Android Weather App.

[Shutter]

I wrote a basic version last year when I was off the trail for a wedding. I decided to add a few more features and get it out the door for the NOBOs leaving in the next few weeks.

The app allows a hiker to type in the mile or search for a particular shelter to get the current and future forecast. I wrote it to use as little data transmission as possible since it's often the case your phone won't have much service thus slow transmission speeds.
The app has every shelter on the trail ordered by mileage or state. You can search or filter based on which shelter you're at or check to see how the weather is at other points on the trail.

All sales go directly toward trail magic this year (aka more beer) somewhere in the "roller coaster" which is near my house.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d....ATSheltercast

Let me know what you guys think. New features will be rolling out in the future as will a more streamlined look.

MODS: I couldn't find a rule where a post of this nature is against the rules or not. If it is I'd be happy to move it.

[Maren]

Very cool. Will download.

[Maren]

Looks good so far. Very simple, very fast, detailed info. Sunrise/sunset times is nice to have. I like how entering a mile number pulls up a list of shelters to choose from. Can't say anything about accuracy from my couch, will have to try it out on the trail. But, from a first look, absolutely worth the measly 99 cents.

[jdg]

just dl it, great app

[Silver Bear]

I just got it. Looks good. I leave 0n the 26th, Winding Stair to Fontana Dam

[JaxHiker]

Looks cool. I'll download it. I really need to play around with the Android SDK more. What IDE do you use? IntelliJ is pretty slick for Android.
What's your mileage based on (screenshot 1)? For example, in screenshot 2 Chestnut Knaub is 562.6. The AT Guide and AT Shelters site both list it as 565.2

I just got it. Looks good. I leave 0n the 26th, Winding Stair to Fontana Dam

I covered Winding Stair to NOC last Memorial Day. I wrote it up on my website if you're i

[Shutter]

I'm glad you all are giving the app a shot and the reviews have been positive so far. There are many features I want to add to make the app more useful, look for them in the coming weeks. Unfortunately I'm working long hours at work and trying to finalize a book I wrote on the A.T. to get published the coming few months. For now I wanted to get the core functionality out, I'm working on implementing a 5day extended forecast added in. It's harder to find than you'd think. Normal weather apps took over 5 minutes to deliver an update while I was on the trail so I'm very picky about how I get weather data.

Looks cool. I'll download it. I really need to play around with the Android SDK more. What IDE do you use? IntelliJ is pretty slick for Android.
What's your mileage based on (screenshot 1)? For example, in screenshot 2 Chestnut Knaub is 562.6. The AT Guide and AT Shelters site both list it as 565.2

Jax: If you're a java developer you shouldn't have much of a problem jumping into the Android SDK. I've never used IntelliJ, I would recommend going with Eclipse and the android SDK plug-in. I'm a programmer by trade, I only use Eclipse, it's pretty damn awesome. Google makes it easy to implement and get started. There are also Eclipse tools to help you design the GUI in a graphical way instead of hacking together the XML yourself.

As far as the mileage discrepancies, I'm aware they exist and I really can't do much about it. The miles I used are only for the hiker's reference, all data is gathered from GPS coordinates to get the forecast. The mileage and GPS coordinates are published by the ATC every few years. I think my mileage is based off the 2009 miles. It really doesn't make a difference since everything in the app is done based on known GPS coordinates of the shelters. The best year by year source is obviously the A.T. companion or AWOL's book. I believe their data is proprietary so I had to use free sources. Even to use the AT symbol in my icon I had to get legal permission.

To all you NOBO 2012's I envy you. I wish I was back out there right now. I'll be out on the A.T. quite a bit for weekend trail angel trips this year around Front Royal -> Harper's Ferry.

[JaxHiker]

Jax: If you're a java developer you shouldn't have much of a problem jumping into the Android SDK. I've never used IntelliJ, I would recommend going with Eclipse and the android SDK plug-in. I'm a programmer by trade, I only use Eclipse, it's pretty damn awesome. Google makes it easy to implement and get started. There are also Eclipse tools to help you design the GUI in a graphical way instead of hacking together the XML yourself.

I've never cared for Eclipse. I tried IntelliJ years ago and have been on it since about v3 (now on 11). I've dabbled with the SDK but none of the ideas I have have made it to the computer. I'm a developer by trade as well and since I spend every day working with SOAP XML isn't an issue for me. Today we joked that nobody realizes the company is really run out of my cube since I own what's arguably our most used web service.

As far as the mileage discrepancies, I'm aware they exist and I really can't do much about it. The miles I used are only for the hiker's reference, all data is gathered from GPS coordinates to get the forecast. The mileage and GPS coordinates are published by the ATC every few years. I think my mileage is based off the 2009 miles. It really doesn't make a difference since everything in the app is done based on known GPS coordinates of the shelters. The best year by year source is obviously the A.T. companion or AWOL's book. I believe their data is proprietary so I had to use free sources. Even to use the AT symbol in my icon I had to get legal permission.

Understood. Easy enough to make a little cheat sheet before heading out for the shelters you may be interested in. Looking forward to playing with it though I won't be back on the AT till May.

[DeerPath]

This is a great and useful app. Thanks, I am always looking the this information.

[bamboo bob]

I don't really get it. If you put in a shelter. Say, Story Spring in VT. Don't you just get the weather for the nearest weather station same as the weather channel or whatever? Unless you ran around and put a weather station at each shelter How is it different?

[Half Note]

Anyone know if there is an iPhone one similar to this one?

Because this sounds awesome.

[Rasty]

I don't really get it. If you put in a shelter. Say, Story Spring in VT. Don't you just get the weather for the nearest weather station same as the weather channel or whatever? Unless you ran around and put a weather station at each shelter How is it different?

I guessing that it also takes elevation into account. Big difference between 2000' in a town and 4000' on the trail.

[Shutter]

Bamboo Bob: Yes you get the nearest weather station based on the GPS and WOEID for each shelter. It is no different than hitting the weather channel. The purpose is I wanted a forecast every couple of days, I hated having to guess what city I'm closest to, or even what that city was. There was always spotty cell service out there so waiting on the GPS, ads and whatever else weather apps/websites transfer to get a simple to the point forecast took 5 minutes sometimes on old cell network found on the trail. This is a fast, fluid way to get the information you want while you're hiking based on where you are or where you're going.

Half Note: Sorry buddy, I haven't written an iPhone version but I may do that in the future as a neat little project. Although I wouldn't count on it unless I see a big demand.

Rastrailkis: Currently there isn't any prediction for the elevation, but that is coming shortly in a new version. It is fairly labor intensive to find the elevation of each weather station NOAA is gathering data from then subtract that number from the shelter's elevation. I have to do this for 200+ datapoints. That process may take several days to complete, with hikers leaving now I wanted to get a core version out. They will just get update notifications when they hit a town.

On average it's 3.5 degrees per thousand feet, I'll be using that to predict high's/low's and future temp. Weather is dynamic, all I can do is try to get with an acceptable range of +-3 degrees of the elevated temp and I'd be happy.

[JaxHiker]

Have you looked into APRS? Many amateur radio operators run home weather stations and they're connected to the APRS network. You might actually be able to find weather stations closer to a given shelter. Probably labor-intensive as well but might provide more accurate results. Though it might not help with the forecasting depending on the weather station.

[NeanderJoel]

Quite handy, I'll get to test it out in just over a week

['Bass]

All i can say is "Thank You!"

[Sly]

All sales go directly toward trail magic this year (aka more beer) somewhere in the "roller coaster" which is near my house.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d....ATSheltercast

Let me know what you guys think. New features will be rolling out in the future as will a more streamlined look.

The link appears dead.

[Sly]

The link appears dead.

Looks like this is it.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...=com.atweather

[Sly]

Shelter mileages need to be updated to reflect 2013 alignment. If you need a 2013 guide PM me.

[TheGreek]

Says it isn't compatible with my Motorola MB860 (Atrix 4G)