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10-18-17 Whelen Vortex Siren Alert Test, Killen, AL

Thu Oct 19, 2017 2:20 am



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-0ttelaY74

Since Lauderdale County was testing their sirens today, I decided to go out and record one of the fin-back Whelen Vortexes that they have, since they have the only ones in the Tennessee Valley. Though when it wound up, there was no movement! I believe the rotation motor just gave out on this guy as he wasn't swinging like he would've if he had a broken belt. Either way though, I reported it to the EMA so they could come out here and fix it. After this siren winds down, you can hear several other nearby sirens wind down, all of which I believe are other Whelens in the county.

Also, sorry about both the shakiness and the trucks that get into the shot. The former is due to the wind where I had set-up (in the middle of a parking lot), and I was on the opposite side of a driveway in the parking lot from the siren, as the other side of said driveway was a construction zone.

Lauderdale County, AL tests on the first and third Wednesdays of every month, weather permitting.

Lauderdale County, AL siren map:
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.8648056 ... XWBBiqsZ7U
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Re: 10-18-17 Whelen Vortex Siren Alert Test, Killen, AL

Thu Oct 19, 2017 3:08 pm

The older Vortex sirens used a different drive system for rotation. I believe they utilized a belt, which is the reason for the fin on the back. They were not as well-engineered as the current drive system, and it's likely that the belt just failed on this one.
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Re: 10-18-17 Whelen Vortex Siren Alert Test, Killen, AL

Thu Oct 19, 2017 10:44 pm

Nice video, shame the rotator was busted.

Although I would like to point out that I could name a few other towns with finback Vortexes in the Tennessee Valley. ;)
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Re: 10-18-17 Whelen Vortex Siren Alert Test, Killen, AL

Fri Oct 20, 2017 6:28 am

4J25 wrote:
Thu Oct 19, 2017 10:44 pm
Nice video, shame the rotator was busted.

Although I would like to point out that I could name a few other towns with finback Vortexes in the Tennessee Valley. ;)
Yea, there might be some in DeKalb and Jackson Counties, or even Morgan County (and Franklin County for that matter), but the only other county I'm aware of that used them in this area was Limestone County, and all of those have had the fins removed.
SirenkiD wrote:The older Vortex sirens used a different drive system for rotation. I believe they utilized a belt, which is the reason for the fin on the back. They were not as well-engineered as the current drive system, and it's likely that the belt just failed on this one.
Yea, these older ones use a belt. However, I don't think it was the belt that broke as it wasn't swinging around in the wind like the other one that I saw with a broken rotater once that had a busted belt.
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Re: 10-18-17 Whelen Vortex Siren Alert Test, Killen, AL

Sat Oct 21, 2017 12:50 am

A few counties in Tennessee along the border have them.

Weird that the fins were removed, that's certainly not something you hear about happening often.
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Re: 10-18-17 Whelen Vortex Siren Alert Test, Killen, AL

Sun Oct 22, 2017 12:29 am

4J25 wrote:
Sat Oct 21, 2017 12:50 am
A few counties in Tennessee along the border have them.

Weird that the fins were removed, that's certainly not something you hear about happening often.
Ah. Well, 'round here, that area really ain't considered to be part of the "Tennessee Valley". :P

It appears that Limestone County opted to upgrade the rotators on their older Whelen Vortexes, which is why the fins got removed.
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