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The Booker GC WeatherCam works by recording regular snapshots of the same view and then replaying these as a "film loop" to show how the weather is changing. The camera is mobile and located at each of the launchpoints as required. A key to the launchpoints and hence camera direction is displayed in the Navigation panel. Roll the mouse over each picture to see a zoomed view.
Every 15 seconds throughout the day an image is captured and uploaded to the server. For time-lapse video loops three frame rates are available, 4/sec, 2/sec and 1/sec. The size of each image has been kept small, so even at busy times these rates are achievable. If the images don’t refresh smoothly then try to reduce the frame rate. You can also change the direction and pause the replay.
The last image can be viewed by selecting "View Latest" and is refreshed automatically, otherwise three loops are available: last 30 minutes, last hour and all the data. Viewing the data will start at the earliest frame (which may be yesterday) and loop around until the latest of today’s frames. The data is overwritten every 2.5 hours, so images earlier than that will have been replaced.
Use the Play/Pause and Forward/Reverse controls to look at individual frames.
The camera used is the Sitecom LN401 IPCAM in FTP mode producing colour images at 640 x 480 pixels resolution with low compression. Approximately 400MB of RAM is required on your PC to view all the data. Images are transmitted using a WiFi link with a 15dB gain omnidirectional antenna for the camera and 12dB directional panel antenna for the Wireless Access Point. The WAP antenna will be re-sited in the near future to provide better coverage for the 06/35 launchpoints.
Power for the camera is provided by a 24Watt Solar Panel which charges the 12V battery. A timer switch is used to reduce the electrical budget by switching the camera off from dusk to dawn. Trials are still under way to determine if the solar panel is sufficient given the vagaries of the British climate. Please bear with us!
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