Topic: Help with buying a semi pro to pro weather station for a disaster restoration co

[aspenedelen]

I posted something very similar back in October of 2010 but never bit the bullet and bought.  I want to buy very soon as flooding is happening more and more often these days here in S.Dakota and I want to be able to stay abreast of the weather as that will give me a leg up on my competition. 


I own a disaster restoration company and I would like to watch the weather more closely this Summer.  I would like to know if there is a good semi professional weather station out there for somewhere in the line of $500 to $1000.  I am looking for something that will give me a very accurate rain fall, RH, Temp, future conditions, rain fall amounts in other areas close to me, future rain fall amounts, etc. 

Anthony

[aspenedelen]

Also, is there anything out there that is mobile friendly with a Blackberry?

[SLOweather]

Please give us a little more detail on what you wish to accomplish:

A weather station at your office? Reporting to a web page?

A network of your own weather stations in your area reporting to web pages?

Mobile as in mobile access to your stations' data from your Blackberry?

An/or a mobile weather station? One that's mounted on a truck?  One that can be temporarily placed at a work site?

[SlowModem]

Get a Davis VP2 or Vue and datalogger.  Connect to WU, CWOP and PWS Weather.  Check data anywhere you go on phone or blacberry.

Nothing you can buy, as far as I know, will tell the upcoming weather.  NWS, SPC, NHC has lots of info available which is as reliable as there is.

Good luck! 

[PaulMy]

Get a Davis VP2 or Vue and datalogger.  Connect to WU, CWOP and PWS Weather.  Check data anywhere you go on phone or blacberry.

Nothing you can buy, as far as I know, will tell the upcoming weather.  NWS, SPC, NHC has lots of info available which is as reliable as there is.

Good luck! 

I fully agree with Greg.  Although the Davis station provides a fair forecast as well, but nothing like is available from various weather sources.

Paul

[aspenedelen]

Please give us a little more detail on what you wish to accomplish:

A weather station at your office? Reporting to a web page?

A network of your own weather stations in your area reporting to web pages?

Mobile as in mobile access to your stations' data from your Blackberry?

An/or a mobile weather station? One that's mounted on a truck?  One that can be temporarily placed at a work site?
[/quo

This will be a system mounted either on my house or one of my garages.  I'd like to have (if possible) a wireless system that will send the info from the system to the head unit to my office in my basement. 

I'd like to be able to access this weather station's information at any time wherever I am at in the world if possible. 

Like I said, I am really looking for rainfall, temp, future forecast, RH, GPP if possible, barometric pressure, wind speed, etc if possible. 


Is there a unit out there that combines all this into one package that won't break my bank account?

[Intheswamp]

I'm a newbie, but I agree with Greg and Paul (for what my agreement is worth  ).  You might opt for the Davis VP2 over the Vue so if you want to add extra sensors you will have that capability...solar sensor (would it help to know solar data for drying out purposes?), extra temperature sensor (ground temp?), etc.,.  The quality is there in the Davis equipment and should give you years of use with minimal maintenance.  The datalogger is required to connect the console to your computer so figure that into the cost.  Cumulus is good donationware software...it will upload data to several places and if you have webspace somewhere it will upload data to it.  All of this requires minimum computer specs...an older computer with a gig of RAM and a 40gb hard drive picked up for small $ will work.

Best wishes,
Ed

[aspenedelen]

I appreciate everyone's replies.  It looks like I have some homework to do but I am leaning towards the Davis VP2 with a solar sensor and datalogger.     Off to top of anyone's head, can someone please tell me what all this might cost me?

[Intheswamp]

Do you want wired or wireless?  More flexibility with wireless in regards to where you can place the outside part of the station (anemometer and ISS) but the wired version will cost less.

Ed

[aspenedelen]

I'd like to go wireless but I am concerned with battery life of the weather station.  I'd rather not have to get up on top of my house or garage every few months or weeks just to change out some batteries. 

[Intheswamp]

We are talking in terms of a year+ on the batteries for the wireless.  The wireless uses the battery only when the sun hasn't been shining for a day or two.  It is normally powered by a super capacitor that is charged up by a built-in solar panel.

Ed

[Bushman]

I appreciate everyone's replies.  It looks like I have some homework to do but I am leaning towards the Davis VP2 with a solar sensor and datalogger.     Off to top of anyone's head, can someone please tell me what all this might cost me?

http://www.archertradingpost.com/atp/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_6

[BigOkie]

I appreciate everyone's replies.  It looks like I have some homework to do but I am leaning towards the Davis VP2 with a solar sensor and datalogger.     Off to top of anyone's head, can someone please tell me what all this might cost me?

http://www.archertradingpost.com/atp/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_6

This. You just cannot beat Ryan's deals. And his personal attention to your order is second to none.

[Intheswamp]

I appreciate everyone's replies.  It looks like I have some homework to do but I am leaning towards the Davis VP2 with a solar sensor and datalogger.     Off to top of anyone's head, can someone please tell me what all this might cost me?

http://www.archertradingpost.com/atp/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_6

This. You just cannot beat Ryan's deals. And his personal attention to your order is second to none.

+1,000,000,000    Ryan is a good guy to deal with.  Matter of fact, I got one of those small white boxes from NW 60th Street out of the mailbox last night...my wife said "there must be something special out there to being heading to the mailbox with a flashlight!".   Ordered it late last Thursday...Ryan ships fast and *really* has helped this newbie out.  I highly recommend him.

Ed

[VaJim]

I'd like to go wireless but I am concerned with battery life of the weather station.  I'd rather not have to get up on top of my house or garage every few months or weeks just to change out some batteries. 

..don't put it on the top of your house or garage.....

[BigOkie]

I'd like to go wireless but I am concerned with battery life of the weather station.  I'd rather not have to get up on top of my house or garage every few months or weeks just to change out some batteries. 

..don't put it on the top of your house or garage.....

Put it on a telescoping flagpole.  Problem solved.   

[Bushman]

Just priced out a telescoping pole - OUCH!

[Old Tele man]

Just substitute a FOLDING flag pole for that TELESCOPING pole.