Fate of DCA "live cams" page on YT ??
Nov 25, 2022, 4:25 pm
#16
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Yep I see that now. Should have never questioned you. 
I was thinking it must be shot from Virginia not over Virginia, which it clearly was. I forgot to account for the bend in the river which, of course, places GT both north and WEST of DCA.
Agree and thanks for the detailed analysis. I was thinking Rosslyn but your sight lines clearly show differently.
I was thinking it must be shot from Virginia not over Virginia, which it clearly was. I forgot to account for the bend in the river which, of course, places GT both north and WEST of DCA.Agree and thanks for the detailed analysis. I was thinking Rosslyn but your sight lines clearly show differently.
Arlington, I was already sort of familiar with the vantage points even from back in the day when the desk phone had a labeled speed dial button for the Secret Service duty desk at the White House.
Having scoped out the views from nearly every tall building in Rosslyn back during the Clinton Admin — when there were fewer tall buildings around Rosslyn to obstruct views than nowadays — I was sure it couldn’t be a photo taken from Rosslyn and instead would have to be taken from closer to the Exorcist stairs in Georgetown than over from National Cathedral. Also having worked in parts or Crystal City and been to too many apartments there, it was easy to rule that out too.
Last edited by GUWonder; Nov 25, 2022 at 4:26 pm Reason: P
Nov 25, 2022, 8:50 pm
#17
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Given the way Marine One flies over the Potomac and the routes some Presidential motorcades have taken out of Georgetown to go to/via
Arlington, I was already sort of familiar with the vantage points even from back in the day when the desk phone had a labeled speed dial button for the Secret Service duty desk at the White House.
Having scoped out the views from nearly every tall building in Rosslyn back during the Clinton Admin — when there were fewer tall buildings around Rosslyn to obstruct views than nowadays — I was sure it couldn’t be a photo taken from Rosslyn and instead would have to be taken from closer to the Exorcist stairs in Georgetown than over from National Cathedral. Also having worked in parts or Crystal City and been to too many apartments there, it was easy to rule that out too.
Arlington, I was already sort of familiar with the vantage points even from back in the day when the desk phone had a labeled speed dial button for the Secret Service duty desk at the White House.
Having scoped out the views from nearly every tall building in Rosslyn back during the Clinton Admin — when there were fewer tall buildings around Rosslyn to obstruct views than nowadays — I was sure it couldn’t be a photo taken from Rosslyn and instead would have to be taken from closer to the Exorcist stairs in Georgetown than over from National Cathedral. Also having worked in parts or Crystal City and been to too many apartments there, it was easy to rule that out too.
David
Jul 20, 2023, 10:01 am
#18
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Thought I'd revisit my thread >6 months after the original post. Sadly DCAAirportWebcam YT channel is still "parked" w/o the return of any live feeds. Nor have I been able to find any regularly recurring other options for viewing DCA. Occasionally one of the professional spotters will make a field trip to Gravelly Point, and that's fun and all, but admittedly with the former YT live streams I was totally spoiled.
At home I've a view of the cathedral and can catch southbound/RiverVisual traffic for 10-15 seconds before losing them in the trees somewhere by the Russian Embassy/that part of Wisc. Ave. (from my vantage point). I so miss hearing a mad rush of wind or rumble of thunder and then "dialing up" those live cams knowing that what just hit me would be there in under a minute!
So I guess we still don't know for sure why the cams went on "permanent" hiatus? My best guess is that it was a somehow a GU special project or POC that fulfilled its purpose.
At home I've a view of the cathedral and can catch southbound/RiverVisual traffic for 10-15 seconds before losing them in the trees somewhere by the Russian Embassy/that part of Wisc. Ave. (from my vantage point). I so miss hearing a mad rush of wind or rumble of thunder and then "dialing up" those live cams knowing that what just hit me would be there in under a minute!
So I guess we still don't know for sure why the cams went on "permanent" hiatus? My best guess is that it was a somehow a GU special project or POC that fulfilled its purpose.
Jul 20, 2023, 6:41 pm
#19
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Was the view from the same vantage point running for nearly six years? And do you happen to know if it was showing live in September and October too? And if so on what approximate dates it was last known to transmit live footage?
If you want to narrow down where the cameras may have been placed, get onto the top of the Car Barn and move from there.
If you want to narrow down where the cameras may have been placed, get onto the top of the Car Barn and move from there.
Jul 24, 2023, 12:24 pm
#20
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The YT page was setup on June 13, 2017, and yes to same vantage point question. They usually had 4 cams running concurrently, so regardless of traffic direction you could find a nice angle. YT says they garnered 862,923 views.
I'm not so concerned about where exactly the cameras were, but rather what happened to them and why? Someone had put a lot of time and effort into the project, and the zoom lens required alone could easily run into the thousands of dollars. The operator never asked for donations, although I'd have been happy to give, nor was there a way (that I knew of at least) to contact him/her.
I think we're all in agreement now that the cams would have been somewhere from the Car Barn west/northwest to the Georgetown campus.
I'm not so concerned about where exactly the cameras were, but rather what happened to them and why? Someone had put a lot of time and effort into the project, and the zoom lens required alone could easily run into the thousands of dollars. The operator never asked for donations, although I'd have been happy to give, nor was there a way (that I knew of at least) to contact him/her.
I think we're all in agreement now that the cams would have been somewhere from the Car Barn west/northwest to the Georgetown campus.