Topic: Options for accessing data on my new Vantage Pro 2?

[wrybread]

I'd like to pull data from my Vantage Pro 2 to a Python script so we can display it on a big screen in the lobby (I'm installing this in a business). I gather I need this adaptor to do that?

https://www.amazon.com/Davis-Instruments-WeatherLink-USB-Software/dp/B001AMKC14

Or is there a better aftermarket alternative?

And I'm considering using a Raspberry Pi to catch the data so we don't need a laptop running all the time for this. But I see there's other data loggers out there, can anyone recommend one?

Thanks for any help.

[Bushman]

Yup - you need a logger/interface.  You can overpay for the Davis one (use Ryan at scaledinstruments.com for the best deal if you go that route) or a third party one from the likes from Bellfryboy and Uksa007, both on this former for a lot less. If you go the Raspberry pi route, rather than raw Python, use Weewx or CumulusMX as your wx data repository and create HTML from there.  Unless you really like coding in Python.  You could also use a Meteobridge ruynning on a cheap TP-Link router.

[wrybread]

Thanks for the info!

Here's the Belfryboy, which costs $62 (50 pounds), and is just the cable (no logger), shipped from UK, which sounds like *exactly* what I'm looking for:

http://belfryboyweatherbits.blogspot.com/p/the-belfryboy-clone-usb-logger.html

I know Davis put some restrictions on 3rd party cables with a firmware update a few years ago, and guessing my new unit has that restrictive firmware update (although it doesn't have a green dot), so I'm not clear on whether that cable will work on it. He mentions the restriction on the page, but only in the section where he talks about building your own, so maybe his have the mod? There's no email link to ask, arg...

Does anyone know if that will work with a new Vantage Pro 2?

And does anyone know how to check the firmware version of the console?

[CW2274]

And does anyone know how to check the firmware version of the console?

Press and hold "done" while pressing the up arrow.

[wrybread]

Aha, thanks, mine has firmware version 3.63. Lucky me.

On another note, I'm now having an issue getting a signal from my weather station. When I turn the console off and on it says "Receiving from..." but no station number is shown. If I press the "done" button, it will show the number 1 and let me go through the configurations for it, but it never starts receiving the data. I see the X at bottom right every 5 seconds, so its definitely receiving data.

Interestingly if I go to the weather station and put it into debug mode (flip dip switch 4), it then starts working. But this is about to be installed in an inaccesssible location so that won't work longterm. Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

[CW2274]

Aha, thanks, mine has firmware version 3.63. Lucky me.

Unless there's something I'm unaware of, 3.15 is the latest from 3/2014.

[wrybread]

> Unless there's something I'm unaware of, 3.15 is the latest from 3/2014.

Mine definitely says 3.63. Both on bootup and when I press Done + Up. Hopefully they haven't introduced any new restrictions... If they have I'm returning the unit.

And as far as bootup, apparently the simplest method is to press DONE long to get it to start displaying data.

Otherwise you can press "done" button repeatedly until it says "station 1", and then holding the done button long. It then shows the normal operation screen with an "R" at the bottom right, and after about 30 seconds it starts regularly receiving and displaying data from the ISS.

That's a bit complicated, but fine if its the same person always tending the unit. But if installed in a multi person environment, like a business, a bit unnecessarily complicated. Nothing a label applied to the bottom of the console won't fix, but in a perfect world that wouldn't be necessary.

[wrybread]

I just found the firmware update page on the Davis site, and indeed the latest firmware listed there is 3.15. I just emailed their support asking what's new in 3.63, when they're going to release it publicly, and if there are any new restrictions added in that release.

Attached is a pic showing the firmware version. Purchased from Amazon January 7, 2017:

https://www.amazon.com/Davis-Instruments-Vantage-Weather-Wireless/dp/B001AMRCDU

[CW2274]

Mine definitely says 3.63.

That's a bit complicated, but fine if its the same person always tending the unit. But if installed in a multi person environment, like a business, a bit unnecessarily complicated. Nothing a label applied to the bottom of the console won't fix, but in a perfect world that wouldn't be necessary.

I guess that's with new consoles.

Why would people need to "jack" with it once it's set up?

[wrybread]

> Why would people need to "jack" with it once it's set up?

I'm hoping to install it in a quiet corner and keep it running on autopilot for years, with the data only accessed via web. In that kind of timeframe things happen, such as power outages (4 times a year at least where this will be running), or a power strip gets re-arranged, that kind of thing.

Hopefully if I can use the C batteries and the wall adaptor simultaneously, with the C batteries as a backup? That would probably do it. But still its bound to be rebooted at some point, probably long after the manual has been lost, and we'll need to put an unnecessarily amount of work into just turning the thing on... Seems so silly that it wouldn't just boot up into operational mode on its own.

To confirm, your Vantage Pro 2 console does boot into operational mode on its own?

[CW2274]

> Why would people need to "jack" with it once it's set up?

I'm hoping to install it in a quiet corner and keep it running on autopilot for years, with the data only accessed via web. In that kind of timeframe things happen, such as power outages (4 times a year at least where this will be running), or a power strip gets re-arranged, that kind of thing.

Hopefully if I can use the C batteries and the wall adaptor simultaneously, with the C batteries as a backup? That would probably do it. But still its bound to be rebooted at some point, probably long after the manual has been lost, and we'll need to put an unnecessarily amount of work into just turning the thing on... Seems so silly that it wouldn't just boot up into operational mode on its own.

To confirm, your Vantage Pro 2 console does boot into operational mode on its own?

There is no "boot", unless you want one. As long as you have batteries in the console, it will continue to log data and display it on the console, with or without a/c power. This is not like a computer OS which needs it "head slapped" every once in a while.

[wrybread]

There is no "boot", unless you want one. As long as you have batteries in the console, it will continue to log data and display it on the console, with or without a/c power. This is not like a computer OS which needs it "head slapped" every once in a while.

Of course I get that, but every now and again its bound to get turned off and on, whether intentionally or not. Changing the batteries for example. Of course we can try to keep the power cable attached during that, but even that requires some instructions to be printed on the unit, since a need to do that wouldn't be obvious.

And when yours is turned off and on, you're saying it goes into operational mode automatically, without pressing "DONE"? Attached is a pic showing what mine does. Note that its successfully receiving data from the unit as evidenced by the X at bottom right, but it won't actually start being useful until someone long presses the DONE button. Hopefully its outputting its data via the data cable before that.

[CW2274]

> There is no "boot", unless you want one. As long as you have batteries in the console, it will continue to log data and display it on the console, with or without a/c power. This is not like a computer OS which needs it "head slapped" every once in a while.

Of course I get that, but every now and again its bound to get turned off and on, whether intentionally or not. Changing the batteries for example. Of course we can try to keep the power cable attached during that, but even that requires some instructions to be printed on the unit, since a need to do that wouldn't be obvious.

And when yours is turned off and on, you're saying it goes into operational mode automatically, without pressing "DONE"? Attached is a pic showing what mine does. Note that its successfully receiving data from the unit as evidenced by the X at bottom right, but it won't actually start being useful until someone long presses the DONE button. Hopefully its outputting its data via the data cable before that.

You're making this WAY too complicated. Did not an owners manual come with this brand spanking new console?? It's quite comprehensive...

[wrybread]

You're making this WAY too complicated. Did not an owners manual come with this brand spanking new console?? It's quite comprehensive...

Yup, I went through the owner's manual. I used it to configure the unit. Everything is working fine, *with some user interaction*.

In what way am I making things more complicated? Are you saying yours turns on automatically, without having to long press the DONE button?

To elaborate on why this is important to me: I'm installing this at a business, and not my own. In that kind of situation things have to be as simple as possible. I want to install this and have it running beautifully 5 years from now. Sure a sensor or two might need to be replaced, they're moving parts and that's expected. That's why I bought the Pro and not the Vue. But for it to stop working because it was accidentally turned off and on seems a bit silly, so I'm just trying to confirm that this is normal behavior. And if it is, I'll begrudgingly write reboot instructions on the front of the unit. No biggie, I'm not trying to be argumentative here, and I still love the product, just wrapping my head around its quirks. And yes, I've read the manual. Well, most of it at least.

[CW2274]

In what way am I making things more complicated? Are you saying yours turns on automatically, without having to long press the DONE button?

Because, you are. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that need be done to the console once set up. You make it sound like it needs to be in setup mode every morning. If you DO need to get into setup mode, for whatever unlikely reason, it will automatically come out of it in 30 minutes if you forget. Put it in a corner and basically forget it.

[wrybread]

If you DO need to get into setup mode, for whatever unlikely reason, it will automatically come out of it in 30 minutes if you forget.

Aha! Thank you, that's the bit of info I was hoping for. I left it running for at least an hour earlier and it didn't exit setup mode, which is what got me worried. I just did the test again with the console right next to the ISS and it exited after 5 minutes, so I must be having some range issues. Will experiement with different channels.

You make it sound like it needs to be in setup mode every morning.

I thought I was pretty clear in saying it would only need to go through this process a couple of times a year or so. Sorry if I didn't make that more clear, and thanks for your help.

[ct]

Or is there a better aftermarket alternative?

And I'm considering using a Raspberry Pi to catch the data so we don't need a laptop running all the time for this. But I see there's other data loggers out there, can anyone recommend one?

You might be able to use an Adafruit Feather M0 RFM69HCW 915MHz with one the DavisRFM69 libraries to receive data directly from the ISS without needing the console or datalogger.  It also has a LIPO charger for battery backup.

[wrybread]

You might be able to use an Adafruit Feather M0 RFM69HCW 915MHz with one the DavisRFM69 libraries to receive data directly from the ISS without needing the console or datalogger.  It also has a LIPO charger for battery backup.

Thank you! Ordered! For $30 shipped, have to at least give it a try. I wonder if I can use it simultaneously with the console. Would be nice to have the console as a sort of remote display, but one that's not critical for the ultimate operation (i.e. posting the data to the net).

[dalecoy]

I wonder if I can use it simultaneously with the console. ....

Hmmmm.   There's this FM radio station that I listen to in my home (with 3 different receivers) and in both of my cars.  ........

[wrybread]

> There's this FM radio station that I listen to in my home (with 3 different receivers) and in both of my cars.  ........

Yeah but wireless data transmission isn't always so simple. Often there's a "handshake" involved, meaning the xmitter broadcasts the data and doesn't keep going unless something says back "yes I received the data". In fact almost all wireless data transmission is like that.

Not saying this certainly is, but its a consideration.

[Bushman]

You might be able to use an Adafruit Feather M0 RFM69HCW 915MHz with one the DavisRFM69 libraries to receive data directly from the ISS without needing the console or datalogger.  It also has a LIPO charger for battery backup.

Thank you! Ordered! For $30 shipped, have to at least give it a try. I wonder if I can use it simultaneously with the console. Would be nice to have the console as a sort of remote display, but one that's not critical for the ultimate operation (i.e. posting the data to the net).

Please post the results of your work.  I'd love to do this but I am thinking there is a crap-ton of moving parts.

[dalecoy]

Didn't I hear something about making things too complicated?????

I wonder if I can use it simultaneously with the console. ....

Yes, simultaneously with any number of VP2 consoles, Envoy consoles, Vue consoles, etc.

[wrybread]

> Didn't I hear something about making things too complicated?????

It depends how you define "complicated". For my purposes it's all about keeping things simple for the other people in the office to reduce the possibility of them interfering with or breaking the system. With that in mind, a direct link between the ISS and the brain (a Rasberry Pi), which itself is far out of harm's (their) way, is the most robust and, for my purposes, simple.

Assuming of course that there's existing libraries out there, which there appear to be. Of course it also assumed that they work without too much fuss, which remains to be seen. But for $30 I'm willing to give it a try.

[Bushman]

You prolly shoulda gone for the Weatherlink IP.  No muss, no fuss ( and few options) but generally fool-proof.  I am truly interested to see how you cobble togetehr all the Arduino/DavisRFM stuff.

[CW2274]

> Didn't I hear something about making things too complicated?????

It depends how you define "complicated". For my purposes it's all about keeping things simple for the other people in the office to reduce the possibility of them interfering with or breaking the system.

See, this is the part that keeps confusing me, do you work with preschoolers? Seriously, there's nothing for them to break or interfere with. Lock it up if you want.