Topic: How does one achieve ‘Gold Star’ status?

[Ken7]

I’ve got a 24/7 fan aspirated Davis Vantage Pro 2 that reports to WU. For the life of me I can’t figure out why it hasn’t earned the ‘gold star’ status for QC. I know its readings and reporting (via a Meteobridge Pro) are accurate. Yet I see other stations, with the gold star status, that while in the sun and show readings 5-6 degrees higher than most neighboring stations. Others may have barometric pressure readings that are also whacky, yet they too have the gold star.

I know this sounds picky, but it kind of bugs me in that I take care in my station setup. Can anyone shed some light on this?

[galfert]

Right now the Gold Star system is not working. They have it disabled. They should have removed the stars from others but they didn't for whatever reason. Many stations have the star that is undeserving for their status.

I've recently reviewed a future prototype of WU with a WU site designer and we discussed the star issue. So they are aware of it and they will address the matter at some point.

You can read about my review and feedback of the new site here:
https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=34994.msg357636

[Ken7]

Galfert, thanks, very useful info that explains a lot.

[ocala]

I know it's nice to see your name up in lights and everything but don't get too carried away with things like this.
As long as you know you have your station  sited correctly that's all that's important.
Also consider micro-climates. What those other stations are showing is at their location. Data is never going to be exactly the same from place to place. I understand in this instance there were some big differences but those could be caused by a variety of factors.
I would try to compare your data with the closest ASOS station.
https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/weather/asos/

[Ken7]

Ocala, thanks. Yes I know about micro-climates, I actually have 2 degrees in meteorology, although I never went into the field.

My point about the delta in temperatures was directed at those units that don’t have fan aspiration. Some of these units, depending on their engineering, can have temperature errors in the direct sun that can exceed 5 degrees. Yet those had gold stars too. There are also those where the owner never bothered to calibrate barometric pressure. That’s just sloppy, and yet some of those also have the gold star. Funny stuff.
 
So you’re right, no need to get upset with the ‘name in lights’ thing.

[CW2274]

The only thing that's a bigger joke than WU itself, is it's "gold star" garbage. I'd like someone to show me what their "QC" process is...I believe rolling outta bed is one...

[BeaverMeadow]

.... There are also those where the owner never bothered to calibrate barometric pressure. That’s just sloppy, and yet some of those also have the gold star. Funny stuff...

Or those people who don't bother replacing their blown humidity sensors that read 20% when it 85% outside. Hopefully the "New Improved WU" will address these issues asap.

[Aardvark]

I just keep updating my data being sent to WU every 15 min. 24/7  and voila   the gold star.   A nice new weather station would make me happier, but I guess the star will have to work.    hang in there.

[Glenn]

One of the WU reps mentioned in another thread they were going to update the criteria for the Gold Stars going forward.

[Ken7]

I just keep updating my data being sent to WU every 15 min. 24/7  and voila   the gold star.   A nice new weather station would make me happier, but I guess the star will have to work.    hang in there.

Mine gets sent to WU every 3 seconds, 24/7, via Meteobridge Pro and still no gold star. So I think it’s more than that. Another poster mentioned the star system is currently broken and WU is working on it. So we shall see.

[WheelinDealin]

It's kind of frustrating when you take the effort and trouble to calibrate your PWS correctly and verify your data with no gold star, while other stations with obvious errors receive gold stars.

[Ken7]

It's kind of frustrating when you take the effort and trouble to calibrate your PWS correctly and verify your data with no gold star, while other stations with obvious errors receive gold stars.

Yup, I think that's 90% of the frustration!

[galfert]

Nobody is receiving any more Gold Stars for now. The Gold Stars other stations have now were earned a while back. The Gold Star awarding is system turned off and not running and what ever Gold Stars were on (earned) at that time when they turned it off remain on now, even if the station has fallen into recently reporting bad data or inconsistent reporting. Which means any newly fixed stations or new stations even if perfect have not received any Gold Stars and will not for the near future. There is nothing you can do now to earn a Gold Star.

When WU turned off the Gold Star awarding system they just left whatever Gold Stars were in place and I feel that they should have removed all the Gold Stars from everyone. That was their mistake.

The Gold Star or something like it will at some point in the future probably come back. For now there is little point in gripping about Gold Stars...except maybe WU will read and notice these posts and finally remove the Gold Stars from everyone till they fix or turn back on the Gold Star awarding system.

[Ken7]

Nobody is receiving any more Gold Stars for now. The Gold Stars other stations have now were earned a while back. The Gold Star awarding system turned off and not running and what ever Gold Stars were on (earned) at that time when they turned it off remain on now, even if the station has fallen into recently reporting bad data or inconsistent reporting. Which means any newly fixed stations or new stations even if perfect have not received any Gold Stars and will not for the near future. There is nothing you can do now to earn a Gold Star.

When WU turned off the Gold Star awarding system they just left whatever Gold Stars were in place and I feel that they should have removed all the Gold Stars from everyone. That was their mistake.

The Gold Star or something like it will at some point in the future probably come back. For now there is little point in gripping about Gold Stars...except maybe WU will read and notice these posts and finally remove the Gold Stars from everyone till they fix or turn back on the Gold Star awarding system.

Good info, thanks. This should put this to rest.

[DavePushee]

Thanks to Galfert's reply above, I am no longer trying to chase why my star never comes back.  It would have been nice if Weather.com's explanation of what a gold star means had been updated to match the fact that is means less than nothing at the moment.

[theslydog]

Nobody is receiving any more Gold Stars for now.



The Gold Star or something like it will at some point in the future probably come back. For now there is little point in gripping about Gold Stars...except maybe WU will read and notice these posts and finally remove the Gold Stars from everyone till they fix or turn back on the Gold Star awarding system.

They seem to be awarding Gold Stars in my area as there seems to be an influx of new Fine Offset stations.

Lots of them seem to have been just turned on and no calibration what so ever has been undertaken. This then makes all the actual calibrated station's data look different.

It seems that when enough of these breeding uncalibrated stations turn up in any given area they begin to over ride the calibrated ones. Thus the actual calibrated stations lose the Gold Star and the uncalibrated stations end up with a Gold Star.

Its crazy.

[galfert]

This is an old thread. Gold Stars came back on in November 2018.

https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=35479.0

But you might be on to something with new uncalibrated stations displacing old calibrated stations.