New radar app for Droid

[Mike Gibson]

It will display legacy 4 bit SRV. GrLevel 3 also uses 4 bit data (Product code 30) only GR2Analyst derives 8 bit SRM. User defined storm motions/8 bit SRM is something I'd like to do in the future though. I had originally only wanted to support 8 bit SRM, but the poor CPU in the mobile devices is just so burdened already.

Recent versions of GR3 support 8-bit SRV. You have to select both BV and SRV for download. GR3 takes the SMV from the 4-bit SRV data file and applies it to the 8-bit BV to synthesize 8-bit SRV.

Mike

PS. It would have been *really* nice if the NWS included the SMV in the new 8-bit BV files.

 

[joe.jurecka]

Ah...nice trick. Still working toward the pixel shader solution, seems as if there is not universal support for that yet, but still something I'm working toward to speed things up.

 

[Dave Gallaher]

Recent versions of GR3 support 8-bit SRV. You have to select both BV and SRV for download. GR3 takes the SMV from the 4-bit SRV data file and applies it to the 8-bit BV to synthesize 8-bit SRV.

Mike

PS. It would have been *really* nice if the NWS included the SMV in the new 8-bit BV files.

Not certain I'm understanding this--there's a way to simultaneously select BV and SRV?

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Not certain I'm understanding this--there's a way to simultaneously select BV and SRV?

Dave -- You just need to have BV and SRV selected. You can only display one product at a time (whatever "tab" is selected), but you need to have GR3 download both if you want to see high-res SRV.

Does GR3 still come with a 5 dBZ-binned color table by default? I see quite a few people still posting screen caps using a color table with only a 5 dBZ "resolution" (e.g. the same color from 35-40 dBZ, then another solid color from 40-45 dBZ). Similarly, the velocity products really should use a smooth color table, not one that bins values in 5-10 kt chunks (e.g. the same solid color for 5-10 kt, 10-15 kt, etc.). Otherwise, you're missing out on a lot of additional information!

Back on topic -- I'm looking forward to the continued development of PYKL3... I loaded the limited-function free version, but I'm hesitant to purchase the V1 app if V2 is coming out soon (presumably, since it's in beta). If I buy v1 now, will I need to purchase v2 when it comes out? Or are there "free" upgrades? We're only talking about a few bucks here, so I guess it probably doesn't matter that much in the end.

 

[Dave Gallaher]

Dave -- You just need to have BV and SRV selected. You can only display one product at a time (whatever "tab" is selected), but you need to have GR3 download both if you want to see high-res SRV.

Please forgive my density, Jeff--does this mean that if I select the same tilt in BV and SRV, then when I view BV I am seeing 8-bit SRV? Does one download of both cover all tilts?

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Perhaps the mods can shift this to a diff thread since it's more about GR3 than PYKL3

Please forgive my density, Jeff--does this mean that if I select the same tilt in BV and SRV, then when I view BV I am seeing 8-bit SRV? Does one download of both cover all tilts?

Dave -- If you want to see the "high-resolution" SRV data, then you need to also have GR3 set to display the BV data for that particular elevation angle. For example, if you want to view 0.5 degree SRV, then you also should select 0.5 degree BV. You CAN, for example, only select 1.5 degree SRV (without any 1.5 degree BV), but you'll get the older, lower-resolution SRV data.

For example, here's what 0.5 SRV looks like if you don't also have the 0.5 BV set to download:

Note how "blocky" is looks. This is actually how Level 3 SRV data have always been; well, until the recent "upgrade". Now, below is the "new", higher-resolution data:

Similar changes occurred in the reflectivity data, as long as the user is using a "higher-precision" color table. For example, compare the older, 5 dBZ-stepped color table to a "gradient"-type color table using 0.5 degree base reflectivity data:

Note that the colors for any particular dBZ range aren't necessarily the same in the above two images. Instead, notice how much more detail available in the bottom image, or notice the increased granularity, if you will, in the bottom image.

 

[joe.jurecka]

If I buy v1 now, will I need to purchase v2 when it comes out? Or are there "free" upgrades?

The upgrade to V2 is free for those who already purchased any version of PYKL3. It's just a new version with many enhancements...not a new product

 

[Dave Gallaher]

Got it, Jeff--thanks for patience. Joe, sorry for threadjack here. Looking forward to the new PKL3 download--getting a lot of use out of V1.

 

[joe.jurecka]

Hi all,
Wanted to give ya'll an update on the beta testing. It is functionally working. I had some issues with about half the mobiles out there (another undocumented Android issue) that took almost a week too solve. Very frustrating. That said, there is lots of positive support coming in and that keeps me working hard! At this point, I am really trying to get a nasty bug which causes a crash on task switching (maybe about a third of the time) which does not produce any debugging information other than a segmentation fault. The only way to narrow it down is stepping through the code that could be the culprit over and over again trying to find the issue. Problem is, there are at least half a dozen different threads it could be in and it's some combination of these which causes the problem. As soon as I get that licked, it will be made available. There will be some minor defects which I'll continue to clean up.

Maybe some of the beta testers will share what they think of V2.

Joe

 

[rdale]

This is far and away the best radar app for the droid line... The feature set is impressive, the response time is perfect, and the ability to pan/zoom/loop adds even more. I can't imagine what sort of emails you'd be getting from people, or why anyone would post a poor review. Even the first release exceeded anything out there.

(And people wonder why I don't develop Android stuff )

 

[Tim Stoecklein]

I'm with rdale, keep up the the good work Joe, I'm happy to wait for the bugs to be worked out. Those who complain probably want a directional arrow indicating where they should target their chase based on some algorithm rather than actually forecasting ;-)

 

[Albert Rodriguez]

Getting data out in the field was very problematic these past days. I had to use my phone as back up and I didn't miss a step. Thanks Joe

 

[Donnie Manos]

Not sure what I am doing wrong with this app. I have uninstalled and reloaded about 8 times. When I try to Select Radar it absolutely will not scroll past KLOT-Chicago. It does show my location but other than that I can't get it to work. Help!

 

[Jarrod Barnett]

Not sure what I am doing wrong with this app. I have uninstalled and reloaded about 8 times. When I try to Select Radar it absolutely will not scroll past KLOT-Chicago. It does show my location but other than that I can't get it to work. Help!

Hit menu then select which radar you want it to read from.

 

[Donnie Manos]

Hit menu then select which radar you want it to read from.

That's the problem. It won't scroll past KLOT-Chicago. I can't get to the station I want it to read from.