Shannon Radar Problems

Discodog · 30-11-2012 8:09pm #1

Anyone heard or read anything as to when Shannon will be back online?

Oscar Bravo · 30-11-2012 10:01pm

During essential maintenance of the Shannon Radar a fault was discovered. As a result the radar will be shutdown for about 1 week from Friday 30th November. Met Éireann apologises for this interruption in service.

Discodog · 30-11-2012 10:05pm

A week from today so almost 2 weeks in total. Thanks for the info.

pauldry · 01-12-2012 3:35pm

Shannon is a bit of a botch isnt it.

Maybe someone on boards could use the Windows Application Paintbrush and add it in:)

aob9 · 02-12-2012 9:25am

Maybe it's waterlogged. Seriously though, it's a pretty unreliable piece of kit.

mickger844posts · 02-12-2012 9:43am

Its a bit of a trend now when they do routine maintenance they find something wrong and lengthy downtime is a result. A fair amount of precipitation forecast this week so it will be missed.

Discodog · 02-12-2012 12:27pm

Someone should be looking into the recent major refurbishment. Clearly it wasn't done properly. Needless to say it plays second fiddle to Dublin. An ATC radar would be fixed in hours not weeks.

Sponge Bob · 03-12-2012 9:05am

Iirc it is new from c 2010

Villain · 03-12-2012 4:31pm

Seems like good practice to me, i.e. the fault was found and is been resolved, much better than having a fault that goes undiscovered.

Wolfe_IRE · 03-12-2012 4:40pm

Oscar Bravo wrote: »

During essential maintenance of the Shannon Radar a fault was discovered.

Bsal · 03-12-2012 4:59pm

Pity we can't have a couple of NEXRAD:D radars like in the US. With the upgrades at Dublin and Shannon being a bit of a botch they probably cost the same.:mad:

Villain · 03-12-2012 5:08pm

Bsal wrote: »

With the upgrades at Dublin and Shannon being a bit of a botch they probably cost the same.:mad:

What botch was that?

Conmaicne Mara · 03-12-2012 5:44pm

Living on the West coast, it would be nice to have a decent working radar system that's up to the job. Other countries like the UK, and to an extent the East of Ireland given our prevailing winds have good warning. Out West we just get wet

Discodog · 03-12-2012 6:23pm

Villain wrote: »

What botch was that?

The Shannon radar was out for weeks undergoing a major refurbishment. We then had more time whilst they sorted problems. Clearly the job either wasn't done properly or the radar needs scrapping.

Tae laidir · 03-12-2012 6:26pm

There should be another radar station in Belmullet anyway.
As well as providing information on weather approaching from the NW, it would also provide some form of backup for Shannon.

bogman · 03-12-2012 9:29pm

Still down, not the first time in recent times either

Belmullet is mentioned, is there a monitoring station there also?

Mycroft H · 03-12-2012 10:42pm

bogman wrote: »

Still down, not the first time in recent times either

Belmullet is mentioned, is there a monitoring station there also?

There is one there since the 50s

http://www.met.ie/about/weatherobservingstations/belmullet.asp

It's a fairly important european station considering it's position in the Atlantic.

Su Campu · 03-12-2012 10:50pm

BX 19 wrote: »

There is one there since the 50s

http://www.met.ie/about/weatherobservingstations/belmullet.asp

It's a fairly important european station considering it's position in the Atlantic.

Belmullet was fully manned 24/7 until this summer, when it was made fully automatic.

Mycroft H · 03-12-2012 11:09pm

Su Campu wrote: »

Belmullet was fully manned 24/7 until this summer, when it was made fully automatic.

That's a shame. I dropped up there a few years ago (was touring by bike) and got a small tour, cool place.

I suppose with technology, manned stations are going away.

Jpmarn · 04-12-2012 4:46pm

There is another radar station in Belfast. Why does met.ie not take from it to give better coverage to the north West. The UK met office takes from the radars at Dublin and Shannon.

Sponge Bob · 05-12-2012 1:23am

The weather radar should be in Dooncarton (a mountain east of Belmullet) and on Mt Gabriel near Schull in Cork....not down in a feckin hole in Shannon.

Comhrá · 05-12-2012 2:55am

Sponge Bob wrote: »

The weather radar should be in Dooncarton (a mountain east of Belmullet) and on Mt Gabriel near Schull in Cork....not down in a feckin hole in Shannon.

And I suppose it would never break down in either of those locations?

Mycroft H · 05-12-2012 10:52am

Sponge Bob wrote: »

The weather radar should be in Dooncarton (a mountain east of Belmullet) and on Mt Gabriel near Schull in Cork....not down in a feckin hole in Shannon.

Bellmullett is the windiest place in Ireland, not sure I'd want a fancy expensive radar there.

lovelyhurler · 05-12-2012 10:57am

Everybody's right - there should be a radar up around Belmullet or somewhere else in the northwest.
Only thing is how would Met pay for it - these things are not cheap, and the government aren't happy parting with cash for anything that's not 'vital' at the moment. They'd probably see a weather radar as more of a folly than anything else.
Also, you'd probably have every NIMBY complaining about putting one in some godforsaken windswept part of the northwest anyway.

Sponge Bob · 05-12-2012 4:36pm

Dont be daft lads.

You put the weather Radar inside the RADAR STATION in those two locations, its just that they can see out onto the Atlantic as the RADAR STATIONS are high up...unlike bloody Shannon.

eg > http://goo.gl/maps/NXB5R and http://binged.it/QHmtzf

Joe Public · 06-12-2012 1:23am

If this was a radar station run by ameteur enthusiasts then they might be an excuse for all the down time but this is way beyond what's acceptable.

Mycroft H · 09-12-2012 12:40am

http://www.met.ie/news/display.asp?ID=185

Met Eireann apologises for the continued interruption of service from the Shannon Radar. During routine maintenance, a faulty drive motor and gearbox were diagnosed. Met Eireann technicians have been working on the faults all week; the drive motor has been replaced, but the delivery of a new gearbox from suppliers has been delayed and is expected by Monday 10th. The installation of the new gearbox and other tasks necessary to bring the Radar back into service are likely to take a few days thereafter.

Waiting on parts seems to be the delay. I wouldn't think Rain Radar gearboxes are off the shelve items

Rougies · 09-12-2012 2:13am

BX 19 wrote: »

http://www.met.ie/news/display.asp?ID=185

Waiting on parts seems to be the delay. I wouldn't think Rain Radar gearboxes are off the shelve items

Maybe the gearbox hasn't got it's bearings yet either

Joe Public · 09-12-2012 2:27am

I wonder if the Dublin radar uses the same type parts and what happens if it goes faulty?
borrow a few bits from Shannon sure who'd notice?

Comhrá · 10-12-2012 1:48pm

Update December 10: The replacement gearbox has been delivered and installation has commenced. It is hoped to have the radar back online in the next 48 hours.

Latest info from Met Eireann website.

http://www.met.ie/news/display.asp?ID=185

snaps · 10-12-2012 3:07pm

tippman1 wrote: »

Latest info from Met Eireann website.

http://www.met.ie/news/display.asp?ID=185

luckily though with the amount of work and downtime Shannon has it must all be under warranty!

Shannon Radar Problems

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