Spotter Network explosion

[Tyler Allison]

The Spotter Network is seeing a _huge_ (relative) explosion in membership in the last month with excess of 100 new signups each week. I'm starting to get email bombed with questions, in particular "hey how do I get involved?"

I stole some content off of my own personal website and built the following web page for the SpotterNetwork. I would appreciate it if folks sent me their comments and or edits/changes for improvements.

http://www.spotternetwork.org/involved.php

I can't guarantee I'll use every edit/change or address each comment but I would like the feedback to make it better.

Thanks,

-Tyler

 

[Mark Sudduth]

Thanks Tyler. You do a great thing with that site! Very cool use of the Al Gore Internets. Hats off to you.

 

[Dustin Wilcox]

Is anyone else experiencing any trouble using Spotter Network with Vista? I used to use it just fine and than I got this new computer and it hasn't worked right since. It seems like it works about 15% of the time, and I do the same thing to get it started every time. I use Delorme Serial Eliminator and then start the program, when it doesn't work it just show 0 sat fix and gives the message that the required data was not provided. I wish it would work for me as its an awesome program that makes reporting things Much easier...

 

[Tyler Allison]

Others running Vista are having issues. I've asked the developer of the client to look into it but I don't have an eta

 

[Ryan McGinnis]

Is anyone else experiencing any trouble using Spotter Network with Vista? I used to use it just fine and than I got this new computer and it hasn't worked right since. It seems like it works about 15% of the time, and I do the same thing to get it started every time. I use Delorme Serial Eliminator and then start the program, when it doesn't work it just show 0 sat fix and gives the message that the required data was not provided. I wish it would work for me as its an awesome program that makes reporting things Much easier...

Your problem is the Delorme Serial Emulator, which is a pretty poorly coded program. The solution to getting DSE to work with Vista is in this thread:

http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?p=180195

 

[David Drummond]

The change to making the page you get when click to submit a report has been working very well now that you streamlined it.

With this "explosion" of new "spotters" it's become obvious that some of those we hear out in the field on the skywarn nets that like to report anything but severe weather have joined spotter network.

Just in my area in the last few days, I have seen one guy report 20-25 mph winds (which sometimes is the average daily wind out here) and CG lightning off to his SE. Today I see someone nearby that reported the current surface obs at his location and the fact a SVR Watch has been issued. Either a little education in just what exactly constitutes an acceptable severe report or some weeding out may be in order Tyler.

 

[Cris Schroeder]

Either a little education in just what exactly constitutes an acceptable severe report or some weeding out may be in order Tyler.

I don't know...I'm starting to dig all the pea-size hail and light rain reports.

 

[Brandon Goforth]

The change to making the page you get when click to submit a report has been working very well now that you streamlined it.

With this "explosion" of new "spotters" it's become obvious that some of those we hear out in the field on the skywarn nets that like to report anything but severe weather have joined spotter network.

Just in my area in the last few days, I have seen one guy report 20-25 mph winds (which sometimes is the average daily wind out here) and CG lightning off to his SE. Today I see someone nearby that reported the current surface obs at his location and the fact a SVR Watch has been issued. Either a little education in just what exactly constitutes an acceptable severe report or some weeding out may be in order Tyler.

LOL!! Everyone wants to be known as a "stormchaser" these days, haha! I'm running into a lot of people these days who have no clue what's going on out there, most of them are locals, but some are "chasers" who finally stumble onto a good storm and they have little education of severe weather, yet they want all the fancy gear so they feel important...whatever though, to each their own, lol!

 

[David Drummond]

LOL!! Everyone wants to be known as a "stormchaser" these days, haha! I'm running into a lot of people these days who have no clue what's going on out there, most of them are locals, but some are "chasers" who finally stumble onto a good storm and they have little education of severe weather, yet they want all the fancy gear so they feel important...whatever though, to each their own, lol!

Well those folks aren't going to hurt anyone but themselves or their passengers. If that's what they want to do, it's a free country.

On the other hand, cluttering up the system with useless reports (for severe weather anyway) or even worse, bad reports (misidentification of what they are seeing due to ignorance or inexperience) is an issue that should always be addressed in the appropriate way.

 

[Dustin Wilcox]

Your problem is the Delorme Serial Emulator, which is a pretty poorly coded program. The solution to getting DSE to work with Vista is in this thread:

http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?p=180195

Thanks a lot Ryan, wish I would have come across that thread earlier!!

 

[Brandon Goforth]

Well those folks aren't going to hurt anyone but themselves or their passengers. If that's what they want to do, it's a free country.

On the other hand, cluttering up the system with useless reports (for severe weather anyway) or even worse, bad reports (misidentification of what they are seeing due to ignorance or inexperience) is an issue that should always be addressed in the appropriate way.

Sure, I have no problem with those people out there, cause like you said they aren't hurting anyone but themselves, but yeah, I agree that it can cause some false reports at times and I understand the concern there.

 

[Tyler Allison]

Either a little education in just what exactly constitutes an acceptable severe report or some weeding out may be in order Tyler.

I've been considering building a short online "training" program that folks would have to complete annually before they are allowed to submit reports. Kinda like skywarn.

-Tyler

 

[Danny Neal]

I've been considering building a short online "training" program that folks would have to complete annually before they are allowed to submit reports. Kinda like skywarn.

-Tyler

Actually a decent idea. How would organize that though? A 30 question quiz? Posting a video and asking them to describe what they see and anticipate what would happen? Although I am sure there would be some sort of flaws.

 

[Tyler Allison]

Actually a decent idea. How would organize that though? A 30 question quiz? Posting a video and asking them to describe what they see and anticipate what would happen? Although I am sure there would be some sort of flaws.

I have no idea...that is partially why I haven't done it

I'm thinking of just using true and false and keeping it related to reporting like they do at some SKYWARN classes.

example:

You hear thunder and see lightning. Should you report it? [Yes/No]

Pea sized hail has started falling. Should you report it? [Yes/No]

If you saw this [insert picture] should you report it as a tornado? [Yes/No]

You hear a report of a tornado on the radio. Should you report it? [Yes/No]

But then I think reporting standards is only one issue. Even if 100% of the reports meet severe/first hand criteria the report could still be bogus given the person doesn't know what they are looking at.

Static images don't do justice to training good spotters but watching video may be too annoying for some folks. And I don't have any good video, so I'd have to beg for high quality samples.

And even if I do all the above reports may not even improve.

-Tyler

 

[Danny Neal]

I have no idea...that is partially why I haven't done it

I'm thinking of just using true and false and keeping it related to reporting like they do at some SKYWARN classes.

example:

You hear thunder and see lightning. Should you report it? [Yes/No]

Pea sized hail has started falling. Should you report it? [Yes/No]

If you saw this [insert picture] should you report it as a tornado? [Yes/No]

You hear a report of a tornado on the radio. Should you report it? [Yes/No]

But then I think reporting standards is only one issue. Even if 100% of the reports meet severe/first hand criteria the report could still be bogus given the person doesn't know what they are looking at.

Static images don't do justice to training good spotters but watching video may be too annoying for some folks. And I don't have any good video, so I'd have to beg for high quality samples.

And even if I do all the above reports may not even improve.

-Tyler

I like the true/false idea. However, using only static images may cause a problem if you were to use examples of "is this a tornado" I love the idea of using video, and I am sure fellow chasers would be more than happy to donate especially since most are sick and tired of seeing "distant lightning, winds gusting to 10 mph"

It is not a necessity yet, but I like the framework you have laid out for this. I am sure others will chime in and at the end maybe we can all formulate something that will work.

Great job on SN too. Appreciate the work you put into it.