Topic: ISS Siting (newbee)

[CW7221]

OK--wife was kind to me this Christmas and Birthday (same day, if you need to know) and got me a complete weather station.  At first she got an OS WMR112A--but that doesn't have PC link capabilities (she though it did), and I wasn't as thrilled as she expected...

So, being the over achiever that she is, she did some research and decided we should get a Davis Vantage Pro 2 (wireless) with USB Data Logger (if I kicked in the difference ).  She didn't like the reviews of the OS WMR968 and said "get the VP2 now, otherwise we'll spend $200 now, then $400 again in a year...".  (funny thing is, when I told her what I wanted, I had already done the research and told her this, but I digress...).

Long story short (too late, I know), the VP2 is on its way from Provantage as I post this (due in Thursday!).

Now; I've read the CWOP page, and all the docs on proper instrument placement, but I still have some questions...

1. I'm in a suburban location (40.655777N, 75.492892W) with a large white-maple covering about a third of the yard on the SW side--best location I could decide up on was the wash-line pole in the back corner (SE) of my lot--about 3m from a 3m hedge in my neighbor's yard and 3m from my daughter's 4m (open frame) swing-set--is either of these a major concern?

2. Another options are to mount poles on the ends of the ridge of my house, but that gets me into other issues--the main house ridge (~7m from ground) would be within 10m of the ~25m tall maple tree, and 15m from a set of ~20m pine trees at the other end of the house (not to mention will making debris clearing from the rain gauge a pain).  Garage ridge is 7.5m from the second floor wall and about the same from the neighbor's house, putting it in a north/south valley.  Is roof-mounting wise for the ISS and/or anemometer?

3. If I use the laundry pole, suggested rain gauge placement should be 0.6m (2') and thermo-hydrometers placement should be 1.5m (5')--which takes precedent when placing the ISS?  Should I go with the thermo-hydro requirement, rain requirement, or a middle ground (3.5' or ~1m)?

4. For placing my anemometer, if I use the wash line pole for the ISS, I'm going to most likely extend the height of the pole (which is about 2.75m tall now)--but being the start of winter here (eastern PA), I don't expect to be able to properly install a 10m pole until spring (after I verify if I am allowed to do so per code)--is placing it at the top of the current pole acceptable?  Also, should I wait on setting up the anemometer until spring, just connecting the ISS? (in other words, would it be problem if I join CWOP but don't submit wind data until later?)

Sorry for the ramble above... just want to get things set up correctly (best I can)...  a bit eager to get going on the setup...

Thanks in advance for the replies... Looking forward to getting this set up!


-Tim, Whitehall, PA

[Mark / Ohio]

Welcome to the forum eichmat.  

1. I'm in a suburban location (40.655777N, 75.492892W) with a large white-maple covering about a third of the yard on the SW side--best location I could decide up on was the wash-line pole in the back corner (SE) of my lot--about 3m from a 3m hedge in my neighbor's yard and 3m from my daughter's 4m (open frame) swing-set--is either of these a major concern?

...

I'd say not to worry about either.  Effects would probably be minimal.

2.Is roof-mounting wise for the ISS and/or anemometer?

Not a good idea for the ISS.  Battery failure or a rain gauge clog seldom happen on warm sunny days fitting for roof work.  

3. If I use the laundry pole, suggested rain gauge placement should be 0.6m (2') and thermo-hydrometers placement should be 1.5m (5')--which takes precedent when placing the ISS?  Should I go with the thermo-hydro requirement, rain requirement, or a middle ground (3.5' or ~1m)?

I put my ISS at about 5-6ft.  I figure the temperature would change the greatest depending on height, especially on calm cold nights.  Plus at my location mounting the rain gauge lower would probably mean it would catch more spray from a nearby shed and dog pen roof.

4.--is placing it at the top of the current pole acceptable?  Also, should I wait on setting up the anemometer until spring, just connecting the ISS? (in other words, would it be problem if I join CWOP but don't submit wind data until later?)

....

I would go ahead and hook up your anemometer.  Then you will at least be able to measure your wind down lower to the ground.  Their system will be looking for wind data of some sort.  Otherwise you'll show big errors in your quality reports.  You might anyway being low to the ground but it will still be better than submitting 0mph on a blustery day.  

Most of us have less than ideal locations for at least one measured variable.  But yet it is the current conditions at our home and the data still can and is useful to them or your neighbors that log in to check out the current conditions.

Good luck and welcome to the weather station addiction club.  

[CW7221]

Welcome to the forum eichmat.  

Thanks Mark from Ohio!  Thanks for the quick reply and suggestions.

Based on your comments, I'll go with the wash-line pole for both the ISS and anemometer (I was 90% sure that's where it was going before, but wanted to just bounce it off of someone other than my wife [who's answer was "I don't know..." to each of my ponderings]).

I figure I might get some under-reading on the rain-gauge by putting it around 1.5m (based on the information I read that suggests that a lower rain gauge reduces under-reads due to decreased turbulence), but I can live with the minor imperfection in rain totals in exchange for more accurate temps...

I would go ahead and hook up your anemometer.  ... Their system will be looking for wind data of some sort.  Otherwise you'll show big errors in your quality reports.  You might anyway being low to the ground but it will still be better than submitting 0mph on a blustery day.  

Didn't think about that--I'll hook that up atop the laundry pole for now, then extend it in the spring.

Most of us have less than ideal locations for at least one measured variable.  But yet it is the current conditions at our home and the data still can and is useful to them or your neighbors that log in to check out the current conditions.

I figured as such--I wanted to reduce the amount of location related imperfections up front (basically, leverage your experience so I don't have to learn the hard way ).

Good luck and welcome to the weather station addiction club.  

Thanks--I'd been wanting a home station since college (took a meteorology course--almost switched majors, but stuck it out in IS...  now I wish I had switched and used my computer "hobby" to aid a profession instead of a profession funding a hobby  

Thanks again for the tips--now, where's that UPS guy?!?!


-Tim

[jaded]

One thing I'd suggest watching out for is if you have (or add) the solar meter or the UV sensor is sources of shading.  I have my ISS on a pole in the northwesternmost corner of my lot, where it's the most open, but even so I still get up to an hour of morning shade on the solar sensor.

While very few of us have a perfect spot to place our gear, I'd suggest shooting for the standards (as much as you can.)  The NWS has this page: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/coop/standard.htm
and the CWOP has this PDF:  http://mywebpages.comcast.net/dshelms/CWOP_Guide.pdf
Between them you should be able to identify the best spots on your property.

[CW7221]

One thing I'd suggest watching out for is if you have (or add) the solar meter or the UV sensor is sources of shading.

The SW corner has the best sun on my lot (veggie garden is there for that reason).  It will have shade for about an hour in the mornings (summer time), but have sun until sunset which should be sufficient (at worse, I buy a ton of CR-123A batteries...).  

While very few of us have a perfect spot to place our gear, I'd suggest shooting for the standards (as much as you can.)

I've got the ISS at ~1.5m (I'm 6' tall, the bottom of the rain bucket is eye-level) and the anemometer atop a 10' pole.  I plan to move the anemometer up as close to 10m as I can in the spring (gotta clear it with the township first--otherwise, I would have put it up Saturday when it was 71-F [normal is 39-F!]).

Thanks for the suggestions on the reference material (I've got the CWOP doc from Russ at NOAA).  

-Tim

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CWOP Station: CW7221
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