DOES ANYONE USE STORM PREDATOR SOFTWARE??

[upweather]

Just wondering if anyone uses this and what their thoughts are on it.

[Scalphunter]

 Tried the  demo  and found it was totally useless for this area of the country  SE Alaska.


Maybe works for the lower 48 ok.

John

[W Thomas]

I tried the demo version and while it was fairly good at what it does it lacked a few features I really wanted.
I have stuck with GR software since that point and have been well satisfied.

Just my $.02 worth....minus federal, state, and local excise taxes where applicable

[Downlinerz2]

   I agree with the previous comments and add this.  The one thing that killed it for me was the way it zoomed.  It didn't work well and it was clumsy. There were one or two features I did like but they did not outweigh the zoom problem.  I seem to remember that tracking was a bit more complicated than it needed to be.  I too went with the GRL3.

[gfmucci]

I've been using the trial version in central Florida for 4 days now.  I initially "thought" I had a problem with the zoom feature.  But I got a quick reply from their tech support that taught me I didn't really have a problem.  I must have clicked on the zoom a couple times too many without bring the square box over the radar image and I got multiple images of itself.  But just right clicking and dragging the zoom over the radar image is all I needed to do to clear things up and get the zoom I wanted.  The tracking feature takes some practice as the instructions note.  For a weak, diffuse frontal area your tracking may be problematic.  With a strong cell or front with constant movement, I think it would work pretty well.  And it really is simple to use.  Three clicks posting three markers on the radar, click "track" and it's done.

The program is a "freebie" (sells for $39.99 - see http://www.stormpredator.com/) on the Weather Shop site with the purchase of any Davis weather station here http://www.weathershop.com/davis_vvue.htm  The GR is roughly twice the price.

I would like the radar images to have higher resolution, such as on The Weather Channel's Interactive Weather Map here http://www.weather.com/weather/map/interactive/?from=wxcenter_news  But it appears the resolution on both GR and the SP are the same - both constrained by the resolution from their sources.  I do like the "magnify" feature of the SP because you can create a separate magnified screen and still see the overall radar image.

I would also like the  base maps to have higher resolution and more information, like the names of more towns.  Without adding your own base map, the base map of the SP has more information than the maps the comes with the GR.  The SP help site advises:

"The CD ROM version of SP3 has more map content and better map quality than the download version of SP3. This is because the terrain base maps have been saved using a higher JPEG compression ratio to keep the download size to a manageable level. The CD ROM contains basemaps with the best quality (minimal JPEG compression) and also contains different color schemes for the base maps. Additional art and utilities also exist on the CD ROM."

I downloaded a trial of the GR.  From a 30 minute comparison between the two programs, it appears the SP does at least 90% of what the GR does.  The interface of the SP is not the typical windows format with the drop down menus at the top, but it is quite intuitive with a short learning curve.

What features of the GR do you prefer?  

[Downlinerz2]

     I chose the GRL3 over Storm Predator first because I liked the way GRL3 zoomed.  I just use the wheel on my mouse and it zooms in.  Second, tracking was easier.  You put a check in the "storm track" box and you get cell ID's and a track that shows 15 min intervals.  I never got as far as adding different things to SP and don't even know if you can.  But you can add all sorts of things to the
GRL3 like; lightning, CWOP and METAR stations; Surface fronts; NASCAR tracks;
watch boxes; Earthquakes; and, Hurricane tracking and Hurricane Hunter info. There is a ton more. You can also pick and choose from a large number of color table for the reflectivities, echo tops, storm totals, and more.  I think you get my drift (no pun as the snow falls and wind blows outside).
    I am very happy with my GRL3.  This is all just my opinion and is based on my likes and on many suggestions from the crew here on this awesome forum.  good luck with your decision.

[Scalphunter]

     the big thing for any of these program is you have to have an radar site that is close to you. For my location either one of them is totally useless.



  John

[Cienega32]

How close?

I'm 50 miles +/- from 2 different sources. Close enough?

[Scalphunter]

your lucky my site are 250, 450 and 640 miles nothing in range. to be of even the sligths use.

[tweatherman]

Do not buy this software Grlevel products are superior to this.

Tim

[Bunty]

But gfmucci says SP does 90% of what Grlevel does.  And it costs less.

[gfmucci]

Try them both for free and decide.  Each offers a free 20-30 day trial.  Downloads are quick and playing with both on the same weather system is fun.   I didn't do a "thorough" comparison, and everyone has their personal preferences for what they need and the interface they feel most comfortable with - and the amount of money they want to spend ($40 vs. $80).

The feature set between the two of them appear to be definitely different.  The Predator does some things the GR doesn't do and vice versa.  The GR displays multiple radar products in instantly clickable live windows, whereas the Predator requires a reload of each product in the fixed window.  The Predator has a "live" radar screen where you can right click and get rainfall rates and other information at any click point on the radar screen.  I did not notice that capability in the GR.

[gfmucci]

Alaska people.  Are you not within 130 miles or so of one of these locations? There appears to be seven radar sites in Alaska.

[Scalphunter]

That Rigth 7 sites in an state that 1/5 the size of US.   Not everyone lives in the high density area where they have  an site. In fact talking with the NWS people they say if it's not for Pirep they wouldn't have good  reports of some of the high air traffic. The closes to me is 250 miles northwest of me. And its at the base of several 7 -8000 foot mountains. Took some brains to do that on  but it is at sea level. Seening how  the weather comes from the southeast what shows up on it already gone by. EC got one 450 miles to the east and the next one to the south is down around Bellingham Wash. When it comes to stuff up here  we are like an flea on the dog tail . It the end of the line.



 John

[gfmucci]

Fascinating.  I'll bet you don't have fibre optics communications lines, a Walmart or even an Interstate next door.

Yours is the very best application of a great personal weather station. You really need it.  At least the rest of us have access to a radar station; our own weather stations are often redundant.   Too bad you don't have your own radar.  Or do you?

[Scalphunter]

Well got walmart, small  one, only way out of where we are is either by ferry, fishing boat or air. Their is  about 40 miles of roadway on the island. They had plans of linking us to mainland but the greenies and Clinton took care of that. Roadless  act......About 3/4 of te state is off any road system except in winter then rivers become our roads.  Unless some foolish acts to preverse every wildness area gets repealed thir really no hope of ever seening roads and reason shipping of commodies. Gas in Nome around 6 bucks an gallon and heating oil in some villages is 12 bucks an gallon due to having to be flowing in. Ever ppay 4 dollar for an 2 oz can of evaporate cream. I have.


John