WeatherFax ...

[rgleason]

NOAA Boston Weatherfaxes stopped working. I had just updated the links and gotten the faxes all working. I think there is an alternative provided though. These changes will necessitate updating the InternetRetrieval.xml file however as it won't just affect the Boston Station.

I have updated NOAA OPC links and created a whole new set of Ocean Prediction Center weatherfax links which I will make a pull request for later once I find the path to the Boston Atlantic weather faxes again. Others will have to update their local stations and send in the updated XML files.

Part of the notice is below.

The NWS will eliminate the web service found at the following
address effective August 3, 2016:

http://weather.noaa.gov

Comments on this change were requested via the following notice:

www.nws.noaa.gov/os/notification/pns16-05decommissioning_web.htm

After addressing all questions, comments and feedback, a
decision was made to terminate the service.

This legacy web site was launched over a decade ago to provide
accessibility to NWS weather products for the general public.
The WNG website will be decommissioned as part of the
NWSTG Re-Architecture project. The WNG web site is obsolete
because NWS weather.gov site is now the primary hub for NWS web
services and data products. A list of options available for
obtaining weather data normally found via the WNG URL is
provided below.

WNG Site Data Link: Alternative Links
------------------
United States Weather: National Weather Service
Radar Graphics: National Weather Service Doppler Radar Images
Weather Maps: ftp://tgftp.nws.noaa.gov/fax
Index of /
International Weather: https://www.aviationweather.gov/metar
Aviation Weather: https://www.aviationweather.gov
United States Weather: National Weather Service
Marine Weather: National Weather Service
http://opc.ncep.noaa.gov

[rgleason]

This historic link is removed now
http://weather.noaa.gov/fax/marsh.shtml

Probably replaced by this one.
LINKS to NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARINE FORECAST OFFICES

Note the low bandwidth Marine link here
Marine Forecasts Cell Pages
It looks like a lot of these are terminated including the Marine "Condensed Weatherfax" but I found it here. (don't know how long this will last...)
Some of you guys should make some noise with NOAA!

NWS Boston Radiofax Charts Mobile Page

Also the raw data is here
ftp://tgftp.nws.noaa.gov/fax/

Also here is the main page to all the Marine Weatherfax. I hope it is permanent now.
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/cellfax.htm

I guess they've just changed servers basically.
http://tgftp.nws.noaa.gov/fax/marshlatest.shtml

[rgleason]

Check out this dally OSCAR Ocean Surface Currents
OSCAR project information: Earth and Space Research (ESR)
- Near real time data

http://podaac-tools.jpl.nasa.gov/sot...to.html?layers[]=oscar_l4_oc_third_deg___oceancurrent_speed___1088 _x_544___daynight

[rgleason]

Sean, I've updated 3 sections of the weather xml data files and made a pull request.

To Users of Weatherfax, there are other sections that need updating, and it is the users responsibility to keep these current. Sean is busy on other things.
The sections that have updated links are:
NOAA - boston, ft.reynes, n.orleans, honalulu, alaska
NOAA OPC
OPC (new section)
There are a few satellite images that did not overlay properly that should get fixed.
The rest of the sections need updated links and coordinates, I notice that a number of them are not working.

https://github.com/seandepagnier/wea...x_pi/issues/34

If you use certain stations a lot and have updated those sections, please attach those files to this forum and identify which sections are up to date. Thank you.

[rgleason]

Absolutely cool Mapping! Thanks OPC

Experimental Wind Against Current

[rgleason]

Sean and others, have almost finished revamp of entire wxfax xml files, but am missing a good url for India & singapore. Has anyone found those?

[rgleason]

Does anyone know the new India and Singapore URL's for downloading weather faxes?

I need them to complete the update of weatherfax_pi.xml !!

Actually, unless I learn of an update URL I will have to remove India and Singapore as the current URL does not work.

[rgleason]

Sean, I've been updating weatherfax_pi.xml and have found that after downloading three or four of the the Passagemaker sites (just an example, not specific to passagemaker) using "Retrieve Scheduled" with all charts checked. The first through third times this is done everything works, but the memory use starts going up. The next time (4th or 5th) the memory use for Opencpn is getting up to 1500 mb, then When I select all charts for the next area, the "Retrieve Scheduled" is greyed out. Then if I click another set of weatherfaxes to download and then click back on the one I am trying to download the "Retrieve Scheduled" is now available. If I download two more sets of files in the same way, it will eventually freeze at about 1600 mb. of memory use.

Can this be fixed?

[rgleason]

Attached are the two files.
1. Download and unzip.
2. Install coordinatesets.xml into your c:/program data/opencpn/plugins/weatherfax/data/ directory overwriting your existing file (back it up to .old if you want to keep it)
3. Install weatherfax_pi.xml in your c:/program files (x86)/opencpn/plugins/weatherfax/data/ directory overwriting your existing file (back it up to .old if you want to keep it).

[rgleason]

Sean, I hope to test all the weatherfax internetretrieval links again in the next week, at which point, if they are all good, I will make another pull request. You will then be able to update the entire xml file for the plugin without having to worry about users loosing their settings, unless they have made unique entries using other urls.

[rgleason]

Sean, Is there any chance you could check the memory usage problem noted earlier, see below?

[AmericanVagrant]

Silly me, I was just about to create a new thread with an updated WeatherFaxInternetRetrieval.xml file when I found this post. I see Rick has already done a significantly better job than I (my update pertained only to NOAA).

Hey Rick, you've done an excellent job with these files. I have placed them on my server for anyone who would like to download the files directly/separately. If you do not wish for me to do so, let me know and I'll take them down. Download links:

WeatherFaxInternetRetrieval.xml

CoordinateSets.xml

Sean, this plugin is awesome. Thanks for your work on this one and the others, you're a legend.

[rgleason]

Dear American Vagrant. That's fine, but I have some even newer better files that I intend to final test and attach here, and make a Pull Request for Sean the update the plugin.

I hope you will then also update your files.

[AmericanVagrant]

Sure thing Rick, I'll update them with your new ones when available. Look forward to the next update which incorporates your changes.

[hasse_A]

I have been fiddling around with the weatherfax_pi and one one thing that
struck me was that it would be very nice if the plugin could control the
radio much like it's being done in winlink and rms express.

I have an ICOM 7000 and the protocol for this is well documented.

/Hans