sferics vs Nexrad

In article ,
"Dan Luke" wrote:
I wonder if sferics is still the better choice, given it's real time, no
subscription, and lightning is reported to precede rain by significant
time.

Nice to have, but inferior *overall* to NEXRAD link, IMO. The
no-subscription feature is a real point in its favor, though.


It depends on what information you desire. I have a StrikeFinder and
XM. The StrikeFinder is infinitely better at identifying lightning.
The StrikeFinder can also help identify serious convective activity, but
then again, so can NEXRAD + Echo Tops. No way would I rely on the XM
products for lightning detection, but I didn't have a StrikeFinder, I
probably wouldn't put one in. Flying with both is optimal, but there is
substantially more information provided via XM.


JKG

The StrikeFinder can also help identify serious convective activity, but
then again, so can NEXRAD + Echo Tops.

.... except Nexrad is at least seven minutes old, and sometimes fifteen.
What prompted the question was watching hearing boomers out my window,
and seeing that Nexrad had only light rain showing. On the next update,
seven minutes later, some moderate rain was showing. Meanwhile, it was
thunder and lightning outside my window.

I'd've been unhappy in the air.

Jose
--
The monkey turns the crank and thinks he's making the music.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Jose" wrote:

The StrikeFinder can also help identify serious convective activity, but
then again, so can NEXRAD + Echo Tops.

... except Nexrad is at least seven minutes old, and sometimes fifteen.
What prompted the question was watching hearing boomers out my window, and
seeing that Nexrad had only light rain showing. On the next update, seven
minutes later, some moderate rain was showing. Meanwhile, it was thunder
and lightning outside my window.

I'd've been unhappy in the air.

In practice, it doesn't seem to matter much.

The lag has not caused any problems for me in two years of regular XM Wx use
in thunderstorm country.

As with all things in flying, judgment and experience make the difference in
using linked NEXRAD safely.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

In article ,
Jose wrote:

The StrikeFinder can also help identify serious convective activity, but
then again, so can NEXRAD + Echo Tops.

... except Nexrad is at least seven minutes old, and sometimes fifteen.
What prompted the question was watching hearing boomers out my window,
and seeing that Nexrad had only light rain showing. On the next update,
seven minutes later, some moderate rain was showing. Meanwhile, it was
thunder and lightning outside my window.


NEXRAD can be a couple minutes old, or up to several minutes old
(assuming you receive the 5 minute updates.) It isn't "at least seven
minutes old." However, you have no idea HOW old it is, so I certainly
wouldn't use it to navigate around thunderstorms unless I was VMC.



JKG