[Geysers] Webcam reporting protocol

[Elric]

If I can make a suggestion, ask whoever administrates the cam's server
about NTP (Network Time Protocol). Its a small daemon (background
process) that is used to keep the computer time more accurate.  Proper
configuration would allow the cam to synch with the USNO's atomic
clock and make the timestamps accurate.

Yeah.  I have been thinking how sweet it would be, seeing as how I
have a boatload of time for the next month, to be able to gaze.  Its
been years since I've been to YNP and probably a few more before I'll
have a chance to get back.  I lurk here to keep up on what's going on
in the basins, but when I saw the cam, I thought about the possibility
of actually being able to participate in observations.

Douglas Hampton
(OFI - 1992.  OFL - 1993)

On 8/23/06, Lynn Stephens <lstephens2006 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> >
> >So what will be the new protocol for reporting
> >winter/out of season eruptions on Geyser Hill?
> >
> >Something like:
> >Beehive 1127wc ???
>
> Old Faithful eruptions extracted from the webcam in prior years have been
> coded "c" and I see no reason to change this practice for other eruptions
> that are extracted from the webcam.
>
>
> >Will these be recorded in the logbook?
>
> Probably not.  If someone in the Visitor Center sees them on the webcam,
> then they MAY be recorded in the logbook.  (NOTE:  The OFVC staff frequently
> does not hear eruptions reported on the radio, so those eruptions are often
> not getting reported in the logbook either.)  No one in the past has been
> assigned responsibility to extract reports on the listserv to include them
> in the logbook and I know of no plans to do so in the future.  It can take a
> lot of time to match times reported via some other method against times
> already recorded in the logbook.
>
>
> >And for
> >that matter, can the time on the screenshot be
> >considered accurate for record keeping purposes?
>
> No, the time on the screenshot cannot be considered "accurate."  In the past
> the webcam computer has been as much as two minutes off.  This morning it is
> was off by about a minute (I ddn't try to check to see how many seconds, but
> the minute was off when compared to atomic timekeeping pieces).
> Additionally, until everyone has streaming video, I believe there may be a
> lag of up to 30 seconds or so between picture captures.  Some of Donnie
> Grisso's times for Beehive corresponded to visual times; others did not.
>
> One question that was not asked was "If they are to be reported, to whom
> should they be reported?"
>
> I don't believe NPS staff has time to compile reports on eruptions captured
> via the webcam to enter them into the OFVC logbook.
>
> Since I don't believe the electronic logbook should include times that are
> not also recorded in the OFVC logbook, I won't consider entering them into
> the electronic logbook except when I am physically present in the Park and
> have access to the OFVC logbook.
>
> Admittedly, I have been complaining that the OFVC logbook is bare because
> very few people bother to visit the Visitor Center to turn in times.  Maybe
> someone on the listserv wants to set up a logbook for the webcam times that
> are submitted and make it available to everyone.
>
> Lynn Stephens
>
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