CHANGES YOU WILL MAKE FOR NEXT SEASON

[Danny Neal]

My biggest change will have to come with scheduling. I was not able to get out to the plains this year because of a job and lack of funds. With a lack of a severe weather season in my region it was also hard to chase locally, so with that I am disappointed. I know a few chasers around Chicago and maybe I can contact some of them so we all go as one and split costs. Until I finish my degree and get a well paying job; I won't have the funds to take 3 days off myself and leave. The way I figure though is get your schooling done, because thats most important thing and storms aren't going anywhere. But whenever that 08 chasing thread is started I will mention that. I would say money is the main issue i plan to take care of as the technology and willingness to be there is there.

 

[Derek Weston]

1) Continue to study. I've entered the world of forecasting with this past season, just need to get smarter with it. I gained a lot this year, learned how the game was played, basically. (you know, being able to read stormtrack and understanding what everyone is talking about... most of the time )

Now I have to get good at it. Another big focus will be studying storm dynamics. Don't have much first hand experience with this as I haven't hit many big ones... yet. I want to be poised and intelligent once I do hit the 'big one.'

2) Get out to the southern plains for the first time in my chasing career. Nebraska has been the only plains state I've visited.

3) Get a better data solution. My tethered option connected over a dial-up connection and I wasn't pleased with the speed. Downloading radar data took too long and wasn't consistent enough.

 

[Gerrit Gulden]

Sorry to hear about your Car wash experience and the breaking of the anemometer David. Also sucks to hear that they didn't fix it for ya.

As for my plans to better my 2008 weather photography season I have several ideas.

1. New DSLR Camera, Aimed for Lightning exposures and quality results (any suggestions send to my PM)

2. Save some money and then Plan on Chasing in the great plains, maybe find another person with experience in the plains and split costs.

3. Do more video recording. I spent my entire 2007 season with still photography mainly at night and don't have any video to show, But there wasn't really anything impressive enough anyways, but I am aiming at increasing my video page.

4. Learn more about models and other methods of "ways to plan a chase" or "ways to plan for a storm" such as timing, location, intensity, etc. Staring at SPC products and graphical forecasts only does so much for myself and my knowledge. Maybe start a thread to see how everyone puts all the information together for there chase plans. Or go to school. =)

None the less, I hope for a more active 2008 spring and summer season then the Spring Summer 2007 season. Only about 4 severe storms as far as I remember. last year was better and hopefully next year will be great.

-gerrit

 

[SteveCarter]

My changes are to chase MORE. To many times i wait until I KNOW something is most likely going to happen, then I'm to far away to get there, and stay home, complain how i SHOULD have went, and wish I did.

Get better radar in my car than I have. I have it on my cell phone, and my laptop, but I'm buying a doppler radar connection that mounts right on my dashboard, next to my GPS. I've solved the 8 plug-ins to my cigarette lighter thing.

I've also bought a digital camcorder that tapes right to dvd, along with my regular digital camcorder, so now i can feed the tape within 10 seconds to anybody online, which will be cool when I get my website up and running. I'll be taping it (remotely) straight to my laptop and feeding it out almost simultaneously.

The last thing I'll change is trying my BEST to NOT go alone anymore. Two people can do twice as much...laptop, filming, ideas and descisions, etc etc etc.

 

[Brandon Sullivan]

I am gonna get another laptop. I need a permanent one in the vehicle, so when im chasing, and go into hotel at night, dont have to unhook everything. Also, looking for wireless data card, rather than tether the cell.

Next, I want to hook up with some chase partners and head west.. Go to the plains..

Money Money Money..

 

[Andrew Pritchard]

I am gonna get another laptop. I need a permanent one in the vehicle, so when im chasing, and go into hotel at night, dont have to unhook everything.

As in, leave your lap top and everything in your car in the parking lot overnight while you sleep? :/

 

[Paul Knightley]

More video shots using my tripod! Year after year I intend to do this only to end up with many shots from hand!

 

[Maggie Kahman]

1) A 1993 Geo Tracker soft top
2) clown suits
3) A new 7 iron
4) a bird dog
5) spike strips
6) balloons

...*sings*....And a partridge and a pear tree.....lol

 

[Maggie Kahman]

Im a new chaser, my first chase will be sometime this spring. Is there like a "starter kit" i need to have to go chasing?

Things I have

My new camera, a Canon PowerShot S5 IS
tripod
my car
instincts
what i have learned
Me.

I want a dashboard mount for my camera, but im pretty creative. Im sure i could come up with something (suction cups?) On my old camera, i used sticky-tac. But the camera i have now is very nice, i dont want to subject it to that kind of thing. I have been messing around with a few ideas that might work. I have an adjustable tripod, so i was able to actually set it up in my car (2 legs on the floor, and 1 wedged in between the 2 front seats). It worked, but wasnt very practical. Im just trying different ideas. Besides actually going out and bying a mount, anyone have any ideas on what might work?

 

[Dustin Wilcox]

Is this for a camera or camcorder? If its a camera why would you want a dash mount (maybe a window mount)? If its for a camcorder your best off spending the money to buy a sturdy stable one or else your video is going to be shaky and worthless. For a camera these are decent I bought a similar one a while back at a gun show to use with my Canon XTi it works well when I remember to use it, especially handy for night time lightning. http://cgi.ebay.com/CAR-WINDOW-MOUN...ryZ31711QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Willoughby Owen]

Montana and North Dakota are both a long, long way from TX/OK.. best if we skip these states next time! -Especially after the bust we had in ND.
Otherwise that i'm not sure.. anyone know of any discount cards or loyalty programs with places like Comfort Inn/Super8? Going there every night for 20+ nights can start putting some quick debt on your CC and would rather spend more on other things.

More Taco Bell/Johns... it's the one thing we regret not going to more often since coming home, lol.

 

[Dan Cook]

Otherwise that i'm not sure.. anyone know of any discount cards or loyalty programs with places like Comfort Inn/Super8? Going there every night for 20+ nights can start putting some quick debt on your CC and would rather spend more on other things.

Try this:

http://www.choicehotels.com/ires/en-US/html/FrequencyPrograms?sid=bLi9M.ZZvvdg4abM.3

 

[Willoughby Owen]

Thanks Dan.
I just hope the US dollar remains weak to take advantage of your dirt cheap petrol too.

 

[Tony Laubach]

In my case, there likely won't be any major changes next year. I was fortunate enough to spend most of my money on new gear and such this season, so fortunately, that's out of the way and I can go into the season pretty much stocked with goodies.

I guess time will be my biggest change; I'm not longer a full-time student as my class load is down to four total which due to scheduling combined with prereqs will require three semesters; so two of my classes will be in the Spring; then I have one of my last two remaining classes in both the Fall and following Spring. That means a much easier time for me to do early season chasing.

The summer, I'll be working for the station full time and will probably take the entire summer away from campus which will allow me to chase pretty much full time in the summer much like I did this year. The only real change is I'm already planning the entire summer that way as opposed to last year where that "perk" kind of fell into place midway through the season.

Otherwise, pretty much the same; "White Lightning", GR, the usual. Perhaps a change in mascot if I so elect AND lastly, I did replace my a newer, more cleaned up version of my beloved Redskins jersey. The original #81 has been retire after three seasons.

 

[Andrea Griffa]

I will buy another tripod...Mesocyclone inflow can reach hurricane speed and my canon eos 300D is already fallen down one time,'cause of it, and it is sufficient.