How to Set Weather RADAR As a Background Automatically Loaded
By Garrett Unglaub
Doppler radar allows even the novice meteorologist to forecast storms and get a unique aerial view of the Earth's weather systems. Doppler radar was once reserved for news teams and scientists, but today a live, looped radar can be viewed 24 hours a day from any home computer. Accessing the weather radar from a Windows desktop can be accomplished using the Windows Vista and 7 Gadget system. The radar gadget runs unobtrusively in the background and will automatically load every time the computer starts up.
Step 1
Right-click on the Windows Vista or 7 desktop. Select "Gadgets" from the content menu.
Step 2
Click the "Get More Gadgets Online" link at the bottom of the "Gadget Gallery" window. This will take you to the Personalization Gallery at the Microsoft Windows website.
Step 3
Scroll down to the bottom of the home page. Click on the "Get More Desktop Gadgets" link.
Step 4
Type "Doppler Radar" in the search box at the top of the page and click the "Gallery" button. Then, click the "Doppler Gadget" link.
Step 5
Click the "Download" button and, when asked, click the "Install" button.
Step 6
Click "OK" when the "Opening doppler.gadget" window pops up. Also, make sure "Open With: Windows Desktop Gadgets (default)" is selected. Now go back to the "Gadget Gallery."
Step 7
Double-click the new gadget titled "DopplerGadget." Select your area of the world using the drop-down menu.
References
Tips
- If you can't see the Doppler Gadget after double-clicking it, don't fret. It is possible the Doppler Gadget is hidden behind your Internet browser windows. Close the Gadget Gallery and the Internet browser.
- To make the Doppler Gadget always on top, meaning above all windows at all times, right-click on the center of the map and select "Always on Top."
- For a change in opacity, meaning to change how visible the Doppler Gadget is, right-click in the center of the map and select "Opacity." Then select the percentage.
- Hold the keys (on the keyboard) "Windows key" and the letter "D" to minimize all windows and show the desktop instantly.
Warnings
- Having the map always on top can be distracting, and if you're at work, might not make your boss happy. Simply disable "Always on Top" and the Doppler Gadget will run in the background.
Writer Bio
Garrett Unglaub has been writing professionally for more than five years. Unglaub's articles can be found in "The Menifee Times" and "Living by the Gulf." He attended Edison State College and Florida Gulf Coast University and has won numerous awards for his short stories, music and poetry.