Laptops VS Tablets and The Samsung Galaxy Tab A

[Michael Towers]

I don’t own a tablet and don’t see how getting one would improve the efficient use of extensive resources I get from my laptop. Saving space is not an issue, I chase solo in an SUV and have a desk mount swiveled over the front passenger seat. This allows for easy at a glance visual access which is predominantly hands free once the chase is active. The larger screen makes it easy for me to quickly find and focus on what I’m seeking, something that can be critical depending on the situation. The setup I utilize simultaneously runs GR3, SN, Firefox (with multiple sites on separate tabs) and Delorme (as a redundant navigation tool but mostly as a GPS log). The setup on Firefox is streamlined to access larger scale navigational maps as well as various weather data in an efficient manner. Left to right tabs: Google Maps (zoomed on about a county wide scale) > SPC SWODY> SPC Mesoscale Analysys> SimuAWIPS> HRRR>COD. In quick fashion I can view an area map, see what the experts are saying, monitor current visual & observational data and run the most recent output of various numerical models. I don’t know about a Surface Pro but I doubt a tablet in the traditional sense can exceed or even match that kind of versatile online efficiency and as for the phone it can’t even come close.

But the most valuable tool to me personally is GR3 integrated with the excellent shapefiles found here: http://www.meteor.iastate.edu/~slincoln/GRS/shapefiles/. The integration of radar and mapping provides a real-time navigation/radar combination (in high resolution on an adjustable scale) that I use almost exclusively once the chase has begun. This has by far been the most useful & beneficial tool I use while chasing and I’m not aware of any other product that can offer such an efficient, effective navigation/radar combination. That alone makes the laptop not only my preference but a vital necessity, throw in the superior internet aspect and the ability to seamlessly transfer among simultaneously running products and the laptop as it currently stands is the most valuable and indispensable item I use when chasing. Until a tablet, Surface Pro or any other product can offer me all that and more it will remain that way and as for the phone its only use for chasing is as a backup in case the laptop goes down.

 

[Jason Boggs]

I am strictly a tablet/phone chaser. I have an ipad, and 2 samsung tablets. I just bought the Samsung tab A a few days ago. I use 1 tablet for radar, and 1 tablet for mapping. I love the ease of use, portability, and long battery life that the tablets give me. The only time I use a laptop is when I'm at a motel and forecasting in the morning of a chase day.

 

[David Williams]

I am strictly a tablet/phone chaser. I have an ipad, and 2 samsung tablets. I just bought the Samsung tab A a few days ago. I use 1 tablet for radar, and 1 tablet for mapping. I love the ease of use, portability, and long battery life that the tablets give me. The only time I use a laptop is when I'm at a motel and forecasting in the morning of a chase day.

So now that you've been able to mess with the Tab A for a few days, you think that it will get the job done on the road?

 

[Todd Lemery]

One laptop is used just to run the cameras. I use an IPad for mapping and radar. Radar scope is used for radial velocity and mapping on an IPad. Scope shows the roads in a underpayment. The one thing I really like about using Scope for the mapping is that I can easily keep an eye on the roads related to the storm and Scope doesn't show the small secondary roads that turn to crap as soon as you get ten drops of rain.. If needed, I can always jump on on of the loaded mapping programs, but in most cases it isn't necessary


Sent from my iPad using Stormtrack mobile app

 

[Jason Boggs]

Yes, I do think the tab A will get the job done. It runs radarscope/pykl3 well, as well as mapping apps like maps.me

 

[Michael Towers]

The one thing I really like about using Scope for the mapping is that I can easily keep an eye on the roads related to the storm and Scope doesn't show the small secondary roads that turn to crap as soon as you get ten drops of rain.

Having mapping for those secondary roads is something I highly value as more often than not I find myself navigating them during a chase. Having it integrated with radar and being able to track my position on it in real time is immensely valuable in the heat of the chase. Reliability is always a concern and I keep that in mind but having an overview of the network is very useful and the shapefiles I referenced have proven more accurate than mapping from Delorme.

Just to clarify my previous post, navigating tabs by tapping on the smaller screen of a tablet would be less preferential to the ease and precision that I get from using a wireless mouse on a larger screen. If I'd be anywhere near as clumsy with a tablet as I am with my phone then the experience would fraught with frustration and chasing already offers me enough of that as it is.

 

[Todd Lemery]

Having mapping for those secondary roads is something I highly value as more often than not I find myself navigating them during a chase. Having it integrated with radar and being able to track my position on it in real time is immensely valuable in the heat of the chase. Reliability is always a concern and I keep that in mind but having an overview of the network is very useful and the shapefiles I referenced have proven more accurate than mapping from Delorme.

I guess I should just clarify my previous post. I try to avoid the secondary (dirt) roads as much as possible. When navigatigating with Scope, I know that if it shows the road, it's a good one. My chase partner does keep the better mapping programs running for when those types of roads are needed. A lot secondary of roads in Texas spent a good amount of time in rough shape last spring. I was able to avoid most of them.
I hope my previous post didn't poo-poo the importance of a good mapping system. That wasn't my intention.



Sent from my iPad using Stormtrack mobile app

 

[Todd Lemery]

Tried to insert a quote in the post above and screwed it up. Still learning the app. Sorry


Sent from my iPad using Stormtrack mobile app

 

[Royce Sheibal]

For about a decade I've been using 1 or 2 cell phones for my chasing habits, depending on who I was chasing with. Verizon is pretty much available everywhere, even down into Kansas, the only other state in which I'll chase than Nebraska. 4G/3G reception is solid almost everywhere east and south of North Platte so phones have always been the way to go. Back in the olden days before 3g, we used to "borrow" wifi from area hotels and apartment complexes with open signals.

Now that I've purchased a Samsung Tab, however, I'm tempted to try and tether it to my phone for our first chase of the year...

And if you are wondering...I still keep a good old fashioned battery powered weather radio as backup for warnings and a giant paperback road map book the size of a coffee table. Last thing I want is to be stuck in BFE Kansas with no road maps and no signal / power.

 

[Andrew Constans]

...Now that I've purchased a Samsung Tab, however, I'm tempted to try and tether it to my phone for our first chase of the year...

And if you are wondering...I still keep a good old fashioned battery powered weather radio as backup for warnings and a giant paperback road map book the size of a coffee table. Last thing I want is to be stuck in BFE Kansas with no road maps and no signal / power.

I've been using my phone's mobile hotspot feature for a while now (primarily for away games/video upload for my job) and it seems to work pretty well. It's not a MiFi or a dedicated hotspot obviously, but it's practical if you're only tethering 1 or 2 devices. Of course I have a couple of radios in my vehicle for NOAA WX and local Skywarn, but those are taking more of an auxiliary role in my setup.

 

[Adam Ploessl]

You look like you've really got your bases covered, but is there anything you feel like you're missing?

I like the quadruple stack. Do you have individual mounts holding each one?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Stormtrack mobile app

The bottom one isn't mounted it's just sitting there and used by the passenger. There's a window mount and 2 vent mounts holding those up. With the addition of the windows based tablet to those, I think I have pretty much have everything I need. I like the displays set up that way so while driving the copilot can change them and give me a quick idea of what's happening while we are in motion.

 

[Marc R. O'Leary]

I posted this in my dash thread last year, but it applies. Last year was my first year chasing with multiple data resources. I use all three, but phone much less due to small size. Phone is my hotspot. Smaller tab runs maps and web typically as well as radarscope (lightning tracking), larger iPad runs radar and maps, but its a gen 1, so fairly limited in anything else. Previously I chased with iPad and a less capable phone, however I managed. Having three devices really boosted the ability to get quick info on the fly without having to worry about switching, even though switching on an iPad is super easy, just never know when the tablet will decide to restart an app for you.

IPAD mounted on a 22" Arkon seat bolt arm and gPad mounted to a custom bracket mounted to said Arkon. Everything is easily withing reach, although the tablets could be close, but as you can see, need room to be able to shift.

I've added a HAM radio this season (will take operator test when I get time) and always have a battery powered weather radio as well. Also CB, although it's proven mostly useless aside from weather bands and getting a random chuckle when catching "colorful" trucker conversations.

That being said, I have no experience with laptop chasing but I can definitely see the potential benefits.

 

[Jeff Duda]

I use one with the Map.me app for location. One with Pykl3 / Radar scope and another for video streaming. The video streaming unit also acts as a wifi hotspot and the radar one works as a bluetooth GPS which I've had great luck with. I've also added a surface tablet on a modified laptop mount for windows based programs and linking my DSLR to relay photos back to news media in near real time. There's also a 10 inch tablet that's usually used by the passenger and has mirroring software to change the driver displays without having to move them.
This was a photo from last year's test setup in my car. I have a different vehicle I use now, that I wired up for it.

Curious how much that setup cost. Did you get a bulk discount on the tablets?

 

[Adam Ploessl]

Curious how much that setup cost. Did you get a bulk discount on the tablets?

Probably around $300 total including mounts. I find them used online and in local resale shops. Mostly late model Samsung Galaxy Tabs. When a new model comes out the previous models sell cheap, but work perfectly for this. The Windows tablet is an Asus Transformer.

 

[Adam Ploessl]

I posted this in my dash thread last year, but it applies. Last year was my first year chasing with multiple data resources. I use all three, but phone much less due to small size. Phone is my hotspot. Smaller tab runs maps and web typically as well as radarscope (lightning tracking), larger iPad runs radar and maps, but its a gen 1, so fairly limited in anything else. Previously I chased with iPad and a less capable phone, however I managed. Having three devices really boosted the ability to get quick info on the fly without having to worry about switching, even though switching on an iPad is super easy, just never know when the tablet will decide to restart an app for you.

IPAD mounted on a 22" Arkon seat bolt arm and gPad mounted to a custom bracket mounted to said Arkon. Everything is easily withing reach, although the tablets could be close, but as you can see, need room to be able to shift.

I've added a HAM radio this season (will take operator test when I get time) and always have a battery powered weather radio as well. Also CB, although it's proven mostly useless aside from weather bands and getting a random chuckle when catching "colorful" trucker conversations.

That being said, I have no experience with laptop chasing but I can definitely see the potential benefits.

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What apps do you use on the Gen 1 iPad? I have a couple that I have no other real use for since most programs now require Gen 2 or later.