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Frequently Asked Questions

Questions:

  1. What is this page?
  2. What do these 5 character abbreviations like 'SAMI4' refer to?
  3. How do I reset the time on our SchoolNet8 PC?
  4. I am a site contact, why am I getting 'Offline' emails from a group called '[IEM]'?

Answers:

  1. What is this page?
    This page intends to answer frequently asked questions about the KCCI SchoolNet8 network. If your question is not answered, please feel free to contact the KCCI Weather Department.
  2. What do these 5 character abbreviations like 'SAMI4' refer to?
    KCCI SchoolNet8 information is disseminated in real time to the National Weather Service [NWS]. The NWS assigns 5 character site identifiers to the schoolNet8 sites for reference purposes. You can view a listing of KCCI SchoolNet8 sites and their 5 character identifiers.
  3. How do I reset the time on our SchoolNet8 PC?
    1. Go to http://www.time.gov and note the current time.
    2. Make sure that all running programs are stopped on your computer before starting.
    3. On your PC, go to the "start" button on the lower left side of the screen and then select "Settings" and then "Control Panel". After the control panel loads, click on the "time/date" icon.
    4. Change the time there to match the current time. Click "Apply" and then "OK".
    5. Close all programs running on the schoolNet PC.
    6. Open up the program called "TWICAL" by double-clicking on the icon.
    7. Go to "Connect" and then "Connect to Weather Station".
    8. Then go to "Tools" and "Calibration Mode". A series of gray tabs will pop up. Click on the "Time-date/baud rate" tab and click on the button that says "make change".
    9. Then click "Close", then "Connect -> disconnect", and then "File -> Exit". Then restart your machine.
  4. I am a site contact, why am I getting 'Offline' emails from a group called '[IEM]'?
    The IEM is project at Iowa State University that is also collecting data from our SchoolNet8 network. They have developed many tools that make administration of the SchoolNet8 network much easier. One of these tools monitors the live observations and will automatically email site contacts when a site ceases to report information. This automated process has been very helpful in keeping our sites on-line and reporting. If you receive such an email alert, please investigate your site and see what causing the problem. If you are unable to restore your PC, feel free to contact KCCI.
    After you have restored your PC, please reply by email to the site offline notice and let us know what happenned. If your site continues to have problems staying offline, a record of previous outages and causes will be helpful for us to diagnose the situation.