AS16 - weather radar 'grid'-like appearance

[ErichB 3,638]

I may have missed this discussion before but I've noticed on PMDG birds that AS16 sometimes displays radar returns in a meshed, grid like appearance.  I also notice sometimes that my clouds appear like streets - very straight rectangular clouds running for miles. Certainly not realistic.   Is this a known 'thing' or is there a setting I need to adjust.  Unfortunately I don't have a pic to post, but if you know what I'm on about, please do comment.

 

thanks

erich

[Bobsk8 12,492]

38 minutes ago, ErichB said:

I may have missed this discussion before but I've noticed on PMDG birds that AS16 sometimes displays radar returns in a meshed, grid like appearance.  I also notice sometimes that my clouds appear like streets - very straight rectangular clouds running for miles. Certainly not realistic.   Is this a known 'thing' or is there a setting I need to adjust.  Unfortunately I don't have a pic to post, but if you know what I'm on about, please do comment.

 

thanks

erich

 

I don't  see that at all in the Majestic Q400 radar. Looks like a normal radar return. 

[Chock 17,769]

Clouds appearing like a street running for miles actually is a realistic phenomena, could you be witnessing one of those? Such cloud formations are sometimes called a cloud street, but would more correctly be referred to as a horizontal convective roll vortex. Here is a satellite picture of one having formed over the Eastern US:

Beyond this phenomena, cumulous clouds do tend to form in 'streets' anyway, as they drift downwind from whatever heat source it was on the ground which was causing the clouds to form. It's actually a good way to locate the source of a thermal when gliding if you see such a cloud street, then head upwind along it until you hear the variometer tone rise.

[Kevlar01 22]

Erich,

Yup as soon as I saw the topic title I knew what you were talking about.  I saw this just last night in the NGX at EDDF.  There was a solid overcast with light rain falling over a large area, but the radar display looked like a google street map...the green precip returns formed perfect squares on the display and the handful of stronger yellow returns were all embedded in the borders of the squares.

Unfortunately I can't really help with the 'why'.  I shut everything down including AS/ASCA/SF and restarted at the same location and the radar looked more 'normal' the second time through.  All I can do is confirm I've seen the odd radar behavior as well.  It was late so I didn't get to test any more scenarios.

Kevin  

[geolpilot 88]

I also noticed this today at FACT, on the ground in the Q400. Radar was not on, but in the ASP4 weather map it showed exactly this pattern. Green base reflectance returns in squares surrounded by yellow to orange returns at the borders. Was solid overcast there with moderate rain most of the day. Seems to be something to do with very overcast, rainy weather - something about the way ASP4 is mapping the dense clouds and widespread rains.

Just completed a flight FACT to FAPE, and the rains in FACT have stopped. Now the clouds look normal and of course no precipitation returns in the weather map over there, just normal patches of returns en-route to Port Elizabeth as the front moves eastwards.

[ErichB 3,638]

5 hours ago, Kevlar01 said:

3 hours ago, geolpilot said:

Radar was not on, but in the ASP4 weather map it showed exactly this pattern. Green base reflectance returns in squares surrounded by yellow to orange returns at the borders

 

 

3 hours ago, geolpilot said:

Green base reflectance returns in squares surrounded by yellow to orange returns at the borders

 

Yup, that's it.  

 

5 hours ago, Chock said:

Clouds appearing like a street running for miles actually is a realistic phenomena

I agree, I've seen them myself.  But in my sim's case the cloud formations are completely linear representing exactly what has been described 

[Chock 17,769]

Sounds like some sort of graphics glitch then, presumably a patch will sort it if lots of people are seeing it.

[vgbaron 3,486]

if it continues, open a ticket at Hifi and they'll sort it out.

 

Vic

[ErichB 3,638]

5 minutes ago, Chock said:

Sounds like some sort of graphics glitch then, presumably a patch will sort it if lots of people are seeing it.

I'm about to hit the sack - I would have posted a pic but have forgotten how to post pics here - will look at it tomorrw.

[vgbaron 3,486]

check this Erich - 

 

http://hifisupport.kayako.com/Knowledgebase/Article/View/38/10/weather-radar-displaying-rectangles

 

Vic

[ErichB 3,638]

7 minutes ago, vgbaron said:

check this Erich - 

 

http://hifisupport.kayako.com/Knowledgebase/Article/View/38/10/weather-radar-displaying-rectangles

 

Vic

Suuuu-perb!   

Although I could have sworn I had it set to detailed,

Thank-you Vic

[vgbaron 3,486]

31 minutes ago, ErichB said:

Suuuu-perb!   

Although I could have sworn I had it set to detailed,

Thank-you Vic

You're welcome. With all the possible combinations with AS, ASCA, SF, Envshade, PTA it is VERY difficult to keep track. 

[Kevlar01 22]

Interesting info, however I don't think the knowledge base issue described above is the same one we are seeing now.  The issue above is that if you don't have clouds set to detailed, instead of smooth 'bloobs' on the radar you will get what look like little lego bricks all over the place; sort of looks like a deranged Tetris game!  Follow the PMDG link at the bottom of the article and they have a shot of the 'failure' mode.  I checked anyway and my P3Dv4.1 settings were Detailed clouds and Maximum density already.

Wish I could insert a screenshot here, but what we are seeing is smooth shapes but they somehow are lining up to form grids just like on a street map overview.  Very strange.

I've opened a support ticket over at HiFi (which was a bit of a chore!!) and attached several screenshots to show them what we are seeing.  I'll report back here with anything I learn.  Hopefully they will say I'm stupid because it's a simple config issue...I'm okay with that if it gets fixed!   

Kevin

[kterz 49]

Hi,

 

keep in mind that the radar depiction reflects the actual precipitation produced by certain clouds, so it's greatly affected by the cloud structures used in the sim. So, the "solid overcast" advertised by the cloud structure program you may use might also mean that the lateral "stitching" of the cloud structures is affected and while this may not become apparent when looking directly the clouds in the sim (unless maybe you look carefully), they are revealed when looking at the radar as these grid lines.

With ASCA (and the default fsx/p3d overcast models) we have full control where the cloud sprites are, so we avoid these issues altogether. We cannot ascertain however that it will show up ok in all cases regardless of the depicted cloud structure. The radar signals are just a vertical projection of the depicted cloud model (assuming all of it contains precip).

[ErichB 3,638]

6 hours ago, Kevlar01 said:

I've opened a support ticket over at HiFi (which was a bit of a chore!!) and attached several screenshots to show them what we are seeing.  I'll report back here with anything I learn. 

Great thanks Kevin.  Please let us know.  I haven't gone back to my sim but I'm pretty sure I have 'detailed clouds' set.  I definitely have them set to max density.

 

1 hour ago, kterz said:

So, the "solid overcast" advertised by the cloud structure program you may use might also mean that the lateral "stitching" of the cloud structures is affected and while this may not become apparent when looking directly the clouds in the sim

So how would you explain the linear appearance  cloud cover.  I have had this issue with ACSA and with Skyforce, but each of them use the AS16.  I have also had the grid-like appearance on the radar happen when I have used ASCA - so it is not an anomaly specific to the cloud structure program.  It must be an 'issue' with AS16 or with a setting on my AS16 config (that's what I thought it would be anyway)   I think Kevin has exactly the same problem I do, so I'll be keen to hear what you chaps come back with.