Mobile Threat Net

[Nick Pavlovits]

Would appreciate general feedback from anyone currently using the MOBILE TRHEAT NET system. (full package or master mariner)
and the XM WX reciever, antenna, software from Baron Services.

I spot/chase a handful of times a year. St. Louis area / 300 mile radius.

Thanks.

 

[rdale]

You can search the forum here for many conversations about it already, these days you are probably better with a cell Internet connection and GRLevelX software.

 

[Dan Melby]

I use it, and recommend it if you are in an area with a lot of holes in cellular data service. If you chase in an area with good service, I would go with an internet connection and GR like rdale recommended. You are going to want an internet connection when you are chasing anyways, and finding a hot spot can sometimes be frustrating and time consuming. But, if you are set on WXWorx, I might have one for sale in the near future.

 

[Robert Edmonds]

I prefer the WX WORKS since you don't have data holes. Every time I've considered the switch to cell internet, I end up having some one come up to me saying they're in a data hole and would like to see what's going on. I've used both the $50, and $100 dollar a month data packages. I usually only use the $100 dollar a month data package for a single month, when I have my weeks off for chasing... other than that I usually keep it at the 50 or lower packages (turn it off during winter). I have had problems though. Sometimes the radar has been off by a few miles (shifted, I think there was a thread briefly on this), once allot more than just a few miles. And, only a handful of times have I had problems getting the receiver to activate. Fortunately, I have never had issues when near a severe storm. It sounds to me though that I seem have had more issues than most people. Once past those little quibbles, I do enjoy having it as an aid to the chase. It certainly helps you become more aware of what is going on around you. If not WX WORX I would at least recommend some way of getting data during the chase.

[edit] wait take that back about it not working during a severe weather event... I remember loosing the radar during the Tulia tornado... however I hear that had to do with something on NOAA's end (could be wrong). Oh and with the $100 package you get mesoscale discussions and watch boxes. If the watch boxes were with a cheaper package I'd go with that, but until then... [edit]

 

[Matt Gingery]

I purchased Mobile Threat Net Plus a month ago or so. It is fantastic. Talk with Clifford Windham down at Baron Services, he worked superb with me. The system is great as far as radar, looping etc. The different markers such as shear markers, hail markers are nice. You will probably want to incorporate GRLevel3 or MCIDAS with the system and have back up wireless, because the system does not come with visible satellite, or doppler wind imagery. I have used it on 2 different occasions, and it is nice not to lose wireless in the middle of a chase and have the constant loop from the non interruption. You cannot go wrong, especially if you have lost wireless service while chasing and encountered missed opportunities. I plan on becoming at least twice as effective this year with the Baron equipment. Make sure your antenna is located directly on the roof of your vehicle or you will lose your radar at some point. I was the first person to get the version 1.3 this last November, and it did have some problems with the GEO line up as far as topography goes, I.E. the Appalachian mtns were located over the midwest, LOL, but they fixed the problem. Good luck to you with whatever avenue you chose to take.

P.S. When you call XM Satellite to set up service get the "Responder Package", you cant go wrong with the "Basic" but once you go with the Responder you'll never go back.

Matt
Missour State University

 

[Joey Ketcham]

I disagree, I think it is way overpriced to begin with. Second of all, the details of radar is very limited, I think just 16-colors.

Mobile internet and GRLevel3 or StormLab is the way to go. People often use the argument that cellular service for data cards drop out, but 90-95% of the time I have internet service and the times that it has dropped out it had no effect on my chase, at least not a big enough effect that would make me run out and purchase a $1,000 piece of plastic.

Nothing against Baron or WX Works, if they dropped the price by like $700 then I would consider getting it... but in my opinion for the limited data you get it's not worth it.

 

[Stephen Levine]

I use one, through XM, using their $55 package.
I feel quite happy with it in general; it's compact and as has been stated, I've had no data holes. Have a friend who actually crossed into Mexico to chase a storm with it and he had no problem while others lost their various other cell and data services.

I particularly also like the lightning tracker map as part of this package, as I do chase lightning storms.

The only challenge I've had is that the radar seems to lag; however it still gets me to the storm.

Using this in conjunction with the NWS Wx radio has been a winning combo.

 

[Dan Robinson]

It depends on the internet access coverage where you will be chasing. Last year, I had an Alltel aircard and did not have coverage for about 50% of the time in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. I also ran into a lot of holes in Missouri, Indiana and Illinois.

Cell coverage is leaps and bounds better than back when I bought my WxWorx system in 2004, but even now I think I'd still buy one. It is pricey, but it's a tool that has paid for itself many times over. I do a lot of local chasing in the Appalachians, where cell coverage will probably never be 100%.

The low-res radar hasn't been an issue for me, especially if you have the rotation marker product (which is basically the equivalent of having velocity data). I think if WxWorx had monochrome Atari 2600 resolution it would still be enough to get you there for most classic setups. When you see a big blob on the radar with a marker on it, that's your storm. Basic data 100% of the time is better than awesome hi-res data 75-85% of the time.

 

[Jason Boggs]

I've never messed with threatnet at all. I can say that Grlevel3 at $80 and a data service at $60 a month is definitely the way to go. The reason I never messed with threatnet is because it's overpriced and the radar DBZ level is terrible. I used Sprint last year and had a connection 98% of the time while I chased in TX, OK and KS.

 

[cdcollura]

Good day all,

Mobile Threatnet is not a bad product - Like anything it has its good and bad points.

I was close to getting this myself, but decided to stick with $60 a month for mobile broadband (AT&T 3G Sierra USB) and SwiftWX ($15 per month) for data, which incorporates GPS, and I did well with that. The "data holes" in Kansas last year (to me) were few and far between.

The point here is USE what works best for YOU.

I found GR Level X to also be great as well, which also works with a mobile broadband connection, and a one time fee.

WX Works is (to me) EXTREMELY overpriced. After the initial $900, it's at least $100 a month (on the chaser friendly plan) and then, to turn it off (and on) you are slapped with huge fees. Now, ofcourse, this is satellite data, which is never cheap (cruise ships charge $10 a minute for a phone call on satcom)!

The advantage is that you have continuous data, as long as you are in clear view of the satellite - Sometimes I've seen signal drop under trees, and even heavy cloud cover (while a cell / 3G signal is still present).

Also, the radar shading is like the old VIP level 6 display, with the pink shade applied for "maximum DBz" of 55 DBz and above - So if you see a core, and it's only "pink", that does not necessarily mean that its "55 DBz heavy rain" (unless your in FL) until you lose your windows! Make sure you mouse-over the "pink area" to get the SCIT information on it!

Like I said, to me it's a great package, but is rather expensive for someone not a full-time chaser. In comparison, you can turn on and off SwiftWX at a moments notice (on one month, off when not using it - you just don't renew, and there's no fees). GR is a one-time fee with an authorization code. WX Threat Net has lots of fees (I am not a "fee" guy, as you already noticed).

 

[David Drummond]

I had it for a few years. For what it is, it's a great product. I too am in that catagory of folks that think it's waaayyy over priced too. Equipment price aside, the service is too expensive as well.

I can get over 180 channels of just about every kind of programming under the sun on my XM radio for $18/month, but only a handful of bits of essentially watered down radar data and couple of other products for $100/month. It just doesn't add up to me.

As I said, I used it for a few years, back when my cell data coverage had a whole lot of gaps in the plains. But then, wifi started sprouting up everywhere, and data coverage got better and better and better. Year before last I think it was I started realizing I wasn't even turning my wxworx on any more, and was only using GRLevel3 on my datacard. The coverage had just gotten that good. So I sold it.

Are their still data gaps on the plains in cell coverage? Sure. But now it seems like a reversal of what it used to be. Instead of searching for towers your searching for where you have gaps. And with free wifi springing up EVERYWHERE like weeds, pretty much someplace in every small town has it.

If Wxworx was priced about $200 for the equipment and $20-30/month for the full package feed, I'd most definitely keep it as a backup option. If the radar data was full data like you would get on GRLevel3, I would even get it at it's current price. But IMO it's just too pricey for watered down information.

Then again, their target market for the ground stuff is not a handful of storm chasers, and I am sure there are plenty of emergency related, government type folks that have no problem spending tax dollars on it.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Baron has a $29.99 package that gets you radar, warnings, surface obs and upper air wind data. Then there is the $50/month package that adds lightning, satellite imagery and rotation markers. The $50 package is all you'll need - the jump to the $100/month package only gets you the 'shear blob' product and SPC outlooks, MDs, and watches. You usually get all of that latter stuff at a wifi hotspot pre-initiation anyway.

I use the $50 package during spring and summer, and downgrade to the $30 package over the winter, as it is still useful for snow and ice chasing.

I don't work for Baron and don't get paid to plug the product (always have to add that disclaimer nowadays for some odd reason), it's just worked well for me. I've had the occasional problem with it, but nothing major. I've been hopeful for cell data, but I was disappointed with it last spring enough to not want to depend on it yet.

 

[Robert Edmonds]

Remember there is (at least there still better be) the off season deal for chasers. Basically it allows you to only have to pay the activation fee once. This allows you to deactivate it during the winter without paying the activation fee next spring. I agree it is over priced but there is still fees with the cell internet. I have yet to find any cell phone company that lets you turn off your cell internet at anytime. Every time I go looking I am told I have to sign some year or two contract.

 

[David Drummond]

That's a good point Robert. I actually did that one season, only to be told the next season when I went to activate it that I was going to pay a $100 (I think it was) activation fee because the person that turned it off didn't put it in seasonal status. Needless to say I was a bit pissed and after getting a supervisor on I got it waived, but still...

As for cell data fees, sure. BUT, with my cell data, I can get anything on the internet I want....even off season. Which is great for me because I run online businesses other than chasing. When I first got the datacard I thought I wouldn't use it much outside of chasing. Boy was I wrong.

 

[Eric Whitehill]

Personally, I love WX Works. I have used XM for the last few years, and I've only had some sporadic problems with it, far fewer than with my aircard. One thing that I found to be quite useful was in the days following the Greensburg Tornado is that cell coverage in most of Central KS was difficult at best, since a good majority of the towers were either disabled/destroyed, or overtaxed as you had a large number of chasers and EM personnel all attempting to use what few towers remained. I didn't have to worry about that - I just let XM do it's thing, and it brought me the data that I wanted/needed. Then, in the offseason, I just put it on End-of-Season, and then in the spring I reactivate it.

Yes, you can use GrlevelX and jump on that bandwagon. However, if you want data all the time, then I have found Wx Worx to be the best bet. I have so rarely had issues with it, and since I tend to chase alone, XM is about the best friend you can have when you are sitting out in the middle of Nowheresville, NE with no data coverage.

In all honestly, once you are on a storm, you don't need to have your eyes glued to your computer screen. Look up every once in a while - you never know what you're going to miss.