Strike 3 & Spotter Network

It seems that I ran into the Mother Nature equivalent of "Nolan Ryan" the past three days. I struck out swinging on Friday with a big curve ball.....Saturday with a sinker.....and yesterday with a fastball. The season is just starting though, so I can still recover my batting average. ;-)

I'm also beginning to reconsider my status as the cause of the North Texas Curse. ;-) Note the following events within the past 4 days:

1) This last upper system split mightily as it approached W TX. It stopped, then split into two pieces as if sliced with a Ginsu knife. One piece ejected up through NM into CO and the northern plains. The second piece is staying south of the border and well into deep south Texas today.

2) On Friday, I completed transmuted a raging beast of a tornadic supercell into a pussy cat. This all within a red box too.

3) Saturday, I squashed all convection within a 500 mile radius or more.

4) Sunday, I saved the residents of Lubbock as when I arrived, all landspout activity abruptly ceased for the rest of the day. The other dubious storm that popped a landspout near Tulia was also brought under control when I made it there just in the nick of time.

;-)

On a positive note, I started running Spotter Network yesterday after chatting with David Drummond and Graham Butler who are running it. It was cool to watch their progess into SW TX on GR3. My position popped up on there too after a few minutes. It updates every 2 minutes. If you have any of the GR radar products, you can track anybody running it by using the placefile at http://www.spotternetwork.org/grlevelx.txt If you don't have a GR product, then you can also track spotters at http://spotternetwork.org/google.php. I'm listed as "txtail"...when I'm running it. Feel free to track my folly-filled antics in trying to intercept storms this season.

The Spotter Network is a really great concept and use of technology. Spotter reports are instantly plotted on the map complete with all information with the report. In my opinion, it saves time in trying to verbally relay information as well as ensuring accuracy. In short, the reports should be faster.

One bit of constructive criticism I have is the actual page where you submit a report. You can't do it from the field over a cellular connection. There are far too many graphics and a google map to download. It simply takes too long and is prone to being interrupted with intermittent cellular connections...not to mention competing for bandwidth of other data you are downloading like radar. I also noticed that your icon remains on the map even when you stop updating for awhile...as in disconnecting for the night.

I'm hoping that the client interface can be used in the future to enter direction, distance and type of hazard relative to your GPS position in a simple text or XML format. No downloading necessary and a small text based file to upload would be very fast. So, for now, I will be calling in (911 or NWS) or radioing my reports in that rare occasion I would be allowed to do so on a net and then have my report taken seriously.

So, SN is just a cool "toy" right now for me personally. I stress that because it is a GREAT tool for a net controller or a spotter at home with better internet connectivity. I look forward to seeing this product grow and gain more widespread integration in the warning process.