PM GetWeather No Europe?

[oal331]

Hello everyone and Merry Christmas !!!!!

I'm trying to fine tuning my cockpit and i'm working to all small s/w or h/w issues, installing new updates, latest airac etc.

1) So i just saw that PmGetWeather today only works at KJFK and get sta image, but no in Europe are (i tested EDDF, LFPG, LGAV)
I have the latest updated dated 7/2010

I get the log below:
26/12/2010 11:37:14 p wxlat/wxlon 50 9
26/12/2010 11:37:14 p Weather Radar Connecting to host...
26/12/2010 11:37:14 p Weather Radar Attempting to connect....
26/12/2010 11:37:14 p Weather Radar Sent request. Waiting for reply...
26/12/2010 11:37:14 p Weather Radar Done
26/12/2010 11:37:14 p Weather Radar Connecting to host...
26/12/2010 11:37:14 p Weather Radar Attempting to connect....
26/12/2010 11:37:15 p Weather Radar Done
26/12/2010 11:37:15 p Reply: HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found
26/12/2010 11:37:15 p confirmed file format: 0
26/12/2010 11:37:15 p jpgheader 19
26/12/2010 11:37:15 p pagecont 346
26/12/2010 11:37:15 p Saved Sat Image
26/12/2010 11:37:15 p Assigning Backup Image
26/12/2010 11:37:16 p Preparing to Load
26/12/2010 11:37:16 p Short File
26/12/2010 11:37:16 p resimage smaller than 2KB
26/12/2010 11:37:16 p header: 21576 20564
26/12/2010 11:37:16 p header: 0
26/12/2010 11:37:16 p Converting Sat Image
26/12/2010 11:37:16 p Not useable data from WX server

It is a temporary problem, or the sat image's source has changed again and we need Enrico's help ?

2) I saw at releases notes :
"Build 7

- revised version for SA_WXR and changed timing for occasional hanging "

This function is for the old known SA_WXR and works with PM? Does also works with FSX? Does anyone use it ?

Thanks for your help

Eddie

[JWS]

Eddie,

we need help from Enrico on this one. As far as I know the problem seems to be that the NOAA site has gone through some changes whichs renders the url that PM GetWX knows useless. But since other programs (like TOPCAT) are perfectly able to generate European weather from NOAA, it should not be too difficult to change the URL in PM (even if Enrico does not own NOAA).

JWS

[saabpilot]

The only remedy is if we can convince Enrico that the URL must be changed, so send in support emails ! :roll:

All the Best and Happy NewYear from Sweden

Bjorn
www.boeing737sim.se (http://www.boeing737sim.se)

[oal331]

I just sent an email at support.
I will be a good solution to have the url at ini file, so to be easy for us to change it, when needed.

Thanks both for your replies

Eddie

[skyman]

Hi oal331, yes this problem dont depend to PM i think the download sevice is good for all state but in Europe dont work, i speek with Schiratti and confirmed my think!

:( i have query, why dont upgrade new software with Europe ??

PM Staff send me a email "is not our poblem":x:x i dont undestand this reply !! spent 2000 € for pojectmagenta Replies to this is not correct, even the 480 version has many problems but does not answer PM
I am very disappointed with PM among some call the lawyer
:x

[Peter Nielsen]

As you may have noticed there is a new update and also this time a disclaimer from PM
Please Note: Weather Radar images for
Europe and Asia may not be available at
all times. This is out of our control.

Plus a link to nasas global satelity mosaic which is from where PM gets the data, and indeed there it states that they are only allowed to update the Meteosat data every 6 hours.

the question then becomes why PM cannot access the data for Europe directly from the Meteosat homepage, which seems to have all kind of facilitiues to access the data?

http://www.eumetsat.int/Home/Main/DataAccess/index.htm?l=en

Makes one wonder what the new WXR panel from CP Flight will be good for if there is no data to be gained.

[JWS]

Peter,

The fact that it does not update only means that you get the same info during 6 hours, but at least you're getting something (I hope).

Anyway, share this valuable info with PM, maybe they have not seen the richness of Meteosat yet.

JWS

[zanichelli]

i dont think this is a solution to escape to the problem for europa metar, i remember to the PM staff when i have buy for a lot of money all software for my home 737 cockpit in the home page of project magenta is not explane that the software was incomplete or some system whorking good in us.
i hope project magenta resolve this problem like all other problem, this is the correct way for a very expencive software (remember that we buy for full software funcionality)
thancks

[JWS]

As far as I know GetWeather is free, so you did not pay for it. But I agree that it would be nice to have it working like in the old days in Europe as well.

JWS

[oal331]

Enrico replied to me to a previous private email, that "Nasa is not sending european weather data, just metars. "
When asked again if there is another source to get data his reply was: "I am not aware of another one that does it in that format... "

So as PmGetWeather is a free addon, we can't ask him to offer a lot of free work and time for R&D to make it run as in USA.

I also believe that PmGetWeather was a temporary solution to have a weather display in our ND, but it was not displaying our FS weather. Many times the SAT image from PmGetWeather was not align with Vatsim's or Active's Sky weather.

I would be nice to have SAT images, than nothing, but ........ NASA changed mind and left Europe outside coverage area :-(

Have a nice week everybody ;)

[skino]

It would be nice if the format of the pmGetweather data would be known. Then I could even write a small program to Display the Weatherdata from diffrent Sites. I had PM once written a mail and asked how an image can be placed behind the ND like pmGetweather. Unfortunately, no reply received.

[zanichelli]

hello jvs
i now that the program is free,but when i have buy the software is becouse i think in all plugin offer in a web page of PM, i'm not ask for free software i will buy if is necessari. i think is not a excuse that is a free software so no assistence need. take out from web page and is all. Or adjust the software and ask for money, whit the price for full software i dont think 100 euro is a problem. what you think?

[JWS]

I'm just pointing out that the program is not a part of the software you paid for. And I agree that the possibility to adress other sites that do provide the necessary data would be welcome. Whether changing that justifies 100 Euro I don't know, but I have my thoughts.

JWS

[oal331]

It would be nice if the format of the pmGetweather data would be known. Then I could even write a small program to Display the Weatherdata from diffrent Sites. I had PM once written a mail and asked how an image can be placed behind the ND like pmGetweather. Unfortunately, no reply received.

Why you don't try to make this program to convert other SAT sources and make them compatible with NASA's format so PmGetWeather read them as a "fake NASA's server" ?

Otherwise can we analyze the sat-image PmGetWeather saves at NetDir?

Eddie

[skino]

GetWeather sends the current position data of the simulator to a particular URL, downloads the relevant data and formats it into a format suitable PM. To change the URL I had to hack the program, which is not allowed, of course. I have already done experimenting with the weather file, because I wanted to show in ND other data. A forward view, for example, or the WX500 weather radar. Have written a small program that places the WX500-image as a screenshot in the netdir. Unfortunately I can not make it to analyze the format of the GetWeather file. I do not know if it is a picture or calls in any way internal graphics in the ND. Otherwise, the weather ought to have been behind the PDF or EICAS can be displayed.

[eschiratti]

http://www.eumetsat.int/Home/Main/DataAccess/index.htm?l=en

I do not see a programmatic download for a Lat/Lon Range of WXR data on that page? Perhaps they have it as a subscriber product though. May be worth an investigation.

But just to clarify, pmGetweather does two things:

Sat Data from Nasa for the ND (images)
METAR Data from NOAA for the FMC (text)

Those two come from different sites.

Sat Data is inop for Europe for the time being, METAR should work at all times.

SA_WXR was a very good solution for the ND images, but I think it might be discontinued? I did open up the interface, so no hacking is required in any way.

skyman ... I do not think i wrote "this is not our problem"... the problem is that we can't access the sat images, and we do not have out own resources to generate them.

[saabpilot]

Hi Enrico,

Yes, SA_WXR is discontinued, but the author released it as "freeware" in the end, so there are still many users as it is the only good wx radar application available.
Re. METAR in pmGetweather - in Sweden I am still unable to get any METAR in my FMC via the "ACARS" page.
Also it would be nice to have the possibility to "route" the METAR when it is working again to a standard Windows printer. Eg. an ACARS printer in the radiobox.

Best,
Bjorn
www.boeing737sim.se

[eschiratti]

Ok, I can check into printer, but it would have to be connected to pmGetweather?

I tried ESSA, ESSB, ESGG... which ones aren't you getting? Or do you mean with your internet connection you can't get any METAR in Sweden?

I made a modification in pmGetweather which allows you to enter an ICAO code and it shows it within pmGetweather as well.

[saabpilot]

Super Enrico,

It should be eg. a LSK button in the ACARS METAR page labelled PRINT.
When pressed the METAR should then be routed to a standard WIN printer attached to the CDU computer.
I do have such a small printer installed - 80 signs wide, that fit perfectly in one of the radiobox rows. (147 mm wide in total). There are several models available, mostly used for cash registers.

At the moment I am in SE Asia, but when left one month ago I could not get any METAR at all from the CDU ACARS page. The computer is connected to Internet.
I will see again when back in April if the latest build changes anything.

Best,
Bjorn

[pdpo]

Hi all,

actually it would be super if we could enter in the metar page where we want the metar to come from (NOAA, VATSIM, IVAO) and then print it.....
yeaha... another function in the cockpit without the mouse input ...
to saabpilot : can you give some info about those printers? links?

Greetz Peter

example for IVAO : http://wx.ivao.aero/metar.php?id=ebbr (ebbr = ICAO brussels airport)

Greetz Peter

[saabpilot]

The printer I use is a standard WIN printer - Citizen Printer CBM 1000 II used as POS (point of sale) printer in stores.
It can print in portait or landscape mode. Same physical widh of the printer as one of the three B737 "radiobox" rows, approx. 100 mm front height.
Black matte "aircraft" look with only power LED, error LED and a Feed button on the front. USB or Centronics connection to PC.
Probably available second hand from store computer suppliers. That is how I got mine.

http://www.posworld.com/cbsertherpri3.html
http://www.barcodesinc.com/pdf/Citizen/cbm1000.pdf

The bottom part of the printer is only a detachable stand.

Best
Bjorn

[yoss]

Hi Enrico,

Yes, SA_WXR is discontinued, but the author released it as "freeware" in the end, so there are still many users as it is the only good wx radar application available.
Re. METAR in pmGetweather - in Sweden I am still unable to get any METAR in my FMC via the "ACARS" page.
Also it would be nice to have the possibility to "route" the METAR when it is working again to a standard Windows printer. Eg. an ACARS printer in the radiobox.

Best,
Bjorn
www.boeing737sim.se

Hi guys

Where can i find freeware ver of SA_WXR soft , as that not for sell any more?

Thanx in advance for possible replays

Joseph