Severe weather photos, videos, and random thoughts of J.R. Hehnly

Randy Denzer streaming LIVE video from central Texas http://weather.wdtinc.com/popout/?M=10164&C=20226&V=10008&U=10008

I obtained an Oceanic Datamaster Sport dive computer as part of a package of used dive gear I purchased on eBay. Unfortunately, it would not power up. I assumed the batteries had died, but the screws to the back of the dive computer were covered with lacquer so I assumed that servicing could only be done by an Oceanic technician. A quick Google search verified this, and also let me know that Oceanic was no longer servicing this model. I would have to replace the batteries myself if I wanted to ever see it work.

I found a set of replacement batteries (Sanyo CR14250SE, 3 Volts 850mAh lithium-manganese dioxide) online at Battery Specialists. I placed my order, $15.90 for 2, shipped, and they arrived via first class mail in only 2 days!

Here are the steps I went though in replacing the batteries. I take no responsibility for any damage to equipment, or personal injury that might occur to anyone using equipment used after following these steps.

First you will want to remove the DataMaster from its rubber enclosure. Do this by carefully prying it out through the front, being careful not to disturb what I assume is the pressure sensor on the right-hand side.

When you have it out turn it over to reveal the 8 screws for the back cover. Use something pointy to scrape the lacquer from the 4 corner screws.

Now you are ready to remove the 8 cover screws. I used a #0 Phillips screwdriver.

  
Now use a thin flat blade screwdriver to carefully pry the cover off. Be extremely careful not to damage the rubber o-ring seal. If you push the screwdriver in too far you can very easily do damage to the o-ring!

The batteries can no be pried out using a flate blade screwdriver. They didn’t pop right out, I had to gradually pry a little at a time from each side, switching sides until the battery came out.

Now put the new batteries in, making sure to match the +/- of the batteries to the markings in the DataMaster. You may need to use your screwdriver to press the contacts out of the way while you insert the batteries.

The power button is in the back cover, so you won’t be able to test it until the back cover is re-installed. Pop the o-ring off and apply some silicone grease to it before slipping it back on. Replace the cover onto the back of the DataMaster and put a couple of screws in to hold it in place.

Press the power button and turn it over. If all is well the DataMaster will go through its power on tests. You can go ahead and replace the remaining screws on the back cover.

Now slip the DataMaster back into it’s rubber enclosure. Again, be careful around the pressure sensor.

And that’s it! I took it on a 40 foot dive over the weekend and everything seemed to work fine.

I don’t have an owners manual or instructions and have been unable to find any online for this dive computer, so if you happen to come across any please email me a pdf or send me a link.

This was to allow me to use both the Oklahoma PikePass system and the Kansas KTAG system without covering my windshield with multiple transmitters.

I basically just stuck the KTAG to the inside of the OU PikePass holder that I purchased from the PikePass store (the side that faces the windshield).

Since the holder is attached to the windshield with velcro I get the added benefit of being able to transfer the K-TAG to another vehicle, something you cannot do if it’s stuck to the glass.

The systems do not seem to interfere with each other, both work correctly when needed.

It was smoke

Well, not really. Originally reported as 3.6, then downgraded to a 3.4, it’s the first earthquake I ever felt. No shaking sensation, it sound and felt like a car had run into the house or something. I went outside to see if I could hear car alarms going off or anything, but it was still and silent. I assumed the house had just settled or something until the media began to report it as an earthquake. Oklahoma really does have it all!

This problem had me stumped for a couple of days until I determined the problem. I could upload images correctly, but I could not insert them into a blog post. After clicking on ‘Insert Into Post’ all I would get is a white screen with a close button. There were no error messages, and after closing the white box I would be back at the post, but without the image. I read about others having similar problems and tried various solutions that did not work.

These included:

• closing other open tabs in the browser
• clearing out browser cache
• clearing the link URL field
• making sure I was posting with an account that had ‘editor’ permissions
• disabling WordPress plugins
• made sure I had the latest Flash version (I am using Flash 10 debug version)
• added an .htaccess file to my wp-admin folder with this code:
  <IfModule mod_security.c>
  SecFilterEngine Off
  SecFilterScanPOST Off
  </IfModule>

None of this worked, but I finally found the correct solution for my problem here.

All I had to do is log in as an administrator, go to ‘General Settings’ and change the URLs for ‘WordPress address’ and ‘Blog address’ to all lowercase. I had used some uppercase letters in those URLs and apparently that was enough to break the image uploader.

Here’s a radar question that’s been bugging me for a couple of years.  I have noticed that sometimes, as an outflow boundary approaches a radar site, the amount of anomalous propagation increases the closer the boundary gets to the radar.  Interestingly, once the boundary passes over the radar location, all of the AP goes away.

The best example I’ve seen is from the evening of August 30, 2008. As an outflow boundary approached KTLX from the northeast the AP increased significantly in most all areas around the radar, but was greatest to the south and southeast of the radar. On thing I noticed, though, was that the AP was mostly absent along the path of the South Canadian River at the southern borders of Cleveland and Pottawatomie counties.

I have two questions on this. What is the process causing the AP to increase as an outflow boundary approaches, particularly in directions opposite the boundary? Also, what process causes the absence of AP along river paths? Is it just the lower elevation associated with river valleys, or is there some other cause that is unique to a river?

If you want to view the August 30, 2008 event using your own software, the raw Level-II files (150 mb) are located here.

Here’s a java animation consisting of 40 radar frames from the event. Use the slider at the top to advance the frames and see the changes as the OFB approaches.

I grabbed the graphics from the SPC for each year’s tornado reports from 2000-2009 and put them in a single animated GIF. Can you see any areas where you are more likely to see a tornado?

Animation of tornado reports from 2000 to 2008

I know I should have used the java animator so you could pause, etc, but I didn’t have it available when I created this.

Enjoy!

See the difference???

This image is funny.

This image is racist.

Today is the first day this year I went to work without a jacket. It was already over 50 degrees by 8:30, expected to be in the 70s later today. I really loved the smell of the moisture in the air. What is that? Gulf of Mexico water? Moist soil? I don’t know, but it lets me know that spring is on the way!