Radio Shift Experience

2011-09-03 17:58:56.000 – David Narkewicz,  Summit Intern

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This week I started my second summit intern shift for the fall. I have been learning and experiencing new things as each day goes on. So far one of the toughest and weirdest parts of the job is the 4:00 PM higher summits forecast that the interns compose. As mountain weather changes frequently it is a difficult skill to forecast the summits for an extended period of time. The observers have been giving me new techniques and strategies to use to better my forecast prediction. The weirdest part is actually recording the forecast. Up until this point I haven’t had a strong background in radio, therefore it was awkward at first. It is even more awkward to hear my recording after I play the sound back to edit it. Hearing a recording of your voice is very strange. Now that I have put more forecasts under my belt, they are feeling more natural. Instead of my first few times sounding like a computer or robot, I now am sounding more like a human talking to the microphone as if it is a friend.

As we had a high pressure system over the summits the past few days I was able to venture outside and explore the top of the mountain. I took a brief hike down to Ball Craig before Thursday night’s dinner. There was a beautiful view of under cast status clouds that built up in the east as the sunset to the west. Ball Craig is only 180 feet below the summit’s peak. Hiking back up was when I felt the big difference the lack of atmospheric pressure puts on one’s body. I could defiantly feel the strain on my cardiovascular endurance as it was more work to breathe climbing back up the rocky top. It’s a shame that the nice weather we have had will not last into the holiday weekend as a low pressure system accompanied by a cold front approaches. As most people know 60 percent of the time summit is in the clouds or fog, thus we can’t have clear days all the time. I hope everyone has an enjoyable and safe Labor Day weekend!

David Narkewicz,  Summit Intern