I’m often amazed at the reach this blog has been getting worldwide. Last month, I found it hitting almost a quarter million visits. This month it is on track to exceed 300,000. And you never know who will drop by. For example MIT’s Richard Lindzen dropped by a few days ago and offered some insight and a graph.
Along those lines I’ve recently been given an offer of a sit down visit with one of the principal organizations and investigators of climate science today. I won’t say who just yet, (except to say it is not Al Gore) but I can say that the offer is genuine and exciting.
It also comes with a price tag, since I have to fund the travel, hotel, etc. myself.
When I first set out to do the surfacestations.org project, I did so with no expectation of funding. I rather like it that way because I think that when you are handed a wad of cash with the expectation of producing a result in exchange, sometimes the pressure of doing so can be a detriment to true curiosity and discovery. I once worked in a University environment, and I saw the pressure to produce.
But this visit I’ve been offered is going to take a bit of cash to do, and rather than beg supporters I have what I hope will be a better idea. I don’t like begging, but I do like providing useful things for meteorology.
So here’s my pitch. I have a weather radar program for the USA NEXRAD network, and a darn good one at that. It’s called StormPredator. Knowing that I have many people that frequent this blog who enjoy meteorology and severe weather tracking, I’m hoping those of you that like the work that I do will consider buying it to help fund my trip. You get something, I get something, we both win. Plus I’ll have one heck of a blog report when I get back from this meeting.
My idea for Stormpredator came from my working with old WSR-3, WSR-57, and WSR-74 weather radars with round PPI scopes. I wanted to create a weather radar program that anyone could use, not just a “met head”. I wanted a weather program that would be useful, educational, and fun at the same time.
It looks like this:
Besides round PPI mode, it also can be setup in a rectangular presentation. It has 3D topography for the entire USA, and can track and animate storms, do popup and email alerts, provide ETA estimates, forecasts, satellite imagery, and even send pictures to your website or cell phone. It’s loaded.
It is used by storm trackers, 911 centers, dispatch centers, TV stations, radio stations, schools, amateur radio operators, and just regular folks that like to track storms.
It has a boatload of features. Check them out here.
There is no subscription fee for the radar or other weather data, and the program will operate using any type of Internet connection. It is also inexpensive for what it does, at $39.99. (or $10 more for a CD ROM version).
If watching the weather interests you, I hope you’ll consider buying a copy to help me fund my trip. Thank you for your consideration.
If you don’t live in the USA, and can’t use the program above for that or any other reason, but would like to help out, I have provided a donation page via PayPal on the surfacestations.org website.
Program looks neat.
I’m linux.
Nothing wrong with a paypal donate button. Would be glad to contribute.
I’m with garron: it looks nice, just as does TeleChart.
Unfortunately, I also use Linux (3 different distros).
I can use TeleChart on Crossover, but it can be flaky.
Given that, I can’t see tossing 50 bucks on another (potential) headache. No listing that I can see at Code Weavers, either.
Inasmuch as Google has funded some improvements to the Wine system, to make PhotoShop work better, I will eventually try the latest version with sundry apps; perhaps then StormPredator will fly….
I see nothing wrong with having a PapPal button, either!
OK.
Eric and Garron, thanks. I see your points. I’m leaving out a big segment of people without a Windows system. So I’ve edited the post to include a donation page on surfacestations.org
http://www.surfacestations.org/donate.htm
Please don’t feel obligated, I feel cheapened just talking about it.
Well I can’t afford much, but I hope my little bit helps.
REPLY: Jim, it does, and I thank you most sincerely. – Anthony
It’s funny how you feel cheapened to ask your compatriots for assistance with a valid scientific endeavor, yet “others” take hundreds of thousands of dollars to rehash an old power point presentation that has been throughly discredited, and then take no questions from the audience.
Integrity is a bitch, ain’t it.
Since the early twenty-somethings of How not to measure temperature, I have lurked in the shadows, trying to formulate a comment which would truly add to the discussion. The regulars here seem to have everything well in hand. Perhaps someday I will find a niche here for a useful thought. In the meantime, I am delighted to find a way, however tiny, to help the cause of accuracy. Thank you for everything you are doing.
REPLY: Thank you sincerely Otto. Don’t be shy, even asking questions is valuable.
I spend money each year supporting different kinds of organizations that provide good information. Some of them are non-profit like consumer reports. Supporting your efforts falls into the same category for me.
Keep up the good work.
REPLY: Thank you Raven, I am most appreciative.
Anthony,
Really appreciate your work, one day you must turn your attention to “the land of Oz”.
Hope the donation helps.
Scott
REPLY: Scott it does indeed, and I thank you sincerely. “The land of Oz” has been discussed here, and you’ll see more.
Anthony, how about frequent flier miles? I don’t know if my airline will transfer to non family but I’ll check it out.
REPLY: Thats a nice gesture, but the problem with miles is that when you use them, you fly standby. This meeting is scheduled over a month in advance. If I miss it there is not likely to be a do-over.
Anthony,
My pleasure to donate. Between you, Steve M. and several other authors I’m able to keep my sanity when it comes to AGW.
My brother lives in NC, home of NC Watch, so I am familiar with your home base to some degree. Love the biking out there.
Keep up the great work. I especially appreciate the tone of your work. Name calling and the general invective, no matter the source, retards the growth of knowledge.
Can’t promise it, but will try to audit several weather stations here in Northern Illinois during spring break.
Cheers
REPLY: Thanks so much Joe. I can see why you like Nevada County. Biking is a challenge over the flatlands of N. Illinois.
Anthony – For Linux people
– have you tried Wine (www.winehq.org)
– I think it would have a pretty good chance of running under Wine, as it probably doesn’t use too much exotic Win32 stuff
REPLY: I haven’t tried Wine on Linux, but we have gotten it to run on emulators on the Mac, so chances are good.
Anthony, I’m glad to help by ordering your software. Good Luck!! I will be looking forward to the results of your visit.
Anthony
REPLY: Thanks Anthony. – Anthony 😉
Anthony,
Bought a gadget from your shop. Hope that helps some.
(Paypal and me don’t get along).
REPLY: Much appreciated, thanks.
I live in Canada, but my wife comes from Texas so we can watch the weather there and I like to play with software. maybe I live close enough to the BC/Washington boarder to make it useful. (250 Km N of Vancouver). This blog is a great resource. Sold.
I just checked the website. How does the money get to you? If I buy a second license do you get a little bit more?
REPLY: I actually own the website and software, so placing an order is directly benefitting me. At 250KM north of Vancouver though, I think you are “off the radar” of the US NEXRAD coverage. Thanks for considering it.
Just placed my order, can’t wait for the download link!
FYI, the page doesn’t format well under Firefox, And even under IE7 there is a left-right scroll bar at the bottom, but nothing to see when you scroll over.
REPLY: Thanks Jeff, I appreciate the help. I’ll look into fixing that page. It hasn’t been updated in awhile, partly due to my focus on this project.
Hmm, I’ve never flown standby when using my CapitalOne miles. I guess it depends on who’s providing the miles.
skip the meeting or go on your own dime. But this kind of combining in of your other business interests is a bad idea. Keep them separate.
And is the or E&E or the Heartland or some sort of skpetic group? Or mainstream? And why not tell people what the name of the group is. This blows.
REPLY: No it is not a skeptic group, I have good reasons for not announcing it yet. If you think that “blows”, consider your own hit and run phantomness over the years. You have your reasons for not sharing anything about yourself, so don’t impugn me. At least in my case you’ll get the answer. Ask TCO anything about TCO – silence.
I hit the “tip jar” and am glad to do so. Perhaps you should have solicited $ help before. I know that your efforts have had a significant price tag on them and also represent an opportunity loss much higher. Keep up the good work.
REPLY: Thanks Mike. I’ve never asked before, and I truly appreciate the help.
I’ll surely catch HELL from the old Frau when she goes through the MasterCard statements…, but that goes with the “being-married” territory.
REPLY: Thanks I know what you mean. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Wonderful site, one of the highlights of my day is finding out Watts Up.
REPLY: Thanks so much Jerry. I try to keep the coffee fresh here.
You’ve been offered to sit down with one of the principal organizations and investigators of climate science today and you don’t get your travel expenses paid? What a bunch of cheap charlies. Just ask them.
REPLY: Normally I would agree, but there are reasons.
Just got home from running a 10km race here in Calgary. -12C, windchill around -19, ice and snow becoming slush, flurries for most of the race.
But still a nice run!
Donation has been made.
REPLY: Thanks so much Robert. You are a braver man than I running in that cold.
TCO my old pal, nemisis, and bloody mary buddy….
Please trust me. This is an important trip to an important place. I encouraged Anthony to make it. Primarily to listen and make personal contact
with the people we write so blithly about. The invitation was made in good faith. I think the visit might take the vinegar out of some the fights.
That’s a good thing, bad theater, but good nonetheless.
all my posts come out looking like william carlos williams. WTF?