[Geysers] Webcam stuff

[srlb at eskimo.com]

> Many people may not like my opinion but the reporting if the web cam
> observations should be limited to off-seasons time only. There are
> several reasons for my thoughts on this.
>
> 1. It clogs up the list server. What this has successfully done is
> doubled the work for the already hard working moderators.

I find these webcam posts interesting; others probably do too. However,
just so we all understand, what are your criteria for determining whether
or not a set of posts "clogs" the list server?

> 2. People who are already in the basin (and the VC) who have accurate
> times most likely will already be reporting and logging everything
> that is being noted on the web cam

And what if it wasn't otherwise reported? Are you suggesting that
information gathered from the webcam be withheld because it might be
reported from other sources? From an historical perspective, which is
worse: multiple (and perhaps differing) reports or no report at all?

> 3. The times I have seen reported have been close to correct but not
> quite correct. Remember folks there is a delay from when something
> occurs in the basin until it arrives on your screen at home. I did a
> little test recently it takes at least 45 seconds to as much as 4
> minutes for the web cam to catch up with what has occurred.
> Furthermore, the web cam time stamp is also incorrect it seems to be
> off somewhere between 45 seconds to 1 min. 15 sec.

Try watching http://64.241.25.110/yell/webcams/oldfaith2.jpg

You'll get better results. It seems to update about once every 25 seconds,
and I've seldom noted any significant delay in its transmission.

Now, the time stamp my be off a bit from National Standard, but so what?
Please give examples of real historical or scientific harm that an error
of even minutes in the reported start time of an eruption is likely to
cause.

> 4. Lastly, the web cam is not very clear. It would be easy to say one
> geyser is erupting when another actually is erupting.

So what? I've very often observed the same problem with information from
on-site reporters. Why single out webcam based reports?

> For accuracy lets try also limit the geysers being noted to VERY
> VERY obvious geysers such as Beehive, Lion, and Giantess

If, even with practice, those are the only geysers in the picture you feel
comfortable identifying, then maybe you should refrain from reporting the
apparent activity of others.

Bob

> Thanks for listening to my rant.
>
> Chase Ellison
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