WeatherTAP
Encyclopedia
WeatherTAP.com is a subsidiary of TAP Publishing Co. based in Crossville, TN. TAP Publishing provides seven different publications, the flagship being Trade-A-Plane, a buy/sell publication for aviation, from which the name TAP was derived. WeatherTAP.com was created to provide weather data for commercial and private pilots; it is web-based and requires a subscription. Today, weatherTAP has expanded its product offerings to serve a wide variety of industries outside of aviation.
. Harris, a large international corporation, had many divisions, including a weather division that provided real-time weather data to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The data was transmitted via a proprietary satellite link received by special interactive terminals at FAA ARTCC centers. Knowing that TAP had web development experience, as well as direct access to the aviation market, TAP and Harris Corp. began initial discussions of how to commercialize the Harris FAA data stream in the summer of 1997. Government contractor Unisys
was brought into the partnership under contract to supply raw radar data under the now obsolete NIDS system. On July 26, 1998, weatherTAP.com was opened to the public and began serving out radar and satellite images, as well as aviation-related charts and text data. Soon contracts were signed with other data collectors, allowing new data types such as, lightning
strike data, to be added to the weatherTAP product suite.
As the years passed by, raw weather data became more readily available, thanks in part to the development of NOAAPORT offered by the NOAA. Much of the contents of the Harris and Unisys
data streams became available at much less cost on NOAAPORT. In 2004, weatherTAP began rendering its own weather images and in the fall of 2005 severed its partnership with Harris. The next four years, 2005–2009, were spent incorporating more specialized aviation maps and becoming QICP Certified.
, with separate versions for Netscape
and Internet Explorer
, the two leading browsers of the time. Browser compatibility issues eventually made this approach unworkable. The system was completely re-written in Java
beginning with RadarLab 2.0. In 2003, two new products, RadarLab GIS and RadarLab Plus were introduced. These new products were built on the ideals of RadarLab, but were implemented as desktop applications and not simply a web-based applet. The introduction of a web-based programming language, HTML5, has opened new doors for the RadarLab family. The development team created a mobile version, in the spring of 2011, of RadarLab HD called RadarLab Mobile that can be used on mobile browsers that support HTML5.
s in 2001. The increase in computing and utility abilities, mobile technologies changed the face of mobile devices. The smart phone was invented which gave websites more freedom to develop dynamic pages that can be displayed on these small screens. The mobile site for weatherTAP was renovated for smart phones in 2008. On May 12, 2011, weatherTAP released an iPhone
app called Zoom.
Today weatherTAP continues to offer its weather products on a subscription basis.
History
WeatherTAP.com was the first web-only product that TAP Publishing provided. The weatherTAP concept originated from a relationship between TAP Publishing and a publishing software maker Harris CorporationHarris Corporation
Harris Corporation is a Florida-based international communications equipment company that produces wireless equipment, electronic systems, and both terrestrial and spaceborne antennas for use in the government, defense, and commercial sectors. It is also the largest private-sector employer in...
. Harris, a large international corporation, had many divisions, including a weather division that provided real-time weather data to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The data was transmitted via a proprietary satellite link received by special interactive terminals at FAA ARTCC centers. Knowing that TAP had web development experience, as well as direct access to the aviation market, TAP and Harris Corp. began initial discussions of how to commercialize the Harris FAA data stream in the summer of 1997. Government contractor Unisys
Unisys
Unisys Corporation , headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, United States, and incorporated in Delaware, is a long established business whose core products now involves computing and networking.-History:...
was brought into the partnership under contract to supply raw radar data under the now obsolete NIDS system. On July 26, 1998, weatherTAP.com was opened to the public and began serving out radar and satellite images, as well as aviation-related charts and text data. Soon contracts were signed with other data collectors, allowing new data types such as, lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
strike data, to be added to the weatherTAP product suite.
As the years passed by, raw weather data became more readily available, thanks in part to the development of NOAAPORT offered by the NOAA. Much of the contents of the Harris and Unisys
Unisys
Unisys Corporation , headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, United States, and incorporated in Delaware, is a long established business whose core products now involves computing and networking.-History:...
data streams became available at much less cost on NOAAPORT. In 2004, weatherTAP began rendering its own weather images and in the fall of 2005 severed its partnership with Harris. The next four years, 2005–2009, were spent incorporating more specialized aviation maps and becoming QICP Certified.
RadarLab Family
In 1999 and early 2000, the RadarLab system was introduced. This system allowed the user to produce customized radar images by loading a radar background then choosing from a list of available overlays. Originally, this system was implemented purely in JavaScriptJavaScript
JavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed and has first-class functions. It is a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles....
, with separate versions for Netscape
Netscape
Netscape Communications is a US computer services company, best known for Netscape Navigator, its web browser. When it was an independent company, its headquarters were in Mountain View, California...
and Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer
Windows Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995. It was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year...
, the two leading browsers of the time. Browser compatibility issues eventually made this approach unworkable. The system was completely re-written in Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
beginning with RadarLab 2.0. In 2003, two new products, RadarLab GIS and RadarLab Plus were introduced. These new products were built on the ideals of RadarLab, but were implemented as desktop applications and not simply a web-based applet. The introduction of a web-based programming language, HTML5, has opened new doors for the RadarLab family. The development team created a mobile version, in the spring of 2011, of RadarLab HD called RadarLab Mobile that can be used on mobile browsers that support HTML5.
Mobile Apps
The advent of mobile technologies created a new paradigm in web development. Devices became smaller with less computing power which forced many websites to create special pages just for them. WeatherTAP developed the first mobile site for PDAPDA
A PDA is most commonly a Personal digital assistant, also known as a Personal data assistant, a mobile electronic device.PDA may also refer to:In science, medicine and technology:...
s in 2001. The increase in computing and utility abilities, mobile technologies changed the face of mobile devices. The smart phone was invented which gave websites more freedom to develop dynamic pages that can be displayed on these small screens. The mobile site for weatherTAP was renovated for smart phones in 2008. On May 12, 2011, weatherTAP released an iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
app called Zoom.
Today weatherTAP continues to offer its weather products on a subscription basis.
See also
External links
- http://www.forbes.com/bow/b2c/review.jhtml?id=1916 Forbes Best of the Web
- http://abc.go.com/shows/extreme-makeover-home-edition/episode-detail/boys-hopegirls-hope/554364?cid=abccomsearch_results Used on Extreme Home Makeover
- NWS Listed on the NWS Commercial Vendors serving US
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-l_zbZQz6Q Tracking Storms with RadarLab HD
- http://www.uspln.com/resellers.html USPLN Lightning Provider