2025-03-23 10:08:54
Richard A Carter
University of York, Campus East, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
NOAA-19
Equipment troubles finally subsided for today's pass, resulting in a pleasingly expansive view of Europe and parts of North Africa. One interesting aside is that the wind was such that it blew through small gaps in the antenna, making distinctly musical notes in the process - can imagine a speculative art project in which the antenna is turned into a sort of instrument, working alongside the distinct notes of the NOAA transmission coming in. It would be quite the composition!
2025-03-21 12:25:30
Richard A Carter
University of York, Campus East, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
NOAA-18
Software problems caused frequent glitches in the audio stream, resulting in this rather "striated" sounding, despite an otherwise excellent signal. A reminder, if there ever was, of the fragile chain of material structures and processes that enable these activities - and of how this fragility emerges from their status as constantly performing 'agents' in the world, rather than the typical image of technology as always fully tamed, always fully obedient to human imperatives.
2025-02-20 11:54:48
Richard A Carter
University of York, Campus East, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
NOAA-18
First notably warm day of the year, unusually so in February, at 15C. Blustery. Malfunctioning equipment cut off both the start and end of the transmission recording - which also survived a complete computer crash.
2025-01-24 12:37:55
Richard A Carter
York, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
NOAA-18
This weather sounding took place during Storm Éowyn. Even when undertaken within the ostensibly sheltered confines of York University campus, the roaring winds were more than sufficient to knock over and scatter the ground station equipment, even as the sounding was taken place! The double cross antenna fell to pieces and had to be repaired and held in position against the wind as NOAA-18 passed overhead - surprisingly, this did not appear to impact the recording. Undoubtedly, the chief source of local concern around the climate crises is in its potential to generate flooding from the nearby rivers Ouse and Fosse.