Skywarn Operators Console v1.2.8 Released — New Installer and Automatic Updates!

We're excited to announce version 1.2.8 of the Skywarn Operators Console, and this release is a big one under the hood. While you won't see dramatic changes on the screen, the way the program is installed and kept up to date has been completely modernized.

What's New in 1.2.8

New Velopack Installer

We've moved to the Velopack installation system. Velopack is a modern, lightweight installer used by many popular Windows applications. What this means for you:

• Faster installs — setup completes in seconds
• No more hunting for new versions — the program now updates itself (more on that below)
• Cleaner installs and uninstalls — everything lives in one place, and removal is complete

Code Signing (Self-Signed Certificate)

Version 1.2.8 is now digitally signed with a self-signed certificate. This ensures the files you download haven't been tampered with or corrupted between our server and your PC. If even a single byte of the installer were altered, the signature would break and Windows would flag it.

About That "Windows Protected Your PC" Message

Here's the part we want to be upfront about: you will still see the blue "Windows protected your PC" SmartScreen message when you run the installer. Let us explain why.

Windows SmartScreen decides whether to show that warning based on two things:

1. Whether the certificate comes from a commercial certificate authority — these certificates cost hundreds of dollars per year, every year. As free software written for the Skywarn and ham radio community, that recurring cost is hard to justify.
2. Download reputation — Microsoft tracks how many people have downloaded and run a file. New releases of small-community software simply don't have the download volume to build that reputation quickly.

Because our certificate is self-signed rather than purchased from a commercial authority, SmartScreen doesn't recognize it as "trusted" — even though the signature itself is doing its job of guaranteeing the file is authentic and unmodified.

The program is safe. To get past the message:

1. When the blue screen appears, click More info
2. Then click Run anyway

That's it. You'll only see this during installation — not every time you run the program.

Automatic Updates

This is our favorite part. Once you've installed 1.2.8, the Skywarn Operators Console will automatically keep itself up to date. When a new version is released, the program will download and apply it for you — no more visiting the website, downloading installers, and reinstalling.

Prefer to check on your own schedule? You can always manually check by going to Help → Check for Updates in the menu. If a new version is available, it will be downloaded and applied right there.

Getting Version 1.2.8

Because this release changes the installation system itself, you'll need to download and run the 1.2.8 installer one last time the old-fashioned way. After that, every future update happens automatically.

As always, the Skywarn Operators Console is free for the storm spotting and amateur radio community. Thanks for using it, and 73!