Weather radar on board? Good idea?

[Derek Rowell]

As I sit at home in bad weather I sometimes have my web browser set to the local NWS weather radar loop so that I can see the showers/storms approaching and plan outdoor activities accordingly. I can't help but think what a fantastic safety/planning tool that would be to have on-board. To be able to see the path of storms/squalls to that resolution and take action based on localized information no more than five minutes old would be a great boon to sailors. Unfortunately, the longest ethernet cable I have won't let me get out of my slip! The question then is how to get the images to coastal sailors? To transmit an image of 37k bytes (the size of a typical radar image) every five minutes requires a bandwidth of only about 150 bytes/sec. For example, it would be possible to modulate the images on to a subcarrier of the standard FM NOAA weather radio, and a use a simple demodulator in the VHF radio. The rest - image assembly and display - could be done in software in a laptop or chart plotter. All we have to do is convince NOAA that it would be a good thing  Note that this would not be the same as weather-fax. It would provide a continuous stream of color images showing local data for coastal sailors. What do you think? Would it be useful?  The link below is to the Boston radar loop.Derek

 

[RonD]

Wx RADAR

DerekIt would be feasible providing you are operating within the coverage area of a coastal radar.You can always use a mobile telephone linkage to an internet provider, but you probably wouldn't have the patience to sit and wait for a loop download. Generally, a single current shot would give plenty of info.The other option is to use an on-board marine RADAR with the controls optimized for detecting heavy precipitation. It's always there and you can track the storm progress relative to your boat in real-time, too.--Ron

 

[Todd Osborne (Windwalker)]

Great idea, but bound to be leapfrogged By:

Wireless internet! The tools are getting better & cheaper to wirelessly download off of the internet. I have been in anticipation of getting exactly what you mention, weahter radar. Locally, I can get wind reports too. and what about all those live "cams" that give a live picture! many areas have them looking out over the waterways! I'm just now awaiting the cost of such a "toy" to come down. The latest: Try the handheld computers like the I-Paq. It can wirelessly communicate with your bluetooth enabled cell phone to "surf the net" (wirelessley) while you are out on the water (within cellphone range)By the way, it can double as a chartplotter with Navman software!Full daylight viewable color! Now where's my checkbook?