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Post by chachiman on Aug 26, 2016 13:41:42 GMT -5
Fellow Observers, I have started this month an ALDARS Log at my station that records erroneous ALDARS functions along with the correct remarks that we carry associated with thunderstorms. We are from now on going to leave ALDARS alone and carry the remarks of LTG DSNT in our observations along with SPECIs for VCTS and TS, but we will be calling the tower immediately to give them proper conditions rather than have them rely on ALDARS. We are going to also report proper conditions associated with thunderstorms on all our observations too.
I am going to start having my observers go outside and take video and pictures with their phones and email or text them to me when ALDARS reports crap and also take pictures of the RADAR when it is up. We really should start documenting as much as we can the erroneous ways of ALDARS.
I recommend all of us with storms should be taking and saving video when ALDARS is acting up, so we have proof to show the FAA when it comes time. if they do not want us to use anything via internet that is just fine. I will be able to use our visibility charts to verify directions and distances of cells. They will then have no choice, but have to agree with us that ALDARS is off a lot and not accurate as they claim it is.
We all should bombard ATC with this crap too. Call them when ALDARS reports the wrong stuff and give them the right stuff for aviation safety's sake. Report to ATC that ALDARS is not reporting correctly and to disregard any erroneous remarks.
FAA HQ has made a mess for us with this new memorandum that just came out. We all know that ALDARS has many fallacies and we should expose all of them, so these memorandums don't lessen our level service standards and aviation safety standards.
Oh, and every time we report a TS or in the vicinity and ALDARS does not report anything we should really document that also. That shows the FAA that ALDARS is not functioning AT ALL like it should. It is not very accurate when it isn't carrying anything when there is a storm or even storms around.
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Post by coldairfunnel on Aug 26, 2016 21:22:04 GMT -5
hlsto2....that is amazing! I have a friend that works with you and he has told me more than a few times that you are the most knowledgeable, professional and dedicated weather person he has ever been associated with. I see what he means. Outstanding!!!! You should pat yourself on the back sir. The FAA would never admit that what you do to put out a quality product is admirable. It's just a money issue with them, pure and simple. They have to defend the cost of the ALDARS system at all costs, including safety. Sad but true...
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Post by hlsto2 on Aug 27, 2016 0:53:28 GMT -5
I paid him to say that so I could get a job. I have a job now, so he can stop exaggerating.
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sunny9
Junior Member
Posts: 53
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Post by sunny9 on Aug 27, 2016 6:44:37 GMT -5
WeatherTAP tip:
WeatherTAP range rings are in statute miles, ALDARS operates in nautical miles. So for the most accurate compare between WeatherTAP and ALDARS, set WeatherTAP range rings to 6, 12, and 35 miles.
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Post by skobie on Aug 27, 2016 8:49:09 GMT -5
Great idea Chachiman! We should all be doing that and maybe some are already doing something similar. Ideally, you would think the FAA would care a little more to listen to what the professional observers on site are telling them about the fallacies of ALDARS. Then they could actually send out a useful memo from HQ telling us to document what you're doing at your site, not wasting our time telling us how they loosely and egregiously interpret their own manuals, modified from the FMH-1, to force ALDARS on us and try to show in their own self-promoting way how it can handle thunderstorms all by itself. Bottom line is: if the observer deems ALDARS is inaccurate, it can be turned off and I guess we're still waiting for who to send this erroneous data to since we've been given no direction on that. So the pompous wxmatrix, er Ken Cunningham, can send out as many memos as he wants in that we on site establish what is accurate for our observations, not FAA HQ or ALDARS.
skobie
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Post by chachiman on Aug 29, 2016 6:03:28 GMT -5
We use weatherTAP too. I think it has the best tools to interrogate a cell and also show distances. It also shows very good lag times. I have a policy that we monitor with weatherTAP when storms or storm systems are expected.
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Post by chachiman on Aug 29, 2016 6:08:19 GMT -5
ALDARS reported information along with our observed information will show all and everyone that ALDARS is totally contradictory to what we carry and will document the inaccuracy of ALDARS to the FAA and NWS. I think it is a brilliant idea that the FAA came up with this memorandum. This will show them that they are wrong when they claim this sensor is accurate according to the NWS and their OPS techs.
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Post by coldlover on Aug 29, 2016 9:19:55 GMT -5
Great idea Chachiman! We should all be doing that and maybe some are already doing something similar. Ideally, you would think the FAA would care a little more to listen to what the professional observers on site are telling them about the fallacies of ALDARS. Then they could actually send out a useful memo from HQ telling us to document what you're doing at your site, not wasting our time telling us how they loosely and egregiously interpret their own manuals, modified from the FMH-1, to force ALDARS on us and try to show in their own self-promoting way how it can handle thunderstorms all by itself. Bottom line is: if the observer deems ALDARS is inaccurate, it can be turned off and I guess we're still waiting for who to send this erroneous data to since we've been given no direction on that. So the pompous wxmatrix, er Ken Cunningham, can send out as many memos as he wants in that we on site establish what is accurate for our observations, not FAA HQ or ALDARS. skobie Love this--- especially the last sentence!!!
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Post by skobie on Aug 29, 2016 11:02:23 GMT -5
Chachiman, you might be on to something. If every site leaves the bullshit remarks from ALDARS in their obs, it will look like total shit and confuse the heck out of everybody who uses the data, and everyone will see just what a contradiction (amongst other things like the ineptitude of FAA HQ) it is to leave ALDARS on at all times and pretty much let it report anything it wants (according to the "memo"). By the way chachi, could you post, PM, or email me the form you are using to report erroneous ALDARS data?
skobie
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Post by weatherwatcher on Aug 29, 2016 11:12:11 GMT -5
I agree totally. That is what we will be doing. I would like the "ALDARS QC" form as well. I believe we all need to have a uniform form to record all of this b.s.
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Post by coldlover on Oct 3, 2016 1:57:08 GMT -5
Maybe Ken can "investigate" the ALDARS at Key West? LTG is impossible with a CLR sky and most certainly a thunderstorm within 5-10 miles would have clouds with it??? PLease FAA/NWS-- stop talking about how good "ASOS" and "ALDARS" are "designed" to be and limiting CWO's in what we report when you know darn well a CWO is much more meteorologically sound in reporting the weather then "AUTO" or "Lawrs". Hundreds of the following could be pasted here monthly.
KEYW 030521Z AUTO 05007KT 10SM VCTS CLR 27/26 A2989 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW RAE0458 P0000 T02670256 $
KEYW 030353Z AUTO 04007KT 10SM CLR 27/26 A2991 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N AND SW RAB03E20 SLP126 P0018 T02720261 $ KEYW 030345Z AUTO 03005KT 10SM CLR 27/26 A2990 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N AND NE AND SW RAB03E20 P0018 T02720261 $
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Post by skobie on Oct 3, 2016 7:09:49 GMT -5
Coldlover, there certainly are plenty of these daily, but I believe Key West is a Navy site under a Base Operating Service (BOS) contract. Still civilian observers, but also probably shut down on the mid shift.
skobie
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Post by hlsto2 on Oct 3, 2016 8:30:38 GMT -5
NQX (boca chica) is the navy site. EYW is the lawrs at the key west airport. the SKY is rarely CLR in that area. of course ASOS only sees clouds directly overhead...so in AUTO mode CLR is gonna happen. but when the lawrs observer is signed on, it appears they rarely, if ever, augment the sky. I was stationed at EYW for two years (NWS) and the sky was always about SCT020...24/7...from early spring thru late fall.
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Post by hlsto2 on Oct 3, 2016 8:35:33 GMT -5
I rest my case. these two sites are within 5 miles of each other.
Data at: 1332 UTC 03 Oct 2016 KEYW 031253Z 08008KT 10SM CLR 28/26 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP103 T02830261 KEYW 031153Z 06006KT 10SM CLR 27/26 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP104 70040 T02720256 10278 20267 50002
KNQX 031253Z 09008KT 10SM FEW023 SCT180 BKN220 28/24 A2983 RMK AO2 SLP099 T2 SET T02780239 $ KNQX 031153Z 06005KT 10SM FEW023 FEW140 BKN220 27/24 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP102 TCU DSNT E T2 SET 60000 70036 T02720244 10272 20267 $
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Post by skobie on Oct 3, 2016 8:47:01 GMT -5
Very good hlsto2. Thanks for clarifying that.
skobie
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