Paging airjer...Ice Map?

[Pleasant]

Going to do a Ice Map this year sir? You can count me in as a contributor if you plan to.

[Jeremy airjer W]

I'm kind of torn on this one. I know it is a popular addition to the ice forum but it only works if I get help from members.

There are several of you that have done a fantastic and much appreciated job at getting this info to me. If I look at the numbers there are way more that "check it out" without participating.

Those members may be shy and I understand. You may not want to give away your fishing hole or create a mad dash to first ice. I encourage any information as specific or as vague as you are willing to provide.

I have been playing around with an android app early this summer. It is basically an email generator that will provide info boxes for the lake name, date, ice info, etc. It will also send me a GPS coordinate (if you wish) to help me figure out where you are.

If you guys are interested I am always interested!

[DTro]

Hey Jer, don't undersell you App, I thought it was very cool and I would bet it would be a whole lot more convenient for those with android phones to use.

Personally for me, the map is one thing I always look forward to around here each season. Like a tradition.

But I'm sure it's hard work too. All I know, is that I appreciate it.

[hydro]

There is a NASA site that publishes daily satellite photos by region that you can use to determine where the lakes are frozen over. Choose the subset covering the area you want to look at, then select the 250 Meter/pixel resolution view and get a pretty good idea of when the lakes in your area have become snow covered. Minnesota can be found by doing a search on "AERONET_Sioux_Falls Subsets" which will direct you to the subset covering our area. Do the search for "Aeronet_Subsets" and you can choose from views all over the Earth!

[c0untryf1sh3r]

I'd be up for it, dont remember seeing one on here before my couple year hiatus from HSO and since then getting a new account. Is it strictly for droids or how does it work? Definately sounds like a good idea!

[Jeremy airjer W]

I'd be up for it, dont remember seeing one on here before my couple year hiatus from HSO and since then getting a new account. Is it strictly for droids or how does it work? Definately sounds like a good idea!

The ice map or the app? The ice map will be the 5th annual (?) and the app will be new this year and only available for the droid operating system.

Thanks Darren! It's simple, but that's what it should be. No bells or whistles and to the point!

[Jeremy airjer W]

If your interested in taking a peak at the app you can find it here.

Of course I can't be responsible for yada, yada, yada.....use at your own risk.....App does not reflect the views or opinions of hotspotoutdoors, its subsidiaries, members, or sponsors....oh buy the way you will have to except non android market place apps. (is that enough legal jargon or do you think there should be more?)

I just re-downloaded it to my phone and it worked fine.

Like I said its just a simple email generator that puts the info in an easy to digest

format.

This is the report I get

Name: airjer

Lake Name: good

Ice Thickness: 0 - 1 inches

Current Address: No address available

GPS Coordinates: 45.82814, -94.07815

Additional Comments: skim ice

[BassKnuckles]

Is it hard to make it for the iPhone also?

[muc33]

Hey Jer, don't undersell you App, I thought it was very cool and I would bet it would be a whole lot more convenient for those with android phones to use.

Personally for me, the map is one thing I always look forward to around here each season. Like a tradition.

But I'm sure it's hard work too. All I know, is that I appreciate it.

+1 and I will help from the SW corner of the state and Iowa Great Lakes.

[DTro]

What is the easiest way to get the app? I see you posted that image, but if I'm browsing via a phone right now, how doi download?

[Jeremy airjer W]

Good question!

try this link. The app is hosted in google documents. The barcode is the link to the google docs page so I assume clicking the link would be the same thing?

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B3wjUkm...Nk&hl=en_US

[Jeremy airjer W]

Is it hard to make it for the iPhone also?

yes!

Google has a program called android app inventor. What they did was take the app making process and turned it into a format that is simular to building legos. All you needed to do is think through what you wanted to do and put the pieces in the right place. It takes care of writing all the code. Even so it still took me about a week to figure it out!

[Pleasant]

All I can tell you right now is that ponds were frozen with skim ice in the mornings this past weekend in Ottertail County, with the daytime sun and the hurricane winds we have been having they pretty much cleared by late afternoon, with the cooler temps they may stay frozen, but then today again they are forecasting 30 mph plus winds. I am ready for first ice, just need a few days with no wind.

46.3650736, -95.8796667

[DTro]

"problem parsing this package"

???

[Jeremy airjer W]

did you allow installation of non market applications?

[DTro]

I didn't have that turned on, so I selected that, but I still get the same error. When use my phone browser to open that link I just an taken to my google docs account.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Huh! I have no idea then. I'm not a developer by no means so I have no idea how or why things work or don't.

[CAMAN]

I'm getting the same parsing error also...

[CAMAN]

I just made a quick one on Google Docs, try this and see if it works. If it does I may be able to tell you where you went wrong.

But please don't use this one to report actual ice conditions as I will not be following it.

It works for me on both my computer and Android, so others without an Android should be able to use through their browsers.

Ice Report Test

Edit - Just tried it and it works through the iPad also.

[Jeremy airjer W]

The power of many minds is awesome!

That is fantastic, I wouldn't have thought of going that route but it does make sense to cover all mobile users!

[tjbassmaster]

I tried it a couple minutes ago and got the same error as dtro. Is the link maybe not sending me to the updated version or is the error not fixed yet?

[CAMAN]

The power of many minds is awesome!

That is fantastic, I wouldn't have thought of going that route but it does make sense to cover all mobile users!

Would you like me to upload the template? You can feel free to add/change whatever you like.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Bring me up to speed on how or what you used to create it?

I think it's perfect except for the title. Will it generate an email also?

[CAMAN]

I used Google Documents and created a Form. I just changed and added items to the default template and added titles.

I saved the Template online as Ice Report in the Miscellaneous section if you'd like to see my exact form. This was my first time using it so I don't know everything that can be done with it, so it is pretty basic, but I believe that is all you need for this particular case.

All the forms people fill out get sent directly into a spreadsheet within Google Documents, so those who know more about spreadsheet programming than me can probably do a lot more with it than what I have set up, but it works. And you can view the spreadsheet right on your phone if you have the Google Docs App installed.

Yes you can set it up to email you, although it is only a notification that someone submitted a form, it does not give you any of the information they sent you. Unless there is something I have not found.

Also in order to provide a link for people to visit, you need to go to Google Docs Home, right-click on the Ice Report form and select Share, then change the selection of who has access to whatever works best for you (I chose "Allow Access To Whoever Has Link") Save that, then copy the link that is provided directly above that. I found there are a couple other areas that give you similar links but they didn't work properly.

Feel free to ask here or PM me if you need any more help, I can even give you my phone number if that would be easier.

[olbaidhh]

I find this link helpful ... : NOAA IMS

The 31 day animation is fun lots of other links for ice and snow coverage