Author Topic: TOA setup questions  (Read 4916 times)

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Offline DaleReid

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TOA setup questions
« on: June 11, 2017, 12:27:20 PM »
I've been waiting for a storm to move through to see how the TOA service works.
I must admit, that the configuration sort of sucks, or I do since I can't figure it out.

I have the alarm giving me nothing, then see that despite me being at about 44 lat and -91 long, the center is set to 10 km about a point at 35 lat and 85 long or some such.

I've clicked on and tried to read the FAQ on how to reset that (despite the heading being correct for the box as my home town) and cannot find anyway to correct those numbers.  I see that in the demo pages that several warning regions can be set, but I have hovered over all the page and cannot find any way to configure another region.

Anyone know how to do that?


Also, when I download the file to trigger Google Earth Pro, it circles the globe and zooms in, and once over my location, it sits there, especially if I zoom in closer.  While Blitz shows plenty of nearby strikes, Google just smiles and does nothing.  I can't find a force refresh to make it show either real time strikes or to click to refresh.

Any help on this one?
Thanks guys.
Dale
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Offline WeatherHost

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Re: TOA setup questions
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2017, 02:08:13 PM »
That's all part of the restricted access we get as hosts.  You ONLY see strikes in the 10K alarm zone, or at least that's all I see.  There is no configuration access either to my knowledge.  You have to contact their Tech Support to reset the coordinates.  They had mine set to 0 Lat, 0 Long ...  way out in the central Pacific.




Offline DaleReid

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Re: TOA setup questions
« Reply #2 on: June 11, 2017, 02:48:26 PM »
OK, I'll call Matt or Sandy about the alarm zone reset.  I thought they'd just have some way to let us do it, but if they want to go to the trouble, that's fine with me.

Oh, can you see auto update of strikes on the map when a storm is in progress or do you have to close and reopen to get it to replot?

Thanks again. Dale
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Offline WeatherHost

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Re: TOA setup questions
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2017, 03:09:52 PM »
I just sent an email to the support address and got a response in a couple of hours (weekdays).

The GE display is 'live' and updates itself as strikes appear.  I found it to be quite a resource hog though (GE Pro in general) so I don't keep it open unless I need to see something.


Offline hankster

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Re: TOA setup questions
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2017, 05:30:33 PM »
I don't know about anyone else but I can zoom out and view strikes anywhere in the world. Your location should be set automatically since the system that is installed has a GPS receiver. The alarm zone is around your location.  You can't change the location on purpose.

Offline DaleReid

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Re: TOA setup questions
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2017, 05:43:28 PM »
Hankster:
I have the Google Maps Pro start out with a world view over Europe an then the globe rotates, and a zoom starts, ending up right over mylocation.

However, the Alert area is a part of a continent away.  That's the part that needs resetting.  Your's was spot on when you fired it up?
Dale
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Offline WeatherHost

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Re: TOA setup questions
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2017, 05:48:59 PM »
Yeah, I had to go look again.  It's been a while since I had it open.  I can see strikes outside my area.  I guess I just never looked outside here.

As long as you have strikes.kml showing in your temporary places, you should be seeing something.


Offline hankster

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Re: TOA setup questions
« Reply #7 on: June 11, 2017, 08:06:37 PM »
However, the Alert area is a part of a continent away.  That's the part that needs resetting.  Your's was spot on when you fired it up?
Dale

Ah, understand now. Yes mine was setup correctly. I'm surprised that the Alert area isn't created automatically from the GPS signal.

Offline DaleReid

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Re: TOA setup questions
« Reply #8 on: June 11, 2017, 08:36:11 PM »
 Yes, that was the problem.  I'll email later to see if they can reset it correctly.

I always was able to move around by zooming out and then back in again.  That is a very nice feature, and I'm glad they allow us to do it.

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Offline n2qew

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Re: TOA setup questions
« Reply #9 on: June 13, 2017, 12:39:33 AM »
I don't know about anyone else but I can zoom out and view strikes anywhere in the world. Your location should be set automatically since the system that is installed has a GPS receiver. The alarm zone is around your location.  You can't change the location on purpose.

The location is NOT set by the GPS. It's what they put in their system when you did the paperwork. I got access to the GE stuff prior to install because they had some delays on their end. It is pretty much centered on my location, but not really. It's close to my address, but not what the GPS gives. My yard's big enough that I can discern the difference between backyard where the GPS is, and the street.

On another note, the antenna was pretty much in pieces when I got it. They didn't use pvc cement to assemble it. I did.

And, yes I know the third leg of the mount is up instead of down. Not much weight to it, and there's an electrical panel on the other side of the wall where it would end up if it were down. Bottom of stroke antenna is 15 feet above ground and clears peak of roof.

They didn't say to - or not to - do it, but stroke and GPS coax goes to ground block bonded to local ground - 20 foot rod into water table, and shed electrical ground before going to their receiver. Center conductor to shield for stroke antenna has about 80 mv of 60 hz (clean sine) on it - probably from the 23 Kv primary out front, along with the assortment of HF, AM, and atmospherics on it, so pretty clean.
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« Last Edit: June 13, 2017, 12:41:44 AM by n2qew »

Offline DaculaWeather

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Re: TOA setup questions
« Reply #10 on: September 28, 2017, 08:37:58 AM »
Yes, I see strikes anywhere with my TOA.

Offline DaculaWeather

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Re: TOA setup questions
« Reply #11 on: September 28, 2017, 08:44:03 AM »
I kept my install simple... let's try this again...

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« Last Edit: September 28, 2017, 08:51:06 AM by DaculaWeather »