SWIFT WX Version 2.0 User Manual
Contents
1. Speed Direction Latitude Longitude Altitude Satellites gt lt O Convective Outlooks o M Interstates v gt Download complete Storm Attributes as of 6 53 PM Ex Detail Query d Fie Time Mesoscale Discussion 00 08 _ Station CellID Latitude Longitude Direction a Warnings 00 03 34 8 2 86 N 82 18 17 8 W Storm Attributes 00 04 D 45 44 33 6 N 67 4423 1 W NE 44 Watches 00 08 4 ACO ATCT AVM ezo c 41 c w Name Station Cell ID Convective Outlooks 00 55 Surface Observations 00 58 Surface O Warning 5 Mesoscale Z Latitude Watch Su Convectiv Storm Att T SZ al Storn Cell A KBOX R2 42 13 41 7 54 74 38 8 N 87 22 38 0 W Sfanning Perimeter Download Queue Summary Windows Detail Query Window GPS Position Each of the windows can be detached from the main layout by clicking on their title bars and dragging them to the position you desire Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 45 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Menu Bar amp Toolbar The SWIFT WX Menu Bar and Toolbar provide the primary means of interface navigation File View Settings Window Help oe BA gt File Menu 22 Open Catalog Opens a catalog from disk 22 Save Catalog As Saves the current catalog to disk 22 Exit Quit program View Menu This selection controls what elements ar2. SWIFT WX Version 2 0 User Manual Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 1 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 S SWIFT WX Professional gt x Mises a M Storm Attributes d O Upper es M Surface Observations gt Central Plains M warnings Southern Plains SE Mwatches QU Northeast ripe V H S M mesoscale Discussions QU Southeast zb de ene O Convective Outlooks d Be r el Es a eer Wa ee z Interstates Storm Trackin i ST Bi W I es A SE e GPS Position M watches o Storm Attributes LJ Mesoscale Discussion pats E O Convective Outlooks o b Qu SSC 3 Surface Observations d Ge SE Up Latitude Longitude 3 Altitude Downloading Storm Attributes Satellites COTTE le lt Download complete Download Queue Cancel eS Direction 3 46 9 W Warnings 00 03 i 34 e 2 86 N es 18 17 8 W Ww N d ap Storm Attributes 00 04 4 45 44 33 6 N 67 44 23 1 W ame orm Cel A watches 00 08 DT a Station KBOX Mesoscale Discussion 00 08 Latitude 13 41 7 73 Convective Outlooks Den DNS obscene CNE minimes n Surface Observations 00 58 Surface O Warning S Mesoscale Watch Su Convectiv Storm Att E I ei 54 24 38 8 N 87 22 38 0 W Scanning Perimeter 7 00 PM Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved Published April 2003 About SWIFT WX SWIFT WX is an automated Internet downloading an
3. Show Wind Barb Show Weather Depiction e e 10 O O e e de Temp Colors Dew Colors Wind Colors You can add temperature dew point or wind speed values and associated colors Type the temperature in Fahrenheit in the Degree box and click on the Color box From the palette that appears select the color to assian Select Add to add the temperature to the arid Select a temperature in the Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 24 grid and select Remove to remove STEP 14 Click OK or Apply to save your settings Storm Alert Perimeter STEP 15 Click the Storm Alert Perimeter listing Here you can change the local configuration file that sets the storm alert perimeter A storm alert perimeter is a circle centered on particular coordinates SWIFT WX sounds an alert whenever severe weather is reported inside the circle Click on the box containing three dots L to browse your local or network disks for an existing configuration file Configuration files have a config extension Select Settings to view or modify existing storm alert perimeters to add new ones or remove existing ones Select Add to create a new storm alert perimeter You see a menu with several options 22 Warnings Select the types of warnings to include in the perimeter o Tornado o Severe Thunderstorm o Flash Flood 22 Watches Select the types of watches to include in the perimeter o Tornado o Severe Thunderstorm o Flash Fl
4. This title will appear on the catalog entry as well as on the map tab in the map display window within SWIFT WX STEP 4 If desired you can change the URL used to download the map You would do this ordinarily only if the URL changed or if you are creating a new map Be sure to test the URL in your browser and copy it exactly into the field adjacent to URL NOTE The URL must point to the actual graphic and not the page that contains the graphic Accepted graphic formats are GIF JPEG and PNG Your map is now retitled and redirected to download from a different URL The changes you make do not take effect immediately Be sure to save your work by saving the catalog Click File gt Save Catalog If SWIFT WX is open you will need to reload the catalog to see your changes Changing Map ID and Password You may want to download maps from sites that require registration and user ID and password for access After you register at the site you can put your ID and Password into the SWIFT WX catalog for automated download STEP 1 Adjacent to the ID entry in the Properties window type the user ID for the download site Note the User ID and password are stored in plain text on your computer STEP 2 Adjacent to the Password entry in the Properties window type the password for the download site Your map will now use the ID and Password to log in on your behalf and download maps The changes you make do not take effect immediately Be su
5. 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 22 Click on the plus sign next to the Storm Attributes listing to see individual settings for Filter Centroid TVS Meso and Hail Each data type has its own particular settings Filter You can control the geographies for which you get storm attributes Check the geographies and either Include to get attributes for the area or Exclude to not get attributes Click Apply filter to turn on filtering Centroid You can control Centroid Color Line Width Show Centroid Show Track Show Cell ID Alert Sound OO lt 0 0 TVS You can control o Show TVS Tornado Vortex Signature o Alert Sound Meso You can control o Show Mesocyclones o Alert Sound Hail You can control o Show Hail o Alert Sound STEP 8 Click OK or Apply to save your settings Mesoscale Discussions Settings STEP 9 Click the Mesoscale Discussions listing Here you can change the URL from which to download mesoscale discussions and the download interval Click on the plus sign next to the Mesoscale Discussions listing to see individual settings for Tornado Watch Severe Watch Severe Potential Heavy Rain Heavy Snow Freezing Rain Mixed Precip and Other For each element type you can set 22 Element Color Element Border Width 22 Opacity whether other map features show through box 22 Show Description 22 Show Effective Time Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX
6. a Map The following sites provide extensive weather data and are a great resource to find maps to add to your custom catalogs 22 National Weather Service htip www nws noaa gov 22 Unisys Weather hitp weather unisys com 22 UCAR NCAR http www rap ucar edu weather 22 Ohio State University http twister sbs ohio state edu 22 College of DuPage hittp weather cod edu StormTrack http www stormtrack org More links are available at hitp www swiftwx com STEP 2 Obtain the URL Once you have identified a map you wish to include in your catalog you must get the image URL The easiest way to do this in Internet Explorer is to right click on the image and select Copy Shortcut Sometimes the URL is not readily visible and you must view the HTML source code to find it In Internet Explorer right click on any part of the page that is not an image and select View Source The page source opens in Notepad STEP 3 Create the Map in SWIFT WX Once you have obtained the image URL refer to Creating amp Modifying Maps to add the map to your catalog You will need to calibrate the map before you can use it in SWIFT WX See the sections Calibrating a Map and Changing Other Map Properties for more information Unisys is a registered trademark of Unisys Corporation Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 34 Setting Animation Frames SWIFT WX can animate any map in a catalog by caching previously dow
7. changes before you activate the software you will need to update your customer account at hitop www swiftwx com with the new e mail address What if my Product Key never shows up The Product Key should be instantly e mailed to you after you submit your e mail address If it does not show up you may have entered the wrong e mail address If the e mail address is correct and you still have not received the Product Key contact staff swiftwx com for assistance What if bought a used copy of SWIFT WX If you bought a previously owned copy of the software the previous owner must update his customer account at htip www swiftwx com to use your e mail address Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 50 ERROR MESSAGES Error contacting server Please try again This means there was an error contacting the SWIFT WX server You must have a connection to the Internet to complete the Product Activation If you already are connected to the Internet there may be a temporary problem with our servers In that case just try again later If several hours have passed and you are still unable to contact our servers notify staff swiftwx com and someone will follow up with you Please enter a valid e mail address This means you did not enter a well formed e mail address Your e mail address should look something like jsmith hotmail com E mail not found in customer records This means you entered the wrong e mail address
8. containing the map you wish to animate Catalogs are normally stored in the Catalogs subdirectory under the SWIFT WX installation directory STEP 3 Select the map in the Catalog window to view the Map Properties in the Properties window The window contains entries for Title URL Last Updated ID Username and Password if required by the download Web site Checked whether the map is scheduled for automated download Download Interval Animation Frames Headers and map calibration coordinates Left Top Right Bottom Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 30 Creating amp Modifying Catalogs Follow these steps to put together your own catalog of weather maps CREATING CATALOGS STEP 1 Start the SWIFT WX Catalog Editor STEP 2 Create Catalog Click File gt New Catalog A blank catalog is created entitled New Catalog STEP 3 Name Catalog Select the name New Catalog in the Catalog window then click on it again do not double click box appears around the name Type the new name and press Enter STEP 4 Add Maps Now you are ready to add weather maps to your catalog For instructions on how to do this refer to the topic on Creating amp Modifying Maps STEP 5 Save Catalog Click File gt Save Catalog You are prompted where to save the catalog The location is unimportant as you can Open Catalogs from any location on your computer but you may want to store them in the Catalogs subdirect
9. length of the animation will depend on how many frames have been previously downloaded and the max number of frames set for the map using the Catalog Editor To speed up the animation click i H To slow down the animation click Click the Animate button d again the pause the animation E Click the square Stop button to stop the animation Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 39 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Using the Console The SWIFT WX Console displays information about the operation of the program including logging downloads Its primary purpose is for troubleshooting STEP 1 Start SWIFT WX STEP 2 Click View gt Console A new window will appear STEP 3 Select and copy any pertinent information into an email or other application STEP 4 You may leave the window open to monitor the application or close it Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 40 Using Custom Layers SWIFT WX can overlay various types of graphical information onto a map These overlays are vector graphics representing information such as Interstates and Major Cities You control the display of these Custom Layers from the Settings selection on the menu bar The current set of Custom Layers appears in the Menu Layers window STEP 1 Start SWIFT WX STEP 2 Click on Settings gt Custom Layers Custom Layers Custom layers are the geographic vector graphics displayed over top of
10. or your e mail address has changed since you purchased the software If that is the case you will need to update your customer account at http www swiftwx com with the new e mail address If you did not purchase the software you will need to do that first see htto www swiftwx com to purchase the software Invalid product key This means the product key you entered does not match the Product Key that was e mailed to you Verify that you entered the most recently e mailed Product Key Also do not include any dashes when typing in the Product Key You are not licensed for this product This means that you are a customer of SWIFT WX LLC but do not own a license to this particular product SWIFT WX can be purchased online at http www swiftwx com Unspecified Error This error is a catchall for all server related issues This indicates a temporary problem with our servers and will likely be remedied very soon Try activating the product later OTHER If you were not able to find the answer to your question here please contact staff swiftwx com for further assistance Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 51
11. saving the catalog Click File gt Save Catalog If SWIFT WX is open you will need to reload the catalog to see your changes Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 32 Calibrating a Map In order to display storm tracking data over a map it must first be calibrated The following steps will show you how to do this STEP 1 Open Map Start the SWIFT WX Catalog Editor and open the map you wish to calibrate download it first by right clicking on the map name if not already done STEP 2 Enter approximate coordinates After the map has been opened enter approximate latitude and longitude coordinates of the left top bottom and right most edges of the map in the Properties window As you enter these numbers the map will start adjusting in the view window NOTE Use decimal degrees such as 45 12035 for latitude and 91 35519 for longitude STEP 3 Refine the position Once the map is approximated over the area it represents fine tune the latitude longitude so that the map lines up with the red state outlines shown on screen STEP 6 Save Catalog Your map is now calibrated Be sure to save your work by saving the catalog Click File gt Save Catalog Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 33 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Finding Maps The following information will help you locate and retrieve weather maps from the Internet to use with SWIFT WX STEP 1 Find
12. technology in SWIFT WX 22 GPS Troubleshooting Troubleshoot common GPS related errors Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved GPS Requirements To take advantage of SWIFT WX s integrated GPS technologies your unit must meet the following requirements GPS RECEIVERS You may use any GPS model as long as it conforms to these requirements and can interface to your computer The following GPS Receivers are supported 22 DeLorme Earthmate http www delorme com earthmate 22 DeLorme Tripmate htip www delorme com 22 Any NMEA compatible GPS NMEA compatible GPS receivers include most Garmin Magellan and Lowrance units Check your GPS manual for reference Below are some of the compatible models and manufacturers Web sites 22 Garmin 12 65 76 Il IIl V eMap StreetPilot NavTalk GPSMAP eTrex http Awww garmin com mobile products html 22 Magellan 310 315 320 330 http www magellangps com 2 Lowrance GM1600 GM3000 LMS 160 http www lowrance com DATA CABLE The data cable connects your GPS to your computer The cable is proprietary and can usually be obtained from the manufacturer MAP CALIBRATION The final requirement is a software prerequisite In order to display your GPS position over a particular weather map the map must first be calibrated This basically means that the map must be configured using the Catalog Editor with the proportionate latitude and lo
13. underneath is the Storm Attributes Table which has several tabs for various data types On the right a listing of various map layers appears at the top followed by the GPS position summary and the Detail Query table which shows details of any weather object selected either on the map or in the Storm Attributes Table STEP 3 Open Catalog Open the NWS Radar catalog from the Catalogs directory where SWIFT WX was installed Click File gt Open Catalog and browse to the Catalogs directory under the SWIFT WX program directory Select NWS Radar swx STEP 4 Open Map Double click the first map listed Blank Map STEP 5 Manipulate Image You can click and drag to reposition the image using the Hand tool Or use the Zoom tool to zoom in left click or out right click on an image By clicking and holding you can draw a rectangle around an area to zoom or un zoom You will notice that the weather map is placed upon a larger US map and you can use either the hand tool or the scroll bars on the sides of the map area to view other areas STEP 6 Automated Downloading Check off several maps in the Catalog to enter them into the Download Queue You can set the interval at which each map is downloaded individually using the Catalog Editor To download a map immediately double click its entry in the Download Queue If you use a modem to connect to the Internet you must connect first before using SWIFT WX To bring another map into
14. 2 2 DeLorme Tripmate now supported Adjusted DeLorme Earthmate satellite lock signal colors Improved breadcrumb spacing and options Version 1 01 2 Initial public release Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved Getting Started To quickly get started using SWIFT select from the following topics Quick Tour Take a virtual tour of SWIFT WX s features and capabilities 22 Connecting to the Internet How to configure your Internet connection Downloading Maps The basics of downloading weather maps 22 Viewing Maps How to view and manipulate the images you download Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Quick Tour SWIFT WX includes a few sample catalogs with the default installation Using one of these we ll take a quick tour of SWIFT WX s features and capabilities STEP 1 Connect to the Internet You must be connected to the Internet to start the program STEP 2 Load Program After installing SWIFT WX run the program The main interface components are menus toolbars several informational panels and the map display space Common functions are contained on the toolbar Appearing on the left are two windows the catalog containing weather maps and status indicators and the download queue listing maps that are scheduled for download Downloaded weather maps are displayed in the map display area in the center and
15. LLC All rights Reserved 23 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 2 Alert Sound STEP 10 Click OK or Apply to save your settings Convective Outlooks Settings STEP 11 Click the Convective Outlooks listing Here you can change the URL from which to download convective outlooks and the download interval Click on the plus sign next to the Convective Outlooks listing to see individual settings for General Slight Moderate and High For each outlook type you can set 22 Element Color 22 Element Border Width 22 Opacity whether other map features show through element 22 Show Description 22 Show Effective Time Alert Sound STEP 12 Click OK or Apply to save your settings Surface Observations Settings STEP 13 Click the Surface Observations listing Here you can change the URL from which to download surface observations and the download interval Click on the plus sign next to the Surface Observations listing to see individual settings for Filter Symbol Temp Colors Dew Colors and Wind Colors Each data type has its own particular settings Filter You can control the geographies for which you get surface observations Check the geographies and either Include to get attributes for the area or Exclude to not get attributes Click Apply filter to turn on filtering Symbol Settings You can control Show Station ID Show Cloud Cover Show Temperature Show Pressure Show Dewpoint Show Pressure Rise
16. PS manual for assistance Note this step does not apply for the DeLorme Earthmate and Tripmate STEP 2 Configuring SWIFT WX Click Settings gt Application Settings gt GPS Select either NMEA 0183 Protocol or the appropriate Delorme receiver from the drop down list labeled Device Protocol Next select the Comm Port that your GPS is communicating over In most cases this will be COM1 or COM2 The rest of the settings on the GPS tab such as Baud Rate and Parity will automatically default to the correct settings Do not change these settings unless you have a reason to do so Select Show Trail if you want SWIFT WX to plot a breadcrumb trail to mark your path Select OK or Apply to save the settings Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 GPS Operating The following instructions will help you get started using your GPS with SWIFT WX You may need to configure your GPS settings before attempting to use it with SWIFT WX Please consult GPS Settings for more information STEP 1 Connect your GPS to your computer Using the data cable connect your GPS receiver to your computer In most cases the cable will connect to the 9 pin serial port on your computer Consult your GPS manual for assistance STEP 2 Turn on the GPS If applicable turn on the GPS and let it initialize STEP 3 Activate the GPS If you have not already started SWIFT WX do so Then click o
17. System Requirements iosi neinean aenea aaa aaa aaea aaa ena e aaae aa A aE E aa ahaa a Aaaa aah Aaaa Adaa Eaa aa aaua 49 Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 5 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Basic System Requirements E 49 GPS Integration Requirements ss 49 Mobile Travel Requirements se 49 Product Activation mmmsmnenennaneennnaneenennannennnnnanennnnnannennnnnnnennnnnneennnnnnneennnnneennnnneennnnnnnee 50 GET CHE 50 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS E 50 ERROR MESON GIR Ss ES US ee ee a ne ne eene 51 Ee ee 51 Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 6 What is SWIFT WX SWIFT WX is an automated Internet downloading and GPS integration tool written for Storm Chasers Storm Spotters and Emergency Management Personnel Track your position over any weather map SWIFT WX integrates with GPS technology to plot your current position over radar satellite surface maps or any other conceivable weather product Overlay topographical features like roads and cities storm attributes surface observations mesoscale discussions convective outlooks watches and warnings onto your map Know where the storm is and how to intercept it Plot the path of tornadoes and thunderstorms With SWIFT WY s exclusive storm tracking technology you can know what the storm is thinking The paths of severe storms are plotted ov
18. X will not automatically dial your modem or set up your Internet connection You must manually establish your connection before starting SWIFT WX STEP 1 Configuring Internet Explorer On Win32 platforms certain Internet Explorer IE settings can affect your Internet connection Start an instance of IE and open the Internet Options menu This should be located under Tools on the menu bar Select the Connections tab If you use a modem to connect to the Internet make sure Dial up settings are correct On the Connections tab the Dial up setting should be set to Dial whenever a network connection is not present or Always dial my default connection SWIFT WX will automatically use whatever Internet connection you have established STEP 2 Disconnecting SWIFT WX will not automatically disconnect from the Internet after downloading is complete You will need to disconnect manually You may want to do this for example when using a cell phone to connect to the Internet since minutes must be kept to a minimum Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved Downloading Maps With SWIFT WX s pre configured catalogs downloading weather maps from the Internet has never been easier The following instructions outline a few different ways to download weather maps DOWNLOADING MULTIPLE MAPS STEP 1 Start Program STEP 2 Open Catalog Click File gt Open Catalog and browse to the directory where the catalog is located SWIFT WX
19. animation You use them like a VCR Press the arrow to start animation press the square to stop Clicking the double left icon will slow down map animation and clicking the double right will soeed up This assumes the map has been configured for animation using the Catalog Editor See the Using the Catalog Editor section for help MAP LAYERS WINDOW Use this window to control the information overlaid on the map The types of information you can overlay depend on whether you have the standard installation or SWIFT WX Professional Both versions have the following data types You control the display by checking or unchecking the boxes for GPS Overlays your current position information from your GPS device if installed If Show Trail is enabled in Application Settings breadcrumb icons track your previous positions a Storm Attributes Connected round icons representing observations made by reporting stations can be overlaid on the map Using the arrow tool to click on the icons displays details in the Detail Query window Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 14 mi Surface Observations Stickpin icons are overlaid on the IC indicating surface observation data made by reporting stations Use the arrow tool to click on the icons to display details in the Detail Query window a Warnings Colored shaded polygons representing warning areas are overlaid on the map Use the arrow tool
20. background maps Supported file types are SHP E00 MIF MID TAB DXF DGN and TIGER Select Layer Interstates Highways Major Cities C Midsize Cities Minor Cities v STEP 3 Select the checkbox beside the overlay type to enable it STEP 4 Select Add to add a new overlay Remove to delete an overlay and Modify to change an overlay STEP 5 When you select Add or Modify you can control the following parameters for the overlay Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 41 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Layer Settings Title Highways Filepath D Dev SWIFT wxiclientiDatathighways shp Min Zoom 3000 MaxZoom 0 Query Render Title What you type here displays in the Map Layers window when the layer is enabled Filepath If you are loading the layer from a disk file either type the file location or click on the box containing three dots E to browse for the file Min Zoom Zoom factor at which the layer should be visible 0 always visible Max Zoom Zoom factor at which the layer should no longer be visible 0 always visible beyond Min Zoom Query Spatial query to select a subset of data from the shapefile e g NAME LIKE n Render Expression to render eg 12 population 100 Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved Download Engine With version 2 0 the download functionality is separate from the SWIFT WX program S
21. catalogs are denoted by the SWX extension and are stored in the Catalogs sub directory of the SWIFT WX installation Select the catalog you wish to view and click Open The SWIFT WX installation includes several sample catalogs STEP 3 Select Maps After loading the catalog click the checkbox next to the maps you wish to download see picture This enters them into the Download Queue STEP 4 Begin Download You can set the interval at which each map is downloaded individually using the Catalog Editor See the Catalog Editor section for more information To download a map immediately double click the entry in the Download Queue Note You can display the most recently downloaded version of a map by double clicking the map name in the Catalog window This does not schedule automatic download however you must click the map s checkbox in the Catalog window to place it in the download queue The maps in the Download Queue download according to their individual schedules which you can set using the Catalog Editor For example some maps may be set to download every two minutes while others may download every five minutes While downloading a Download Progress panel indicates the status of the map and other element downloads DOWNLOADING INDIVIDUAL MAPS Catalog OO Nws Radar O Upper Midwest OE Central Plains O Southern Plains O Northeast OE Southeast OG Northwest C1 Wa Seattle Tacoma M wa Spokane M OR Port
22. d GPS integration tool written for Storm Chasers Storm Spotters and Emergency Management Personnel About SWIFT WX LLC SWIFT WX LLC is a premier developer of location based decision support systems SWIFT WX our flagship product empowers Storm Chasers to focus on what they do best pursuing severe weather Integrating with GPS technology SWIFT WX is the only software available that can plot your current position over any weather map To get in touch with us visit our website online http www swiftwx com Or e mail us at staff swiftwx com SWIFT WX is a trademark of SWIFT WX LLC Copyright 2003 SWIFT WX LLC No portion of this work may be duplicated in any form other than Fair Use excerpts for the purposes of critique without the express written consent of SWIFT WX LLC Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Table of Contents Table of Contents sssmmmnemmnnaneennnnaneennnnnnnennnnnnneennnnnnnennnnnanennnnnnnennnnnanennnnnaneennnnaeennnnnnnee 4 E 1S SVU A WR se scccastcaccaestvsccsanceaacasunaseaancusacanensdasaaenaeassncueustaeavdesdanexavessaasauscseasantaauadiadsnuneescieccaisd 7 Version History smmmmmnaneemmnnannennnnnnnennennnneennnnnnnennnnnnneennnnnnennnnnaneennnnnnennnnnnnennnnnaneennnnneenennnnnee 8 Getting Started smmmmnnnaneenmnnannennnnnnnennnnnnneennnnnnnennnnnnnennnnnnneennnneenennnnnnennnnnaneennnnnneennnn
23. e Catalog window to view the Map Properties in the Properties window STEP 3 Adjacent to the Download Interval entry in the Properties window type the number of minutes between map downloads The higher the number the more often the system will download a new map Type 0 to never automatically download the map You will need to download the map manually STEP 4 The changes you make do not take effect immediately Be sure to save your work by saving the catalog Click File gt Save Catalog If SWIFT WX is open you will need to reload the catalog to see your changes You can select another map property to change select another map or close the Catalog Editor Your map is now configured for automatic download Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 36 Changing Other Map Properties Using the SWIFT WX Catalog Editor you can change other map properties including the Title URL Last Updated ID Username and Password if required by the download Web site Checked whether the map is scheduled for automated download Headers and map calibration coordinates Left Top Right Bottom Changing Map Title and URL STEP 1 Start the SWIFT WX Catalog Editor locate and open the catalog containing the map you wish to modify STEP 2 Select the map in the Catalog window to view the Map Properties in the Properties window STEP 3 Adjacent to the Title entry in the Properties window type the desired title
24. e displayed on the screen You can check each element to show it or uncheck it to hide it The View Menu is divided into several sections The first section controls the visibility of the various informational windows 22 Catalog The active catalog window 22 Download Queue The download queue and download progress bar window 22 Console The console displays various program operational details 22 Map Layers Controls the various informational map overlays 22 GPS Position The GPS positional information window 22 Detail Query The detail query information window The next section of the menu controls the tabs in the Storm Data Console 22 Watch Summary 22 Warning Summary 2 Storm Attributes Table 2 Mesoscale Discussions 2 Convective Outlooks 2 Surface Observations The next section of the menu enables you to 22 Show All Show all windows and elements Hide All Hide everything but the Map window The last two selections enable you to 22 Reset Layout Return all windows and elements to their starting positions 22 Refresh Update all windows Settings Menu Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 46 2 2 2 2 Custom Layers Open properties controlling the various informational map overlays Storm Tracking Settings Provides quick access to the Storm Tracking Settings section of the Applications Settings menu Storm Alert Perimeter Provides quick access to the Storm Alert Perimeter section of
25. ed in the current session You can use the Shutdown button to stop the DLE in special situations if for example the main program terminates abnormally and leaves the DLE running but you should ordinarily just shut down the main SWIFT WX program instead Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 43 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Program Reference To learn more about the SWIFT WX features review the following topics a The Interface Overview of the main interface Menu Bar and Toolbar Reference to the main menu and toolbar Map Toolbar Reference to the map toolbar Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 44 The Interface The following graphic identifies the various interface components for SWIFT WX S SWIFT WX Professional View Settings Window Help a Bain Cataloy X Blank Map OO nws Radar OO Upper Midwest gt central Plains OE Southern Plains O2 Northeast OE Southeast OS Northwest OB Southwest OIL Storm Tracking M amp warnings EI Watches s Storm Attributes ge Mesoscale Discussion Convective Outlooks o 4 Surface Observations HE EZ Download Queue x Downloading Storm Attributes BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Map Lavers 41 gt X MENT CH Mers M Storm Attributes M Surface Observations warnings watches Z Mesoscale Discussions J ng E Se EWES o Nepe E lt GPS Position EN x
26. er any weather map indicating bearing intensity and velocity You can also drill down into storm data viewing reporting station cell ID direction speed and other important variables Automatically download Internet weather data SWIFT WX is geared for storm chasers in pursuit of severe weather spotters observing and reporting and emergency managers acting with safety Using pre defined catalogs users can download only the pertinent weather data without browsing through pages of irrelevant information Users can also animate a time series of maps to view a storm s progression Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 7 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Version History Version 2 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Advanced highly customizable user interface Industrial Geographic Information System Custom Geographical overlays Shapefiles Storm Alert Perimeter Comprehensive storm tracking data 22 Warnings 22 Watches 22 Mesoscale Discussions 22 Convective Outlooks Surface Observations METARs 22 Storm Cell Attributes Schedule individual map download times Dedicated Download Engine Version 1 5 2 2 Warnings plots cities near and around warnings Additional GPS Icons Version 1 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 Enhanced Nowcasting Features Waypoint Overlays Storm cell movement indicators New Warning options Proxy support added Redundant warning data streams Version 1 02 2
27. focus in the map display area either double click its listing in the Catalog window or click on its tab at the top of the map display area STEP 7 GPS Integration If you own a GPS receiver turn it on and let it initialize If your GPS supports it set the output mode to NMEA format see GPS Seitings for help on this Once the GPS has initialized connect it to the computer and click the green arrow icon on the toolbar to begin tracking your position over the open map If your GPS receiver requires computer software to initialize such as the DeLorme Earthmate connect it to the comouter first then Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 10 click the icon STEP 8 Getting Information on Storms When SWIFT WX detects storm observations it plots them on the map Select the arrow tool and click one of the small white circles The reporting station is highlighted in the Storm Attributes Table and detailed information about its observations appears in the Detail Query window Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Connecting to the Internet SWIFT WX can use any method to access the Internet including modem DSL cable modem and satellite In most cases no settings will have to be changed INTERNET CONNECTIONS To use SWIFT WX connect to the Internet the way you usually do SWIFT WX will automatically use your existing connection However SWIFT W
28. ge Animation Controls to control map animation You use them like a VCR Press the arrow to start animation press the square to stop Clicking the double left icon will slow down map animation and clicking the double right will speed up This assumes the map has been configured for animation using the Catalog Editor See the Using the Catalog Editor section for help Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 48 System Requirements Basic System Requirements 2 2 2 2 2 Windows 95 98 2000 NT Pentium II 500mhz or higher 128 MB RAM 100MB Disk Space Modem or direct Internet connection e g DSL Cable Modem NOTE You must be connected to the Internet in order to start SWIFT WX This is so your product license can be verified GPS Integration Requirements 2 2 NMEA Compliant GPS Receiver GPS to PC connecting cable Mobile Travel Requirements 2 2 7 7 2 Laptop computer Power inverter or car battery power cable Laptop mount recommended Cell phone dual band recommended and Cellular PC Card Modem or Cell phone with built in modem Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 49 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Product Activation In order to start using SWIFT WX your product must first be activated The following information addresses this topic REQUIREMENTS 22 You have purchased a copy of SWIFT WX from SWIFT WX LLC at http
29. ires and ID The Mesoscale Discussions window has rows corresponding to the various active MCDs When an MCD expires or is canceled SWIFT WX removes it from the display Watch Summary The Watch Summary window has columns for Type Severe Thunderstorm Watch Tornado Watch Time Issued Time Expires and ID The Watch Summary window has rows corresponding to the various active watches When a watch expires or is canceled SWIFT WX removes it from the display Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 27 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Convective Outlooks A Convective Outlook SWO is a forecast containing the areas of expected thunderstorm occurrence and expected severity SWOs are issued several times daily by the Storm Prediction Center up to 52 hours in advance Local National Weather Service offices sometime prepare local versions The Convective Outlooks window has columns for Type slight risk moderate risk high risk General Thunderstorms etc Time Issued and Time Expires The Convective Outlooks window has rows corresponding to the various active SWOs When an SWO expires or is canceled SWIFT WX removes it from the display Storm Attributes Table The Storm Attributes Table window has columns for Station CelllD Latitude Longitude Direction Speed dbZ TVS Tornado Vortex Signature Meso Mesocyclones POSH Possibility of Severe Hail POH Possibility of Hail Hail Size VIL Ver
30. land M OR Pendleton H O ID Boise 0 ID Pocatello Idaho Falls C1 MT Missoula O MT Great Falls O MT Billings C1 MT Glasgow O wy Riverton O wy Cheyenne O nuy Reno C1 ny Elko O UT Salt Lake City O Southwest OE Storm Tracking LC warnings M watches M Storm Attributes P Mesoscale Discussion O Convective Outlooks a Surface Observations Dye F e Double click on any map in the Download Queue to download only the individual map You must first put the map in the queue by selecting its checkbox in the Catalog window Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Viewing Maps SWIFT WX offers several advantages over typical browsers while viewing weather maps Animating panning zooming and displaying the map superimposed over a US map are just a few of the available features MAP TOOLBAR klen a Use the Arrow tool to display information about objects on the map such as mesoscale discussions warnings and watches Position the pointing hand over the object s icon on the map and click Information is displayed in the Detail Query window and the corresponding entry is highlighted in the Storm Attributes Table Use the Hand tool to reposition the map by clicking and dragging Use the Zoom tool to zoom in left click or out right click on an image ANIMATION TOOLBAR aka Use the Image Animation Controls to control map
31. n the toolbar This initiates communication with the GPS unit Click the icon again to disconnect STEP 4 Stop GPS To stop tracking your GPS position click the green arrow on the toolbar Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 20 GPS Troubleshooting Things can go wrong trying to get your GPS to talk to your computer The following are solutions to several common problems you might encounter If your GPS never makes a valid connection please verify that 7 7 7 2 2 Batteries are charged if applicable Cables are securely connected COM port and other GPS settings are correct GPS receiver is turned on if applicable GPS receiver is in the correct output mode i e NMEA Please keep in mind that some GPS models take several minutes to initialize According to the DeLorme Earthmate manual initialization may take up to 15 minutes the first time If you still need assistance contact your manufacturer to determine if your receiver is defective For issues that might be related to SWIFT WX contact us via our website 2 http www swiftwx com Or send e mail to 2 staff swiftwx com Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 21 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Storm Tracking Settings SWIFT WX users can plot the actual path of a tornado or thunderstorm as well as several other types of weather data Use the following steps to configure the
32. ngitude dimensions for its geographical location In most cases catalogs you use with SWIFT WX will already have every map calibrated But if you add your own maps they will need to be calibrated See the Catalog Editor section for more information on calibration Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 17 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 ADDITIONAL ACCESSORIES Most GPS receivers that operate on batteries usually only last about 4 8 hours If you are mobile you may want to get a DC power supply cable that will allow your GPS receiver to run off the car battery Power supply cables like data cables are custom to your make and model of GPS Contact the manufacturer for assistance 22 Garmin cables and accessories can be obtained at htip shop garmin com 27 Lowrance cables and accessories can be obtained at http www lowrance com accessories default asp 27 DeLorme cables and accessories can be obtained at http www delorme com bargains earthmate moreinfo asp Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved GPS Settings Depending on your make and model you may have to configure your GPS before using it with SWIFT WX The following instructions will help you get started STEP 1 Configuring your GPS receiver for NMEA output Most GPS receivers use a proprietary data format In order to use your GPS with SWIFT WX you must configure it to output data in NMEA format Consult your G
33. nloaded images You control animation in the SWIFT WX Catalog Editor STEP 1 Start the SWIFT WX Catalog Editor locate and open the catalog containing the map you wish to animate STEP 2 Select the map in the Catalog window to view the Map Properties in the Properties window STEP 3 Adjacent to the Animation entry in the Properties window type the number of frames to use in animations The higher the number the more disk space the system will require to store each map STEP 4 The changes you make do not take effect immediately Be sure to save your work by saving the catalog Click File gt Save Catalog If SWIFT WX is open you will need to reload the catalog to see your changes You can select another map property to change select another map or save your catalog and close the Catalog Editor Your map is now configured for animation From now on each time you download the map a frame will be added to the animation sequence Review the section on Viewing Animations for details Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 35 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Setting Download Intervals SWIFT WX can animate any map in a catalog by caching previously downloaded images You control how often the system downloads new images using the SWIFT WX Catalog Editor STEP 1 Start the SWIFT WX Catalog Editor locate and open the catalog containing the map you wish to animate STEP 2 Select the map in th
34. ns 9 Quick eege 10 Connecting Ier Ae 12 Downloading dE tcl titel edt cel dete i eee tate tint 13 Viewing Maps Sn at ott et ae ed et nt ae te 14 En er ES E E E al eat see a deed eet eee sa 14 MAP EAYERS WINDOW Geteste nuit eee ee 14 SWIFT WX Professional Additional Data Types seesssssseeenneeeseeesernrrreesserrrrrnnrnneeeee 15 Tracking Your Position With GPS 1 cccccsesseeeeeesseeeeeenseeeeeneaseeseonaseeseeoaaeeeeeeeaseeeeonaseeseeoaseeseeoaaeeeeeaeaees 16 GPS e EI 17 GPS RECEIVERS usec ails a te le ttett tien 17 DATASCABLE EE 17 MAP CALIBRATO N E 17 ADDITIONAL ACCESSORIES Ce eee rasta eue anne Une 18 GPS SOINS teen 19 GPS OP CALI DE 20 GPS Troubleshooting Less lathe cet dt te de de dr dt de At dt ie it ai ae 21 Storm Tracking Settings mmmnanemmnannennnnaneennnnaneennnnnnnennnnnaneennnnnnnennnnnneennnnneenennnnnee 22 en leie de EE 22 Watehes SONINGS EE 22 SION Attrib tes Setting Secs ee e Eeer 22 Mesoscale Discussions Settings Lena en en Pete tente nt en ane nnn 23 Convective Outlooks Settings ENEE 24 Surface Observations EH 24 Storm Alen le 25 Storm Data Console nn nnnrrnsrnnnasnemmmananenmmnnannenmnnnnennnnnaneennnnannennnnnanennnnnneennnnnnnennnnnneennnnneennnnnnnee 27 S rface Observations meae aie ee An cn cn ce EEEE EAE 27 Ve Een ANY au cee tore EP 27 Mesoscale DISCUSSIONS eher 27 Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 4 Watch SUMMER ne 27 Convective neie 28 Storm Attributes UU
35. ocedures STEP 1 Adjacent to the Left entry in the Properties window type the longitude of the left edge of the map image STEP 2 Adjacent to the Top entry in the Properties window type the latitude of the top edge of the map image STEP 3 Adjacent to the Right entry in the Properties window type the longitude of the right edge of the map image STEP 4 Adjacent to the Bottom entry in the Properties window type the latitude of the bottom edge of the map image NOTE Use decimal degrees such as 45 12035 for latitude and 91 35519 for longitude Your map is now calibrated for use with SWIFT WX The changes you make do not take effect immediately Be sure to save your work by saving the catalog Click File gt Save Catalog If SWIFT WX is open you will need to reload the catalog to see your changes For more information on using the Map window to calibrate a catalog see Calibrating a Map Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 38 Viewing Animations SWIFT WX can animate any map in a catalog by caching previously downloaded images To view animations you have created review the following steps STEP 1 Start SWIFT WX STEP 2 Open the map you wish to animate Ensure that you have downloaded at least two versions of the map Otherwise animation won t appear to work until two map iterations have been downloaded STEP 3 Click the right facing Arrow button Your map will now begin animating The
36. ood 22 Mesoscale Discussions Select the types of mesoscale discussions to include in the perimeter o Tornado Watch Severe Thunderstorm Watch Severe Potential Heavy Rain Heavy Snow Freezing Rain o Mixed Precipitation Surface Observations Select the types of surface observations to include in the perimeter o Sky Select the cloud type from the dropdown aes Few ze Scattered ze Broken ee Overcast Wind Speeds gt mph Type the wind speed threshold Wind Direction Select the wind direction from the dropdown Temperature gt Type the temperature threshold Dewpoint gt Type the dewpoint threshold Pressure lt Type the pressure threshold in millibars Weather Select the weather type from the dropdown o O O 0 p oo oO n Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 25 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 2 2 2 2 7 ze Rain ze SNOW ze Thunderstorm Storm Attributes Select the types of storm attributes to include in the perimeter o Intensity gt dbZ Type the intensity threshold TVS check to include Tornado Vortex Signature Mesocyclones check to include mesocyclones Poss Of Hail gt Type the percentage threshold Hail Size gt Type the size threshold VILs lt Type the Vertically Integrated Liquid threshold Cell tops gt kft Type the cell top threshold in thousands of feet Gonilective Outlooks Select the types of convective outlook
37. ory under the SWIFT WX program directory MODIFYING CATALOGS Adding or updating maps is covered in the next section Creating amp Modifying Maps To delete a map select it and press the CTRL Delete button on your keyboard To change the order of maps you can drag and drop the map to the desired position in the catalog Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 31 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Creating amp Modifying Maps Follow these steps to add weather maps to your catalogs STEP 1 Start the SWIFT WX Catalog Editor STEP 2 Open Catalog Click File gt Open Catalog STEP 3 Create Map Click Edit gt Add Map or press CTRL Insert A new map is added to your catalog entitled Untitled Map STEP 4 Open Properties Select the map The map s properties appear in the Properties window STEP 5 Change Properties Many options can be configured for a map See the sections Map Animation Animation Frames Map Animation Download Intervals and Changing Other Map Properties for more information At the very least you ll need to specify 22 Title Name of the map that will appear in the catalog list 22 URL URL to the map graphic on the Internet NOTE The URL must be the actual graphic and not the page that contains the graphic Accepted graphic formats are GIF JPEG and PNG STEP 6 Save your changes The changes you make do not take effect immediately Be sure to save your work by
38. re to save your work by saving the catalog Click File gt Save Catalog If SWIFT WX is open you will need to reload the catalog to see your changes Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 37 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Changing Headers You may want to download maps from sites that require registration or other information from you such as a Cookie After you register at the site you can enter the cookie information or other Web header information in the Headers section STEP 1 Adjacent to the Headers entry in the Properties window type or copy in the header or cookie information from download site Note this information is stored in plain text on your computer Your map will now send the header information to the download site The changes you make do not take effect immediately Be sure to save your work by saving the catalog Click File gt Save Catalog If SWIFT WX is open you will need to reload the catalog to see your changes Changing Map Coordinates Calibrating a Map If you add a new map to a catalog you will need to calibrate it indicate how it fits over the US map before you can use it You can manually type the latitude of the top and bottom edges of the map and longitude of the left and the right edges Alternately you can drag the map into the proper position on the US map using the Catalog Editor s Map window To manually calibrate the map follow the following pr
39. s to include in the perimeter o High Risk o Moderate Rick o Slight Risk o General Thunderstorms Latitude Type the latitude for the center of the perimeter circle Longitude Type the longitude for the center of the perimeter circle City Alternately you can set latitude and longitude by selecting a city from the City Picker list by selecting the City button Select the row for the city you choose The latitude and longitude are populated into the boxes You must close the City Picker before proceeding To do so click the X in the right upper corner of the box Si Oo O 0 0 Click OK to save your settings A new storm alert perimeter entry shows in the Select Perimeter box Select the boxes beside the perimeters you want to enable Select Sound audible alarms on alert to play an alert sound when your criteria are met within your storm perimeter s Select Auto center map on alert to center the map display on the area causing the alert Click OK to save your settings STEP 16 Click OK or Apply to save your Storm Attribute settings Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 26 Storm Tracking Summary Windows You can see a consolidated list of all current warnings and other observations in the Storm Tracking summary window below the map window The window has tabs across the bottom representing the various types of storm data SWIFT WX gathers Surface Observations Surface weather observations are taken by
40. tarting SWIFT WX also starts a second program called the SWIFT WX Download Engine DLE This program runs in the background and handles all the downloading of maps and other weather elements When you close the main SWIFT WX program it closes the Download Engine as well so you rarely will need to concern yourself with the DLE However viewing the DLE can give you information about downloaded elements and the communications between your computing and the Internet STEP 1 Start SWIFT WX STEP 2 You will notice a second program icon on the status bar at the bottom of your screen This is the Download Engine Click the icon 22 Wx Download Engine to switch to the DLE STEP 3 You see two windows containing green on black entries a status indicator some totals and a Shutdown button The top window labeled Network Communications lists all the communications between your computer and the Internet You can scroll this window up or down using the scroll bar on the right Be aware that if you try to scroll while new commands are being executing the window will snap down to show the most recent communications The bottom window is the Command Queue which lists the URLs and other commands used to process Internet retrievals You may want to use these displays to troubleshoot communications problems The Status display indicates the status of the download engine The Totals display shows how many files and how many bytes have been download
41. tat te At SN Ne ne tait a 28 Creating Custom Catalogs mmmmmmnaneemmnnaneennnaneenennnnnennnnnaneennnnnnenennnanennnnnnnnennnnnneennnnne 29 Using the Catalog Editor E 30 Creating amp Modifying GARD SES LES ee nn nenene 31 CREATING CA TAT O GS E 31 MODIFYING CATALOGS ent eect eee Gee 31 Creating amp Modifying Maps sie 32 Calibratng a E EE 33 PRICING ADS EE 34 Setting Animation gn 35 Setting Re ee ME EE 36 Changing Other Map Pr p rti s 25 ss a RE tee ces re teens eee 37 Changing Map Title and URL neinei ae SEEEEEEENE EES 37 Changing Map ID and Password ou ae eae area tenta 37 Changing e EE 38 Changing Map Coordinates Calibrating a Map 38 Viewing Animations ssmmmmneemnnnnneennnnaneennnnnnnennnnnnneenennnneennnnnnnennnnnanennnnnnennnnnnneenennnnennnnnnnee 39 Using the Console ssnnmsrmmnannemmnnnaneennnnaneennnnannennnnnnnennnnnnneennnnneennnnnnnennnnneneennnnnneeennnneennnnnnnee 40 USING CUSTOM E CT 41 Download Engine ssssnnmrmmnnnnenmnnaneennnnaneennnnaneenennnenennnnnnneennnnnnnennnnnanennnneanennnnnaneennnnneennnnnnnee 43 Program Reference ssmmmmnanneenennaneennnnneennnnannennnnnnnennnnnnneennnnnnnennnnnnennnnnannenennnneennnnnnnennnnnnnee 44 ln la 45 Menu Bar Keele 46 ell lt EE 46 VIEW ISM EE 46 ROOTES dE EE 46 Window MENU Rd mel tete es liste ie it 47 Hep METU Ernest ei tee tei lett tt et A ts 47 E Ge 47 Maia FOOD PAR D E 47 Map OOlbal tenia nc cr ce De cs ce ou ce Cac 48
42. the Applications Settings menu Application Settings Open the Applications Settings menu Window Menu 2 2 7 2 Tile Windows Tile all open maps horizontally top to bottom Tab Windows Return all open maps to the default tabbed configuration Float Windows Detach all open map windows from the rest of the interface so they can be dragged Close All Windows Close all open maps Help Menu 7 2 2 Documentation Open the program documentation Quickstart Tutorial View the program tutorial About SWIFT WX View version number and other program details GPS Icon Click the green arrow to start or stop communications with your GPS unit Map Toolbar See the Map Toolbar section for more information Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 47 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Map Toolbars SWIFT WX offers several advantages over typical browsers while viewing weather maps Animating panning and zooming are just a few of the available features Yet Use the Arrow tool to display information about objects on the map such as mesoscale discussions warnings and watches Position the pointing hand over the object s icon on the map and click Information is displayed in the Detail Query window uo n Use the Hand tool to reposition the map by clicking and dragging Use the Zoom tool to zoom in left click or out right click on an image HT E Ces ka H Use the Ima
43. the Automated Surface Observation System ASOS every hour more often during active weather The Surface Observations window has columns for Station Sky Wind Direction Wind Speed Temperature Dewpoints Pressure and Weather type Rain Snow Thunderstorm If all columns don t show in the current view you can scroll right and left using the scroll bar at the bottom The Surface Observations window has rows corresponding to the reporting stations If all rows dont show in the current view you can scroll up and down using the scroll bar at the right Warning Summary The Warning Summary window has columns for Type Severe Thunderstorm Warning Tornado Warning Direction Speed in MPH Reason why warning was sounded Radar Indicated Spotter Indicated etc Time Issued Time Expires and Station The Warning Summary window has rows corresponding to the various active warnings When a warning expires or is canceled SWIFT WX removes it from the display Mesoscale Discussions When conditions actually begin to shape up for severe weather the Storm Prediction Center often issues a Mesoscale Discussion MCD statement that describes what is currently happening what is expected in the next few hours the meteorological reasoning for the forecast and when where SPC plans to issue the watch if conditions warrant The Mesoscale Discussions window has columns for Type Severe Thunderstorm Watch Tornado Watch Time Issued Time Exp
44. tically Integrated Liquid and Tops altitude of the cell top The Storm Attributes Table window has rows corresponding to the various active storms Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 28 Creating Custom Catalogs To create or modify your own catalogs in SWIFT WX review the following topics 2 2 7 7 7 7 7 7 Using the Catalog Editor Using existing catalogs Creating amp Modifying Catalogs How to create and modify catalogs Creating amp Modifying Maps How to create and modify individual maps Calibrating a Map How to calibrate your maps for GPS use Finding Maps Where to look to find maps to add to your catalog Setting Animation Frames Determine the number of frames to use in map animations Setting Download Intervals Determine how often to download a map Changing Other Map Properties Changing map title URL and other settings Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved 29 SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Using the Catalog Editor Use the SWIFT WX Catalog Editor to set up new maps to download and to change the properties of existing maps including changing the download interval and animation You can also create new catalogs and save copies of existing catalogs The following steps are common to all uses of the SWIFT WX STEP 1 Start the SWIFT WX Catalog Editor STEP 2 Using File gt Open locate and open the catalog
45. to click on the warning area edges in to display details in the Detail Query window Le Watches Overlays colored shaded polygons representing watch areas on the map Use the arrow tool to click on the watch area edges to display details in the Detail Query window P stesoscale Discussions Colored shaded rounded WS representing mesoscale discussion areas are overlaid on the map Use the arrow tool to click on the description in the mesoscale discussion area to display details in the Detail Query window Eire Outlooks Overlays colored shaded rounded shapes representing convective outlook areas on the map Use the arrow tool to click on the description in the convective outlook area to display details in the Detail Query window SWIFT WX Professional Additional Data Types In addition to the standard data overlay types SWIFT WX Professional adds the following Custom Overlay types as well as the ability to create your own overlay types 22 Interstates 22 Highways Major Cities Midsize Cities Minor Cities Copyright 2002 2003 SWIFT WX LLC All rights Reserved SWIFT WX User Manual Version 2 0 Tracking Your Position with GPS To track your position with GPS review the following topics 22 GPS Requirements Minimum requirements before you can start tracking your GPS position 22 GPS Settings How to configure your GPS receiver and SWIFT WX settings 22 GPS Operating The basics of using GPS
46. various Storm Tracking options STEP 1 Start SWIFT WX STEP 2 Open Storm Tracking Setting Click Settings gt Storm Tracking Settings Warnings Settings STEP 3 Click the Warnings listing Here you can change the URL from which to download storm warnings and the download interval Click on the plus sign next to the Warnings listing to see individual settings for Tornado Severe Thunderstorm and Flash Flood warnings For each warning type you can set Warning Box Color 22 Warning Box Border Width 22 Box Opacity whether other map features show through box 22 Show Description Show Direction 22 Show Speed 22 Show Time Expires Alert Sound STEP 4 Click OK or Apply to save your settings Watches Settings STEP 5 Click the Watches listing Here you can change the URL from which to download storm watches and the download interval Click on the plus sign next to the Watches listing to see individual settings for Tornado Severe Thunderstorm and Flash Flood warnings For each watch type you can set Watch Box Color 22 Watch Box Border Width 22 Border Opacity whether other map features show through box border 22 Show Description 22 Show Effective Time Alert Sound STEP 6 Click OK or Apply to save your settings Storm Attributes Settings STEP 7 Click the Storm Attributes listing Here you can change the URL from which to download storm attributes and the download interval Copyright
47. www swiftwx com or on CD 2 You are connected to the Internet FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Why Product Activation Product Activation is simply a method of copy protection It helps to ensure that the software you are using was legitimately purchased and helps to protect the investment the author made in developing this software Product Activation does not restrict you from installing multiple copies of the software on other computers you own or re installing the software on the same computer for example if your hard drive crashes How does it work When you purchase a copy of SWIFT WX your e mail address is stored in our customer database The first time you run the software you will be prompted for your e mail address After verifying that you did in fact purchase the software the application will e mail the Product Key to you Use the Product Key to complete the Product Activation form and the software will be activated After a successful activation the Product Activation screen will not be displayed again Where can I purchase SWIFT WX SWIFT WX can be purchased online at htip www swiftwx com What e mail address should use Use the e mail address that was supplied at the time of purchase or the customer e mail address for your account on hittp www swiftwx com What if my e mail address changes If your e mail address changes after the software has been activated you do not need to do anything If your e mail address
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