ActiveSky wxRE slow to activate

[Guest]

I'm using ActiveSky wxRE v1.87 and while I'm generally happy with the results (much better than the default FS2002 weather download), getting ActiveSky wxRE to download and implement the weather always takes some coaxing on my part. Often times I'm spending 10 to 15 minutes trying to get ActiveSky to implement the weather into FS2002 because ActiveSky typically hangs for minutes at a time on "Cloud layer conflict...", meanwhile no weather is being loaded into FS2002. My usual remedy is to shut down and then restart ActiveSky, with better results the next time around, though sometimes I'm obliged to do this more than once, and ActiveSky can be a stubborn program to shut down if it's in the middle of a download (which it often is). Sometimes if I'm in a hurry, I'll just shut down ActiveSky and revert to FS2002's default weather download (which only takes just a matter of seconds).I'm running ActiveSky wxRE via a reliable broadband cable connection. Any way to speed things up?Thanks.

[JSkorna 137]

A cloud layer conflict indicates a METAR condition that ActiveSky cannot process. How many times do you get that message? Is it at a particular airport or anywhere? Give us more details and I'll be happy to look into it.Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Support

[Guest]

Hi Jim,Thank you for your reply. Yesterday I was flying from KEVV to KCGX. Next time I have trouble I'll pass details on to you. Thanks again!

[Guest]

Hi Jim,I was just using ActiveSky at 10:00 a.m. CDT this morning at Chicago Meigs. Below is the first sequence of ActiveSky screens I went through. After 5 minutes of waiting, I shut down and restarted ActiveSky, and it successfully input weather into FS2002. This is typical.http://www.arcadiastreet.com/sparrowhawk/i..._Aloft_Data.jpg http://www.arcadiastreet.com/sparrowhawk/i...er_Conflict.jpg http://www.arcadiastreet.com/sparrowhawk/i...Downloading.jpgFYI, here are some of my system settings:- FSUIPC 2.974- Other external programs running: FS2002 Reliability Factor 1.4- Internal FS2002 modules: LAGO Scenery & Soundscapehttp://www.arcadiastreet.com/sparrowhawk/i...Sky_Options.jpgP4 2.0 GHz 512MB PC800 RDRAM,810064MB DDR NVIDIA GeForce3 TI 500 Grapics CardVideo Driver: NVIDIA Detonator for XP v4.0.7.219 inch Samsung SyncMaster 955DF MonitorSound Blaster Live! ValueWindows XP Home SP-1Thanks again for your great support!

[JSkorna 137]

Walt,Let's take your screens one at a time and I'll offer my insights.#1. There was no winds data or the winds server was slow. This was your initial load so AS needs both valid METAR data and winds data to download. More on the reason later on.#2. Same as on another day. The METAR has cloud layer data that AS couldn't deal with.#3. While downloading a set of data of any sort, you cannot refresh. This is the way the program is currently written.#4. Your setting all look good to me!!Now back to why I think this is happening. I think the key in this is the fact that it happened at Meigs. I believe the weather reporting station was shut down soon after the airport was. I got a METAR to download, but it was dated from the 9th and there was no TAF report. I would suggest another airport for now to see what happens.Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Support

[Guest lou ross]

I have the same prob on a regular basis, most of my flights in the US. I have the cloud transitiond at 10. An old problem has popped back up, but I've made no changes. On final, I'm told to enter downwind to land on the opposte runway. I have the "force" at 90nm. lr.

[Guest]

Hi Jim,The problem's been consistent all across the eastern US for all this month, however lately ActiveSky has been performing a little better, though I still usually need to restart it after FS2002 has started in order to get to get a good weather download.

[JSkorna 137]

Lou,Is your airport actually forced? Two ways of doing this:1. Use the wx Briefing screen.2. Type in the ICAO on the main screen and click the force box.Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Support