Topic: what shoudl I buy... new twists......

[GuruJ]

Hi all,
So, I'm looking to get a weather station that will report updates on a <5sec basis to the internet. I want to use this station for my own geek weather hobby and also as a marketing tool for my business. I live in a town with no other weather station for our micro climate, this includes a Puget Sound Marina & bowl of hills facing the water. We get gust of wind 50mph faster then SeaTac Airport 1 mile away. Got 14inches more snow then the airport as well. Anyway I will be adding a webcam as well with a nice view.

So to sum up. I'm looking to get the software and a decent system. My budget is limited by my wife as she thinks the marketting angle is spin to get a new toy. When it shows ROI she will let me get the Davis.
So I'm looking at the Wmr-968 with the hugely overpriced ambient software. Or the Dallas one-wire (which I really don't know enough about.. limitations  to my goals.)
Looking to spend around $200-300.

Just FYI- i have lurked and read a jillion posts for a month now and can't really find anyone asking my question or othe posts that are half way current that speak top my dilemma.. so to sum this up ... don't tel me to search more! lol

If anyone is selling software (or know of freeware) or the 968 (even in green JD version) I'm interested.

Thanks,
GuruJ

[JG4660]

Ambient has the 968 in JD Green on sale right now for $179.

JG

[Mark / Ohio]

.. I want to use this station for my own geek weather hobby and also as a marketing tool for my business. ..

Since your also interested in the John Deere version.  Would I be safe to assume your business has something to do with John Deere or farming?     Just being a little nosy.   

Here's a free program that works with the OS 968:

http://sandaysoft.com/products/cumulus

The developer is very active in working on the software and also has a forum devoted specifically to it.

[SlowModem]

Here's the software I use to upload.  It's free and works with the 968:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wuhu_software_group/

[GuruJ]

Thanks for the responses! It's amazing the brain/ search power that multiple people afford a community. I appreciate it!

A few new question and answers.

Hey JG90210- you see it for $179. I see it at $189. Am I missing something? Coupon code or something?

I'm not a farmer although I do grow indoors using ultrasonic misting and T-5 fluorescent lights. My wife & I own a Wellness Center. I saw the JD version was about $40 cheaper for the exact same 968 model (correct me if wrong plz) and I like the green color.

The Sandaysoft app looks nice. Will this give me the same basic necessities as Ambient's virtual? Anyone with a 968 thats happy with it?

To upload my data to all the web services will I need a different user interface for each or is there a common language template? I still can't grasp this.  Does the Sandaysoft and WUHU provide that?

Is there a handy dandy comparison chart in bright colors with thumbs up or down and moron star system with links about the free software features??? (if your gonna ask for something ask for it all...)

Anyone using X-10 cameras for weather cam?

Thanks all!

Namaste,
GuruJ

PS. My Oregon Sci Projection alarm clock says its cold! Why can't I be happy with that?

[Sigdigit]

Wow, if that last pic is from your weather cam, I'd stick with it!

[Mark / Ohio]

....The Sandaysoft app looks nice. Will this give me the same basic necessities as Ambient's virtual? ...

That would depend on what you consider the basic necessities.   

To upload my data to all the web services will I need a different user interface for each or is there a common language template?

Each service be it WeatherForYou, CWOP, WeatherUnderground, etc. has their own setup in how the data is uploaded and processed by them.  Cumulus now has those capabilities built into it as well as being able to create a personalized web page.  VWS has the additional features of being able to download airport metar data, forecasts, and warnings.

Really your best bet is to download a trial or demo version of the programs that look interesting to you and see how you like them once you get some hands on.  Everybody has an opinion on software but it all boils down to what you are most comfortable with and if it has the features to accomplish what you specifically want to do or may want to do in the future.   

[talbert1952]

Hi all,
So, I'm looking to get a weather station that will report updates on a <5sec basis to the internet.

The WMR968 does not meet your <5 second update rate. The anemometer is the fastest sensor at 14 to 15 seconds between updates. The other sensors are much slower.

The Davis wireless VP2 updates the anemometer reading approximately every 2.5 seconds.

[GuruJ]

I thought the software overrides the normal report times. IE..getting virtual weather or Sandasoft which have realtime updates would change the OEM specs of update time. Please correct my brutally if need be.

The software issue is still not clear to me what it can do and can't do..... does it make my pretend 968 update faster to the internet? It is real time? Does it depend on which software?  ???? each anwser bring more questions!

[Mark / Ohio]

I thought the software overrides the normal report times. IE..getting virtual weather or Sandasoft which have realtime updates would change the OEM specs of update time. Please correct my brutally if need be.

The software issue is still not clear to me what it can do and can't do..... does it make my pretend 968 update faster to the internet? It is real time? Does it depend on which software?  ???? each anwser bring more questions!

Generally speaking regarding digital weather stations the definition of real time depends on how often the station receives an update from the sensors (which is set in design by the manufacture).  In other words they differ from the older style analog stations in that the data from the sensors is not instantaneous.  One of the reasons they do this is to save battery life on wireless sensors by not keeping them continuously transmitting.  Another is the data has to be formatted into a form that can be transmitted by radio frequencies.   In comparison the older analog style weather stations continuously measured the voltage signals via the wires from the sensors then using simple lamps, LEDs, or voltmeters, showed that information on the indoor console.

Your software can only display the data as it receives it from the console.

Too be honest, this is one thing that bugged me when I replaced my old HeathKit analog station with the Davis VP.  The HeathKit used reed switches in the anemometer and could essentially update at the speed of the voltage and current through the wires connecting the sensors to turn on a wind direction lamp or increase/decrease the voltage to the voltmeter which gave wind speed.  But on the other hand since the information was not digitally measured, it had no data storage capabilities or computer interface and was to some degree less accurate, especially the mechanical barometer that it used.