Topic: Options for using two anemometers with a VP2

[NHWF5510]

I was wondering if their were any tricks to being to get wind readings from multiple sources with a VP2 console. The Davis website does not really give much information about what you can add on although i recall reading that the VP2 console will only support one Anemometer input. I would really like to use Two Anemometers so i can get readings unobstructed from my roof and then a second reading from about 6' off the ground. What options, if any do i have for this scenario?  If a thread on this topic already exists i was not able to find it.

[johnd]

You can't do it with a single VP2 console. Alternatives using a single receiver include using an Envoy8X (while you can still buy one) or a Meteobridge Pro. In each case the anemometers need to be connected to different transmitters operating on different channels.

[johnd]

Which? A "tea-levels" reading or hint at future elimination?

Rumours are that it's been discontinued but since Davis haven't yet published their 2017 price-list then I can't tell for sure. Maybe the rumours are wrong? I suspect we'll know more in a couple of weeks. It wouldn't surprise me if it is deleted because it's always been a  slow-selling product, which is a shame because it has a lot of potential. But it's also perhaps a product where Davis needed to do more software development to make it a success - stopping at the stage of populating a SQL database and then relying on users or third-party developers to do the data visualisation and reporting was always a risky strategy.

Edit: Even if it is discontinued, I suspect that there's a significant amount of 8X stock held at Davis (and perhaps the same amount of 8X boards that could be put in cases and boxed up), so it would be likely to still be available for a while.

[NHWF5510]

To clarify, i was going to have one connected to the ISS and one to an Anemometer Transmitter. I did read about the weather Envoy but the cost and effort going that route may not be worth it for my use.

[johnd]

To clarify, i was going to have one connected to the ISS and one to an Anemometer Transmitter. I did read about the weather Envoy but the cost and effort going that route may not be worth it for my use.

To be clear, I was referencing the Envoy8X and not the plain Envoy. The two have very different feature-sets.

[dalecoy]

.... I would really like to use Two Anemometers so i can get readings unobstructed from my roof and then a second reading from about 6' off the ground.

With two consoles, side-by-side, you could simultaneously see both measurements for comparison.

[NHWF5510]

.... I would really like to use Two Anemometers so i can get readings unobstructed from my roof and then a second reading from about 6' off the ground.

With two consoles, side-by-side, you could simultaneously see both measurements for comparison.

  Yes, i thought about that option, but that would be well over $300 in hardware just to support the second Anemometer. And the second console would then be on a different channel then the other which means it would only be receiving data from the one sensor i would guess?

[Aardvark]

I happen to use two, sort of.  I have two and a wireless anemometer transmitter   

I think what you need from reading the thread is two receivers, two loggers.   If you have a console, you could have it set to receive what the ISS (station1) has for its anemometer.  Then either another console and logger or an Envoy and logger  set to station  whatever (not station 1) for the other anenometer.  So you would have the same ISS setting and then set one of the other 7 stations to wind  and the appropriate dip switches.

Now the Envoy 8x is a different beast and I do think it is being discontinued, although Scaled Instruments might have one.    You can only collect data from that one . you pair it with a logger and do the settings with its software.  then it will record on all 8 settings, the two anemometers.  You download the data to a cvs (excel) spread sheet or to a MS Access database, or to a my Sql database.  But you can't read values directly off of it.

[NHWF5510]

I happen to use two, sort of.  I have two and a wireless anemometer transmitter   

I think what you need from reading the thread is two receivers, two loggers.   If you have a console, you could have it set to receive what the ISS (station1) has for its anemometer.  Then either another console and logger or an Envoy and logger  set to station  whatever (not station 1) for the other anenometer.  So you would have the same ISS setting and then set one of the other 7 stations to wind  and the appropriate dip switches.

  Ok, well now that makes more sense to me. Having not yet purchased my station yet (and in turn, not read the manual) i was under the impression that a console channel setting would have to match the ISS channel setting and all add on type stations would have to match as well. But if i can set the ISS channel and then a remote anemometer channel differently on the same console that could work fine.

[johnd]

But if i can set the ISS channel and then a remote anemometer channel differently on the same console that could work fine.

No, what you're being told (definitively!) is that you can't do this on the same console - you'd need two consoles. (Or, more accurately, actually the console won't stop from you from having an ISS with standard anemometer set on one channel  and then an anemometer transmitter on a second channel. But the only wind speed readings you'd ever see displayed on the console or logged would be from the anemometer transmitter - this would override the readings from the ISS anemometer.)

[NHWF5510]

Ok, so then i am back to the same issue. One console would display all my ISS data (including the anemometer plugged into the ISS) while the second console i buy would ONLY be displaying the data from the anemometer transmitter. So back to square one as being a very expensive single use display (wind data only)

[CW2274]

But the only wind speed readings you'd ever see displayed on the console or logged would be from the anemometer transmitter - this would override the readings from the ISS anemometer.)

Not ideal, but could he not go into the console setup mode and switch between Station 1 (the wired anny) and Station2 (the remote anny)? Wouldn't see them both at the same time, but the data would be there to see with one console.

[johnd]

Not ideal, but could he not go into the console setup mode and switch between Station 1 (the wired anny) and Station2 (the remote anny)? Wouldn't see them both at the same time, but the data would be there to see with one console.

Sure, that's feasible. Probably the simplest/quickest option if you're using a logger and Weatherlink is to turn the anemometer transmitter channel on and off from software (Set Transceiver), but that would still take a few seconds and so you couldn't compare individual gust values. So, as you say, far from ideal and would it really be worth the extra cost of the second anemometer?

[Mattk]

Not ideal, but could he not go into the console setup mode and switch between Station 1 (the wired anny) and Station2 (the remote anny)? Wouldn't see them both at the same time, but the data would be there to see with one console.

You would only have data for which ever anny was being displayed, not both.

[CW2274]

Not ideal, but could he not go into the console setup mode and switch between Station 1 (the wired anny) and Station2 (the remote anny)? Wouldn't see them both at the same time, but the data would be there to see with one console.

You would only have data for which ever anny was being displayed, not both.

Yes, see directly above. If he want's to compare simultaneously, then this obviously is not an option. If he doesn't care, it is.

[Mattk]

There are ways one could do this but certainly not using a standard VP2/console setup, an Envoy8X would but without further programming would be in hindsight only, a Red MBPro should handle this data wise as well as display wise in a selection of outputs using the on board available services provided? But by the sounds of it cost may be prohibitive?

[dalecoy]

But if i can set the ISS channel and then a remote anemometer channel differently on the same console that could work fine.

No, what you're being told (definitively!) is that you can't do this on the same console - you'd need two consoles.

I'm not absolutely certain that NHWF5510 is receiving the same thing you're transmitting.

Is it not possible to have:

Console A with the ISS set to Channel 1, and it receives all data from the ISS including the ISS-attached anemometer:

Additional console B with the ISS set to Channel 1, and the anemometer transmitter and console anemometer setting set to Channel 2, and it receives all non-anemometer data from the ISS, and anemometer data from the anemometer transmitter on channel 2.

In other words, 2 side-by-side consoles, showing all the same data except for different sources for wind.

I know that's additional expense - 2 consoles and perhaps 2 loggers - but ...........

[johnd]

Is it not possible to have:

Console A with the ISS set to Channel 1, and it receives all data from the ISS including the ISS-attached anemometer:

Additional console B with the ISS set to Channel 1, and the anemometer transmitter and console anemometer setting set to Channel 2, and it receives all non-anemometer data from the ISS, and anemometer data from the anemometer transmitter on channel 2.

Sure, that would work fine - no problem. But as you say it's obviously a two console/logger solution rather than being possible with a single console. Another two console solution would be just to use as Vue station as the second anemometer/station.

But overall I'm not sure what the OP hopes to gain. The only worthwhile wind reading will be the one with the anemometer as high and as clear of lower obstacles as possible. All that a second lower anemometer is going to show are lower wind speeds and random-seeming changes of direction as the wind swirls around obstacles closer to ground level.

[dalecoy]

... I would really like to use Two Anemometers so i can get readings unobstructed from my roof and then a second reading from about 6' off the ground.

I just wanted to make sure that NHWF5510 understood that it's possible to do that simultaneously.  It wasn't clear (to me) that he/she understood.

[NHWF5510]

To clarify, my ultimate goal would be the ability to compare wind speeds at two locations simultaneously in order to see the difference at near ground level and then at an unobstructed level. The primary reason for wanting this is the extreme winds we get here. I understand the true wind speed will be the reading at 33' with no obstructions. But i am curious as to how much the wind is slowed down at near ground level (6-8') due to trees and other obstructions. We get winds that will howl outside and blow the patio furniture off my deck fairly often. So i would love to have the ability to see those readings real time. But cost is certainly a factor as it's not a critical reading.

I guess my cheaper alternative would be either standing outside with my Turbo Meter during one of these wind storms or buying a dedicated Anemometer and display.  I was just hoping their was a cheaper and more simple way to just this on to an existing VP2 console. I'm kind of surprised that Davis allows you to add on multiples of many sensors but not for wind.

[dalecoy]

I was just hoping their was a cheaper and more simple way to just this on to an existing VP2 console. I'm kind of surprised that Davis allows you to add on multiples of many sensors but not for wind.

How would you envision a display that showed two wind direction and speed measurements simultaneously on the same screen?  [Presumably also with other simultaneous measurements like temperature, humidity, etc. etc.]

[NHWF5510]

How would you envision a display that showed two wind direction and speed measurements simultaneously on the same screen?  [Presumably also with other simultaneous measurements like temperature, humidity, etc. etc.]

 Its not so much having the two speeds displayed on the same screen simultaneously but the ability to easily toggle between the two Anemometers on the display and have it record the data on the software so they can be compared side by side. The console supports multiple temp inputs so i was hoping it could do the same for wind.

[johnd]

The problem is that the VP2 was based on the preceding VP1 and is designed to deliver those features that a typical weather station user needs, which doesn't include having eg two anemometers. At the time when the VP1 was designed, which was around 2000, there were cost limitations on what could be done with with the microcontrollers, memory etc of the day. So the flexibility to install eg two anemometers was not high on the priority list and so never became part of the feature set.

As is often discussed here, competitive pressure to innovate has been weak** in the affordable weather stations market and so Davis have been content to allow the VP2 design to evolve slowly.

But as I've mentioned upthread, using eg a Meteobridge Pro (or Weatherbridge as Ed seems to call it for marketing reasons I guess) you can indeed receive data from two VP2 wireless anemometers simultaneously. AFAIK. (I've never run this configuration at first hand, but believe it's fully possible.)

** The issue seems to be that the world market for VP2-type stations is probably somewhere around 50-100K units a year at a guess. This isn't enough to defray the substantial development and tooling/production costs involved in bringing a new weather station design to market and still allow an attractive margin to be made. So new entrants are few and far between and station design evolves slowly.

[wrybread]

I had the same issue and am working on a solution that connects a second anemometer to an Arduino, and the Arduino to a computer (Raspberry Pi or whatever). More details here:

https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=31867.0

Note that it won't show the data from the remote gauges on the Davis console though. But personally I found that once I got my weather station connected to the internet I never looked at the console again anyway.