XM WX Data Package Question

[Robert Edmonds]

I dislike that to get watch boxes it seems you need to bump your data package up to $100 a month. While I enjoy being able to mesoscale discussions too, I usually feel that if I could find a cheaper data package with just the radar, warnings, and the watch boxes, I'd probably be happy with that. This is because I can usually get all the other info I want from a wifi hot spot or weather radio.

So, I've been looking around their website and I noticed with the $50 a month aviation package you get SPC Aviation Weather Watches. I have been looking all over and can't seem to find much information on SPC Aviation Weather Watches. I found an image that showed the SPC Aviation Weather Watches looking very similar to the regular boxes with the $100 a month package. I was wondering if anyone really knows if these boxes show up different than the standard watch boxes.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I don't think the watch, outlook and MD info is worth an extra $50/month. That type of info usually comes out pre-initiation, when you're sitting somewhere waiting (at a library or somewhere with wifi). WxWorx's main use IMO is when you're on the move after the first convection begins firing. At that point, you typically already know about any watches/MDs/outlooks. That extra 50 bucks a month would be more suited for a cell connection.

The $30/month package comes with radar and warnings, which actually gets you by fairly well. You don't need hi-res radar data or even velocity to identify most classic supercells. The rotation markers with the $50/month package are pretty helpful though.

If you've got a classic tornado setup and a big isolated blob shows up on radar, that's all the info you really need.

 

[Robert Edmonds]

I don't think the watch, outlook and MD info is worth an extra $50/month. That type of info usually comes out pre-initiation, when you're sitting somewhere waiting (at a library or somewhere with wifi). WxWorx's main use IMO is when you're on the move after the first convection begins firing. At that point, you typically already know about any watches/MDs/outlooks. That extra 50 bucks a month would be more suited for a cell connection.

The $30/month package comes with radar and warnings, which actually gets you by fairly well. You don't need hi-res radar data or even velocity to identify most classic supercells. The rotation markers with the $50/month package are pretty helpful though.

If you've got a classic tornado setup and a big isolated blob shows up on radar, that's all the info you really need.

I've used it before so I know what I like to have... I agree I don't need the watch boxes and MDs, but I'm specifically wondering what's the difference between normal watch boxes and SPC Aviation Weather Watches, as XM calls them.

 

[rdale]

The AWW product is just the old-fashioned polygon they draw, versus the actual county list that is the "real" watch.

 

[Robert Edmonds]

The AWW product is just the old-fashioned polygon they draw, versus the actual county list that is the "real" watch.

With the ground package it still draws the polygon... So I guess there is no difference operationally with WXWORX?