Phone apps for the 2019 chase season

[James Taylor]

What is the advantage to allisonhouse for radarscope?

Yes I’d like to know this also please!?...

 

[Mark Blue]

Baron CWI is a free smartphone app. WDT WeatherOps is available through WDT. Steve Miller (OK) can give you more information. It's a very robust platform.

weatherops.com

The WeatherOps platform is for those who have ultra deep pockets. One to three days of coverage is $650.00, so it's more or less out of reach for us regular chasers.

 

[B. Dean Berry]

If it weren't for @Steve Miller being a supercool dude, I wouldn't have it either.

 

[Randy Jennings]

@Marc R. O'Leary @James Taylor The advantage to Allison House in RadarScope is "High Availability". By default RadarScope users can pull radar data from either NOAA or WDT (now DTN - the company that owns RadsrScope). On big days these servers get quite a load and you may have trouble downloading radar data. Every year I hit this some day in May and I go reactivate my Allison House account and I instantly get radar again. There are even greater advantages to using Allison House in Gibson Rodge, as your basic Allison House subscription includes a ton of really useful placefiles.

 

[B. Dean Berry]

Just confirmed with Cliff, the pricing for the internet-based Baron Threat Net (not the satellite-based product) has gone up this year. It's now an annual subscription of $900, which puts it solidly out of my reach this year.

 

[Bill Hark]

I looked at their website and couldn't find the cost for the internet based Baron Threat Net though I see references to yearly and monthly subscriptions. Using it only for May or June might be a better choice, but I am not convinced there is enough extra info that is useful for chasers than what can already be obtained through RadarScope on their higher tiers. I am a big supporter of their satellite system but have my doubts about the internet-based one.

 

[B. Dean Berry]

Monthly for Baron Threat Net doesn't exist. It's been hinted at for a couple of years, but doesn't yet exist.

 

[Mark Blue]

Sounds like Baron’s want to price themselves right out of the market. It wasn’t that long ago that they were $600 per year for satellite service and you could turn it on and off for a few months for an activation fee during chase season.

 

[Joey Prom]

As a followup question to the original post, what are the best radar/apps for laptops for this chase season? I am newer to chasing and want to know what apps to invest in. Thanks

 

[Mark Blue]

If it's a Windows laptop I'd say it comes down to a GRLX product found here: GRLevelX Main Page. Or if you prefer you could go with RS aka Radarscope, which can be found here: RadarScope - Professional Weather Radar. You could also purchase an Allison House subscription to use as you data provider, but it isn't mandatory. If you have the money AH does offer some extra goodies like placefiles and an archive of L2 files that goes back a ways. Just skimming the customizations AH has for GRLX vs RS I'd say they have way more for GRLX products. Maybe we can get Gilbert @sebenste to chime in and give us the old sales pitch for AH. Weather Data by AllisonHouse - Radar, Lightning & Weather Tools

 

[Warren Faidley]

One quick note to any new chasers wanting to use radar apps on the road.... remember there are inherent hazards on relying solely on radar data or chase-related data. It's been discussed on ST before so I won't go into detail. Loss of data reception, interpretation in relation to your position, driver distraction, and misreading time stamps are all potential hazards that have killed people or caused serious risk.

 

[Joey Prom]

One quick note to any new chasers wanting to use radar apps on the road.... remember there are inherent hazards on relying solely on radar data or chase-related data. It's been discussed on ST before so I won't go into detail. Loss of data reception, interpretation in relation to your position, driver distraction, and misreading time stamps are all potential hazards that have killed people or caused serious risk.

Yep, thanks for the reminder. I try to go more by storm structure than radar, but I need the radar to keep the big picture.

 

[B. Dean Berry]

Sounds like Baron’s want to price themselves right out of the market. It wasn’t that long ago that they were $600 per year for satellite service and you could turn it on and off for a few months for an activation fee during chase season.

That's still the case with Mobile Threat Net, and now the activation fee is waived if you take up to a six month break.

The price increase is on Baron Threat Net, a very similarly named, but totally different product.

 

[B. Dean Berry]

Just updated my services. When the WxWorx box comes off of suspension in April, it's been bumped up to the Master Mariner for $59/month.

 

[Mark Blue]

Bumping...It sure seems like Radar Omega is the hot new radar app on the market. I looked at their website yesterday and it certainly isn’t cheap ($119 per year). It appears the developer is working hard on the feature set, but a few of the bad reviews are worth paying attention to. With the questions we get here about RS and SN and my red dot isn’t showing I have to wonder if it’s users who just aren’t setting it up or using it correctly. It currently has a 3.8 rating in the iPADOS App Store. I may decide to go with it on my phone in the future.

 

[Bobby Little]

If it's a Windows laptop I'd say it comes down to a GRLX product found here: GRLevelX Main Page.

Mark that GR2Analyst 2.00 is a amazing ap after looking at it. What is comparable to that for maybe less price?

 

[Mark Blue]

GR2AE is a beast unto itself. I have that app, GRL3, RS (on iPad and Samsung S8+ phone), and was pondering replacing my phone’s RS and PYKL3 with Radar Omega. I honestly don’t know if a cheaper equivalent exists, although I’m sure someone might have another opinion. The only downside is GR2AE runs on Windows, which means you need a laptop in your car. I’ve gone strictly iPad and phone for a few years now and only use GR products when I’m at home arm chair chasing.

Maybe GRL3 with super-res is as close as it gets, just not sure what hardware you chase with.

 

[Bobby Little]

GR2AE is a beast unto itself.

That it is...wow!!
I am basically using Radarscope Pro and Ventusky and alot of luck as i dont chase much as id like. As i spend more time out in the plains ( just retired) i will look into better aps. Learning more and more everyday from this site and others.. and of course the great veterans here such as yourself and others goes along way.

 

[Mark Blue]

Thank you for the kind words Bobby!

 

[James Taylor]

@Marc R. O'Leary @James Taylor The advantage to Allison House in RadarScope is "High Availability". By default RadarScope users can pull radar data from either NOAA or WDT (now DTN - the company that owns RadsrScope). On big days these servers get quite a load and you may have trouble downloading radar data. Every year I hit this some day in May and I go reactivate my Allison House account and I instantly get radar again. There are even greater advantages to using Allison House in Gibson Rodge, as your basic Allison House subscription includes a ton of really useful placefiles.

Thanks you, appreciate the answer

 

[Kody Baldwin]

While I can't say I've found any online apps that pay to chase twisters (that sounds a little too good to be true!), there are definitely some fantastic resources out there to fuel your storm chasing adventures.Personally, I like a mix of paid and free apps. NOAA's radar app is a lifesaver, and it's free! For in-depth storm tracking, I wouldn't mind throwing down a few bucks for a subscription service with real-time data and forecasts. Knowledge is power, especially when you're dancing with Mother Nature's fury.