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NBC's Storm Rangers, Weather Expansions and NBCU Model


rkolsen

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Well there are now on Storm Ranger 2.0. As far as I know it has a better lift, disco led lights under the dome, more data capacity and satellite return video (based on the WBTS version).

 

[MEDIA=vimeo]274394503[/MEDIA]

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  • 2 weeks later...
@Eat News looks like NBC is finally getting around to installing the San Diego Doppler site. The control point is still at KNBC but data from the various station radars and Storm Rangers are shared between stations. it’s location is on San Miguel Mountain in Spring Valley - San Diego County. Specifically located at It’s located at 32°41'51.0"N 116°56'03.1"W [attachment=4397:name] It’s [URL='http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/ApplicationSearch/applMain.jsp?applID=10753597']license[/URL] was approved April 30th. It’s a EEC Ranger X5 Radar which is the same series used in the buggies and the other radars KNBC has launched. This is in addition to the two previously launched one in [URL='http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/licenseLocSum.jsp?licKey=3820321']Silverado, Orange County[/URL] and the other in [URL='http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/licenseLocSum.jsp?licKey=3820322']Mount Lukens[/URL]. Took a few years but it seems their advertised network is complete.
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[quote name='rkolsen']@Eat News looks like NBC is finally getting around to installing the San Diego Doppler site. The control point is still at KNBC but data from the various station radars and Storm Rangers are shared between stations. it’s location is on San Miguel Mountain in Spring Valley - San Diego County. Specifically located at It’s located at 32°41'51.0"N 116°56'03.1"W [ATTACH=full]6205[/ATTACH] It’s [URL='http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/ApplicationSearch/applMain.jsp?applID=10753597']license[/URL] was approved April 30th. It’s a EEC Ranger X5 Radar which is the same series used in the buggies and the other radars KNBC has launched. This is in addition to the two previously launched one in [URL='http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/licenseLocSum.jsp?licKey=3820321']Silverado, Orange County[/URL] and the other in [URL='http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/licenseLocSum.jsp?licKey=3820322']Mount Lukens[/URL]. Took a few years but it seems their advertised network is complete.[/QUOTE] Well Dayum! That's the KNSD transmitter site...so it's pretty obvious they have been waiting for the permits all this time. That's a great location for a radar. Now I hope I can toggle between the NWS -Radar and the EnnBeeCee radar. Thanks for the info... Happy 4th [SIZE=3](btw...Ross was with NBC at the time...)[/SIZE]
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Well Dayum!

 

That's the KNSD transmitter site...so it's pretty obvious they have been waiting for the permits all this time.

 

That's a great location for a radar.

Now I hope I can toggle between the NWS -Radar and the EnnBeeCee radar.

 

Thanks for the info...

Happy 4th

 

(btw...Ross was with NBC at the time...)

 

Your welcome. Same to you.

 

 

(and I figured it when you said Nightly).

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Well Dayum!

 

That's the KNSD transmitter site...so it's pretty obvious they have been waiting for the permits all this time.

 

That's a great location for a radar.

Now I hope I can toggle between the NWS -Radar and the EnnBeeCee radar.

 

Thanks for the info...

Happy 4th

 

(btw...Ross was with NBC at the time...)

 

Nothing yet on their app for radar toggling like KXAS or WNBC. I imagine they may have had to coordinate with the Mexican authorities as it’s so close to the border. I’m not sure what the exact range is but I think these x-band radars they’re using have a range of 75-100 miles and has a output power of 500 watts.

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Here's a map of the three radar sites.

 

[ATTACH=full]6206[/ATTACH]

That’s literally inaccurate on many levels... that “Orange County” radar on that map indicates it’s in San Bernardino, 43 minutes from Silverado (which is essentially North Tustin). That map makes me chuckle.

 

 

Orange County site: (33.7964801,-117.6232371) >Based on KNBC app and registered FCC document. Including my own eyes...

 

LA, Mt. Luke site: (34.2686601,-118.2374127)

>Based off of FCC and KNBC, KNSD, KVEA App.

 

Future San Diego site: (32.6975000,-116.9341944) >Needs Verification

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That’s literally inaccurate on many levels... that “Orange County” radar on that map indicates it’s in San Bernardino, 43 minutes from Silverado (which is essentially North Tustin). That map makes me chuckle.

 

 

Orange County site: (33.7964801,-117.6232371) >Based on KNBC app and registered FCC document. Including my own eyes...

 

LA, Mt. Luke site: (34.2686601,-118.2374127)

>Based off of FCC and KNBC, KNSD, KVEA App.

 

Future San Diego site: (32.6975000,-116.9341944) >Needs Verification

 

Orange County http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/licenseLocSum.jsp?licKey=3820321

 

Mount Lukens http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/licenseLocSum.jsp?licKey=3820322

 

 

San Diego http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/ApplicationSearch/applLocSum.jsp;JSESSIONID_APPSEARCH=1MwLb9RF914LNjjwWpbBwRQLMGQtR2nlnCnzv2TwgZsyQnnWrJzX!132828460!-1859538082?applID=10753597

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That’s literally inaccurate on many levels... that “Orange County” radar on that map indicates it’s in San Bernardino, 43 minutes from Silverado (which is essentially North Tustin). That map makes me chuckle.

 

 

Orange County site: (33.7964801,-117.6232371) >Based on KNBC app and registered FCC document. Including my own eyes...

 

LA, Mt. Luke site: (34.2686601,-118.2374127)

>Based off of FCC and KNBC, KNSD, KVEA App.

 

Future San Diego site: (32.6975000,-116.9341944) >Needs Verification

 

Orange County was way off. I entered the coordinates into Google Earth as they appeared in the FCC information.

 

 

913187006_Radar2.thumb.jpg.bb4498ac3cdc88bd410b65ffa78b4821.jpg

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Orange County was way off. I entered the coordinates into Google Earth as they appeared in the FCC information.

 

 

[ATTACH=full]6208[/ATTACH]

 

 

Ok RKO...

 

Here is a link to the live cameras on Mt Miguel.

http://hpwren.ucsd.edu/cameras/SM.html

 

The picture "N" has a crane in it? No small feat getting it up that mountain. I see 2 new towers one with a white dome alone on the farthest grey tower.

The East shot has most the KNSD in site...but a bunch of folks share rack space in all the buildings so it's hard to nail down stuff to ownership. Some of those white domes are the auto-track for the newschoppers...the stations without helos never took the old domes down.

 

Fester a guess about all those black barrels ...(my guess is diesel fuel)...

 

That crane has my interest...

 

You would know what exactly to look for. But that dome on that new tower seems to be placed far enough away from the rest of the antennas as not to interfere with the pulses.

 

I yield to the gentleman from the great state of Maryland...

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Ok RKO...

 

Here is a link to the live cameras on Mt Miguel.

http://hpwren.ucsd.edu/cameras/SM.html

 

The picture "N" has a crane in it? No small feat getting it up that mountain. I see 2 new towers one with a white dome alone on the farthest grey tower.

The East shot has most the KNSD in site...but a bunch of folks share rack space in all the buildings so it's hard to nail down stuff to ownership. Some of those white domes are the auto-track for the newschoppers...the stations without helos never took the old domes down.

 

Fester a guess about all those black barrels ...(my guess is diesel fuel)...

 

That crane has my interest...

 

You would know what exactly to look for. But that dome on that new tower seems to be placed far enough away from the rest of the antennas as not to interfere with the pulses.

 

I yield to the gentleman from the great state of Maryland...

 

KNSD is actually moving to a newer tower less than mile away. Specifically 0.69 miles (3643 ft 2.4 inches). They’re increasing the power 17 kW to 387kW and to 2676 ft above mean sea level (from 2641ft). You can see the slight difference in the coverage map.

 

Edit: once they move transmitter the radar will be about 580 ft away.

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KNSD is actually moving to a newer tower less than mile away. Specifically 0.69 miles (3643 ft 2.4 inches). They’re increasing the power 17 kW to 387kW and to 2676 ft above mean sea level (from 2641ft). You can see the slight difference in the coverage map.

 

Edit: once they move transmitter the radar will be about 580 ft away.

 

Ok,

That's gonna be that new orange tower I think....so orange and grey are probably related...and probably the reason for the crane. Alom looks like a lot of work has been done around the KNSD site.

 

There is a lot of stuff up there. TV radio, 2-way, micro links....state...local, feds etc.

 

Now there is not a whole bunch of space up there. Moving 3000 feet in any direction and you fall off the mountain.

 

There is no development below the peak...so everything has to be contained to the top of the peak.

 

Watch that crane for the next week...we may see a new antenna go up.

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  • 2 weeks later...

So I’ve received no response to my tweet about their long delayed San Diego radar when it will go active. Maybe they’re keeping mum because they’re embarrassed at the length it took

 

However it’s puzzling why they’d put one down there. I haven’t seen KNBC zoom in or show San Diego on their general maps. How does weather flow on the coast? Do LA storms typically come up from San Diego or develop along the LA coast?

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So I’ve received no response to my tweet about their long delayed San Diego radar when it will go active. Maybe they’re keeping mum because they’re embarrassed at the length it took

 

However it’s puzzling why they’d put one down there. I haven’t seen KNBC zoom in or show San Diego on their general maps. How does weather flow on the coast? Do LA storms typically come up from San Diego or develop along the LA coast?

 

Well the crane is gone from Mt. Miguel so I thinks it's been placed on one of those 2 new towers.

But so far no local promotion that I have seen.

 

For the most part the winter storms come from the gulf of Alaska and tracks the jetstream east or south towards socal, and the summer monsoon stuff comes from the south outta Mexico hopping or tunneling under the border fence.

 

The location of the radar is good, and it will fill in some land based holes. I don't know how far X radar will see off the coast, but 50-100 miles is what the NWS unit see. It's NOT flat land here. It goes from 0 to 6,000 feet in elevation pretty quickly.

 

The weather systems all will hit the mountains about 30 miles inland from the coast, and will be fairly predictable.

 

We get funnel clouds off the coast...but an actual small tornado is pretty rare here.

 

We have real good mountain top sites for the NWS radars and it looks like the spacing between the NBC and NWS will compliment each other.

 

I guess I would really need to see an overlay of the 2 systems in operation during a significant wx event.

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I guess I would really need to see an overlay of the 2 systems in operation during a significant wx event.

 

That’s what I’ve wondered as well. I know they say it takes six minutes for a NWS radar full scan but they can focus on a certain area for faster data. I assume to that you’d need the data at the exact time. I’ve also wondered how the weather computers deal with presenting data from a local radar and the NWS? Do they make a composite of the two or just use the local radar return in its area with NWS ones filling the area where the local isn’t covering (assuming your looking at a regional picture)?

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That’s what I’ve wondered as well. I know they say it takes six minutes for a NWS radar full scan but they can focus on a certain area specific beam angle for faster data.

 

FTFY. The radar beam sweeps at 4 different angles per full scan. This is why stations with multibeam radars like WPVI can tout faster scans cause they have two beams sweeping the sky, collecting more data at a faster rate.

 

I assume to that you’d need the data at the exact time. I’ve also wondered how the weather computers deal with presenting data from a local radar and the NWS? Do they make a composite of the two or just use the local radar return in its area with NWS ones filling the area where the local isn’t covering (assuming your looking at a regional picture)?

 

The WSI system at least can compile all the imagery together and update it as each site updates. I've also seen the radar imagery from each site presented as their own layer on the map (which looks quite messy the more sites there are). WCAU for example will use NWS sites KDIX and KDOX and they also have access to WNBC's Stormtracker 4, which I assume they use to fill in holes in the Lehigh Valley and Poconos. If they have the Stormranger deployed, they'll kill the other sites and show that individually.

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FTFY. The radar beam sweeps at 4 different angles per full scan. This is why stations with multibeam radars like WPVI can tout faster scans cause they have two beams sweeping the sky, collecting more data at a faster rate.

 

 

 

The WSI system at least can compile all the imagery together and update it as each site updates. I've also seen the radar imagery from each site presented as their own layer on the map (which looks quite messy the more sites there are). WCAU for example will use NWS sites KDIX and KDOX and they also have access to WNBC's Stormtracker 4, which I assume they use to fill in holes in the Lehigh Valley and Poconos. If they have the Stormranger deployed, they'll kill the other sites and show that individually.

 

Just pulled this from the KNSD site. We have wx stuff going on today, NBC has all the toys operating according to the pins on the map. They show Storm Buggy in Victorville...The OC X Radar...and the LA X radar..

 

No San Diego radar is pinned yet.

 

But soon I hope, since that crane is gone.

nbcsocalradars.thumb.JPG.892aa30cc494929d3127c2d0b10345ab.JPG

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So I’ve received no response to my tweet about their long delayed San Diego radar when it will go active. Maybe they’re keeping mum because they’re embarrassed at the length it took

 

However it’s puzzling why they’d put one down there. I haven’t seen KNBC zoom in or show San Diego on their general maps. How does weather flow on the coast? Do LA storms typically come up from San Diego or develop along the LA coast?

Storms develop anywhere in Los Angeles-literally anywhere, so I guess it’s fair enough to have a radar down there. Now why it’s being marketed for Los Angeles puzzles me, as mentioned: All LA Television Stations market themselves as far south as Oceanside and as far north as Santa Barbara.

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Here is the nationwide First Alert Radar pins...from KNSD.

 

We see 6 X band radars all operating in the USA right now...San Jose seems to be down...

 

All Storm Buggies seem to be asleep in the barn for the evening.

 

1221789618_nbcfirstalertpins.thumb.JPG.3e54e6f223de83541016def856f210a2.JPG

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Here is the nationwide First Alert Radar pins...from KNSD.

 

We see 6 X band radars all operating in the USA right now...San Jose seems to be down...

 

All Storm Buggies seem to be asleep in the barn for the evening.

 

[ATTACH=full]6242[/ATTACH]

The Puerto Rico Radar was destroyed, correct?

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Here is the nationwide First Alert Radar pins...from KNSD.

 

We see 6 X band radars all operating in the USA right now...San Jose seems to be down...

 

All Storm Buggies seem to be asleep in the barn for the evening.

 

[ATTACH=full]6242[/ATTACH]

Good map. But everything other than the LA ones are S Band and way more powerful with ranges of 250+ miles.

The Puerto Rico Radar was destroyed, correct?
I know the NWS one was destroyed and WKAQ continued to use theirs. Maybe since the WKAQ doppler is older and maybe a different make it’s not “compatible”*. That being said I haven’t seen a license to operate one for them either active or cancelled in the past year.

 

*All of the domestic radars including the buggies are EEC made which WSI or The Weather Company has a relationship with so that the data can be interpreted on one WSI computer (so they don’t have to have a seperate system if they have a VIPIR or Barron radar). Until recently the stations seperate weather apps are white label apps from WSI but they’ve been discontinued in favor of their own in app weather section. But it wouldn’t surprise me if some of the WSI code is in the weather section.

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Good map. But everything other than the LA ones are S Band and way more powerful with ranges of 250+ miles..

 

Ok...few more question RKO...

 

Why the difference in bands for LA?

What band is SD?

 

And...

Do they turn these off between shows to save power or magnatrons?

 

I thought I saw San Jose operational earlier today, but when i grabbed that lst pin map SJ was not pinned.

 

Would they just power down the unit to save energy thus making it disappear from the later map?

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Ok...few more question RKO...

 

Why the difference in bands for LA?

What band is SD?

 

And...

Do they turn these off between shows to save power or magnatrons?

 

I thought I saw San Jose operational earlier today, but when i grabbed that lst pin map SJ was not pinned.

 

Would they just power down the unit to save energy thus making it disappear from the later map?

 

They run all day. The San Diego radar is X-Band. X-Band has a shorter range but can see finer particles.

 

https://www.nbcdfw.com/weather/stories/Texas-StormRanger-Brings-Focus-Closer-to-the-Storm_Dallas-Fort-Worth-401955885.html

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Ok...few more question RKO...

 

Why the difference in bands for LA?

What band is SD?

 

And...

Do they turn these off between shows to save power or magnatrons?

 

I thought I saw San Jose operational earlier today, but when i grabbed that lst pin map SJ was not pinned.

 

Would they just power down the unit to save energy thus making it disappear from the later map?

 

So I looked at the video that KXAS puts up on their website. X-Band has a 2.5 CM wavelength while the S-Band have a 10 CM wavelength, C-Band radars have a 5 cm wavelength. They showed the X-Band offers greater detail but shorter range, susceptible to attenuation (rain diminishes it)and they say the Storm Ranger has a range of 30 miles. C-Band has good range at about 150 miles but heavy rain diminishes it. S-Band is used by NEXRAD/NWS has a 200+ mile range rain doesn’t affect it and can see through the storm.

 

https://www.nbcdfw.com/weather/stories/NBC-5-to-Debut-Big-S-Band-Radar-Nov-14-398416211.html

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