is the almighty firefighter:giggling:

Check out the Hummer X club http://www.*******club.com

they hold several events in and around S. Texas.

[Storm Chaser]

No, he wouldn't know of any unless they bow down to the greatness that is the almighty firefighter:giggling:

Check out the Hummer X club http://www.*******club.com

they hold several events in and around S. Texas.

Funny.. I have to respect all 1st responders though, especially here in San Antonio. TXFireman PMed me and mentioned that particular club the other day. Been busy with some upgrades on my H3 and will post some pics of my navigation, radio and vehicle lettering soon. I haven't gotten around to checking out the club. Checking it out now. Thanks much, Paragon..

[Hunner]

This one was chasing me!!

[Hunner]

Got one of these yet? With DeLorme so you can find your way while running from the storm!!

http://www.nationalmounts.com/product_info.php?cPath=38_94&products_id=236

[Hunner]

Katrina, Biloxi 30 foot tidal surge!

[Storm Chaser]

Great pics... That is a great pic of tornado, I guess you took that one, huh? How close did you actually get? And that tidal wave is scary. Hope to take some good footage this spring when I travel to the panhandle. This will be my first trip out to the field.

Yes, I am going to purchase that same RAM laptop mount so I can set my computer up to synchronize my amateur radio, aquire doppler, post vids & pics to web site in real time etc. Since space is a premium in the H3 and I have two radios, I went with the 3.5" Cobra GPSM 2500. It really works great for its size and the limitations of an internal antenna (which I find as an enhancement). I have enough antennas to mount on the outside, so as long as it aquires the satellites reasonably well (as it seems to), then I am pleased.

The DeLorme system seems very capable and they have a lot of options. I may look to that in the future if I should find I need it. Right now, the Cobra serves my purpose.

Appreciate the posts...

[PARAGON]

Katrina, Biloxi 30 foot tidal surge!Did you lose your sailboat? I'm a little less than 150 miles from where that picture was likely taken

[Hunner]

Its a waterspout when over water. I was running from it but it caught me. Serious heeling. I went below when it blasted by too damn close! That was at the start of the Gulfport to Pensacola race several years ago. I took it from my boat. The poor guy in the picture had removed his outboard for the race, reinstalled it but got excited and did not screw it down, lost it when it started and was a sitting duck. They were scared but ok.
The day before Katrina I pulled my Watkins 27 sailboat out on a trailer and put it on a lot inland. Good thing. Here is Ocean Springs marina before.

[Hunner]

After

[Storm Chaser]

OK I see the water now. Thought it looked like a dusty plain until I took a better look. That marina was trashed. Sounds like you were pretty lucky.

[Hunner]

That is Mississippi mud! This is where some of them ended up. Others were two blocks up the street. Wish I had a Hummer then to get around and a winch for recovery. Storm chasing can get turned around on you real quick!!
Luck did not have much to do with it, preparation and towing my trailer down "before" the storm and having a plan did. Always have several plans of escape and then luck might kick in when all else fails.

[Storm Chaser]

This where some of them ended up. Others were two blocks up the street. Wish I had a Hummer then to get around and a winch for recovery. Storm chasing can get turned around on you real quick!!

How did you take this picture, helecopter?

[Hunner]

Cessna 150 with the doors off. Helo too expensive. Knew somebody with a plane that survived. We tied it down reeel good!! behind the hanger.

[Storm Chaser]

Storm chasing can get turned around on you real quick!!
Luck did not have much to do with it, preparation and towing my trailer down "before" the storm and having a plan did. Always have several plans of escape and then luck might kick in when all else fails.

Thanks, Hunner. I will remember and take that advice for sure.

[NEOCON1]

be careful chasin them things ;)

[Storm Chaser]

As I suspected, someone broke out my passenger side window, and stole my Nav and tried to get by radio. "Punks" There was a guy in an H2 parked right behind me. I have pics for the cops and may share them. I just happened to have a disposble camera in the dash. Not even storm season! Damn, what is Allstate gonna say about hail damage....

Anyway Looking forward to Llano, Tx exhibition!

[K9sH3]

Was wondering just today about you and where ya been.

So hows it?

That sucks about things being stolen.

[3Hummer]

man thats horrible, i cant bileve how people just do that, i would feel bad after. But you know what this gives you a reason to get smash proof or bullet proof glass!!! becuase if your chasing storms those wouldnt be a bad idea anyway!

[Storm Chaser]

I does suck! Heartbroke....

I love my truck, and they are a way of life in Texas as you know. I wax that thing a lot and build it when I can. I got stuck in Corpus Christi, Mustang Island on the dunes last weekend. All I had to do was kick in 4wd. Out of the puddle. LOL I am not exactly mellow right now. Onstar was the only thing that got the cops out after 3 attempts with 911. Didn't even give me a case number. I will look forward to an H2 loaner tomorrow...

[Storm Chaser]

Was wondering just today about you and where ya been.

So hows it?

That sucks about things being stolen.

Thanks.. I have been ok. Trying to get my gear together but this kind of put a hold on things... Briefly LOL... I will sent you some pics of these *******s destruction when I get them developed. Thanks for the thoughts.

Dew

[Lex_Ordo]

Storm Chaser,
Sorry too hear about the truck getting damaged, and your stuff being stolen.
It is really too bad that there are people out there that find the need to firstly, damage someone's property, and secondly, steal things.:mad:

Most likely your stuff will get sold to support a Meth habbit, or crack. Unfortunate but true.:lame:
I would bet on Meth, as it is called the poor man's cocaine. Only reason I can think of someone stealing your stuff, is Because they're poor!

Just trying to cheer you up.:)

[frenzy1]

HAVE FUN !

[Spuds]

I does suck! Heartbroke....

I love my truck, and they are a way of life in Texas as you know. I wax that thing a lot and build it when I can. I got stuck in Corpus Christi, Mustang Island on the dunes last weekend...

Keep in mind that it is illegal to drive ON the dunes in Texas....

Have you taken your rig down Padre Island National Seashore yet?

[Storm Chaser]

Didn't realize it was illegal. Lots of people had vehicles out there so we pulled in as well. Wasn't there too long. Haven't been to the seashore yet but will probably be going to Long Ranch in Llano this March.

[NEOCON1]

Didn't realize it was illegal. Lots of people had vehicles out there so we pulled in as well. Wasn't there too long. Haven't been to the seashore yet but will probably be going to Long Ranch in Llano this March.


:giggling: you outlaw :beerchug:

[westhillsat]

Sorry to hear about your truck, that really sucks :mad: