Weather radar

[stephan]

Not sure where in the forums this should go,so I'll drop it here.
For quite a long time,I have wondered...
there are enough weather radars for folks to download,that work with real weather that they get info from the internet.
What I am looking for is a freeware weather radar that uses the weather themes in FS9,and NOT the real weather.
I would think it not that hard for a gauge creator to come up with a weather radar gauge that gets its info from the weather created in the sim.Just use the same data,and with programming and some art skills,it COULD be done I believe.
Regardless...
does anyone know of a freeware weather radar that works for FS9 and does NOT use the real weather info from the net,but rather the weather data from the weather themes we set up in the sim its self?
Many have asked this very question in the past,but being that it seems a popular question and request,I'm hoping someone decided to make one. Thanks folks.

[garymbuska]

Not sure where in the forums this should go,so I'll drop it here.
For quite a long time,I have wondered...
there are enough weather radars for folks to download,that work with real weather that they get info from the internet.
What I am looking for is a freeware weather radar that uses the weather themes in FS9,and NOT the real weather.
I would think it not that hard for a gauge creator to come up with a weather radar gauge that gets its info from the weather created in the sim.Just use the same data,and with programming and some art skills,it COULD be done I believe.
Regardless...
does anyone know of a freeware weather radar that works for FS9 and does NOT use the real weather info from the net,but rather the weather data from the weather themes we set up in the sim its self?
Many have asked this very question in the past,but being that it seems a popular question and request,I'm hoping someone decided to make one. Thanks folks.

Hello Stephan
I could be wrong here but I have several freeware aircraft on FS9 that have weather radar on them and I think they use whatever weather you have set up for your flight to show. So if you have set up a flight using one of the weather themes I pretty sure the radar will show that weather and not real world weather.
So I think that as long as you set up the weather you want any weather radar in any aircraft will show that weather.
The best way to test this out is to go to a airport that has clear and sunny weather. turn on your radar and see what it shows. Than set up the worst thunderstorm you can and try again the radar should now show the thunderstorm and not clear skies

[stephan]

Hey Gary,..hows it going.
Many of the freebie ac do have weather radar as you mentioned,but the ones I see ,the radar shows a ''pre-painted'' pattern on it,and it shows whether it is clear or stormy.The graphics on them are nice enough,but they are simply a picture and dont show the storms that are off in the distance. I dont fly on the net.The computer I am using here on the forum is a laptop upstairs,and I have my sim system downstairs with no net capabilities.So the weather I fly in is generated completely by the sim and nothing comes from local weather or the net. Now that I have very nice looking skies/clouds and environment ( finally,after working on it for 6 years ) , a weather radar that would show the actual approaching storms would be such a plus for the sim experience,and these "painted on" radar pics are a let down. I WILL try your suggestion,but when I download ac,I run them thru all kinds of situations,tests and tricks just to see what all each will do,and so far,from what I see,none have a radar that shows a storm off in the distance ( where I see the lightning at night which tells me I'm headed for it ) as it is actually being laid out by the sim.
Thanks for giving me a shout.
Any suggestion is better than none,and I sure will re-evaluate the radars I do have. Maybe I missed something of one or two.
Till then,if any one has a link to a freebie ac with a working off net weather radar or just the radar (with or without a panel) I sure would appreciate the link.
Stephan ( "Altitude With Attitude!! " )

[ViperPilot]

The only 'Weather Radar' gauge I have is part of Kirk Mitchell's Panel for Stoney's Starship... I always thought it showed random 'painted on' Graphics to simulate nasty Wx; I never thought to see if the Graphic related to the actual Sim weather! Guess I'll have to test it out tonight!

Alan

[stephan]

Yo ViperPilot.Lemme know ( let us all know ) what you find out in your test. Thanks bud.

[ViperPilot]

Well, I tried the 'Weather Radar' this morning, and it appears as if it's just a random Graphic. For a calm day, the Radar shows medium Thunderstorms.

Looks like it's just FlightSim eye candy...

Alan

[stephan]

Thanks guy. I kinda figured that was what would happen,tho I was hoping for both of us a different outcome. I'm still looking for a storm scope/radar that shows the weather that the sim gives us..and not one that needs the net and uses real weather data. Thanks.

[garymbuska]

I will look in my fleet of aircraft I have several payware aircraft that have working radar in them But I am not sure if the gauge will work in another aircraft.
I will see what I can find out and will let you know. At work right now so have to wait till this evening But if I can find one for you I will gladly send it to you.

[stephan]

Thanks Gary.
I thought I replied to you already,but upon going thru my posts and comments it appears I didnt.
I didnt want ya to think I kinda was ignoring your message here.

[hertzie]

Hi guys,

Would like to let you know that I'm also much interested in that weather radar gauge, if there is one.

Regards,

hertzie.

[tbus]

Hi guys,

Would like to let you know that I'm also much interested in that weather radar gauge, if there is one.

Regards,

hertzie.

I'm pretty sure that you won't find one that displays FS2004 weather themes. Weather gauges, at least those that I've run across, rely on METAR data that is decoded and the resultant displayed on the gauge.
FS2004 weather themes generate no such animal, thus nothing is available to display.
I might be wrong, but I've never seen or heard of one developed for Fs2004 weather themes. Possible ..... maybe, Probable ....... I don't think so.

[stephan]

I believe you are correct TBUS.
Sadly I havent been able to find any,and i have looked very hard several times for one and nothing so far.
funny thing is,I dont think it would be that difficult for an accomplished sim enthusiast who is also adept in programming skills and the workings of FS9 to come up with a working weather radar.
I mean,if the sim is making the random data for the clouds and areas of rain,why couldnt that same data be changed by a program into a radar screen .
You can pull up those small additional view screens from around the ac,and they show the clouds and rain.
A screen with that cloud and rain data changed into a flat screen color coded for the various systems seen out the window would work.I cant see why it wouldnt.
Frankly,I am surprised one isnt out and available yet.

[Skywatcher]

Can't remember the reasons but I don't think it's possible in FS9. The iFly 737 for example has one for the FSX version but the FS9 version goes without.

[garymbuska]

I could be way out in left field here but it might have something to do with the fact that FS9 is a very old program and with its limitations it just might not be possible to do this.
I have been either super busy or just to tired to take a serious look at my fleet of FS9 aircraft but I do not think that I have a aircraft that has a working Weather radar other than the ones that you can put in using Active SKY. Active sky allows you to install a gauge they call XGAUGE which is a weather radar and can be put inside of any FS9 aircraft you have in your fleet.
But I am not sure if you need a internet connection to make the gauge work. I do know that you do not have to have active sky running in the background in order for it to work .
But I have to be honest with you the XGAUGE never really impressed me as it take to long when you change a setting on the gauge for it to take effect.

[stephan]

I heard of that XGAUGE, And I have heard similar complaints about it from other sources as well. That is the one that comes with Active Sky if memory serves me correctly.
OK guys...try and follow me here on this one.
If FS9 can put clouds,such as thunderstorms out in front of the cockpit window with lightning and rain in 3D, what would be impossible for the data that is used to place the pixel data of that onto a small window (which would be your radar,but in a 2D picture and the color coding changed with regards to cloud height) ?
I mean,those clouds are there because the program is placing data in the form of pixels on the screen. That same X,Y,Z data can be changed from clouds to a radar picture.All a program would need is the cloud X,Y,Z data,and arrange it and colorize it on a 2D screen gauge. FS9 wouldnt have to figure the data for the radar.The radar program would do that. All FS9 need do is run normally,place the clouds as it does and the downloaded radar program accesses that cloud data and uses it to turn the cloud data from a 3D cloud appearance to a 2D flat screen radar style window.
I KNOW if I understood programming better,I could do it. My programming skills ended with BASICA and DOS. But I could take a 3D diamond that I created and with a little modifying,I could take those same numbers,rearrange them and make a 2 D model of the same diamond.
Before I can accept that this cant be done,someone would have to explain why with more than a simple statement of 'it cant be done." The question still begs to be asked, WHY?