FS METEO can someone explain....

[Guest]

I know of all the features FS Meteo provides such as the whole planning and destination weather info etc. also the constant update of weather from internet for up to the minute real time weather. None of these funstions really intrest me, ofcourse if I had the program I would use them "why not" :-), they are sure all good and cool features.............however what I would like to know from someone in plain english is what will I see different "visually" as to compare to original FS own weather program, or perhaps the weather that is given by FSMeteo is more acurate while MSFS-own weahter is from crappy source "I'd buy that :-lol" while FSMetoe is from a good source and if it is from good source then from where?Again the most I would like to know is what will I see different visually lets say FSOwn weather gives me one cloud layer and FSMeteo will give me more acurate covarage info + 3 cloud layers (if present) you know what I mean some info of that sort...For example I was landing in KLAX (before my PCFroze :-roll) and every now and then the weather was becoming clear and then filling up with overcast would something like this be fixed in FSMeteo???So the weather will stay more steady changes?It says on the authors page "Cloud Transitions" - what does this mean? How does it appear?Thanks so much for any infoAndy

[Guest]

I am new to FSMeteo and had the same questions you did just last week! Let me explain as well as I can.The transitions are not abrupt as with Flight Sim's real weather. For example say you were flying from Los angeles to seattle and there were no other weather stations between them, Flight sim would use your global weather. If you did not pre-set it. It would be clear, unlimited visibility, no wind, nothing. FSmeteo would fill this area with a transition between Los Angeles and Seattle's weather. So if you were flying in overcast weather it wouldn't (BOOM) go clear instantly. It works flawlessly.As for weather sources, I believe surface observations are the same, but FSmeteo uses them more efficiently including some cumulus clouds buried in the overcast like I had last night.As for your approach to LAX. FSMETEO will constantly update the weather at your destination to be sure the weather was accurate when you arrived.Cas

[Guest]

Cas, Thank You for your responce. The reason I was asking is cuz I was looking to buy it, so I think it does what's most important as the no BOOM into clear all of the sudden.ThanksAndy

[Guest]

Nahh due to your response Cas I went out and bought it... well so if I do not like it I will hold you personally responsible :-lolof course I am joking :-lolYou should get the commission :-)I think I'll like it well everybody who has it loves it so it's gotta be good!One more thing that puzzles me is I heard that some people are taken away the right of using it when they are found by the "author" (I understand) to be using it on more then one computer... well if the author has the ability to take away the right to use his product, is he in control of the server that send weather? What if he goes nuts and take away rights from everybody :-)... well maybe he won't I hope he will send me all the info in readme's etc.Again thanks for your info CasAndyPS: I have no problem with author restrictions to use one copy per computer nor do I think of giving illegal copies of the program to anyone agains the wishes of the copywritter just was asking to know what is the story about it.

[Geofa 108]

One thing-pilot weather (duats) is updated usually once and hour. I don't think the metars that fsmeteo uses are updated any more frequently. Therefore, you could have fsmeteo update it every minute-but the weather will be the same-that is until the minute that it changes on the hour....Correct me if I am wrong....http://members.telocity.com/~geof43/Geofdog2.gif

[Guest]

Where does it get it's Metar (data) file from anyways.... NOAA?I don't care about how offten it gets it really just want to download it once and use it... good point though the info seems to claim that it will always get the "up to date weather" hmm... well you can always say "up to date (minute whatever) weather posted (avaiable to it)"?NOAA would prabobally post it everything as soon as something changes I guess.... or once an hr otherwise...Andy

[Guest]

Hi Geof,While you are correct on the updating of METARs, having FSMeteo update at something less than an hour provides more realistic weather beause you will have the wx for the closest reporting station to your position at all times during the flight. This is very noticable on long x-country or airline flights.Mark

[Geofa 108]

That is correct-but I think many are under the conception that it updates at the time you specify such as every 5 minutes-it will only update at that point if the hourly or whenever the update has changed.I also don't know the timeline or accuracy of metar reports vs. duats which I believe Jeppeson/MS feeds off of-the duats are updated every hour... http://members.telocity.com/~geof43/Geofdog2.gif

[Peter Clark 21]

Perhaps it would be more descriptive to say that if you are not moving, in the one spot of ground you are parked at the weather will not change more frequently than once per hour (:55 if memory serves), which is the update interval of the METARS, but if you are in flight and go far enough (into the next metar's coverage zone), the FS weather will be updated every to be whatever the weather in your now current location is?Take care!P

[Guest]

Yeah but! ;-) It will take the weather from the closest reporting station every 6 minutes, which makes a big difference in the accuracy of your weather.

[Guest]

The reason it (FSMeteo) is updating every 6 minutes is not because the weather is changing in that 6 min. but because FSMeteo is not downloading the entire worlds weather, only the radius you specify. This way the weather download and updates are faster. It slows down when you increase the desired radius for FSFlightmax.Cas

[Guest]

check out the last screenshot I posted about "Me thinks I need to go right"Cas

[Geofa 108]

If you fly longer than 1 hour!This of course could also be accomplished by clicking download weather in fs about 5 minutes after each hour (the duats I beleive are updated 5 minutes before each hour or so). but who wants to click the mouse. ;) (I also own fsmeteo)http://members.telocity.com/~geof43/Geofdog2.gif

[Geofa 108]

Yes-but that weather will be no different than a reporting station in fs's real download unless the weather report has changed-which only happens once an hour!http://members.telocity.com/~geof43/Geofdog2.gif

[Guest]

Your absolutely right! The difference is, FSmeteo will get it only when you need it.