Author Topic: General Weather Station Data Handling Question  (Read 9042 times)

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Offline SlowModem

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Re: General Weather Station Data Handling Question
« Reply #25 on: November 25, 2009, 01:40:51 PM »
I hate bringing up older threads, but have a couple questions for you guys. 

I'm shopping for my first weather station.  I've been leaning towards the Davis units, but the WMR968 is about half the price, and that's a good thing.  But does the WMR968 require an additional piece of hardware like the Davis units do?  I plan on using some of the Linux software out there, so don't really want to purchase software to be able to connect it to the computer.  Also, would those of you with the WMR968 recommend it as a good unit for a beginner to purchase?  Is it upgradeable?

Thanks in advance.

Look at this message:  http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=6090.msg56123#msg56123

I've had a 968 for a couple of years now.  It doesn't require any additional hardware.  It works well except for the RH.  The RH sensor sucks.  I've went to a battery operated thgr122 (I think there's a 268 available, as well).  I got my 968 for christmas, so it didn't cost me anything.  There is plenty of freeware available to upload your data with.  The 968 doesn't come with a cable to connect to the computer, but you can get one nearly anywhere really cheap (it's a serial connection, but you can get serial/usb adapters).  There's plenty of threads about all these topics here.  Feel free to read them all.  Also, there's always people here that are willing to share their opinions.

Good Luck!
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

Offline fritz_monroe

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Re: General Weather Station Data Handling Question
« Reply #26 on: November 25, 2009, 01:49:28 PM »
Wow, that was quick to get a response already.  I had read that thread.  I'm also in the middle of reading as many threads as I can.  It's kind of overwhelming the amount of info around here.

I thought I was sold on that VP2, until I started seeing some of the comments on the other units.

Is there a glossary thread around here somewhere?  (what's a RH sensor?)

Thanks again.

Offline Weather Display

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Re: General Weather Station Data Handling Question
« Reply #27 on: November 25, 2009, 01:52:07 PM »
most people eventually upgrade to a Davis station
I would get that first up to save costs
Brian
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Offline fritz_monroe

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Re: General Weather Station Data Handling Question
« Reply #28 on: November 25, 2009, 01:56:29 PM »
That was part of my thinking.  I like to make a single purchase, not upgrade.  But in this case, I looked at the Davis units and price wise, I'd need to stick with the low end wireless unit.  I can't justify $500 for something that I'm not sure that I'll stick with.  Not to mention if I really get into it, I'd want to get the unit with the 24-hour fan shield thing.  That means that it's in the $800 range and I definitely cannot do that.  That's why I'm looking at the lower priced models.

Offline SlowModem

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Re: General Weather Station Data Handling Question
« Reply #29 on: November 25, 2009, 02:09:59 PM »

Is there a glossary thread around here somewhere?  (what's a RH sensor?)

Thanks again.

RH = Relative Humidity
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

Offline mackbig

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Re: General Weather Station Data Handling Question
« Reply #30 on: November 25, 2009, 02:18:23 PM »
I think I am qualified to give an opinion here, since I now have both....

I will have owned a wmr968 for 4 years come Christmas.  No regrets.  For $200 its perfect entry level (I also got mine as a gift, but would have probably bot if stumbled across at Costco, like my mother in law did it was probably C$300 at the time).  Extra temp/hygro sensors are $20 each if you want 3 more zones (and I lucked out and already had 3 as it was compatible with my radio shack wireless thermometer.  And for a $10 serial cable (if you dont have one lying around) you are set to start talking to your pc.

I just purchased the 6163 Davis vp2 about a month and a half ago.  Its awesome, glad I made the purchase... but there is no way I could have justified C$1300 bucks to get into a hobby.  Not to mention add-ons run $175-315+

Sounds like you are already making some good points and justifications to start off with a lower priced model.   Personally I would follow your gut, and go with os968.  Then start yourself a davis bank account....

Andrew

Andrew - Davis VP2+ 6163, serial weatherlink, wireless anemometer, running Weather Display.  Boltek PCI Stormtracker, Astrogenic Nexstorm, Strikestar - UNI, CWOP CW8618, GrLevel3, (Station 2 OS WMR968, VWS 13.01p09), Windows 7-64

Offline SlowModem

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Re: General Weather Station Data Handling Question
« Reply #31 on: November 25, 2009, 02:19:06 PM »
That was part of my thinking.  I like to make a single purchase, not upgrade.  But in this case, I looked at the Davis units and price wise, I'd need to stick with the low end wireless unit.  I can't justify $500 for something that I'm not sure that I'll stick with.  Not to mention if I really get into it, I'd want to get the unit with the 24-hour fan shield thing.  That means that it's in the $800 range and I definitely cannot do that.  That's why I'm looking at the lower priced models.

If you just want to "test the water," you should get a LaCrosse 2317 for around $80.  I have a LaCrosse unit, too, and am very pleased with it.

There's another LaCrosse unit that people were talking about a day or two ago at Costco for around $80, a 2810 I believe.  However, I don't live close to a Costco, so I can't confirm that.
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

Offline fritz_monroe

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Re: General Weather Station Data Handling Question
« Reply #32 on: November 25, 2009, 07:21:15 PM »
How about the other Davis models?  I see there's a Weather Monitor II and a Weather Wizard III available on Ambient.  Are these units any good?  Are they easily connected to the computer?  There doesn't seem to be any mention of the Weather Monitor II on the Davis site.  According to the Ambient site, it looks like the Wizard doesn't do humidity, so that's probably out.

Just out of curiosity, how big are the files that are created for each weather reading?  I would think that they would be pretty small.  Are they just text or data files?  The reason I ask is I'm wondering how big of a drive I'll need.

Offline mackbig

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Re: General Weather Station Data Handling Question
« Reply #33 on: November 25, 2009, 07:45:16 PM »
In VWS, my entire folder including applications, text and dbs (also includes jpg's and htx htm php files some from other apps) is 331 MB after 4 years.  Many of the larger db's are csv, and I do copy pastes every once in a while to look at them without affecting the program.. and rarely delete after playing  So any size modern drive on a pc should be able to handle no problem.  I woudl guess at least a 100MB of my total is stuff I created and should toss.

it looks like VWS creates 5 new files per day.
2009_11_16.bin (summary file) 5KB
2009_11_16.bin (summary2 file) 4KB
20091116.txt (globe file?) 5KB
091116.txt (daily data file) 9KB
20091116.txt (archive daily file) 1KB

it also creates a rolling dbase file, and my version creates an annual db file as well.
2008 was 17003KB
2009 ytd is 15284KB
and the running dbase is 11060KB (it self trims itself)

Andrew

Just out of curiosity, how big are the files that are created for each weather reading?  I would think that they would be pretty small.  Are they just text or data files?  The reason I ask is I'm wondering how big of a drive I'll need.

Andrew - Davis VP2+ 6163, serial weatherlink, wireless anemometer, running Weather Display.  Boltek PCI Stormtracker, Astrogenic Nexstorm, Strikestar - UNI, CWOP CW8618, GrLevel3, (Station 2 OS WMR968, VWS 13.01p09), Windows 7-64

Offline Bushman

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Re: General Weather Station Data Handling Question
« Reply #34 on: November 25, 2009, 07:47:54 PM »
IIRC the Davis files are 160 bytes/record.  really small IOW.

I think the products you speak of are really EOL, but for a couple hundred...  Then again, for about $350 you can get a Vantage Vue.
Need low cost IP monitoring?  http://wirelesstag.net/wta.aspx?link=NisJxz6FhUa4V67/cwCRWA or PM me for 50% off Wirelesstags!!

Offline fritz_monroe

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Re: General Weather Station Data Handling Question
« Reply #35 on: November 25, 2009, 08:46:52 PM »
Actually, the Vue would be more than that since I'd have to get the data logger.  Having to get that to connect to the computer is really annoying to me.  For me, that's one of the big selling points of the OS stations.  For me, having it be able to connect to the computer without having to purchase anything more is a big selling point.


 

anything