Author Topic: Osprey communications options for local data  (Read 438 times)

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Offline billfor

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Osprey communications options for local data
« on: March 03, 2019, 01:16:04 PM »
Was thinking of buying an Osprey and wondering what the communications to the Ambient servers look like. Is it possible to intercept those, like we do with the Acurite weather bridge, and use it to process the data locally without having to query a remote API or use an RTL-sdr?
Thanks.

Offline galfert

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Re: Osprey communications options for local data
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2019, 01:34:02 PM »
Yes you can if you invest in the right hardware/software. No need to intercept traffic to AmbientWeather.net, which is not possible I don't think. The data can be had in so many other better ways that I don't think it has crossed anyone's mind to attempt that. Besides AmbientWeather.net has a published API where you can get your data from them. But read on...there are direct ways to get the data over the local network.

The simplest method is also the most expensive. You add an Ambient ObserverIP and and WeatherBridge. The ObserverIP receives the data directly via RF just as your display console does. Then the WeatherBridge gets its data from the ObserverIP over your local network. The WeatherBridge does this by reading the ObserverIP's Live Data page. So there is no need to set up complicated network intercept procedures. Once the WeatherBridge has the data then you configure it to send data anywhere you want. You can send data to SQL database or to Weather-Display software, and to many other online services like CWOP, PWSweather, AWEKAS, WOW...and many more. You can also upload to your own website using templates that are available online such as Weather34, SaratogaWx, Meteotemplate and others.

The WeatherBridge is just a Meteobridge that is sold and been branded by Ambient Weather. Of you could save some money by building your own Meteobridge. But then you won't have the license to upload to AmbientWeather.net....you could add this license....but it would then be cheaper to have just bought the WeatherBridge instead. But the ObserverIP is capable of sending to AmbientWeather.net so this isn't something you'll miss in a DIY Meteobridge.

The WeatherBridge/Meteobridge isn't the only option. You can also setup WeeWx on a Raspberry Pi and intercept the traffic. Then you can send the data just about anywhere with the WeeWx as you can with a Meteobridge.

The nice part about the ObserverIP and WeatherBridge solution is that it is all sold as supported expansions from Ambient Weather for your Ambient station.

There are more methods...and if you want to learn about them so that you can research them further I suggest reading this thread. Even though it talks about posting data to CWOP, these methods are applicable to send your data anywhere you want.

https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=34922.0

« Last Edit: March 03, 2019, 02:30:05 PM by galfert »
Ecowitt GW1000 | Meteobridge on Raspberry Pi
WU: KFLWINTE111  |  PWSweather: KFLWINTE111
CWOP: FW3708  |  AWEKAS: 14814
Windy: pws-f075acbe
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Offline billfor

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Re: Osprey communications options for local data
« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2019, 02:06:20 PM »
Thanks! That post had what I was looking for.  It seems like the Osprey sends the metrics to wunderground, which has everything I need, so I can just impersonate rtupdate.wunderground.com, get the querystring (which has all the data I need), and resend that to the real wunderground. This is more or less like option 2 in that post you referenced. I guess it is more technical and requires a dd-wrt based router or similar,  but I already do this for the acurite sensors.

Will look at the other options if that doesn't work - I have an rtl-sdr but don't like dedicating it to this.

Thanks again!

Offline galfert

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Re: Osprey communications options for local data
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2019, 02:36:45 PM »
If you are going to go about it capturing rather intercepting the WU data I would recommend using the Raspberry Pi and using its built in WiFi to create a Hotspot. Then you run WeeWx on the Pi and you can then easily capture the WU data without need of DD-WRT router.

So if you aren't going to go with the Method 1: ObseverIP and Meteobridge, then I would recommend Method 2.5: in that thread which simplifies by only needing a Raspberry Pi and WeeWx software.
Ecowitt GW1000 | Meteobridge on Raspberry Pi
WU: KFLWINTE111  |  PWSweather: KFLWINTE111
CWOP: FW3708  |  AWEKAS: 14814
Windy: pws-f075acbe
Weather Underground Issue Tracking
Tele-Pole

 

anything