• After witnessing the continued decrease of involvement in the SpotterNetwork staff in serving SN members with troubleshooting issues recently, I have unilaterally decided to terminate the relationship between SpotterNetwork's support and Stormtrack. I have witnessed multiple users unable to receive support weeks after initiating help threads on the forum. I find this lack of response from SpotterNetwork officials disappointing and a failure to hold up their end of the agreement that was made years ago, before I took over management of this site. In my opinion, having Stormtrack users sit and wait for so long to receive help on SpotterNetwork issues on the Stormtrack forums reflects poorly not only on SpotterNetwork, but on Stormtrack and (by association) me as well. Since the issue has not been satisfactorily addressed, I no longer wish for the Stormtrack forum to be associated with SpotterNetwork.

    I apologize to those who continue to have issues with the service and continue to see their issues left unaddressed. Please understand that the connection between ST and SN was put in place long before I had any say over it. But now that I am the "captain of this ship," it is within my right (nay, duty) to make adjustments as I see necessary. Ending this relationship is such an adjustment.

    For those who continue to need help, I recommend navigating a web browswer to SpotterNetwork's About page, and seeking the individuals listed on that page for all further inquiries about SpotterNetwork.

    From this moment forward, the SpotterNetwork sub-forum has been hidden/deleted and there will be no assurance that any SpotterNetwork issues brought up in any of Stormtrack's other sub-forums will be addressed. Do not rely on Stormtrack for help with SpotterNetwork issues.

    Sincerely, Jeff D.

NWS LOT WSR-88D suffers catastrophic failure

Joined
May 31, 2004
Messages
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Location
Paxton, IL
THE NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE WSR-88D, KLOT, IS IN THE INITIAL STAGES OF A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE GEARING IN THE RADAR PEDESTAL. THIS IS THE PORTION OF THE RADAR WHICH SPINS THE ANTENNA. A FIVE PERSON TEAM FROM THE WSR-88D RADAR OPERATIONS CENTER (ROC) WILL TRAVEL TO CHICAGO THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH, TO PERFORM A REBUILDING OF THE PEDESTAL. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT FAILURE, AND THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PEDESTAL GEARS WILL REQUIRE THAT THE RADAR BE OUT OF SERVICE FOR 7 TO 10 DAYS. THE CONDITION WAS IDENTIFIED WHEN OTHER ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WAS BEING PERFORMED. BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED EARLY, IT IS THOUGHT THAT THE RADAR PEDESTAL STILL HAS SOME OPERATIONAL SERVICE TIME LEFT. IN ORDER TO UTILIZE AND MAXIMIZE THIS REMAINING SERVICE TIME, THE RADAR WILL ONLY BE OPERATED SPARINGLY UNTIL THE RECONSTRUCTION BEGINS. OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM WILL BE CURTAILED DURING QUIET WEATHER, AND THE RADAR PLACED INTO SERVICE ONLY WHEN WIDESPREAD OR SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION IS WITHIN THE COVERAGE AREA. RAIN IS EXPECTED IN THE AREA THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT, HOWEVER THE BEST CHANCES ARE FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY. THE RADAR WILL THEN BE DOWN SATURDAY THROUGH LATE NEXT WEEK WHILE THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PEDESTAL IS BEING COMPLETED. WHILE THE KLOT WSR-88D IS OUT OF SERVICE, ADJACENT LOCAL RADARS FROM ILX, DVN, MKX AND IWX MAY BE UTILIZED FOR COVERAGE.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=lot&storyid=66606&source=0
 
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I always wondered if there was cost reasonable solution of having a somewhat portable back-up that could travel. Something that could be brought in by train and with a crane of sorts be temporarily placed in service. Something that could almost be deployed in 48 hours or less. Probably couldn't be full height as the tower, but I could see something temporary.

I'm sure it would be difficult because of differences of the site, size of the units, etc. I started thinking about the idea when I started hearing about deployment of temporary cell towers after major weather events. Cell towers are much easier of course, but it did give me the thought.
 
Something that could be brought in by train and with a crane of sorts be temporarily placed in service. ... Probably couldn't be full height as the tower, but I could see something temporary.

Hmm ... cool idea. I suppose a scissor lift on a flatbed train car wouldn't be nearly high enough? As long as we're dreaming big, how about an AWACS-type plane? (Do they already have such things for hurricane season? If not, it could do double duty.)
 
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