WxMap now supports SWOMCD - Mesoscale Discussion

The next beta of Weather Message will have the ability to plot the SWOMCD - Mesoscale Discussion on WxMap.

Map Refreshes

When the Map requests a refresh, the server sends the data back in alphabetical order. This was simply the result of using the directory order. I have changed the routine to sort the list by creation date so that it will be sent back in the order that is was received.

This corrects an issue where SVS products were sent back before their corresponding TOR products. I still have some work to do to optimize the routine changes.

Status

I have completed the changes to add basic text to speech operation in the message client. I hope to add this to capability to the map. I will try to get an update out over the weekend.

I have some work to do in WxMap and WxLoader to address an issue with common vtec event tracking numbers. I am working with a user that identified a problem.

Work is continuing on the web based user weather alert sign up application. I now have a basic web frame working developed. I am now ready to start working on the details for the sign up application.

Text to Speech

I have gotten interested in Text to Speech after reviewing a sample application provided by Microsoft. The Sam voice that is installed with XP is very poor. You can try out the voice by going to the control panel and clicking on Speech.

Microsoft released two additional voices that are much better. You can download them from this link http://www.text-speech.com/voices/Sp5TTIntXP.msi After they are installed, you will find Mike and Mary available in the speech control panel. These two are much better than the default SAM voice.

I understand that Vista has a new speech voice named Anna. I tried her on one of the office computers and she sounds pretty good.

There are several commercial TTS (text to speech) engine providers. Cepstral has good voices. You can demo them at http://www.cepstral.com/demos/ Their voices are around $30.00.

Nextup has demos of the AT&T voices at http://www.nextup.com/attnv.html The AT&T voices cost $35.00.

I am now working on adding TTS support in the Message Client and will then move to the map. Instead of having dedicated wave files, it would be nice if it could simplay say "A tornado warning as been issued for Tallapoosa County until 10:30 PM". The map would have the bonus to saying expiration messages.

It would also be very simple to add the capability to read a message in the text window. I was playing with this earlier tonight and it works well using the Mike voice. I was surprised how well it could say some county names.

Weather Message 3.4 Beta 3

Weather Message 3.4 Beta 3 has been posted to the web. This update contains a number of changes to WxLoader. It now features independent tabs for AWIPS products and VTEC products. It also has the ability to select individual counties for a task.

This release will also attempt to load the Microsoft.Net Framework version 3.5. Although the 3.5 framework is not required at this time, there may be some features in the next beta that require the 3.5 framework. I thought I would go ahead and add that requirement in this beta to see if there are any problems getting it installed.

The 3.5 framework contains an number of enhancements that improve the performance of 2.0 framework programs. I do recommend that it be installed, regardless of the program requirements.

Red Book Graphics

I have been working on a red book graphic decoder. Here is an example of the convection outlook. It has a long way to go - plotting this on a map will be a challenge.

Goes Image Decoder

I added the ability to decode goes images in WxPort some time back. I have been playing with overlaying the images with the state outlines. Here is an example showing my progress.


A lot of work remains before this can go into production.

A new webserver is installed

I have spent the last two days installing a new webserver for my office. This server hosts the Weather Message website. The new server is a Dell Power Edge 2900 with two 3.0 ghz Xeon quad core processors and 4GB of memory. It has two 160GB drives mirrored, two 500GB drives mirrored and one 1000GB drive.

This machine is something to behold. This is the second 2900 that we have purchased. It is running a number of web applications along with Weather Message Server. Horsepower should not be a problem now.

I am still migrating some of the applications, so that has taken up alot of my time. This configuration should last a number of years. (I suspect we will need another T1 before this machine is underpowered.)

Group2Call Instructions Posted

I have updated the Group2Call instruction document. This document shows the steps needed to use the Group2Call Email to Voice broadcast service. You will find the document at http://www.wxmesg.com/documents/group2call.pdf

They offer several services and plans. You also have the option to use their free service that is supported by ads.

Werner Labs - EMWIN Receivers

Werner Labs is now shipping the next generation EMWIN receivers. I have posted their contact information on the Weather Message website. You will find them at http://www.wernerlabsinc.com

They have a nice information sheet about EMWIN and their receiver. I posted it at http://www.wxmesg.com/documents/WernerPamphlet.pdf

I have already exchanged emails with one of their users that is using Weather Message.

Email Subject Override

I have completed the changes necessary to allow users to override the default subject line in emails and faxes. This feature will be useful for those that are using the ad support group2call email service. Group2Call email service requires that the email subject line contain commands that direct the Group2Call service.

If you are not using Group2Call, you can use it to add a better subject line. Something like "Attention: $Subject$". The program will place the word attention followed by the original product description on the subject line.

I am testing this feature now. It will be available in the next beta release.

WxMap - Non-Vtec products

WxMap now has full support for Non-Vtec products. You can setup non-vtec products under other closes and the description will be displayed in the product grid. The description will also be used in the legend if the item is selected to be shown in the legend.

These changes also allow the "hover over" county function to display the product description instead of just the awips identifier. This will make event identification easier for users that are not weather experts.

Summer happenings

This has really been one busy and exciting summer for me. I live in the rural area of Tallapoosa County, Alabama. Because of that I have had well water for most of my life. A recent water expansion project by the local water authority brought "city" water by my home. I am now glad to say that I have "city" water.

For those of you that have never had to deal with a water well - be grateful. My well was 205 feet deep and had big issues with iron content. Everything here at my house has been stained red since I built the house. I can say that the pump would always stop at the time that you needed it the most. When that happened, pulling out 205 feet of pipe was a task to say the least.

To add to the excitment, my youngest sister was pregnant with twins. The babies showed up this past Monday 15 weeks early. At the moment Jacob and Cody are doing ok at UAB "Childrens Hospital". One was 1 pound 9 ounces and the other 1 pound and 12 ounces. Please pray for my new nephews. My sister had been in the hospital for two weeks prior confined to the bed. UAB is about a two hours drive from here, so will be supporting the gas companies for the next several months.

With all of the above and the time needed to keep up with the grass and some bushhogging, I have been busy. I still have a number of changes in the works. More good things will follow.

WxPDA - SM (Smart Phone Edition)

I am now testing a version of WxPDA for the Smart Phone. This has taken some effort since the Smart Phone does not have a touch screen. All of the options have to be made into menus or something that can be selected with the up/down, left/right, and enter keys.



More to follow as testing progresses.

Getting your time settings

I still get a couple of emails from users regarding time issues when we transition our clocks for daylight savings. Users continue to run into problems with the changes to the starting and stopping dates for daylight savings time. The following VB script has been very helpful in resolving issues. I found this script on the Internet.

On Error Resume Next
strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _ &
"{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")

Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery("Select * from Win32_TimeZone")
For Each objItem in colItems
Wscript.Echo "Bias: " & objItem.Bias
Wscript.Echo "Caption: " & objItem.Caption
Wscript.Echo "Daylight Bias: " &
objItem.DaylightBias
Wscript.Echo "Daylight Day: " &
objItem.DaylightDay
Wscript.Echo "Daylight Day of Week: " &
objItem.DaylightDayOfWeek
Wscript.Echo "Daylight Hour: " &
objItem.DaylightHour
Wscript.Echo "Daylight Millisecond: " &
objItem.DaylightMillisecond
Wscript.Echo "Daylight Minute: " &
objItem.DaylightMinute
Wscript.Echo "Daylight Month: " &
objItem.DaylightMonth
Wscript.Echo "Daylight Name: " &
objItem.DaylightName
Wscript.Echo "Daylight Second:
" & objItem.DaylightSecond
Wscript.Echo "Daylight Year: " &
objItem.DaylightYear
Wscript.Echo "Description: " &
objItem.Description
Wscript.Echo "Setting ID: " &
objItem.SettingID
Wscript.Echo "Standard Bias: " &
objItem.StandardBias
Wscript.Echo "Standard Day: " &
objItem.StandardDay
Wscript.Echo "Standard Day of Week: " &
objItem.StandardDayOfWeek
Wscript.Echo "Standard Hour: " &
objItem.StandardHour
Wscript.Echo "Standard Millisecond: " &
objItem.StandardMillisecond
Wscript.Echo "Standard Minute: " &
objItem.StandardMinute
Wscript.Echo "Standard Month: " &
objItem.StandardMonth
Wscript.Echo "Standard Name: " &
objItem.StandardName
Wscript.Echo "Standard Second: " &
objItem.StandardSecond
Wscript.Echo "Standard Year: " &
objItem.StandardYear
Wscript.EchoNext

You can save this to time.vbs and run it on your computer with the command "cscript time.vbs"

Queuing Sounds

A user recently asked about sounds interrupting the currently playing sound. That does occur in the Message and Map clients. If the play once option is selected, the program may start a second sound before the first one has completed. This is due to the fact that the program does not know when the first sound completes.

I will look into adding an option to queue the sounds in the order that they are generated.

Weather Message 3.3 Refreshed

I have refreshed the Weather Message 3.3 public release with a revised WxMap. A user identified a problem in WxMap that caused it to crash. WxMap would report an object not set error if the Refresh Map option was clicked when the zone map had not been loaded/installed.

By default, the zone map is not installed. Because of this, it was necessary to correct the public 3.3 release.

Weather Message 3.3 Released

I have spent most of the afternoon getting 3.3 ready and posted on the website. I will start looking at changes for version 3.4 later in the week.

HTC 6800 Smart Phone

The company that I work for during the day has provided me with a HTC 6800 Smart Phone. This PDA / Phone has windows mobile 6 installed. I have been using the WxPda application to monitor the weather.

My plan has unlimited internet access so this will allow me to experiment with additional weather related applications. (I sure would like a program to download radar to the pda)

Version 3.3 Status

I think I am about ready to release version 3.3. I will try to post the last beta this week. I have been fixing some issues in the retransmission software and that has held up this beta.