Long time lurker... first time poster.. but i thought I’d give my quick review of the Oregon Scientific WMR100N I’ve been playing with for the past month.
My requirements for a weather station are simple:
* It needed to connect to a dedicated server in my basement.
* Parts should be easy to find (solar panels, UV, and replacement parts).
* The communication protocol (API) needed to be semi documented
Since it sits in a server closet in my basement i didn't want to pay extra for a fancy base unit. Also, the built in USB connector is a HUGE plus for me (Correct me if I’m wrong but you pay extra for that on the Davis units). And you can pick up spare sensors/parts of the WMR 100/200/90 on ebay for cheap. I paid $145 for a new WMR100N... $$$$ less than the Davis units.
First let me say that while I like the WMR100N, i can see why people hate it. Out of the box my temp/humidity sensor wouldn't work. It’s a VERY common problem... The plastic in the battery tray is too think and stops the battery from touching one of the connectors. It’s easy to fix by pushing something small and thin behind the connector so it makes contact with the battery, but poor design in the first place!! Second, the base station UI is awful. The iPod like scroll wheel is confusing and the information on the screen (IMHO) isn't well thought out. But, since i never look at the screen it’s a non-issue for me.
Now the plus side.. It was cheap! The wireless range is great for my needs. With the base unit in the rafters of my basement I can place a sensor anywhere in my yard and get a signal (farthest sensor is ~150ft). The USB interface has been rock solid, I haven’t had to reset the base unit yet (4 weeks). With a little tweaking (home built Stevenson screen) the sensors seem very accurate and mirror other local stations.
I wrote my own software that reads the USB data so I can’t really comment on the other options available. I played with a few and they all seem to work well (just stay away from the Oregon Scientific software).
Sooo.. to sum up: If you like to tinker, only care about PC connectivity and are willing to spend some extra time in setup…. (and are cheap like me!). You may want to take a look at the WMR100N.
~Brian (flame suit on!)