VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Does anyone know what the problem is with the web cam?
Do we need a new one, or repair?
I don't know about anyone else, but I need that station there for the winter.

Could you imagine if it wasn't there! Be like bein stuck in a tunnel,
Blind, with boxing gloves on an flippers on the feet. LITTLE HARD TO FIGUR
OUT WHAT IS GOING ON. Not to mention all the gasoline I would have to burn.
If there is anything I can do somebody please ask.

On a sort of side note, every body seems to use BWD but
Hardly anyone sends in money, same people all the time.
All the cheap pricks need to not use this site and drive to the beach
Every time they need a fix and see how that goes.

GWIND wrote:Does anyone know what the problem is with the web cam?
Do we need a new one, or repair?
I don't know about anyone else, but I need that station there for the winter.

Could you imagine if it wasn't there! Be like bein stuck in a tunnel,
Blind, with boxing gloves on an flippers on the feet. LITTLE HARD TO FIGUR OUT WHAT IS GOING ON. Not to mention all the gasoline I would have to burn. If there is anything I can do somebody please ask.

On a sort of side note, every body seems to use BWD but
Hardly anyone sends in money, same people all the time.
All the cheap pricks need to not use this site and drive to the beach
Every time they need a fix and see how that goes.

dunno and I understand that both Eastside and Windsurfish have adopted the cam....so perhaps they can use you to fix, I for one will donate $$ for repairs. I am sponsoring the Kook Cam but may switch to CB if necessary

I suggest we move the Piper's cam, which I sponser, to David Ms. It is a better location as it is closer to the water. It will be way easier to keep clean and repair too.

As I already said, I will help on the work party to replace the CB cam. Couldn't agree more with Gwind's comment about coughing up some bucks to help pay for what we get here. The webcams save time and money! In fact I think if you don't pay/contribute you shouldn't have access to the webcams and weather stations. Membership, $/contribution, has it's privileges.

Oooh oooh Ooh! I suggest that if we need a new cam, perhaps we should look into streaming video, at least for windy winter days. I know bandwidth is a concern but perhaps there are ways to reduce unnecessary data transfer (e.g. restrict to winter months).

Is a new fundraiser needed to cover the costs?

I have not contributed yet as am fairly new to the scene, but am willing to chip in. I live in Qualicum and use it all the time.
cheers

Here's some input from me, finally There are lots of things that are broken on the website that need some attention. I'm not as stoked about spending time on the website as I used to be, but I can still do some things. Be prepared for more things to break in the future (webcams, weather stations etc). Most of the webcams are close to 8-10 years old now and are likely nearing their end-of-life.

Here is a list and some notes about some of the things that need attention:

1. Island View weather station - thanks to BA, we might see this back up. Apparently there is internet at the site now, but I have to get over there and get the weather station going again. I keep meaning to do it...

2. PA weather station is down again. The same thing happened last year at this time. I'm not sure if it likes being on a 35degC + metal roof. I ordered some new equipment which should be here in a week. I think Sandy Beach and Skeltic will get this going again with the new gear. Thanks to them for spending time on it already. Oh and Davis weather stations suck.

3. Columbia Beach webcam is broken but it may be repairable. It would have to be sent back to california for repair. It may be best to buy a new one and then have the repaired one as a spare. The outdoor housing is also rusted and needs replacement. This may be a good time to look at another webcam type, like a streaming one. I'm talking to Gdawg about this...but it will involve more time, so I'm not sure about it. I may just get a similar webcam since those are the ones I know and can set it up it much less time.

Also there was talk about fixing up the CB weather station pole/fence before it falls over and kills someone. What ever happened to that project? It may not survive another winter.

4. Cook webcam - Mark is leaving the apartment and the future of the webcam is unknown at this time. If it has to be moved it will require more time again...

5. SP webcam - we almost lost it since they were going to cancel the internet, but thanks to Ray (rvanderbyl) it is going again and the future looks good.

6. Ogden Pt webcam - almost lost this too since they are away for a year and cancelled the internet, but it looks like it will most likely stay alive for now, maybe.

7. Pipers webcam - yes we can move it, I'm fine with that, but I'd rather not do it myself. For me it's not a top priority since it works, but a better view would be good. Someone needs to take this on and contact JohnO to arrange for moving it. Then climb on the roof, dismantle it, get the long ethernet cable that runs into the house and the power supply. Then it can be moved. The router at the new site will need to be configured for the zoom to work, but I can help with that.

8. Invoicing - I'm way behind on sending invoices to the sponsors of the website and I need to get caught up. Morewind is going to help, but I have lots to do to pass it over to him. There are also cheques to send out to pay for the internet at most of the webcam sites. No new sponsors until this is all caught up.

9. Also there are planned upgrades to the website - the forum, sailing log and home page need updating.

10. Gordons outdoor webcam housing is rusted and falling apart and needs to be replaced.

So if I don't answer your emails or pm's don't be offended, I read them and usually only answer if it looks urgent

It's not so much about $/fundraisers to do all of the above, it's more about time I think, and finding some good qualified people to take a lot of this on.

Fence at CB is in need of repair or replacing but that is another matter. Had a look myself in the spring this year and the post where the weather station is mounted seems solid. So things should be fine there for a while to come!

Dave, you are our island weather godsend and time is the biggest, valuable resource we have.
Thank-you for all of your continued time/energy you spend on this amazing website resource.
I remember that you had forecasted these weather station maintenance issues last year and it was suggested for an 'adopt a webcam' for interested wind people to be responsible for specific BWD webcams to start.
I will try to organize a way to get the new Harbour Quay weather station up here to Pt Alberni from you in Victoria in a timely manner. Ray, perhaps we can organize something, since you and Sharon are back and forth quite a bit.
Thanks again for all of your support.

Dave can pm me if anything needs to come up island. Sharon is in Victoria every Fri-Sun.

rvanderbyl wrote:Fence at CB is in need of repair or replacing but that is another matter. Had a look myself in the spring this year and the post where the weather station is mounted seems solid. So things should be fine there for a while to come!

RV. Perhaps we should fix up the post and fencing now and get this off
the list. I am going there and will survey the site and do up
a parts list and get them. Paul L can help me. We are primary users,
So we can get this going. Before winter works its magic.

Note: there is a nice new concrete picnic table at the beach
now so we can have barbys. And stuff.

Yes Kus I can build fences, but I can't mend them ;)

i'm pretty good on the dumb end of a hammer so just pm me Ray if you need some help construction-wise at CB or shinnying up that tree at Sp...
other than that, I will pitch in wherever I can...just lemme know and I would be glad to help keep things going.
Johnny

Gwind, the post with the weather station mounted to it may be in concrete and doesn't look at all rotten....except at the top. Not sure about under the ground. It certainly doesn't feel like it is in any danger of falling over soon. But go ahead and replace it anyway...if you want!

Slowly making progress:

Cook cam- spent some hours settings up the webcam with the new tenants on Dallas Road this week. It looks like they don't mind having it there (with free Internet) so it can live on for a bit.

IV cam-cleaned and repositioned it this morning. Sorry that the horizon is tilted a bit Ray, but that's the best I can do, besides my legs were cramping climbing that damn tree

PA weather station- bought and handed off some new parts to Sandy Beach. A couple of days later it started working on its own..wtf. Not sure what's going on with it.

Next steps: IV weather station and CB.

Any update on the Pipers webcam move ?

bwd wrote:Here's some input from me, finally There are lots of things that are broken on the website that need some attention. I'm not as stoked about spending time on the website as I used to be, but I can still do some things. Be prepared for more things to break in the future (webcams, weather stations etc). Most of the webcams are close to 8-10 years old now and are likely nearing their end-of-life.

Here is a list and some notes about some of the things that need attention:

1. Island View weather station - thanks to BA, we might see this back up. Apparently there is internet at the site now, but I have to get over there and get the weather station going again. I keep meaning to do it...

2. PA weather station is down again. The same thing happened last year at this time. I'm not sure if it likes being on a 35degC + metal roof. I ordered some new equipment which should be here in a week. I think Sandy Beach and Skeltic will get this going again with the new gear. Thanks to them for spending time on it already. Oh and Davis weather stations suck.

3. Columbia Beach webcam is broken but it may be repairable. It would have to be sent back to california for repair. It may be best to buy a new one and then have the repaired one as a spare. The outdoor housing is also rusted and needs replacement. This may be a good time to look at another webcam type, like a streaming one. I'm talking to Gdawg about this...but it will involve more time, so I'm not sure about it. I may just get a similar webcam since those are the ones I know and can set it up it much less time.

Also there was talk about fixing up the CB weather station pole/fence before it falls over and kills someone. What ever happened to that project? It may not survive another winter.

4. Cook webcam - Mark is leaving the apartment and the future of the webcam is unknown at this time. If it has to be moved it will require more time again...

5. SP webcam - we almost lost it since they were going to cancel the internet, but thanks to Ray (rvanderbyl) it is going again and the future looks good.

6. Ogden Pt webcam - almost lost this too since they are away for a year and cancelled the internet, but it looks like it will most likely stay alive for now, maybe.

7. Pipers webcam - yes we can move it, I'm fine with that, but I'd rather not do it myself. For me it's not a top priority since it works, but a better view would be good. Someone needs to take this on and contact JohnO to arrange for moving it. Then climb on the roof, dismantle it, get the long ethernet cable that runs into the house and the power supply. Then it can be moved. The router at the new site will need to be configured for the zoom to work, but I can help with that.

8. Invoicing - I'm way behind on sending invoices to the sponsors of the website and I need to get caught up. Morewind is going to help, but I have lots to do to pass it over to him. There are also cheques to send out to pay for the internet at most of the webcam sites. No new sponsors until this is all caught up.

9. Also there are planned upgrades to the website - the forum, sailing log and home page need updating.

10. Gordons outdoor webcam housing is rusted and falling apart and needs to be replaced.

So if I don't answer your emails or pm's don't be offended, I read them and usually only answer if it looks urgent

It's not so much about $/fundraisers to do all of the above, it's more about time I think, and finding some good qualified people to take a lot of this on.

Well it took me all afternoon of replacing parts etc, but the IV weather station should be operational now. We also have permission to move the IV webcam to the beach

Hoorah! Thanks Dave! I was going to mention when I saw you at the mailbox, if you need a hand with relocating or working on the stuff at IV feel free to give me a shout, I'd be more than happy to help