Chasing software wants and wishes

[Rob H]

I was curious what everyone out there wants or dreams of when it comes to chasing. What existing or new technology or software would make your chasing easier? What are your pain points?

Biggest pain points - I'd like an offline mapping solution that's lighter than Strips and Trips. Offline Google Maps might be perfect. I'd also like a free GpsGate alternative that doesn't do anything fancy besides splitting the ports and logging, and isn't a bear to get working in various operating systems. I can't count the number of times I've had problems with GpsGate that could only be solved by rebooting the computer. I know I'm not the only out there, because that was the topic of the last conversation I had with Tim Samaras

I'm really excited for GOES-R in the next year or two. Visible satellite is huge for us and more timely updates with higher resolution sound awesome.

If I could have anything I dreamed of, I think I would want a dense network (maybe as dense as METAR) with 1km tall poles that get real time observations of the atmosphere at that level. Really get a detailed look at the moisture and wind fields far off the ground, since some of my best storms have had interesting 850mb features.

 

[Brett Roberts]

Rob, have you tried XPort? If you're running 32-bit Windows, it's pretty much exactly what you're dreaming of to replace GPSGate. I've used it for a couple years and have never had a single issue. I have it set to start up when Windows boots, and as soon as I plug in my puck, I have GPS in all my programs immediately.

As for mapping, I've been wishing for fully offline Google Maps for years. I think it would be the end-all be-all of mapping solutions for chasers. Unfortunately, it will never happen, unless someone finds a clever hack.

 

[Skip Talbot]

You shouldn't have to deal with XPort at all. Your nav/radar software should automatically start your GPS and center to your location, just like Google Maps does on your tablets. Everything XPort does should be done automatically in the background when the app starts. If there's a configuration problem, it can be highlighted in a notification window and the user and elect to address it in the settings if they want. Then you'd see your XPort like window as part of the settings.

 

[Rob H]

32bit only? I can't think of any reason why you'd want to run a 32bit OS in 2014, unfortunately. RAM is so cheap these days, and 8GB is really nice to have.

And like Skip said, Windows 8.1 is a good operating system from a technical perspective (people need to learn to deal with the new interface) - it allows for shared sensor interfaces. Nothing out there seems to support it yet. Maybe it's time for a GR competitor.

 

[Brett Roberts]

32bit only? I can't think of any reason why you'd want to run a 32bit OS in 2014, unfortunately. RAM is so cheap these days, and 8GB is really nice to have.

Agreed, if you have a newer laptop. I use an old clunker (relatively speaking) for chasing that isn't upgradeable beyond 4 GB, so I stick with Windows 7 x86 for the added bonus of compatibility.

And like Skip said, Windows 8.1 is a good operating system from a technical perspective (people need to learn to deal with the new interface) - it allows for shared sensor interfaces. Nothing out there seems to support it yet. Maybe it's time for a GR competitor.

Ah, got it. I was a bit confused by Skip's post, but I assume he's talking about a new backend in Windows 8. It sounds like none of the software chasers use (GR, DeLorme, SN) supports it yet, though. I agree that a legit GR competitor is long overdue, if only to force more timely updates to GR itself.

 

[Skip Talbot]

We're talking dream software here, not hacking together existing pieces to get something that works, which is what we're all doing right now. The dream software has street level mapping, a semi transparent radar layer, additional configurable layers, and uses your GPS automatically without configuration.

Basically, you'd start the app and you could see something like this immediately:

That doesn't currently exist as an app, but there's no reason why it couldn't.

 

[TrumanBoyer]

Dreamware. (I like that name.)
Thinking out loud here, but I guess that is the intention of this thread...

How about a phone/tablet app that periodically checks for updates from IWIN on Tornado Warnings, and maps
them automatically on Google Maps.

I usually chase solo, and if I can round up data without making a protracted stop, it is a major time and aggravation savings.
My situation is often like this...

I am approaching a line of growing cells trying to make a decision, NOAA radio starts droning about radar indicated
tornadoes, and Stephen J Hawking starts mispronouncing Native American county names (--wait! what was that last one ? back up dammit!)
and I am trying to find the right map in "Roads of Kansas" and the right town, and my 50 year old eyeballs can't focus on the
nano-scripted letters on the map because I've been driving for the last six hours, and where the hell is my flashlight anyway(?)

How about an app that points out most the recent location, projected path, source (radar, spotter, EMS, etc) and
YOUR LOCATION, DISTANCE, ETA, and path to interception if you indicate you are interested ?

I am sure that I could write the App myself, as Android's API includes a Google Maps Interface,
and text parsing is one of my specialties. But the time involved might be a real problem for me.

At Least on-line, the newer warnings are more structured with sources, locations, projected path, etc.
and would be relatively easy for software to parse out.
And there is enough info in the text of the warnings to put the storm location, projected locations and times on a map.

And Maybe this could happen in real-time, as soon as the warnings go out.

So now, you are driving along, your device beeps, you look at it, and there is a map with You, a Tornadic storm, its path
with locations and times, A Question Mark if it is Radar Indicated, an Exclamation Point if it is spotter-spotted, tap on the path to
get the text, drag your finger to the path to get the fastest route to interception.

If the warning is within a half-hour radius, it could trigger Wagner's "Flight of the Valkyrie",
if more than an hour away, the Everly Brothers' "Dream, Dream, Dream",
and if the path crosses your location, Anne Murray's "Closer My God to Thee".

But seriously, this is do-able.
If you guy's show enough interest, I think I might try crowd-sourcing it.
Like maybe Sponsors get a free copy.
Something like this might be very attractive to the general public, as well.
Hell, if the Government will give out free smoke alarms, why not storm warning apps ?

-T

 

[JamesCaruso]

For offline maps, I like Maps With Me for iPad



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Bob Schafer]

Okay, I can't stand it any more. You guys are complaining? Seriously? I'm sending you all back to 2001.

Incidentally, I use GPSGate. I downloaded it for free. I have to run the setup wizard each time, but so what? It works fine. Tell me you aren't really dissatisfied with GR. I beg you. Use the census maps. What is the issue?

 

[Skip Talbot]

Trains work pretty well too. So let's not invent airplanes, right?

Just because some software works, doesn't mean it can't or shouldn't be improved upon. Gr is a great example. I have to click File->GPS->Start every time I launch the application. That should be done automatically.

I have to right click the map, place a marker where my GPS icon is, and then update that marker everytime I want to measure the distance of something from my current location.

I can't animate more than 20 radar frames at a time? Lame.

Why is there GrLevel3 and GrLevel2 at all? They should be the same application. It's like having one Photoshop for JPEGs and another for PNGs.

But yeah, it works.

 

[Adam Lucio]

A way to block certain people from seeing your SN icon lol, damn leeches.

 

[Shawn Schuman]

Exactly, Skip. I think most people recognize how incredibly easy everyone has it in comparison to 10 or 20 or 30 years ago, and sometimes we could all use a reminder of how far we've come, but that doesn't mean we should just be satisfied and leave well enough alone. It may seem like nitpicking, and maybe in the big picture it is. But dissatisfaction with the status quo drives innovation, and that benefits everyone. No matter how far we've advanced, if something can be made simpler, quicker, more effective.. why shouldn't it?

 

[Dan Robinson]

I love the idea of having everything on one display - map/gps position, radar, warning polygons, storm tracks/markers, realtime reporting, etc. Like blending GR3, StreetAtlas, Threatnet and SN into one. Radar pulls from the internet, and if the connection drops, ThreatNet data is used. A quick button for sending reports. Better yet, having a way to voice-dial a report if the internet connection is spotty.

I'd pay for that if someone were to make it happen!

 

[Brett Roberts]

I'm right with Dan on that. What's funny is, relative to all commercial software in existence, how easy it would be to make it happen. If only there were higher demand and it weren't such a niche product.

I actually think it's a task that could conceivably be tackled by an individual, or at least a small group, but they'd have to make it a full-time job and assume the associated risk. Ultimately, if it were me, I'd fear the demand would not be sustainable long-term for someone looking to do it full-time. With a niche product like this, if you made it really good, every chaser would buy it right upon release -- and then you'd be stuck supporting them for years with little new income. (The only way to avoid this would be either to intentionally withhold features for the purpose of staggering them in future paid updates, or to hope significant new data types come along in the future to warrant major paid updates). I'm surprised that isn't the case with some of the existing single-author software, honestly. At least GR can be marketed to the media for on-air use, which can bring in a lot more money than hobbyist chasers have on hand.

Another frustrating reality of this niche market: considering it might be feasible for an individual to write such software from scratch, imagine how easy it would be to mold existing software into this vision? But the lack of competition means existing software is good enough that most every chaser will buy it, even if it goes several years without any additions of substance. (And I think, as this thread illustrates, there's room for several such additions that wouldn't be overwhelming to implement).

So, while I understand Bob's point and appreciate how painless we have it these days, it's actually somewhat remarkable how stagnant chasing-related software has been over the past decade. At least, when viewed alongside innovation in more popular software categories. We do now have a couple popular mobile apps that are advancing rapidly, so hopefully that continues and eventually pushes capability and convenience even beyond what PC software does today.

 

[Rob H]

A way to block certain people from seeing your SN icon lol, damn leeches.

I got into a somewhat heated argument with Tyler about that here a few years ago if anyone wants to dig in the archives - and his response was that it wouldn't ever happen. I've got something that shares your GPS location with user defined groups of friends that I've been working on, but no way to hide your SN icon if you need to connect to SN for your streaming or reports, sorry :|