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WeatherCast Manual Getting Started Under Communication Type you will need to select Modem by clicking on the arrow to the right of the drop-down list, then select the modem that your PC will use to download the weather information from PA WeatherCentre. The modem should already be installed under windows and should be available on this list. Then select the telephone number (0906 602 6602). If you dial through a switchboard, remember to choose the number beginning with 9. Click OK to close the window. You now need to select which information you would like to download.
Selecting Information To Download The weather information is divided into four different groups: Forecasts, Observations, Radar Images and Satellite Images. These groups are again sub-divided into various categories. You can enable or disable particular groups or particular categories within a group. To enable or disable a group or category, you select or de-select the box in front of the group or category name. If a check is shown, the group or category has been selected.
You can find a particular town in the British Isles by right clicking on the map and selecting Search Location. Type the name of the place you are looking for, and press OK. The town will then be shown on the geographical map. Left click on the town on the map to select the region and ensure that the town you have selected is surrounded by a cluster of white dots. Having selected one or more regions, you must close the map. To request Radar images, select options, to return to the main menu put a check in the Radar images tick box, then select the Radar images tab. Select the number of images you wish to download (for example, the most recent six images). Radar images are produced every 15 minutes. By default, the most recent radar images are always requested, but you can request historic images from the three previous days using the Historic Radar option. Observations can be selected either to match the radar image period or for the period you specify. In the Satellite image group you have the choice of visible, infra-red or both. Choose how many of the most recent images you would like to download. Once you are happy with all of your selections, click on OK. You have now told WeatherCast what information you would like to receive and are now ready to download.
Downloading Your Chosen Weather Information For more information please refer to the WeatherCast help file or contact the WeatherCast helpdesk on 020 7963 7542. |
Before you can use WeatherCast you must enter the user details for the
program to work. These are entered in the User Settings box which appears
the first time you open WeatherCast. Type weather as the username, the
usercode and userkey are set by default, you do not need to enter anything
in these fields.
Select Data Collection from the Settings Menu, a dialogue window will
appear.
For example, to download a forecast for your local area click on the
forecasts box, select the forecasts tab, and then click on the regional
weather forecast box. You then need to select the region you would like
a forecast for. Click on the Select Region button next to the regional
weather forecast box. On the map, left click on your region. All towns
and villages within this region are highlighted in white. You can select
more than one region by holding the Ctrl key down and clicking on the
map with your mouse.
Additional forecast information is available in the form of pressure
maps, temperature maps and precipitation maps to select these you need
to tick the box to the left of the type of map you require, then tick
the day that you would like it for. You can get up to ten days of forecast
information, depending on the information required.
To start downloading, go to Communication and select collect data. WeatherCast
will dial into the PA Weathercentre bulletin board system and obtain
the data you have requested. Once data collection has completed and
the processing has finished, you can view the information by selecting
the relevant option from the View menu.