# Porch Chat Notes References Condor and Weather - February 19, 2025 UPDATED - Feb 20, 2025 - Added two versions of "Soaring Forecasting Tools Tips and Techniques UPDATE 2024" slides. One slides only, the other slides with notes - Updated "What's New in Skysight 2024" presentation to include all slides UPDATED - Feb 22, 2025 - Added section about Condor Club U.S. Racing and Discord Server - Davis Chappins Presentation ## Walter Rogers Region 12 Southern California - Condor3 Install Tips and Tricks - Condor Club U.S. Racing and Discord Serve - Weather Apps Preferences ## Setting Up Condor 3 for XC Practice and Racing Cumulus Soaring Paul Remde has some of the best resources for installing Condor including a full store of all the necessary equipment and software. Techniques are virtually the same for Condor 2 and Condor 3. Use his Patreon service for more videos and tutorials: [Condor Tips Cumulus Soaring](https://www.cumulus-soaring.com/condor2/CondorTips.pdf)  ### Resources for Condor 3 - [Main Condor Website](https://www.condorsoaring.com/) - news, features and marketing - [Condor Main Site Downloads](https://www.condorsoaring.com/v3downloads/) - [Condor 3 Forums](https://www.condorsoaring.com/forums/) - [Scott Manley - Condor Orientation](http://glidercfi.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Condor_Orientation.pdf) - [Scott Manley's SOFTE 17 Part Flight Training](https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AEoDrNvUue5TsC8&id=AD73E61CFAFEFDE1%215787&cid=AD73E61CFAFEFDE1) As always recommended... please read through the Condor 3 user manual. Scott Wiley has conducted lengthy presentations and webinars (recorded on members.ssa.org) where you can get the 17 hourly sessions on using Condor for flight training. Scott's "Condor Orientation", although based on Condor 2, it is still highly relevant to Condor 3. His explanations are very clear and understandable. --- ### Cumulus Soaring - [Condor 3 Overview Cumulus Soaring Paul Remde](https://www.cumulus-soaring.com/store/condor3) - [Condor 3 Links, Tips & Documents Cumulus Soaring](https://www.cumulus-soaring.com/store/Condor3/condor3-links-tips-and-documents) - [Condor 3 User Manual](https://downloads3.condorsoaring.com/manuals/Condor%203%20manual_en.pdf) ### Condor Club - Landscapes and Competitions - [Condor Club home website](https://www.condor.club/home/1/) - [Condor Club How to Install Lanscapes](https://www.condor.club/generic/240/)  Downloading Landscapes is the most time consuming process because with slow internet (10 to 46 Gigabytes), it can take quite some time. The recommended approach is to use Condor Club and pay the annual ~$18/yr subscription using their Condor Updater program. That way you just start the update to work for hours if necessary and overnight. Without the subscription the download speed is greatly reduced or throttled. You can also install from a thumb drive to the Landscape directory where Condor is installed. --- ### Condor Club U.S. Racing and Discord Server  Davis Chappins introduced U.S. Condor Racing back in the 2023/2024 season. This is an advanced topic after you are familiar with handling your glider in Condor. It's an excellent way to hone your skills for XC flying. As of the 2025 season, there are 113 pilots registered flying on Tuesday and Thursday nights. A good way to get started is to join "Training Day" on Monday evening teaming up with another pilot in a Duo Discus. - [Condor Club Competitions - U.S. Racing Q1 2025](https://www.condor.club/comp/show/0/?id=826) - [Why Condor for Racing - Davis Chappins Presentation](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/af34631ynxo1u1ikqmn4e/Why-Condor.pdf?rlkey=h4182tmw1cycqx4nky7etu9mz&raw=1) - [Common questions and support documentation - Condor Racing](https://condor-help.helpscoutdocs.com/) --- Discord is kind of a like a Forum or Discussion app, but on steroids. It takes a little study to get familiar with it but provides many features. If you have questions, Condor pilots on this platform will have an answer. There are special sections for: #duo-find-a-partner, #how-do-i, #vr-help, #guides-and-how-tos, etc. Voice communications is used routinely for questions, and during racing acting like a "push to talk" vhf radio. There are many other features including video sharing (which isn't used much right now). Here are some resources for familiarizing yourself with Discord: - [Discord Server - U.S. Racing](https://discord.gg/QDzqNw4aXv) - [Discord Help Center](https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us) - [Beginners Guide to Discord](https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045138571-Beginner-s-Guide-to-Discord) Overall, learning Discord has taken a bit of time... but the reward is well worth it. Once you set up the "Push to Talk" function... just remember this. When flying in Condor and something breaks on your glider, dont keep talking endlessly annoying the other competitors. Just like in real gliding, use ettiquette and "Radio Discipline" ;) --- ### Using Flight Computers - TBD Preferred approach to learning and using flight computers in Condor - First, for Racing and Cross Country. Use embedded standard PDA - If you have an LXNAV 9070... learn in Condor 3 by activating it - Use a NAVITER Condor Dongle and connect SeeYou Navigator to Android/Iphone - Use Virtual Serial Port emulator and run XCSoar or LK8000 Easiest setup is to just use the embedded PDA. Second best is to run your smartphone and SeeYou Navigator Out of time! Condor Racing and use for XC Training Multplace next week March 5, 2025 with Davis Chappins --- ## Soaring Weather Programs and Apps These two programs and apps are my main "Go To" for soaring forecasts in the Southwestern U.S. ... including in many other regions of the world - [Skysight.io](https://Skysight.io) - [Windy.com](https://Windy.com) Here's my SSA Convention 2024 presentation on Skysight changes in 2024 [Soaring Forecasting Tools Tips and Techniques UPDATE 2024 - Slides and Notes](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/k4m9pe87pv4328bk58bqt/SSA_2024_Presentation_SoaringWeather_NOTES_WalterRogers.pdf?rlkey=iumyi5vy2eejahbptm65l5c7r&raw=1) [Soaring Forecasting Tools Tips and Techniques UPDATE 2024 - Slides Only](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hkg61x7mlc6envdqyqex2/SSA_2024_Presentation_SoaringWeather_WalterRogers.pdf?rlkey=8ks7uz448pd6igt4bzocfcqvw&dl=0https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hkg61x7mlc6envdqyqex2/SSA_2024_Presentation_SoaringWeather_WalterRogers.pdf?rlkey=8ks7uz448pd6igt4bzocfcqvw&raw=1) ... and Mathew Scutter's SSA Presentation [What's New in Skysight 2024](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/d82nkfsc25fhk4tc200dg/What-s-New-in-SkySight-2024.pdf?rlkey=kpqiq3mpo0wlyl0dn7oer4o62&raw=1)