New Weather Station at Aeroden!!

[nealet]

Hi All
At long last the weather station at Aeroden is up and running!!
It has been installed at the top of the unused windsock at Aeroden on runway 36/18. The station respond to SMS’s sent to a fixed number (36010) with a short text string ( AD). The following information
is sent back, of which the following is an actual message, some explanations alongside:

-----SMS Text -----
Aeroden Airf
22 Jul 19:43
Wind:SSW T213 4-6kph,2-3kts - wind is SSW or specifically at a True heading of 213degrees, between 4 & 6 kmh which is 2 to 3 Knots
Temp:21C
Hum:17% - Hum = Humidty
QNH:1027mb RIS - RIS = Rising & FAL = Falling
Dewpoint:-5C
CU Height:10656ft -This is the estimated cloud base height
D.Alt:4815ft -Density Altitude
Sunrise-06:53
Sunset-17:38


Since I covered the cost of the station myself the charge is R5 per SMS. This service makes it potentially useful to pilots to use on an as needed basis, to give some insight as to whether to make the trip out to the field to fly or not depending on how hard and from which direction the wind is blowing. The R5 (the bulk of which goes to the service providers of which there are at least three!) would hopefully keep the station at least breaking even if not making some small contribution to the R10,000 odd cost of the station.

As a legal requirement, I am required to be quite clear about the commercial aspects when advertising the costs of the service; The following MUST be included in any communication or to any advert about the weather station.
To get the latest Wind speed & direction from Aeroden
Simply SMS the code AD to 36010
All SMS cost R5. NO Free SMS


Another nice feature is that flying anywhere that Aeroden is on route, one will be able to determine the conditions at the Northern ridge. Specifically pilots from anywhere can use it such as from , Kroon, Brits, FAAP, Crosswinds, Orient, RBurg, etc. as an easy way of finding out the conditions either on route to a destination, or to Aeroden itself.
Regards
Neale

[Dish]

Excellent new Neale my ole pal.... Think it's a fantastic service and I do believe it will be used frequently, goodness knows I have already used it three times and this morning already it saved me a huge amount of hassle.. Was going to go flying, decided to SMS the station, the reply came back that the wind was between 1 and 3 knots.... Qnh was good, actually the weather was faaaantasic ..... So I rolled over and went back to sleep, dreaming of the flight I would have had, that said I will SMS it again later this afternoon in preparation for my evening flight....!!,!,!

It's awesome, thanks for laying out your hard hearted cash and all the effort to get it up and running

[wiskeyfoxtrot]

Just tried it , GREAT... will save us all a lot of guess work and will be safer flying for all !
Fantastic idea...

Good one nealet

Later

[pietmeyer]

I also tried it and works great. Thanks.

[Microjunkie]

GREAT... Based at Kroon will use it everytime before I go flying...