VATSIM weather link

[voipmeister]

Thanks Hoppie, now using your weather service and relieving the NAS of its duty

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

Before this thread dies: would we need to add things like this to the Add-ons page?
https://aerowinx.com/html/addons.html

[Hardy Heinlin]

Before this thread dies: would we need to add things like this to the Add-ons page?
https://aerowinx.com/html/addons.html

I'll add it. Any suggestion for an add-on name and a short description?

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

uhhh

"VATSIM METARS"
"If you want to use METARs from VATSIM instead of from NOAA, to have exactly the same weather as other VATSIM users."
http://www.hoppie.nl/psx/metar/vatsim-cycles/

[Hardy Heinlin]

Added. And all add-ons are now sorted alphabetically.

https://aerowinx.com/html/addons.html

[Aleks]

Perhaps out of scope, but does Vatsim also provide winds aloft?

I get sometimes complaints from Vatsim ATC that my ground speed is significantly different from others.

Also, is it possible to have latest METAR. Seems this solution gives hourly updates, but I might be wrong.

Thank you for amazing contributions to PSX!

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

VATSIM METARS are VATSIM METARS ... the whole reason this workaround exists is because they do not always update in time. I do get their latest and greatest on every request -- no caching (which works only because there are not so many PSX users).

Hoppie

[Bluestar]

Perhaps out of scope, but does Vatsim also provide winds aloft?

I get sometimes complaints from Vatsim ATC that my ground speed is significantly different from others.

Also, is it possible to have latest METAR. Seems this solution gives hourly updates, but I might be wrong.

Thank you for amazing contributions to PSX!

I copy and paste the winds aloft from my Simbrief flightplan to the winds aloft in PSX and never have any issues with Vatsim ATC complaints.  I also copy the Sigmets from the Simbrief flightplan because I have had issues with the bad Sigmets when using the PSX sigmet download. 

[B747-400]

Hi Hardy,

Disk: 2.4m/1.4m, 06 JUL 2024, 1117z (next: 1145z)

Means:
The downloaded world file A is 2.4 MB in size
The downloaded world file B is 1.4 MB in size
Last download was done on 6 July 1117z
Next download will be started at 1145z

When it says (next: STBY), when will a new generated YYYYMMhhmm.metar file be loaded?

Can we "force" a load by any Q-code?

I switched off METAR downloads on Pref page.

BR
Hans

[andrej]

Usually you need to wait few minutes for the file to be downloaded. However, I second the idea to "force" (download now). I fly via VATSIM almost exclusively, and I am happy to use default weather. :-)

[Hardy Heinlin]

When you hover the mouse over the "next" word, on the Planet page, you'll see a tooltip with a number. This is the countdown. There is no "force" function, I'm sorry. PSX doesn't want to risk any download floods.


|-|ardy

[Bluestar]

Added. And all add-ons are now sorted alphabetically.

https://aerowinx.com/html/addons.html

Hardy,

The Vatsim link is broke.

"https://www.hoppie.nl/psx/metar/vatsim-cycles/#:~:text=Not%20Found,on%20this%20server."

[Hardy Heinlin]

http://hoppie.nl/

After a server move, not everything you may expect is back. I consciously decided to drop some material.

[Bluestar]

http://hoppie.nl/

I sent Hoppie an email, hopefully he will be able to fix the links.

Bode

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

"woops"   -- fixed

That was _unconsciously_ left out.

[cavaricooper]

Would Gary, Mark et al want PSX.NET.MSFS WASM included under Windshield Add Ons? I did not see it included.
https://aerowinx.com/board/index.php/topic,7196.0.html

[macroflight]

"woops"  -- fixed

That was _unconsciously_ left out.

It doesn't look right to me. I'm just seeing your PHP code:

E.g https://www.hoppie.nl/psx/metar/vatsim-cycles/00Z.TXT now returns

Code Select Expand

<?php
 // Fetching all VATSIM METARs and returning them in NOAA format.
[...]
?>


[PanosI]

I noticed that in the pref file i have to use https://www.hoppie.nl/psx/metar/vatsim-cycles/.

If i use http://www.hoppie.nl/psx/metar/vatsim-cycles/ no metar will be dowlloaded.

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

Whoops II

When I am back home I will fix...

[macroflight]

Is there an explanation anywhere as to when, why and how the VATSIM as a METAR source for PSX is better than the default (NOAA) data?

I guess non-PSX pilots will get the VATSIM METAR if they e.g type ".wx EGLL" in vPilot, but their sim would not necessarily use VATSIM weather.

I'm all for adding more hacks to my sim, I just like to understand why.

BTW: I setup a temporary alternative to Hoppie's server on https://mkro.se/psx/metar/vatsim-cycles/