2008 Site Updates
Some links and images are no longer available in our older site updates. Additionally, some information is no longer applicable.
For the latest site updates, click here.
For the latest site updates, click here.
November 25th, 2008
In order to further reduce the load of our site, I have removed our KBIX live decoders until after the off season. I might remove RECCO messages completely during the off season. Our host doesn't seem to like the amount of updates our site does. So, if I have a less demanding site during the offseason, maybe they will put up with the other 6 months of the year.
September 6th, 2008
I'm currently side tracked on a project for someone. Not sure when I will get back to the 2009 model system.
August 24th, 2008
Work on the new model system for 2009 continues. The examples below, and the alpha preview for Fay, will still be redesigned quite a bit before release next year. I found a problem with combining all the data into one file for Google Earth. I will likely create separate network links for the data that will be available, such as for the NHC models, NHC advisory data, and ATCF track. There is a lot of work left to do. I am revisiting the NHC error cone I tried a year or two ago too. I might finally have a way to do it in an acceptable enough way.
August 14th, 2008
Here is a sneak peak of some examples of the 2009 model system (examples no longer available): 92L (August 14, 2008 6Z) | 92L (August 14, 2008 0Z)
What do you think? Let us know of any suggestions you have.
What do you think? Let us know of any suggestions you have.
August 13th, 2008
Work on the new model system for 2009 continues.
August 12th, 2008
So what went wrong today with all our systems? Well, all but the model system, which helped make the error even more difficult to diagnose since it remained working.
I don't understand the technical details, but basically our host made an administrative change that must have disallowed a lot of access to sites on the internet. They disabled the change they made and the site is now operating. However, it doesn't mean that it will not happen again. There is unfortunately nothing I can do when it happens.
Meanwhile, some news about the 2009 model system. It is going very well. I might have an example file that I release for feedback in the next few weeks, though the system itself will not operate until likely 2009. It has a very complex folder structure and I will be looking for feedback about how the data is presented.
I don't understand the technical details, but basically our host made an administrative change that must have disallowed a lot of access to sites on the internet. They disabled the change they made and the site is now operating. However, it doesn't mean that it will not happen again. There is unfortunately nothing I can do when it happens.
Meanwhile, some news about the 2009 model system. It is going very well. I might have an example file that I release for feedback in the next few weeks, though the system itself will not operate until likely 2009. It has a very complex folder structure and I will be looking for feedback about how the data is presented.
July 25th, 2008
Anyone have any suggestions for our recon system? I've been getting some feedback about it. Let me know of what you like, what you don't like, and how we can improve it. I've received some good suggestions so far, but unfortunately most of the things appear a little too difficult to do in Google Earth at the moment.
July 24th, 2008
The live recon system has been working fairly well, but it has had some hiccups. I have made some tweaks here and there, including some minor updates and improvements to actual product decoders themselves. Our site was able to handle most of the traffic load for Dolly. Early on with Dolly the site went down for about 10 or 15 minutes, but the rest of the time it seemed to be up. (Except for Saturday's errors which was not due to traffic but to a rewrite of part of the system.) For not serving much of any images, our site experienced quite a bit of bandwidth this month. Our site experienced over 11 gigabytes of bandwidth with just 1,065 unique users. (Bandwidth: July 20th - 2.1GB; 21st - 1.8GB; 22nd - 2.1GB; 23rd - 1.7GB; Most Hits: 172,300 this month on our live Air Force HDOB decoder page, totalling 1.65GB of bandwidth, meaning if people had to actually process that data in our decoder, our site would have crashed a long time ago.) This would be the reason why we don't ask media outlets to display our name on air. We'd be swamped many times over if we had more visitors.
July 21st, 2008 - Update 2
I have begun work on the new model system. It's going to take awhile to get my feet wet again. I have made improvements to the old system over time that are not in the new system that has been on the shelf for a year, so I am running a comparative analysis to see where updates are needed.
July 21st, 2008 - Update 1
My next project will be a new model system that will offer a few more options than the previous one. Some of it is done. I just need to build a management system that works like the recon archive. In addition, I will provide an intensity output. I built an intensity graph last year and forgot all about it! It was an early experiment when I was building the dropsonde table:
It is based in Flash and gives you control of plotting just those intensity models you want. You can choose to plot all or none too, just like the Google Map for the current model system. I have been waiting for a year or two to do all this. I was going to wait until I had my storm system ready, but I think I like the idea of separate parts for now. As you may have seen from the recon system problems of the last two days, having a lot of things working together means more things can go wrong. Once I get all the separate things working, then I can think about having a system that connects it somewhat.
Some of the features of the model system will include 5 day plots rather than the current "however long they are they are" type plots. This can be confusing to some. Is that long line 5 days out? No, it might be two weeks out. Having the option to plot just the 5 day would be a good idea. Will also have a storm history track with ATCF database data.
It will probably be a few months before I have it all completed. After that, then I might try to tacke the elusive NHC error cone in Google Earth again. Never could get it to work. (Because I didn't know how it should be done.) I might see what I can figure out about it.
Long term...
The really long term goal is a complete storm system with NHC models, advisory data, and recon data. There is likely no way I will be able complete all of this by the end of the year. (I have other projects, non tropical related, that I work on too.) The advisory decoder is actually already built, has been for a couple years, but it lacks an error cone which continues to confound me and a management system like the live recon archive. I also want to have model data available in a system like the recon archive so you can view runs you missed. Currently, the system deletes model data when a new run is available.
It is based in Flash and gives you control of plotting just those intensity models you want. You can choose to plot all or none too, just like the Google Map for the current model system. I have been waiting for a year or two to do all this. I was going to wait until I had my storm system ready, but I think I like the idea of separate parts for now. As you may have seen from the recon system problems of the last two days, having a lot of things working together means more things can go wrong. Once I get all the separate things working, then I can think about having a system that connects it somewhat.
Some of the features of the model system will include 5 day plots rather than the current "however long they are they are" type plots. This can be confusing to some. Is that long line 5 days out? No, it might be two weeks out. Having the option to plot just the 5 day would be a good idea. Will also have a storm history track with ATCF database data.
It will probably be a few months before I have it all completed. After that, then I might try to tacke the elusive NHC error cone in Google Earth again. Never could get it to work. (Because I didn't know how it should be done.) I might see what I can figure out about it.
Long term...
The really long term goal is a complete storm system with NHC models, advisory data, and recon data. There is likely no way I will be able complete all of this by the end of the year. (I have other projects, non tropical related, that I work on too.) The advisory decoder is actually already built, has been for a couple years, but it lacks an error cone which continues to confound me and a management system like the live recon archive. I also want to have model data available in a system like the recon archive so you can view runs you missed. Currently, the system deletes model data when a new run is available.
June 17th, 2008
Our vortex decoder is now in alpha testing. A more stable version will likely be available within a few weeks after testing of numerous vortex messages. Things are looking rather good with it at the moment. I still need to test more vortex messages, but I like the consistency so far. Have a comment or suggestion for it? Let me know!
Meanwhile, our other decoders are being slightly reworked behind the scenes. You will not notice anything different, unless something stops working briefly. If something stops working for an extended period, let me know. What is currently being worked on is the ability for other site systems to use the decoder to decode things, such as how the live decoder for URNT15 works. All the decoders have had the groundwork laid for that transition and will allow for at least two other ideas for the future. Those will eventually be all decoded vortex messages on one page in real time and the even longer term goal, sorting all the data for display in Google Earth (and possibly, though not likely, maps) in connection with the even longer long term goal of a complete storm system with NHC models, advisory data, and recon data. There is likely (almost definitely) no way I will be able complete all of this by the end of the year. (I have other projects, non tropical related, that I work on too.)
Meanwhile, our other decoders are being slightly reworked behind the scenes. You will not notice anything different, unless something stops working briefly. If something stops working for an extended period, let me know. What is currently being worked on is the ability for other site systems to use the decoder to decode things, such as how the live decoder for URNT15 works. All the decoders have had the groundwork laid for that transition and will allow for at least two other ideas for the future. Those will eventually be all decoded vortex messages on one page in real time and the even longer term goal, sorting all the data for display in Google Earth (and possibly, though not likely, maps) in connection with the even longer long term goal of a complete storm system with NHC models, advisory data, and recon data. There is likely (almost definitely) no way I will be able complete all of this by the end of the year. (I have other projects, non tropical related, that I work on too.)