FAQs

Once I sign up to receive the MyRainScout.com service, how long will it be before I receive a report?

If you sign up between Nov. 1, 2011 and February 29, 2012 your sites will be activated on March 1, 2012. Depending on rainfall amounts, your emails will start arriving on March 2, 2012.

If you sign up after these dates you will receive your first rain report approximately two days after your sign up date following the first rain event.

I signed up for the MyRainScout.com service, but I have not received a report. Why?

A) It has not rained on your site. In an effort to avoid cluttering your inbox, we do not send you a report unless it rains on your property. Also, we do not send a report unless the rainfall total was greater than .10″. In our experience, these trace amounts can be confused with virga or dew, and is not meaningful for traditional measurement of rainfall. All rainfall, regardless of the total, is delivered in the monthly report.

B) Your rain reports are being filtered to your spam folder. Occasionally, due to the embedded images in our reports, email accounts will label the reports as spam and send them to the trash file. First check your trash/spam folder to see if it contains your reports, and then “whitelist” the address noreply@myrainscout.com or add it to your safe-senders contact list. For information on how to whitelist an e-mail address, click here.

What equipment will I need?

There is no equipment to install, monitor, replace or maintain. As long as you have an e-mail address, you can receive site-specific rain reports from raintek.net.

If I sign up for multiple sites, will I receive a separate email for each one?

No. All of the sites that you setup in one “Project” will come in one all-inclusive e-mail.

If it doesn’t rain on my property, do I still receive an email report?

No. We do not want to crowd your inbox, so we only send a report following a rain event.

Why do I need to pinpoint a latitude and longitude for my rain report?

MyRainScout.com delivers site-specific rainfall data; that means that the data you receive reflects rainfall measured at the very point on your property that you choose from the aerial photo application on our website.

What if I cannot find my property on the aerial photo application?

It is important to remember that not all Google Maps photos are current. That means that your property may look significantly different at the time the photo was taken than it looks now. For example, if you have made improvements to your property during the last several years, your house, barn, field, or pond may not appear on the map. Search the surrounding area carefully to pinpoint the correct location.

Can I use my address to find my GPS coordinates?

You can enter your address into the Search field on the map page. Make sure that you include the city and the state. Google Maps will zoom to that location, but you will need to check the map to verify that it has chosen the correct location. Additionally, you may want to adjust the marker to pinpoint your backyard if Google Maps pinpointed your driveway. If your property is in a remote area, Google Maps may have trouble finding your address. In this case, we recommend that you enter your county and state in the Search field and then use the zoom feature to pinpoint your property.

How much area does the latitude and longitude cover?

The space is about one square meter. Rainfall will not differ greatly immediately surrounding that point, but if you own a large tract of land, we recommend that you pick several points to monitor.

How accurate is the data?

We provide the best available data that the industry has to offer. The technology has been continually tested throughout the nation for years to verify its quality and consistency of information delivery. Many major organizations have used and continue to use the service in a variety of industries. In addition, many reputable associations and academic organizations have independently evaluated the service with high marks.

Why might your data differ from the data I collect from my rain gauge?

Gauge-based data can be accurate, but is subject to a variety of environmental factors that can affect accuracy in the short- and long-term equation. Real world issues like vandalism, human error, animals, and wear and tear on physical equipment lead to many common problems with accuracy. Our service eliminates those factors and adds a convenience element that cannot be matched.

Why might your data differ from what I see on the local news?

Remember that our data is for a specific latitude/longitude coordinate. The data you see on the news does not reflect data collected on your site. Rainfall can vary drastically from one location to another.

Why do I have to choose a Farm Name?

The e-mails that you receive are organized by “Farms,” meaning that all sites contained in a “Farm” are combined into one e-mail. A “Farm” can be comprised of several sites on one piece of property or several sites around the nation.

How will I be billed for the services that I choose?

At the time of purchase, your credit card will be billed one time for the growing season. You will receive a receipt by email.

What do I do if my e-mail address changes?

You can log into your account by clicking here. Use your e-mail address as your ID and the password that you selected when you established your account. Once you are logged in, click on the "Settings" link on the My Account page.  Type your new email address and click on the "Save" button.

Can I add a farm to an account I have already established?

Yes! Log into your account by clicking here. Use your e-mail address as your ID and the password that you selected when you established your account. Once you are logged in, click “Add a new farm” at the bottom of the page, and follow the instructions.

Can I retrieve my data from your website?

Archived precipitation data for your monitoring site(s) is currently not available on our website.