Text Messaging Service

[inferno]

Originally Posted by BigR

And please, don't text that "you are going to SB and will report when you get there", or to ask "how the conditions are over there?", or such.

guys , lets keep it strictly about the conditions at a specific time and place

this is a good point.... but for those who want to post they are on there way somewhere (hoping someone will join them) or ask about conditions somewhere... then we should use the WINDYMEET section.....


so lets keep the WINDY section to onsite reports only....
anything else post to WINDYMEET

-D

[Tony]

Another key point to make this service a success. My main use of it is for days where it is marginal and it may blow but not sure. Great example is sea breezes. When a major front is coming and we know it will be blasting all day - there is not much need to text all day long. I am talking about the fronts where it will be 20 plus knots. One or 2 texts on those type of days is fine - but not 20 texts. Again - this service is of value on days like today. It is showing 10 Knots out of the West. So - I would want to know if the sea breeze kicks in on top of this to produce 12 or so knots. Another example is the Easterly winds. Sometimes they blow - sometimes not. Another great use.

Tony

[Unimog Bob]

This service is flat out awesome and most of us think so.
We are just trying to fine tune it and make it a success. , not bitching, just fine tuning. I know I feel that way, as do others, with criticisms on here.
Just trying to fine tune it. It will take a few weeks.

WINDYMEET http://www.textmarks.com/WINDYMEET
is a great place to say "heading out", etc., as Tony mentioned. People that want to hear that, can hear it on there.

To repeat/summarize that which has been said by others.
A time stamp on each text is a must, imo, to avoid possible confusion.
Same as posting clear data, with punctuation, and being descriptive.

Such as --
14:12 @ EB. ENE 15 knots. 12 kites in sky. Skies somewhat overcast.


All in all, I can't see a better service than TextMarks for kiters for getting out real time REAL (not iMight) info.
I anticipate that this approach will spread quite quickly through kiting communites across the entire country once word gets out (much like Kevin Kearney's video... just not as fast and with more positive effect).

I think our little community may be one of the first working with it (maybe not.. but I think so), so we are the guinea pigs. Oinkey.

[Tony]

Scott-

Completely agree. Once fine tuned - I think it will be great. I appreciate you researching and finding it. Sucks the cold front stalled that was headed our way. Looks like some more humid weather and no wind next week .

Tony

[Unimog Bob]

Yeah, wtf! It was saying 15 a few days ago for Sunday now 5.
Now I remember why looking at FC is more pain than it's worth.
UGHHH>...

OH... WTH. I went ahead and reserved this mark too, for when we start doing downwinders (hey.. it's free).

http://www.textmarks.com/DOWNWINDER

So, when downwinders start coming, we can use that one too... LOL....

Pretty easy to put all the outputs on one page (hyperlinked when clicked) like this example on the right. http://www.scottfears.com/

[Unimog Bob]

I got bored and decided to show how you could have everything (outputs from TextMark pages and forum discussions dedicated to same categories) on one page. This took less than 30 minutes.

I am sure someone will do something like this in the near future. I have zero desire to have a local forum myself, but could help someone out pretty easily.

http://www.scottfears.com/index.php?...ena&Itemid=100

[Unimog Bob]

Hey Scottie time to put up or shut up! I want a bling bling Iphone app with live cameras and real time wind speed data like the dudes on the left coast

http://bayareakiteboarding.com/index...php&f=1&t=7723

Text message aggregators are so yesterday

Actually I'd settle for a fresh breeze and a dampened index finger


The real Slim unimog Bob Shady

[Unimog Bob]

LOL. If the sponsored "pros" at FT didn't suck out on me so much yesterday, maybe I could afford it.
Not that I would spend money on techno geekie stuff.
I just stick my finger out the window and watch the birds (like BF).

Not a big fan of technology, as you know.
Here's my two favorite takes on it.

Due to the confusion over whether the SW abbreviation means either a SW wind direction or the Skyway location would like to suggest that for Windy posts we use SKW for the Skyway NE and SSKW for the Skyway South. We would continue to use SW to indicate a Southwest wind direction.....

Regards,
Tim

[Unimog Bob]

Now you are just being unreasonable,Tim.

Does it even matter? ... never going to ever get wind again anyway.
At least it feels that way now, doesn't it?!

Seriously though, sounds reasonable. I will try to write it out like this-

8:35 @SKW. Winds are SW @ 2.3 knots gusting to 3. Skies clear. 4 kites pumped up and waiting. 2 kiters praying, 1 crying, 1 smoking crack.