Author Topic: What weather station hardware and software do I need?  (Read 6774 times)

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Offline salsa

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What weather station hardware and software do I need?
« on: January 20, 2010, 07:19:04 PM »
I am on the board of directors of a lake stewardship group and we want to set up three met stations around our lake to start recording weather information specific to our lake.  We will need temperature, precipitation (snow and rain), humidity, wind and possibly even evaporation.  We will want 3 meteorlogical stations which will each be about 5 miles apart from each other in a triangle around the lake.  The data recorders should be solar powered and wireless and should report their data to a computer located about 100 yards away.  We need continual recording and reporting.  We want to be able to put the weather up on our website but we also want to be able to keep records of the weather for use in our hydrological studies of the lake.  Our primary interest is in recording precipitation but evaporation is also of interest and our members will be interested in going to the website to check temperature and wind.  We are located in Northern Canada and experience temperature ranges from -40 to + 35 Celsius (about -40 to +95 Fahrenheit).  We will have a computer with high speed internet at each of the 3 locations.  We have between $7,500 and $15,000 to spend.  What met stations are best in the $2500 range each?  Is there software that can collect data from 3 sites and average it or will we have 3 sets of data?

Offline wetterdale

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Re: What weather station hardware and software do I need?
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2010, 09:56:25 PM »
Welcome to the forum.  You have a very exciting scenario and I would love to have your problem!  One station that you should give serious consideration is the Davis Vantage Pro 2.  They have numerous models that range in price from $600 to $1200 USD.  You will probably want to lean toward the higher end.  You will also require a data logger (which comes with the Weatherlink software) which costs about $165 USD.  This will get your data on a PC.  I bought mine from Ambient Weather a couple years ago and if I recall correctly shipping was in the $60 ballpark and customs into Canada another $70 for the $1200 unit.  I operate mine in Ontario and it has no problems in this climate.  Our coldest winter weather is closer to -25C but the unit is rated to -40C.  The VP2 will do a good job with temperature, wind speed, wind direction, humidity, pressure, rainfall, solar, and UV.

One challenge you will have is measuring snow.  The VP2 comes with a rain bucket.  You can search the posts for adding heaters to the bucket but even if you did, at -40C I am sure you would have freezing problems in the tipping buckets below.  Add a little wind and the snow won't even collect in the bucket.  Sadly a yard stick from Canadian Tire might be as accurate.
 
The software calculates evapotranspiration which may be of interest to you.  I believe you need to get the solar and UV sensors for this parameter.

The wireless VP2 unit has a range of about 300m.  I run mine about 200m and then into my house without problem.  It is interesting to note that Davis sells wireless and solar repeaters with a Yagi antenna.  I was just looking at their brochure and each yagi has a gain of 10dB.  So the range is about 3 km or 1.9 miles.  They claim to have successfully tested it with two Yagis for a total distance of about 4 miles.  Maybe you could transmit all three stations to one site?  However, I expect 3 PCs would be more reliable.

You could use the standard Weatherlink software to collect the data and upload to the net.  However, there are lots of other popular options.  VWS, Weather Display, Cumulus, to name a few.  I don't have any experience with collecting data from 3 complete stations and I don't know which software would work for that.  Hopefully someone else will step up with that answer.

Lastly, I suggest you call Davis and/or Ambient Weather and layout your problem and hear what they have to recommend.  Good luck and please keep us informed on your progress.

Dale
Hardware: Davis Vantage Pro 2 Plus Aspirated Wireless
Software: VWS V14.00 P45
CWOP: DW0200
WU: IONTARIO222

Offline mackbig

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Re: What weather station hardware and software do I need?
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2010, 06:52:07 AM »
salsa,
Good information from Dale... I would definitely use the low cost quote from Ambient for comparisons, but their shipping options are not Canada friendly.   But, once you have a price, contact http://www.forthebirdsnatureshop.ca/ they will match or beat the quote (be honest use a good visa type fx rate, shipping costs, and done forget the ups extortion on top of duty, about u$76++, actually the "entry preparation charges" is better per dollar of value on expensive items...29% at low end, 4.7% at your price point).  Birdshop ships by Canada Post, really quick and cheap C$17.95 flat.  Ordering 3 stations you might get an even better deal. 

As for merging the data for 3 stations, not sure either if any of the regular software packages can do that (WD, VWS, etc).  But it would be simple enough for someone with Access experience to take the 3 data files from whatever software you chose, and combine the data to provide the analysis you require.

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: What weather station hardware and software do I need?
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2010, 07:05:24 AM »
If I had that kind of money to spend, I think I'd go to my local NWS office and talk to the meterologists and their maintenance guys.  It seems to me that they'd be more up to date on high-end equipment in that price range.

On second thought, I'll sell you 3 LaCrosse 2317 weather stations with WUHU for $15,000 (that includes free shipping!)   \:D/
« Last Edit: January 21, 2010, 09:10:25 AM by Slow Modem »
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

Offline DanS

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Re: What weather station hardware and software do I need?
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2010, 07:51:35 AM »

Offline wxtech

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Re: What weather station hardware and software do I need?
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2010, 07:54:51 AM »
I agree with Greg.  U.S. states each have Climatologists; Canadian Providences surely do also.  Get their advice for this type of professional installation.  They may wish to incorporate your system into their gov't network.
Al Washington, Lexington, Ga.,  NWS Coop station=LXTG1, Fischer Porter, SRG, MMTS. 
CoCoRaHS=GA-OG-1. CWOP=CW2074.  Davis VP2+ WLIP 5.9.2, VP(original) serial, VWS v15.00 p02. ImageSalsa, Win7 & Win8 all-in-one.

Offline Bushman

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Re: What weather station hardware and software do I need?
« Reply #6 on: January 21, 2010, 01:09:24 PM »
I agree with Greg.  U.S. states each have Climatologists; Canadian Providences surely do also.  Get their advice for this type of professional installation.  They may wish to incorporate your system into their gov't network.

Wx is a federal concern in Canada.  No provincial climatologists.  However the Pacific/Youkon branch is Vancouver.
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Offline drew1021

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Re: What weather station hardware and software do I need?
« Reply #7 on: January 21, 2010, 03:14:03 PM »
Personally I would be willing to bet that the NWS equipment isnt as accurate as the Davis VP2. I'd also be willing to bet it costs about 800% more. Kinda like the government wrench.LOL!
VP2 with 24 hour FARS. WU: KNCLEWIS2. CWOP/APRS: DW4712, COCORAHS: NC-FR-7

Offline wxtech

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Re: What weather station hardware and software do I need?
« Reply #8 on: January 21, 2010, 03:23:02 PM »
The Fischer-Porter weighing rain gauge that NWS installed in my back yard for the coop station is 100% accurate with the manual standard rain gauge (bucket & ruler).  NWS eqpt does cost more but is more reliable and accurate.  Davis is a good investment for its cost but the quality can't be compared with Vaisala, R M Young, Climatronics etc.
I constantly compare the Davis VP2 with the NWS Nimbus temperature system and the Fischer-Porter rain measuring system.  I use a Taylor 1441 and a sling psychrometer to verify.
« Last Edit: January 21, 2010, 03:27:42 PM by wxtech »
Al Washington, Lexington, Ga.,  NWS Coop station=LXTG1, Fischer Porter, SRG, MMTS. 
CoCoRaHS=GA-OG-1. CWOP=CW2074.  Davis VP2+ WLIP 5.9.2, VP(original) serial, VWS v15.00 p02. ImageSalsa, Win7 & Win8 all-in-one.

Offline Bushman

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Re: What weather station hardware and software do I need?
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2010, 04:16:39 PM »
Back to the OP's original question....



The Davis VP2 Pro wireless is the best bang for the buck in the "prosumer" category, plus it has a large, loyal and knowledgable fan base.  Good company support as well.  Buy from Forthebirds as Mack said.  No duty/customs/PST etc.  Rainwise MkIII wireless is a bit more and  is well regarded but not handled well in Canada (support etc.)

Moving up the  food chain you enter the RM Young, Vaisala etc. station world.  No idea on prices  but I bet you will go through your budget with them.  The new ultrasonic anaemometrs don;t freeze up and migth be the way to go if you can afford them.  They need power though.

Contrary to what was  said about ET, you only need solar.  The UV sensor on the Davis is nice to have.

I would also  add a water(lake) temp station on one of the units.  A couple hundered bucks.  Snow (or did you just mean Snow-water equivalent?) is gonna be an adventure.  Teh BC gov't uses snow pillows to estimate snow load.  Not the same as snow fall.  BC Highways uses RM Young stuff BTW.  For snow, you can do what the ski areas do.  For instance, Sunpeaks (outside Kamloops) uses http://www.campbellsci.ca/Catalogue/SR50M.html for their snow measurement.  They also have a pretty PLC based setup for real time reporting.

Speaking of which, it is not that difficult to write some programs to aggregate data but it will take work.

And hey - whereabouts in BC?  Are you guys members of the  BCLSS? (www.bclss.org). 
Need low cost IP monitoring?  http://wirelesstag.net/wta.aspx?link=NisJxz6FhUa4V67/cwCRWA or PM me for 50% off Wirelesstags!!

Offline Downlinerz2

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Re: What weather station hardware and software do I need?
« Reply #10 on: January 23, 2010, 01:18:22 AM »
   Bushman mentioned in above reply the ultrasonic wind annemometers.  There was a very recent posting on this forum concerning the New-Mountain Ultrasonic
Weather station.  You can find a write up at the address below.  The price is $1400.  I found this station to be something I would really like if I could just afford it.  Good luck in choosing your stations.  Along with all of us here on the forum I would just love to be in your situation.
    http://www.weathershack.com/new-mountain-innovations/nm150.html


Offline DanS

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Re: What weather station hardware and software do I need?
« Reply #11 on: January 23, 2010, 03:32:18 AM »
You might want to contact these folks also to compare options, pricing, etc. http://www.dynamax.com/IntelimetAdvantage.htm?QUANTITY=1&NAME=Commercial+Grade+Weather+Station&ID_NUM=InteliMet+Advantage&x=31&y=31

I also read that this unit has a transmitter option that is good for 10-20 miles LOS. (possibly trade with other options like the uV sensor to lower costs). This may open more possibilities with your triangle layout/configuration where you woudn't need to download to a location nearby due to range considerations. The 3 stations could possibly download their data to a single location.  They have toll free calling from Canada, give them a ring.

« Last Edit: January 23, 2010, 03:40:57 AM by DanS »

Offline Bushman

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Re: What weather station hardware and software do I need?
« Reply #12 on: January 23, 2010, 10:57:13 AM »
Similar to what Dan suggested, check out http://www.metone.com/meteorology.php
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Offline dkatz9

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Re: What weather station hardware and software do I need?
« Reply #13 on: January 25, 2010, 07:55:16 AM »
You might also look at Climatronics' All-In-One Weather Sensor
<http://www.climatronics.com/Products/Weather-Station-Systems/AIO_compact_weather_station.php> which can also connect to a spread-spectrum radio for data transmittal.  A weighing bucket precip gauge would provide the precip measurement without requiring power.

Offline salsa

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Re: What weather station hardware and software do I need?
« Reply #14 on: January 30, 2010, 05:01:14 PM »
Thanks for the information - very helpful.  We'll do our research with a view to installing our met stations in the spring and will keep you posted.  We'll see if Environment Canada can help as well.

Bushman asked if we are members of BCLSS.  No, as we are in Alberta and so we are members of ALMS.  Our website is http://www.skeletonlake.com/  We hope to have our webcams and weather data displayed there this summer.  The organization is SLSA which is pronounced salsa.

Snow measurement does seem to be an issue.  We have computer programmers and architects amongst our 1300 members so hopefully will be able to solve the issue of averaging the info from 3 met stations.

Offline Bushman

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Re: What weather station hardware and software do I need?
« Reply #15 on: February 01, 2010, 05:27:24 PM »
Somehow I got it into my head that you weer in BC.  My bad.  Fascinating story about Skeleton Lake. 
Need low cost IP monitoring?  http://wirelesstag.net/wta.aspx?link=NisJxz6FhUa4V67/cwCRWA or PM me for 50% off Wirelesstags!!

 

anything