Topic: Need help selecting station & software

[mattster98]

I had a Lacrosse wireless system before, but a near-by lightning strike took it out.  I'd like to get something, probably wired, to replace it now that I have a decent budget to work with.

Requirements:
1. Computer interface that works with Linux (tired of dealing with Winbloze issues) that will upload to wunderground.. "rapid fire" preferred
2. Preferably wired - changing batteries in the outside unit was a hassle before, and getting the two ends to connect was a problem at times
3. Inside and outside temperature and humidity
4. Barometer, wind speed, direction, rain gauge
5. Low maintenance (most are, I think - I never had an issue with my old one)
6. I don't need a pretty display, computer interface only would be fine.

I'd like to spend under $1000 but could go over a bit for the right reasons.  I've tried to find the right system on my own, but haven't been able to tell for sure which ones would work with the right software on Linux to work with wunderground.

Thanks!!

--Matt

[offroadjosh]

Hi, Matt welcome to the forum!

IMO i would be looking at a davis weather station-- probably this one>>> http://www.ambientweather.com/61dacavaprop.html
*note have them send you the low price*
you would also need a data logger with this station

here is a comparison of weather stations if you want to have a look

http://www.ambientweather.com/61dacavaprop.html

someone else can hopfully chime in on software..


goodluck!


Josh

[Bushman]

What Josh said on the HW fer shure...  and a simple search here would have  yielded this valuable tome:  http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=3013.0

[tomcj2]

2. Preferably wired - changing batteries in the outside unit was a hassle before, and getting the two ends to connect was a problem at times

I do not think those problems exist in the Davis wireless units.  There are benefits with going wireless; maybe others will chime in with their experiences.

[mackbig]

The hardware side is easy, usually people come in with your set of requirements and a budget of 200-300 including software (which means tons of options, but tons of opinions as well)...  So for a grand, most would recommend the Davis VP2

however wired, vs wireless.   I think most would say wireless.  Battery chancing not really an issue since its solar rechargeable.  And I have not heard of any Davis users complaining about "seeing" / connecting to their sensonrs.   And since you have already been struck by lightning... why risk your expensive pc as well as your expensive davis ISS.  Of course lightning never....

I do think you should get the wireless anemometer kit add-on though, that is the one thing I cant understand why they dont have in the high end package.  for both lightning and siting considerations....

Andrew

[Bushman]

The new wireless transmission is far better than the previous by all accounts.  Eventually though wireless units do need battery changes.

[tomcj2]

I do think you should get the wireless anemometer kit add-on though,

Why?

I am in the process of moving my anemometer and was going to buy the wireless kit, however I could save money by just extending the wire by 60 feet.  We have almost no lightning in this area.  Comments and recommendations are welcome.

(I priced the kit at both Ambient and Provantage.  Ambient was a lot more before shipping, but within a few pennies when shipping was included.  I would buy from Ambient because of their return policy)

[SlowModem]

I wish I had a budget of $1000!  I would consider getting one of those mini computers to use as a dedicated weather computer.  Don't some of them come with that operating system?

[tomcj2]

I wish I had a budget of $1000!

There is probably something in the Stimulus Package to help; just read the fine print.

[ocala]

I do think you should get the wireless anemometer kit add-on though,

Why?

I am in the process of moving my anemometer and was going to buy the wireless kit, however I could save money by just extending the wire by 60 feet.  We have almost no lightning in this area.  Comments and recommendations are welcome.

(I priced the kit at both Ambient and Provantage.  Ambient was a lot more before shipping, but within a few pennies when shipping was included.  I would buy from Ambient because of their return policy)

Tom since you don't get much lightning a wireless anny wouldn't be necessary. However the original poster said he lost his to a lightning strike.
I lost mine the same way. Hit the anny traveled down the wire through the junction box and took out the console. I don't mind replacing individual sensors but the whole unit is another story.

[SlowModem]

I lost mine the same way. Hit the anny traveled down the wire through the junction box and took out the console. I don't mind replacing individual sensors but the whole unit is another story.

You should be safe now, since it never strikes twice in the same place.   

[mackbig]

I like having no wires running up to the top of my house. Also as I said for lightning (separating the church from the very expensive state) and siting, the best place for an ISS is in the back corner of my lot, so since all the space between my house and pool is interlock, without a wireless anemomter I would have to dig up stone or do aerial stringing of cable to the fence and then along the garden.  It is more money, and if its not needed, then that is cool.  My cheap OS has one, so I figure the higher end vp2 packages could/should have it as an option.....

Andrew

I do think you should get the wireless anemometer kit add-on though,

Why?
I am in the process of moving my anemometer and was going to buy the wireless kit, however I could save money by just extending the wire by 60 feet.  We have almost no lightning in this area.  Comments and recommendations are welcome.
(I priced the kit at both Ambient and Provantage.  Ambient was a lot more before shipping, but within a few pennies when shipping was included.  I would buy from Ambient because of their return policy)

[W Thomas]

There is probably something in the Stimulus Package to help; just read the fine print.

Ummm I need to read that document
I could really use some upgrades and overall redundancy!

[offroadjosh]

look around on ambient at the wireless ones AFTER you look at the comparison thing on stations, it will also help you decide if you want to go wireless, or stay wired...


Josh

[mattster98]

I appreciate all the feedback.  I definitely agree that a solar-powered sensor array makes a lot of sense.  Assuming the wireless link is more reliable than the last one I had, it probably removes the need to have a wired connection.

However, I didn't see any comments on the OS I want the unit to interface with: Linux.   I know most of the software you buy for these units requires Win*, but there are several open-source software options for Linux.  I'm looking for people that know a given unit works with a given Linux software solution (I've had more than one experience where it SHOULD have worked but didn't and ended up costing me..)

**EDIT** Sorry - I see the reference to the "TOME" I need to also read.. let me dig through that and see if I have any more OS-related questions.  Thanks again..

Thanks!!

--Matt

[vcbmoore]

Matt,

Welcome!  Go wireless!  Batteries are a non issue.  According to the Davis ISS manual the battery will last "8 months without any sunlight - greater than 2 years depending on solar charging".  My Davis is 5 years old and I just replaced the battery for the 2nd time as a precautionary measure.  I tested the old battery and it still had 95% of its capacity remaining.  Wireless gives you much more flexibility regarding placement.  As Bushman pointed out

The new wireless transmission is far better than the previous by all accounts.

  About a month ago I just installed at a Davis at a local school.  The ISS is located in a completely enclosed chainlink cage (almost like a Swiss Chess Faraday enclosure  because of potential theft  .  The console is 100 yards away in a steel reinforced concrete building.  There have been no reception problems.  Plus the advantage of lightning stike not taking out the entire system.

[Bushman]

http://www.wviewweather.com/ is about the best.  You can always run Winblows SW under WINE (incl. at least some versions of Weatherlink). Happy reading! 

[mattster98]

Thanks all for the info - I went with the Davis Instruments 6153.. then got thinking about a weather webcam, so got one of those too!

Doing my part to stimulate the economy!

I'll post back when I get it all set up.. should all be here next week.

--Matt

[mattster98]

I know this is the wrong forum, but I've got the VP2 set up (not mounted on the tower yet) and I'm working on getting a NSLU2 operating as the wview host to upload to wunderground.

http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KGAATLAN25

Problem is - it seems to upload like once per hour?  **EDIT** ok, it's 30 minutes, but I'd like something more frequent **EDIT**

But can poll the station every 10 seconds?

Am I missing something?  There doesn't seem to be any explicit place to specify how often it uploads, and the only thing related I can find when searching is the developer of wview (I think) saying wview will never support rapid-fire..

Any tips?

Thanks!

--Matt

[Weather Display]

you could look at using WD's console version for the NSLU2 that supports WU rapid fire, as well as WDL

[mattster98]

Thanks for the reply!  After deciphering your acronyms I found the weather-display site.. Downloaded the version for the NSLU2, but it simply won't run.. gives very un-helpful errors.

Do you know of a how-to or any instructions for setting up what you describe?  I couldn't find anything on the site.

--Matt

[d_l]

Matt, if you already have an NSLU2, have you ever considered using the Meteohub software to convert it to a weather server? See: http://www.meteohub.de/joomla/index.php  In addition to a Meteohub license, you would need a good quality, 2GB or 4 GB USB thumb drive for the Meteohub.  This is not an item to cheap out when setting up this server as the cheaper ones are prone to failures.  Fortunately good thumb drives are very inexpensive nowdays.  I'm using a 4 GB OCZ Rally2.

The Meteohub can upload to WU in rapid fire or normal modem or both.  It also can upload WDL data files to your website if you wish.  The trial version of Meteohub is permitted to do WU rapid fire, but there is an every 3 hour limit on normal uploads.

If you have any other question, just ask.

Dave

[Bushman]

+1 on the OCZ products.  I have a half dozen and they rock.

[mattster98]

I'll try meteohub - I already have the NSLU2, and already have SlugOS running on a 2GB usb stick..   While I hate that I already had to spend a chunk on software just to get the USB logger for the VP2, if meteohub works out, it should be worth the extra $$..

Thanks!

--Matt

[d_l]

While I hate that I already had to spend a chunk on software just to get the USB logger for the VP2 ...

If you are talking about the Weatherlink software, for all intents and purposes, you should consider that you got that for free. The cost of the hardware was the real cost to get a computer connection to the VP2.

Be sure that you use the SlugOS version that the Meteohub software is using.

BTW, I still use the WL software for recording and analyzing the weather data on my network.  The Meteohub is more of a 24/7 online presence (web site, WU, etc.)  updater for me.  If the Acer netbook was free (and not $300) like the spare NSLU2 I had lying around (I got it as a points redemption), then I probably would be running an Acer and some other more popular software as seems to be the new trend around here. The whole point of the Meteohub for me was low power consumption and the relatively low initial cost to set up.

Dave