Topic: Totally clueless w/simple needs

[smasraum]

I'm a beginner.  I've done some research online, but there seems to be a lot of choices which makes research more difficult. 

I'm not sure that I'm ready for a full weather station.  I'd like to have a lot of things, but on a limited budget, I could get by with 3 temp sensors (upstairs, downstairs, outside) that can log to software on my PC.  It'd be nice if it has humidity, barometric pressure and windspeed.  I would think that if there was a station that relied on the PC for the processing that it would be cheaper.

So, what's an inexpensive (but not junk) station that will connect to a PC that will give me at least 2 temp sensors (expandable to 3) and possibly baro and humidity and possibly wind.  Is there one that will stream the data directly to the PC.  I've seen some things that say "data logger required".  Seems that with a PC that should be the logger.  Since this will be connected to a PC (that's powered on 24x7) I don't even care if it's got a screen.  Ideally, it would be possible to purchase sensors that connected to the PC directly or through an adapter, but I suspect that option isn't out there, at least not an inexpensive option.

I guess I just need a bit more of an education.

Thanks for any guidance that you can offer.

[Anthony]

First no weather station that I know of comes with atlest 2 temp sensors that will log data to a pc. There are however many weather stations that will accept more that one temp sensor. However that additional sensors must be purchased seperately. Two stations that come to mind that should server you needs are the wmr-100 or the wmr-968. If I were going to choose between the 2. I would choose the wmr-968. For under $300 you should be able to get the station & 2 additional temp/humidity sensors. Both of these stations also provide wind speed/dir, barometric pressure & humidity. As for software. There are many choices. Some free, some not.

[Bushman]

Other than wind, you could easily do this with Dallas 1-Wire components for under a hundred bucks.

[smasraum]

First no weather station that I know of comes with atlest 2 temp sensors that will log data to a pc. There are however many weather stations that will accept more that one temp sensor. However that additional sensors must be purchased seperately. Two stations that come to mind that should server you needs are the wmr-100 or the wmr-968. If I were going to choose between the 2. I would choose the wmr-968. For under $300 you should be able to get the station & 2 additional temp/humidity sensors. Both of these stations also provide wind speed/dir, barometric pressure & humidity. As for software. There are many choices. Some free, some not.

Thanks, I've looked a little at the 100 (not universally good reviews) and the 968.  I'll look at them a bit more.

[smasraum]

Other than wind, you could easily do this with Dallas 1-Wire components for under a hundred bucks.

Hey!  That's exactly the kind of thing that I was thinking about.  I can easily do the wiring necessary, and the components are relatively inexpensive.  Thanks, I'll have to do some more reading on the 1-Wire stuff.  I found www.hobby-boards.com which seems to have lots of info about the Dallas 1-wire stuff.

Thanks

[Bushman]

Here's an ENTIRE weather station including wind for $98 USD!  (BTW, I used to have one of these and I traded it for a laptop 3 or 4 years ago.  It is still going strong at it new location!)  http://www.aag.com.mx/aagusa/index1.html



I note that they now support RJ45 which means you can get POE, too. 

[sam2004gp]

I would recommend the OS-WMR-968.  I have one and you can add an additional 3 sensors when you have the funds.  If in the long run you want to develop a website you can.  VWS or Virtual Weather Station is one of the leading software packages for it.  There are also some free software packages, which are rated good, but I say stay mainstream.

Ambient Weather sells the Basic Version of VWS with an OS-WMR968 for $199 right now.  You can also step up to the Internet version of VWS for $60 more or $259.  Ambient is usually the lowest price you will find, unless you see a bargain on Ebay.  http://www.ambientweather.com/wmorscwiprwe.html

Also if you have a serial port on your computer then you want to add the Serial Cable for $6.00 more.  Or if no serial port on your computer you will need a USB to Serial Adapter for $29.95 and the above cable.

I run my OS-WMR968 with VWS 13.01 Internet Version on an Pentium2 300mhz with 384RAM and 20GB harddrive, and serial port.  It does fine for recording and delivering the conditions to my website.
www.mountcrawfordweather.org

[smasraum]

Thanks all for all of the good info.

[Knight]

Here's an ENTIRE weather station including wind for $98 USD!  (BTW, I used to have one of these and I traded it for a laptop 3 or 4 years ago.  It is still going strong at it new location!)  http://www.aag.com.mx/aagusa/index1.html


I note that they now support RJ45 which means you can get POE, too. 

I was actually looking at the WS603 1-Wire Weather Instrument KIT to add the wind speed and direction to my current set up.  I have the LaCrosse WS2310 with Weather Display (and WDL) and have the well documented wind spike issues.  I am tried of trying to rewire with Cat 5 etc.  Do you think that this is a decent option?  Adding this 1-wire unit for wind?  I know that WD allows for the addition of 1-wire devices in conjunction with my current station.

Thanks
Chris

[Bushman]

For a hundred bucks you get a full excellent WS.  I used the one I had with some extra 1-wire sensors and Weather Display.  I'm thinking of getting one of these (again) just to play with...  Heck I still have a ton of other 1-Wire stuff (solar sensor, hum sensor, baro etc.)

[killwilly]

You could also take a look at the WMR-200, which has a data logger and will take up to 10 remote sensors.

[smasraum]

Killwilly, what flag is that?

Thanks

[Knight]

For a hundred bucks you get a full excellent WS.  I used the one I had with some extra 1-wire sensors and Weather Display.  I'm thinking of getting one of these (again) just to play with...  Heck I still have a ton of other 1-Wire stuff (solar sensor, hum sensor, baro etc.)

So is this unit best used as a full station?  I was just looking at it to add wind data to my current lacrosse system (all using WD).  Is that package on the AAG website all I would need?  Some of the web sites are pretty sparse when it comes to info or over my head technical.

[Bushman]

That is all you  would need to add wind speed and direction.  The wind gauge has a temp sensor buried in it, but because it is not in a radiation shield it tends to report higher temps.  You would not have to use it with WD.

[killwilly]

Killwilly, what flag is that?

Thanks

It's the county flag for Lincolnshire UK, where I live. 

Alan

PS. I have now added the text to my avatar

[smasraum]

It's the county flag for Lincolnshire UK, where I live. 

Alan

PS. I have now added the text to my avatar

Cool, thanks.  I'd done searches for "UK flag", "world flag", "trefoil flag", "fleur de lies flag", etc.... and had come up empty.  County flag, yeah, I'd have been searching for a year before I figured that one out.

[killwilly]

It's the county flag for Lincolnshire UK, where I live. 

Alan

PS. I have now added the text to my avatar

Cool, thanks.  I'd done searches for "UK flag", "world flag", "trefoil flag", "fleur de lies flag", etc.... and had come up empty.  County flag, yeah, I'd have been searching for a year before I figured that one out.

Google> Images> type Lincolnshire, or any other county. 

Alan

[Knight]

That is all you  would need to add wind speed and direction.  The wind gauge has a temp sensor buried in it, but because it is not in a radiation shield it tends to report higher temps.  You would not have to use it with WD.

Thanks, going to order one this week.  Is the set up to run both the 1-wire for wind and still run the Lacrosse for all else easy?