Laptop Weather

[Rick6a]

Even though I have the avionics to use it, I refuse to subscribe to XM weather products because I instinctively shun making voluntarily payments for anything if I don't have to.

My question is this: While flying cross country, is there a cost free way to use my little laptop computer to access the Internet so I can review real time weather information from the cockpit just as easily as I can while sitting behind the computer monitor at home?

[DeltaRomeo]

Originally Posted by Rick6a

snip...My question is this: While flying cross country, is there a cost free way to use my little laptop computer to access the Internet so I can review real time weather information from the cockpit just as easily as I can while sitting behind the computer monitor at home?

Not from the air, no (at least that I'm aware of).

I include this next bit only because I'm not sure if 'while flying cross country' means you are actually in the plane in the air or stopped for fuel during a cross country flight. If you're on the ground for fuel and the FBO doesn't have a computer or wifi, you can use some of the links in the URL after the colon to find a free wifi hotspot: http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=...a94940edcea411

iPhone (or equivalent) will give you all this also....but it's more expensive than XM weather.

[Greg Arehart]

Rick,

The iPhone has a nice little radar app that works well....if you have a relatively fast connection (3G) - definitely the E connection moves slower than the clouds do. Of course, you still have to have cell towers to make this work, and the higher you are AGL, the poorer the cell connection (this has been my experience anyway).

Yes, the iPhone costs me about $30/month for the data service, but in addition to the radar weather I get a bunch more stuff that makes it worthwhile for me.

greg

[videobobk]

OK, this is a shot in the dark. I wonder if Nexrad from local TV stations would be useful. Most all have weather channels, or at least they do around here. I just might fly with my portable TV (wasn't Christmas great?) and see how this could work. I would think reception would be great, but the problem might be correlating the info to your location. Of course it would be another screen adding to the clutter, but you wouldn't ever have to miss The Aviators when it hits the small screen

Bob Kelly

[N601RX]

Originally Posted by Rick6a

Even though I have the avionics to use it, I refuse to subscribe to XM weather products because I instinctively shun making voluntarily payments for anything if I don't have to.

My question is this: While flying cross country, is there a cost free way to use my little laptop computer to access the Internet so I can review real time weather information from the cockpit just as easily as I can while sitting behind the computer monitor at home?

I've used a verizon wireless card in my laptop before on trips. I did not have a external antenna and it work good up to about 5000ft. There were a couple of remote areas up in Tn that it quit working for a few minutes. If you could find a remote antenna for it would work better. I just borrow one from work when going on long trips, because like you I don't want to pay $30 month for weather. The verizon card is a little more expensive, but you will get full internet access and can use in other places than your plane.

There are also some smart phones that you can tether to your laptop and get weather.

[gmpaul]

http://www.vfrcopilot.com/1_quickradarfree.htm

An EAA member sent this to me a couple of days ago. I don't know anything about it but it could be promising.

Good Luck,

GP

[L.Adamson]

We westerners just need to teach "flatlanders" from the eastern states, that once you cross those Rockies westward, that you can sometimes use some extra help ..............such as a GPS with a terrain data base, some XM weather to know whats going on around you, and maybe an open sectional along with paying attention to MEA's. Last year it was WWII fire fighting bomber that splats into the mountain during a scud run; and yesterday it's one of two Coast Guard helicopters headed back to North Carolina from the Olympics, that don't realize that mountain terrain actually exist's in near whiteout & snow conditions.

Had they had at least a Garmin 496 or 696 with XM, they'd realize that mountains do exist, and that it's not too difficult to fly around adverse weather when you know where it is!

So, yes, in my experience where mountains change weather patterns drastically, I find XM weather extremely valuable. But that's here, out in these rugged boonies of the mountain west! Once you find a free setup, that does well and doesn't rely on continuous cell phone coverage.........then let me know...

L.Adamson --- RV6A/Garmin 696/XM weather