Author Topic: UPDATE!!!...Post #20 Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)  (Read 5637 times)

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Offline Intheswamp

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I'm trying to get into my head what I need to collect data and get it uploaded to some of the wx sites and eventually post the data to my own website....basically what everybody else does. :)

My location is in south Alabama.  I live on a hill of about 425' elevation...it's one of the taller hills around.  I've got a fairly open area for my sensors...a hayfield.  The open area is more or less ringed by pine trees and other trees.  The land slopes gently towards both the north and south...more steeply towards the north.  At the bottom of this post I've attached a satellite image of the location (not sure being so new here I can post a picture yet, but I will try :) )....the flag is roughly marking the proposed location for the sensors.  The console will be on the near side of the house beside a window.  Transmission distance will be about 200-250 feet.

I've looked at both the Davis Vue and the VP2.  I like the idea of being able to put the anemometer up high and the  rain gauge and thermo/hyro unit down low so that gives the VP2 an edge.  But, the Vue is less expensive.  I also like the idea of being able to add on an UV sensor, but it's not absolutely necessary.  I could save $$$ going with the Vue.

But then you gotta buy the interface cable if you want to hook one of the Davis units up to a computer and that adds $100+ to the price of eggs. <sigh>  Some of the lower priced units from other vendors have the computer connectivity built in.  It really sounds like the Davis units are better built but you could buy several of the lower priced units for the cost of a single Davis unit.

Software I think I'll be ok on....I'm running Linux Mint here at home and I've seen a couple of wx programs for the operating system.

I guess I'm just thinking out loud right now as I don't really know enough to ask any questions.  If anybody wants to comment or make suggestions I'm all ears.  In the mean time here's that satellite image of the location.

Thanks, Ed

« Last Edit: May 01, 2013, 11:40:28 PM by Intheswamp »

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Offline DanS

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2013, 01:08:17 AM »
Having all that open area, an all-in-one station (Vue, Acu-Rite, WeatherHawk,etc.)  might be the way to go. You should be able to get all your readings pretty accurate in one location.

Offline cospringswx

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2013, 01:09:08 AM »
I have a Vue and I'm going to say its well built. Mine has been through some wild storms here in the plains. The main reason I got the Vue is because it is an all in one unit and I wasn't planning on adding things to it. Just the basics is enough for me. I use Weather Display for software using the USB logger connected to a laptop as my dedicated WX PC.  I connect remotely using Team Viewer to access it from my home built PC. Then you will get a website, then a webcam, then etc. Believe me it's never done.

I got all of my equipment except the cam from this highly recommended business http://www.archertradingpost.com/
« Last Edit: April 30, 2013, 01:15:40 AM by hayskswx »




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Offline SlowModem

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2013, 08:10:30 AM »
Here's everything you wanted to know about sensor placement (and then some):

http://www.comptus.com/PDF/CWOP_Guide.pdf

After you read that, remember that everything is about compromise.

If you want to stick a Vue on a pole 10' in the air in your back yard, that's ok, if that's what you can do.  Many of us don't have optimum settings, so we do the best we can.  There was holes all over my yard until I decided on where to place the sensors.

For the money, I'd recommend the Vue with data logger.  I think that's a good starter package.  Davis makes good stuff and their customer service is top-notch.  Plus (I'm pretty sure a Vue qualifies) in a few years, if you want, you can send it in to the factory and they will refurbish it for around $100.

You can spend as much as you want to for a weather station.  But having dealt with the lower-end stations, I'd recommend Davis.

Good luck!  :)

PS:  If you're going to get into this, might as well start the CoCoRaHS thing, too.
« Last Edit: April 30, 2013, 08:12:58 AM by SlowModem »
Greg Whitehead
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Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2013, 10:33:28 AM »
Thanks for the replies, guys.  I'm sitting here in a daze after reading page after page after page after page...I think you get where I'm coming from. ;)

DanS, yes I'm blessed with some open area. :)  One thing I've picked up, though, is that the accuracy of the rain sensor is impaired when positioned high in the air and that wind sensors are impaired when placed low to the ground.  Having an all-in-one sensor package wouldn't allow separation of the two sensors.  Is this a really big deal?  I want to get the best accuracy that I can but I also understand that sometimes you gotta pay the fiddler if ya want to dance.  I had a really bad experience with a little $40 wireless Acu-Rite wx station...I literally went through 7 or 8 of these in a year!...segments in the displays kept going blank....my experience with Acu-Rite customer service was, ahem, less than 5-star.  :roll:  Wallyworld's customer service was stellar, though!!!  :roll:

AW MAN!!!....now I gotta clean all the coffee off my monitor!!!   I just looked at the Weatherhawk :shock: figuring it was a mid-priced station!!!  Nice...very nice station but, uh,...ain't gonna happen. ;)  Ok, so maybe all of this is pushing towards the Davis units...or the noble Weatherwise...                ...now where's that rag...

hayskswx, thanks for the plug for the Vue.  It is definitely one of the stations hovering toward the center of my radar.  I'd like to have the UV sensor, but that's not an absolute necessity and isn't available anyhow unless if I go with a Davis VP2 or something even more upper end.  How high up do you have your Vue installed?  ...rain and wind speed accuracy?  I understand about the "never ending story" part of this...seems hobbies tend to be like that, don't they?  As I get older and the funds get less I tend to get more conservative, though (sometimes  :lol: ).  I posted an inquiry about the Davis units yesterday to archer but haven't heard back from them yet.  I'm going to poke a couple of other places today.  I see eBay has several vendors selling, too.

SlowModem, thanks for the CWOP Guide.  I scanned over it but will dig in deeper later.  I'm curious about the optimal height for the Vue.  Would you want to favor a height for wind speed or rainfall?  I've read that 33' is optimal for win and around 5' for rain and temperature measurements so would putting the Vue up at 10' (high for rain/temp and low for wind) affect the measurements greatly?...are we talking fractions of a measured unit or multiple whole units?   I'm curious about this simply out of curiosity being as my measurements don't have to be razor sharp but at least in the ballpark. :)  I'm thinking I'd max out at around 15', probably.  I'll look in to the CoCoRaHS thing.

Thanks again for the feedback, everybody.  I'm still pondering over things...

Ed

I like the idea that Davis will refurb the units later on...that's a "plus" I didn't know about. 




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Offline cospringswx

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #5 on: April 30, 2013, 12:14:48 PM »
My Vue and webcam is on the roof of my home bolted to a pole connected to a satellite bracket. It sits about 31ft high. Just call Archer and talk to Ryan. 
« Last Edit: April 30, 2013, 12:36:46 PM by hayskswx »




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Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2013, 12:53:40 PM »
I wonder if the message I entered online on the Archer Trading site went through as I haven't received a response back from them...they don't show a regular email address.  :sad:

I sent a couple of emails out this morning inquiring on stations and received a rather quick response back from Ambient.  I sent an inquiry to Rainmanweather.com, also.  Hopefully I will hear from them and Archer this afternoon...we'll see. :)

Ed

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Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2013, 12:55:45 PM »
And...a response from Rainmanweather.com....  :)

Ed

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Offline cospringswx

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2013, 12:57:14 PM »
Call  352-262-6119 to get in touch with Ryan at Archer Trading Post. :grin:




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Offline moehoward4

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2013, 01:27:31 PM »
www.archertradingpost.com/atp gets you better pricing than the site with no "/atp" at the end. And don't worry, Ryan WILL get back to you.....he does do other things to generate income.
3 Davis set-ups...which one ya wanna talk about? And I got ALL my manuals....

Offline DaculaWeather

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #10 on: April 30, 2013, 01:59:26 PM »
Pricing here too...
http://www.convectivedevelopment.com/davis/davis-weather-stations.php#ourchart

Ed, I'm currently using a vue and have had it for 5 years now.At some point I'll upgrade to a VP2+ with 24 hour FARS but for now I'm good. I'll probably go ahead and purchase the Wireless Anemometer now (it can be used with the Vue) and then move it to the VP2+ when I get it.

I've had great luck with my Vue so far (probably famous last words...) with only one battery replacement.

Offline SlowModem

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #11 on: April 30, 2013, 03:37:19 PM »
After dealing with spiders and webs stopping the anemometer   #-o  , I've lowered all mine to where I can reach them.  That's the wind that matters to me anyway here on the ground.  Also, birds poop in the rain gauges and bugs and leaves stop them up.  So if you had a view on a 5 or 6 foot pole, I think you'd be satisfied.

I'm glad the others mentioned the lower pricing.  They can't advertise their lowest pride (for some strange reason.  but if you email them, they'll send you a link with the lower price listed.  Same for the datalogger (which comes with Weatherlink Software).  The software is fine for many people, but there are others out there from free (WUHU) to donation (Cumulus) to pay (Virtual Weather Station Internet Edition).  I'd suggest starting out with the Weatherlink or WHUH, and if you want to do more, then moving up as your experience and cash flow allow.

Of course YMMV.  :)
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

Offline SlowModem

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #12 on: April 30, 2013, 03:42:31 PM »
Ed, I'm currently using a vue and have had it for 5 years now.

Where has the time gone!   :-k  It seems like just yesterday I was trying to figure out how to get my first station online.
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #13 on: April 30, 2013, 05:37:10 PM »
I started wondering whether the message I posted via the form utility on Ryan's website made it through so I sent another message.  Ryan responded back shortly after I sent it...he apparently did not receive my first message.  Who knows...maybe I didn't hit the correct button to send it!  :? 

So, I've pretty much got all vendors response so far.  I'm pondering prices and trying to rationalize spending the money.  :roll:  All the prices are better than listed online prices.  All vendors seem helpful and courteous.  Dang...this'll be a tough decision if I decide to go with a Davis!

Between the Vue and the VP2 other than the anemometer being separate, are the sensors that come with the VP2 in some way "better" than those of the Vue?...I see that the rain gauge looks a good bit different between the two.

DW, five years on a Vue...not bad.  I'll have to look back where you're at to see what kind of climate it's been living in.

Greg, so you think at 5-6 feet I won't notice much difference, eh?  That would certainly make maintenance nice.  I've been wondering about birds...we have a lot of bluebirds and some mockingbirds along with the odd feathered visitor.

As for software, I'm Linux-bound for right now.  Looks like a lot more Windoze software available so I might have to put together one of those systems.  When they started making you jump through hoops backwards to re-install their operating system I finally threw my hands up and we all the way with Linux.  I'll see how that goes.

Thanks again, everybody,
Ed

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Offline DaculaWeather

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #14 on: April 30, 2013, 05:51:03 PM »
There is a guy up here named Danny Crum at http://www.eldoradocountyweather.com/ that is entirely Linux and has everything gen'd up somehow. You might try to PM him here or go to his site to contact him.

And I'm 25 miles NE of downtown Atlanta and 50 miles NE of the Atlanta NWS office (and radar) in Peachtree City. Just another suburb.
« Last Edit: April 30, 2013, 05:54:18 PM by DaculaWeather »

Offline DanS

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #15 on: April 30, 2013, 07:00:08 PM »
Personally, for that wide open area I can't see where the wind sensors being at 30' or 6' is going to make that much difference, if any. I feel the only consideration between the VP2 and the Vue (besides the price) would be the add-on-ability of future sensors and if that is not a big concern I'd be leaning toward the Vue.

Offline SlowModem

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #16 on: April 30, 2013, 09:42:46 PM »
Greg, so you think at 5-6 feet I won't notice much difference, eh?  That would certainly make maintenance nice.  I've been wondering about birds...we have a lot of bluebirds and some mockingbirds along with the odd feathered visitor.

The spiders were putting my anemometer out of business, and the birds were perching on the rain gauge (facing outward, of course).  Here's how I fixed the rain gauge (I have a VP-2)

http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=14053.msg137278#msg137278

I am happy with my current setup.  Some might not be happy unless they're 33' in the air.  To each his own, I guess.  :)
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #17 on: May 01, 2013, 12:24:55 AM »
Thanks for your location info, DW.  We're a bit more south than you and have more direct sun but it shouldn't be too much more.  Five years in the elements above Atlanta with no major problems...that sounds good.  I sent Danny Crumb a message.  Didn't really know what to ask other than if he thought I could get up and running with linux, being as I'm no computer guru...just a "connect A to B" type guy...but I'm pretty good at that! ;)

Yeah, I don't think I'll sweat the height issue, it sounds like all the sensors other than wind like it down low anyhow.

I'm sold on a Davis unit...just trying to figure out how important that UV sensor is.  There are days down here where the sun literally "stings".  So, it's a choice between the Vue and VP2.  The thing is that right now I'd have to forgo the UV sensor and add it later...$$  <sigh>Rome wasn't built in a day, I guess. 

Ed
 

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Offline DaculaWeather

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #18 on: May 01, 2013, 06:15:33 AM »

Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #19 on: May 01, 2013, 09:13:16 AM »
Pricing here too...
http://www.convectivedevelopment.com/davis/davis-weather-stations.php#ourchart
I sent them a message...got an email back with a link to the web pages I had already looked at that had the regular prices.  Even used one of the "Email For Specials" buttons.   :?  I think I've got enough choices already, though...probably too many!  :)

Ed

ETA:  I've was reading that post by tonyperk about using weewx yesterday....got it copied to a file. :)  We'll see how it goes as I'm no computer genius.  :lol:
« Last Edit: May 01, 2013, 09:19:47 AM by Intheswamp »

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Offline Intheswamp

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I won't be ordering a weather station....
« Reply #20 on: May 01, 2013, 11:38:29 PM »
As my subtitle says...I won't be ordering a weather station..................'cause I already have!!!!!!!!!!! \:D/

Ok, call me crazy or whatever or OCD or "tetched in the hed" or whatever but I clicked the button tonight.  Ryan from Archer Trading Post had emailed me some pricing and I countered with a *slightly* lower price to stay within my silently arrived at max budget.  He took my offer and the deed is done.  :grin:  

Of course I'm still kind of  :shock: that I've actually got a station coming!  OH BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for all the help!!!!!!!!

Ed
« Last Edit: May 01, 2013, 11:42:59 PM by Intheswamp »

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Offline SlowModem

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Re: UPDATE!!!...Post #20 Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #21 on: May 01, 2013, 11:58:47 PM »
Details, man!  We need details!  (It's in the rules!   )   What all did you get?
« Last Edit: May 02, 2013, 07:40:05 AM by SlowModem »
Greg Whitehead
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Offline DanS

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Re: UPDATE!!!...Post #20 Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #22 on: May 02, 2013, 01:26:25 AM »

Offline Intheswamp

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Re: UPDATE!!!...Post #20 Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #23 on: May 02, 2013, 09:48:07 AM »
Aw, man...did I forget to mention what I got?  I'm sorrrryyyyy.  :---)

After much thought, concentration, confusion, contention, and a touch of constipa...., er, well anyhow....I really strained with coming to a decision on this.   

Ok, I'll behave.  Here's the scoop on what I got...

6152 - Wireless Vantage Pro2 W/ Standard Radiation Shield
6510USB - Weatherlink and Datalogger

This was the last one that Ryan had in stock (somebody ordered a batch of them and zapped his stock).  He said turnover on VP2 stock is pretty quick and that the one he's shipping me has only been on the shelf for probably less than two weeks so it should be the latest updated model (v3.12?). 

I had looked mighty hard at the Vue but the VP2 kept whispering in my ear.  Since I had decided on a Davis unit and this was my "maiden voyage" into weather stations I figured whatever I bought would be with me for years down the road (barring any catastrophes) and that the expandability might be something good to have being as the UV sensor is really appealing to me down here.  With the VP2 and the datalogger I figure I'll be obsolete/blindsided proof for at least....oh, 24 hours?  :roll:  I'm exciteed...I've been reading a bunch about aspiration (diy), etc., and downloading all the pdf files for the VP2 from the Davis website. :)

It looks like I have another issue now...  I got an email from Danny Crum from www.eldoradocountyweather.com and he's running most (if not all) of his weather stuff through Windoze.  For most of his other, personal stuff he does run Linux.  From what he wrote I probably want to get a Windoze machine running or either the one I'm working on now re-installed with windoze...how high do they hold those hoops you have to jump through when you call Microsoft?<sigh>

But, I'm getting there regardless of the linux/windows language barrier that I have.  Shipping from Gainesville, Florida it looks like, get this...., the station will arrive tomorrow!!!  In time for the weekend!!  But...with all the rain we've had I've gotten behind on mowing the grass (2-3 acres) and it looks like Saturday is the only chance I'll have to mow it...and it needs it NOW. :(  Ah well, I can always sit in my easy chair Saturday night and sniff the new plastic.  :-D

Are we there yet?
Ed


 

 

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Offline Bushman

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Re: UPDATE!!!...Post #20 Don't know enough to ask a question yet... :-)
« Reply #24 on: May 02, 2013, 09:57:37 AM »
There is a ton of stuff on how to do Linux already on this site.  A simple search will work.  You could also skip the PC entirely and use a Metoehub/bridge.
Need low cost IP monitoring?  http://wirelesstag.net/wta.aspx?link=NisJxz6FhUa4V67/cwCRWA or PM me for 50% off Wirelesstags!!

 

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