Since our cold spell began on Christmas (temps mostly below 10F with periods below zero), I've noticed an increasing amount of signal drop outs on my VP2 console.
At first, it was just the anemometer transmitter (6332), but as time went on my 1 month old ISS joined the show. FYI, the anemometer transmitter is about 2 years old. Batteries in both were replaced this past Spring (I moved the battery from the old ISS to the new ISS).
I've had occasional dropouts in the past but nothing like this. However, this is the first time since putting the station in service 2.5yrs ago that we've had a stretch of such low temperatures for so long.
Initially, I thought maybe there was something about the cold that lessened the range of the transmitters. This has been discussed here before in other threads (for example:
https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=24871.msg239377#msg239377). Accordingly, I moved the console to be higher and closer by about 15ft to both transmitters (ISS is ~50ft away and Anemometer is ~60ft thru 2 walls - 1 drywall and another drywall/wood/siding). Console diagnostics shows that I now average mid 40s signal strength for the anemometer and upper 50s for the ISS (out of a max of 60). When I'm free of extended dropouts, I'm consistently around 98 or 99% for packet reception. So I don't think the issue in the new location is range.
I also changed channels on both transmitters thinking, perhaps, it wasn't weather related but something to do with a new source of interference. Nope.
In my mind that leaves either the console (which isn't even 2 yrs old) or the CR123a batteries.
I noticed that this issue never occurs during bright, sunny days even when temps are in the single digits or colder. It always occurs when light is low or non-existent. So that would suggest the batteries. But if the batteries (replacement OEM Duracells) are depleted after only 8 months in cold weather, I would think the two other VP2 station owners in town (not to mention other forum members in similar or colder climates) would also be experiencing this issue.
If it's the console, why does this issue always occur at night? And why doesn't it occur simultaneously? I've never had the ISS and anemometer drop out at the same time.
None of this makes sense to me, but it has gotten so bad I've had to pull my station off my own weather site and replace it with a neighboring station (via Wunderground) at night.
When I'm feeling up to it (currently down with the flu), I will buy a couple CR123 batteries and see if that does the trick.
Thoughts?