I know the OP was asking about freeware products, but for what it's worth, for me the most dramatic improvement I ever saw in FS9 in depicting weather was when I went from using the limited function freeware FSUIPC to the payware (registered) version... I do use Active Sky as my weather program and have found it reliable, but in terms of how wx is rendered visually FSUIPC registered really makes a difference....

I know the OP was asking about freeware products, but for what it's worth, for me the most dramatic improvement I ever saw in FS9 in depicting weather was when I went from using the limited function freeware FSUIPC to the payware (registered) version... I do use Active Sky as my weather program and have found it reliable, but in terms of how wx is rendered visually FSUIPC registered really makes a difference....

Could you give me an example of how it looks better? I got the payware version of FSUIPC about a week ago, but I haven't seen a noticeable difference, maybe it is because I wasn't looking for a difference as I got it for joystick calibration, is there something I have to turn on within FSUIPC to make it render weather differently, or does it do this automatically? And I am looking more for realistic real world weather, because fs9's interpretation of metars is useless, though visual improvement is defiantly a great bonus.

FSUIPC has the facility of smoothing winds aloft which can be VERY problematic in FS9's interpretation of events. Cloud layer limitation is also included.

 

It is interesting to note FSGRW requires you to turn off all weather attributes in FSUIPC.

I notice that you downloaded 1.5.2 version of FSMetar . The latest available is 1.5.5. I still use 1.5.4 though because there was a bit of lag between fsmetar fsuipc and the sim. That said that was before I upgraded my system.

However, the download files are archived and you can get them here

http://web.archive.org/web/20120323061633/http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/fsmetar/

 

It really isn't necessary to spend a lot of money on a weather programme. There is very little difference. most of the problems are sim related which fsuipc takes care of. Also the clouds that come with expensive weather programmes are not that fantastic.

The best clouds are free also here http://library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=clouds&CatID=root&Sort=Name&ScanMode=0&Page=3

Fsmetar allows you to download from vatsim which rarely if ever goes down. Not only that they are as up to date as one can get. For example my local airports issue a Metar and it's usually on vatsim 10 minutes later.

I notice that you downloaded 1.5.2 version of FSMetar . The latest available is 1.5.5. I still use 1.5.4 though because there was a bit of lag between fsmetar fsuipc and the sim. That said that was before I upgraded my system.

However, the download files are archived and you can get them here

http://web.archive.org/web/20120323061633/http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/fsmetar/

 

It really isn't necessary to spend a lot of money on a weather programme. There is very little difference. most of the problems are sim related which fsuipc takes care of. Also the clouds that come with expensive weather programmes are not that fantastic.

The best clouds are free also here http://library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=clouds&CatID=root&Sort=Name&ScanMode=0&Page=3

Fsmetar allows you to download from vatsim which rarely if ever goes down. Not only that they are as up to date as one can get. For example my local airports issue a Metar and it's usually on vatsim 10 minutes later.

Actually Dave sent me all of the files for version 1.5.4 and I got it working literally 10 minutes ago and the weather I got was Identical to what I am seeing outside my window, finally lol, also I already have the cloud textures in the link, defiantly the best cloud texture set for fs9.

As said above by Appliance, FSUIPC registered doesn't add anything in terms of graphics etc. but the way it handles multiple cloud layers, visibility limits, haze and transitions makes weather seem far more realistic and the experience more immersive. The changes may be quite subtle but for me it was a huge improvement. (As well as all the other features it provides)

 

The other (payware) upgrade that is indispensable for the best FS9 experience is REX. That will give you great sky graphics for FSUIPC to render more realistically....

 

Of course, it's all a matter of perception. But my advice is that those two purchases are worth every penny if you want an optimum FS9 experience

Ian

As said above by Appliance, FSUIPC registered doesn't add anything in terms of graphics etc. but the way it handles multiple cloud layers, visibility limits, haze and transitions makes weather seem far more realistic and the experience more immersive. The changes may be quite subtle but for me it was a huge improvement. (As well as all the other features it provides)

 

The other (payware) upgrade that is indispensable for the best FS9 experience is REX. That will give you great sky graphics for FSUIPC to render more realistically....

 

Of course, it's all a matter of perception. But my advice is that those two purchases are worth every penny if you want an optimum FS9 experience

Ian

Yes I have noticed that visibility transitions are far more realistic, it was pretty annoying going from 2 miles of visibility to unlimited visibility instantly lol, and I also have added sky textures from real environment pro, it looks great and is freeware so I am happy with it, I don't think my pc could handle rex's textures very well anyways.