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19990607: backup selector site for NIDS floater (cont.)

>From: Unidata User Support
>Organization: College of DuPage
>Keywords: 199906011403.IAA17808 NIDS floater selections

Paul,

>We got back very late Sunday...and would like to work on this Tuesday AM.

OK.

>I think we can work it with weather.cod.edu as the machine...Dana, Matt
>Powers, Gilbert, myself and my student aide would be able to access it
>most anytime.

OK, this sounds good.

>A few questions remain...
>
>Can the site be accessed via lynx at the WSI homepage? 

I'm sorry, but I don't know the answer to this.

>Would it be more feasible if we got one site and Millersville had control
>of the other two? 

No.  What we are looking for is coverage helps to fill in for those
periods when Millersville personnel are not guaranteed to be manning
their weather lab.  During those periods all three floaters' positions
will need to be selected/adjusted/looked after.

>Can one site be changed frequently to better capture events in between two
>sites?

Our experience has shown that the length of time a floater is valid
(i.e. selected) is important since users want to be able to look at
loops of the evolution of events.  If the site changes too quickly, then
there won't be many images from which to create loops.  The maximum
frequency of change will have to be one of those things that has to
be determined by the meteorological conditions at hand.

>How many times in the middle of the night do you expect sites changed? I
>cannot guarantee availibility 24-7...although for many situations...we
>would set the sites well into the evenings.

Nobody expects 24x7 coverage, or, at least, then shouldn't.  Nothing in
the Unidata program has ever been presented as being operational; this
is no exception.  Your augmenting the coverage already provided by
Millersville should do nothing but enhance the service to the entire
community.  The broader the coverage, the greater the service.
However, users simply have to be reasonable:  nobody works 24 hours a
day.

>How many sties make requests for these sites?

Unfortunately, very few.  For a long time we thought that this was due
to apathy.  We unexpectedly found that a number of sites use the
floaters and have been quite happy with their management.  Providing
coverage of interesting events during those times when the folks at
Millersville can't should make users even happier.

>there should be good possibilities for this adaptation and we look
>forward to resolving this issue. perhaps we could set up a chat room or
>conference call to do this effectively...or we could just exchange e-mail
>if you like this best.

It almost looks like part of your email got lost here.  I am not sure
what "adaptation" you are talking about, nor of what issue you look
forward to resolving (other than giving better floater selection
coverage).  Am I missing something here?

>Thanks for your support.

You are certainly welcome.  I think that your helping out will serve to
benefit the Unidata community as a whole, and that is always our primary
objective.

Tom