I always try to get my data as acurate as possible. For no other reason then I want to be as close as possible.
So, the proper siting recommendations call for the anemometer to be at a height of 33 feet (10 meters but more specifically, 32.8 feet) above the ground. I had mine at 31-32 feet on a 10 foot mast attached to my chimney.
What I started to realize is that my wind readings seemed to be lower than what appeared to be stronger gusts. I checked against other nearby stations and realized some higher gusts recorded nearby but not from my station. Now, I realize that terrain, structures, different heights of the anemometer, etc. influence readings.
The next windy day, I observed that my mast was shaking, thus, throwing off my wind readings. I am not able to place guy wires so the other day, I decided to lower the mast to about 3-4 feet above the chimney. I'm not a huge fan of it being so close to the opening but I wanted to do my best of eliminate the shaking.
Luckily, I didn't have to wait long for another wind event. I haven't checked many nearby stations but I did notice I was still recording lower gusts.
My questions are, am I obsessing over something that I won't ever be able to validate because no 2 stations being the same in terms of siting? Being as though guy wires are not an option, I have considered a metal chain link fence post as a mast. I don't know exact specs yet, but they are typically about 6 feet tall and maybe 3 inches wide in diameter? My thought is it won't flex as much due to the larger diameter. Would this also incur a heavier wind load on the chimney? I certainly don't want my chimney to come down because of a strong wind event. It may be worth mentioning that I have the mast attached with kendorf to the chimney.
General thoughts on the mast idea? Should I just get over it? Lol Thank you!