I'm running windows 8.1 and have DeLorme SA 2014 and GRLevel 3. Those 2 programs will be my only 2 GPS programs that I use when I chase. So does windows 8.1 allow me to run those simultaneously without having to get a program like GPSGate or am I understanding it correctly that currently these programs don't allow that even though windows 8.1 would?
Chasing software wants and wishes
- Thread starter Rob H
- Start date
Skip Talbot
EF5
You still need GpsGate even on Windows 8 to use Gr and Street Atlas at the same time. Location API is a new feature of Windows 8 and GrLevel3 and Street Atlas would have be rewritten (or at least updated) to take advantage of it.
Zac Flamig
EF1
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2006
- Messages
- 95
Its worth noting that most of what you guys are talking about is actually mapping/navigation software with just a few weather features. Which will probably tell you a lot about why no one in the weather community has done it yet.
Matt Hunt
EF3
If you have the USB ports available, you could just get a puck for each. Get on ebay and look for old versions of Microsoft Streets & Trips that come with the puck. You can get them for ~$20. That's what I did, works fine (I have 3 USB ports).
If we're really getting dreamy here, I'd like a vehicle with a heads-up display that shows roads, radar, and meteorological data on separate screens that i can just flip between using my eyes or mind. I'd want mapping software that can read what I'm doing and give me multiple possible future routes (say, out to the next 5-10 miles). I want to be able to know if a given road I'm about to turn on terminates in a dead-end, turns from pavement to gravel, goes from packed gravel to crappy/rocky gravel where you can't go above 30, or will be particularly hazardous when wet. Sure, most maps give you the first part (dead-end or not). I don't want my eyes to have to leave the road to look at data.
Timothy Finn
If I could get something that would be an amalgam of:
Delorme Street Atlas
GRLevel3
SpotterNetwork
I'd be happy. It wouldn't cover absolutely everything, but it would give me 80-90% of what I need at a glance. What I do now is simply half screen each, and run them both open on my laptop. It's doable on my 17.3", but anything smaller, it might be too small to be useful .
Tim
Delorme Street Atlas
GRLevel3
SpotterNetwork
I'd be happy. It wouldn't cover absolutely everything, but it would give me 80-90% of what I need at a glance. What I do now is simply half screen each, and run them both open on my laptop. It's doable on my 17.3", but anything smaller, it might be too small to be useful .
Tim
Bob Schafer
EF5
Why are you guys running GR3 and mapping software in separate apps? Why don't you use mapping shapefiles?
Joshua Nall
EF4
I'd like turn by turn audible directions, something along the lines of what Jeff was saying, that would alway point me to a selected spot in relation to the strongest reflectivity signals in a storm. I could select a certain storm and then select a point in relation to the storm.... this point would move along with the storm and the software would automatically calculate the directions to that point say every 30 seconds or so, and tell me the best way to get there. Of course I could choose to go where I want, but the software would always direct me to the best route to that point. And the software would allow me to change the point in relation to the storm, with a simple click. The software would also be able to transition to using rotation in the storm as the reference if I so desire. Of course this would create all sorts of new problems concerning chaser traffic and problems with people depending on something that could go haywire.
Concerning GPS questions I've had and my new win 8 computer...Most computer people would say I was stupid probably, but I got fabulatech gps software this year for $129. I noticed there was talk of trouble with GPSgate and windows 8 on several forums so I downloaded the free fabulatech software trial and it was hassle free, so I bought it. All you have to do is specify a port and then the different programs share the port. At least I believe they call it sharing. I admit I'm intimidated by computer stuff. I'll work on a truck for hours and enjoy it, but if I have trouble with something or hear of others having trouble with something computer related, I'm willing to pay for what works with no setup or startup hassle. It just better keep on working for that price.
Concerning GPS questions I've had and my new win 8 computer...Most computer people would say I was stupid probably, but I got fabulatech gps software this year for $129. I noticed there was talk of trouble with GPSgate and windows 8 on several forums so I downloaded the free fabulatech software trial and it was hassle free, so I bought it. All you have to do is specify a port and then the different programs share the port. At least I believe they call it sharing. I admit I'm intimidated by computer stuff. I'll work on a truck for hours and enjoy it, but if I have trouble with something or hear of others having trouble with something computer related, I'm willing to pay for what works with no setup or startup hassle. It just better keep on working for that price.
Matt Hunt
EF3
I haven't tried any in a while, but when I did they were so slow to load, it seemed as though it would be a burden. Plus I may not want to be so zoomed in on the radar, but still zoomed in on the map. At my zoom level on radar the smaller roads probably wouldn't show up.
Bob Schafer
EF5
Slow to load? I don't know how you're doing it, but all my maps are on my hard drive. There is no "load time". There are default settings in GRL3 to keep the smallest roads from appearing until you zoom in, and that is user adjustable. My settings keep the dirt roads from appearing until I have zoomed in to a horizontal scope of about 20 miles. I'm just trying to help out here. Do any of you need help with this?
[dit] Okay, now I see what you're saying here about the zooms. I can understand that, but my reasoning is that if I'm not zoomed in on the radar (i.e. the storm isn't very close), I have no business screwing around on dirt roads, LOL.
P.S. There is also this talk about paying for GPSgate, etc. I downloaded the "light" version for free (in January 2012). It splits one time, and I do SN with one port and mapping with the other. Is it not still free?
Zack Cooper
EF2
I have looked and looked for shapefiles, but ever since grlevelxstuff went down I have had a hard time.
But I agree with a few others in saying it would be nice to have a program with radar and mapping in one. Would eliminate the need for GPS gate and you wouldn't have to alternate between windows.
But I agree with a few others in saying it would be nice to have a program with radar and mapping in one. Would eliminate the need for GPS gate and you wouldn't have to alternate between windows.
Rob H
EF5
I don't know what everyone else is talking about performance wise - we use them just fine on an old netbook. For me, the lack of routing is probably the biggest reason, but also lack of labels. In Streets & Trips you can easily see the names of all the roads around you. With a shapefile you need to hover on the line segment and sometimes that's a little wonky.
And yes, GPSGate is a buggy, overpriced piece of software. As soon as more options become available using the sensor API, life will be much better. Most people split three ways at least: GRLevel3, Streets & Trips, SpotterNetwork.
Bob Schafer
EF5
I hadn't done this in a couple years, and all the shapefiles on my computer are the 2011 version, except for I just downloaded and installed a 2013 version of the shapefiles for my home county, so this should work great: http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/geo/shapefiles2013/layers.cgi
For anyone who has never done this before: It is a PROJECT! You have to download and install these one county at a time, unzip them, and load each county one at a time on GRL3 for each radar site. (Unless you download the National file?? Hoo boy, not something I would attempt!!!) Assuming you want the dirt roads mapped, select "All Roads". I recommend creating a folder for each state, and when you download, change the file name by inserting the county NAME in front. e.g. to download the file for Prowers county Colorado, the filename is "tl_2013_08099_roads.zip". Change that to "Prowers_tl_2013_08099_roads.zip" so you can easily find it when you go to load it on GRL3. If anyone needs any tutoring help, PM me, or I can post it here, too.
1) Suit yourself, but I must say this: When I am chasing I don't care about the names of the roads! I just go where the mapping says to go (some minor exceptions to this rule, of course), and I don't need any "voice" prompting me. Who trusts those &%!* things to route you correctly, anyway? 2) Get the free version of GPSgate, and 3) Why do you need a split for GRL3 if you're using Streets & Trips? If you're not mapping with it, GRL3 doesn't inherently need any GPS at all.
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Sean Ramsey
EF4
I use the free version of GPSGate and somehow I'm able to split it three ways between SpotterNetwork (no config needed), GRLevel3, and Streets and Trips. I have to tell GRLevel3 and Streets and Trips which com port to look at everytime I open them and I have to run the setup wizard on GPSGate each time I open it. I like seeing my GPS location on GRLevel3 so I can see where I'm at in relation to the storm, it saves me from having to tab back and forth and I like Streets and Trips so I can see the minor roads in the area since I have no placefiles either.
The ultimate solution would be a setup much like the I-Map that would have GRLevel3 radar with a GPS location, only in a more detailed application. I spend a decent amount of time setting up everything ahead of time, and it would be nice just to double click something and have it all in one neat package.
The owners forum at GRLX has a few to choose from in that section of the forum. If there are any in particular that you need I could put together a zip file and send it to you.
Here's a tip on GPSGate for those who struggle with the program. Set it to start with Windows in settings. After your puck is connected, right click the GPSGate system tray icon, select settings, launch the startup wizard, but do nothing just close the wizard out and your icon will turn green meaning you're golden (connected). This works for me every time, but it has to precede the launching of any other app that uses a GPS signal.
In a dream software world none of this would be necessary though would it?
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