19990713: Lightning data question

>From: Gilbert Sebenste <address@hidden>
>Organization: NIU
>Keywords: 199907131534.JAA21347 NOAAPORT lightning

Gilbert,

>I have a question about lightning data. No, not the NLDN stuff. Well,
>maybe.
>
>NOAAPORT sends out a national lightning summary every 10 minutes under the
>header PNWA60 K???. I will be able to display this, make a GIF of
>it...well, I think you know where I'm going with this. I'd like to put it
>out on the web.
>
>These are not being scrambled...

Yet.  They are not _yet_ being encrypted.  The last I think I heard was that
they are scheduled to be encrypted.

>they are in Notebook format but that's no
>problem. I *assume* that this is, however, an NLDN product.

Yes, the government has to pay Global Atmospherics, Inc. for the data.

>HOWEVER, it IS
>being transmitted freely over NOAAPORT. HOWEVER, I don't want to tick GDS
>off and thus lose the lightning data for Universities. 

Right.  I would hate to see all the universities get hurt.

>Help me make the call! I'd like to put it on the web.

Please don't do this.  My thinking is the following:

o you either are getting or can get the NLDN data from SUNY Albany
o there are severe restrictions on the NLDN data from SUNYA
o you may be able to use the NOAAPORT data right now, before it gets
  encrypted
o if GDS found out about the posting of the lightning data on the web,
  they might stop giving the data to SUNYA
o it would probably be very hard to convince GDS that the data that showed
  up on the web was not the stuff from SUNYA.  Even if you could convince
  them of that, they may decide to stop giving the data to SUNYA.
o if the above happened, we and the entire Unidata community would be
  _very_ upset with _you_

If the lightning data in NOAAPORT does not get encrypted, and if the NWS
declares that it can be used without reservations, then the situation above
would, of course, change.  I don't see this happening, however.  GDS makes
too much money from power companies and the like to allow their data to
be "published" for free.

I hope that this helps you make an informed decision.

Tom Yoksas