Topic: rolling my own

[dch26]

hi guys - new member - i have just posted my hi/intro to the appropriate place!

just a quick one to say that i am an experienced software dev and am working on connecting
my pc to a davis vantage pro 2 (also works on original vantage and vue)

currently using Perl to talk to console. (my wireless console has serial/rs232 module, but is connected to a digi-key
to make it IP)

happily reading all the loop (current) data, all of the archive records,
hi-lows, settings and calibrations. so thats good.
all these are being stored in a simple MySQL database.

after i sort out the frequency i should be storing these things into the database (once every 2 seconds seems a bit keen!) then
i will sort out a front end (web server) - to deliver the data in a pretty format to pc's, phones, whatever. animated graphs and dials with
data layer updated via ajax is what i'm planning.

my lack of experience in the weather station "scene" is what i'm lacking.......what is needed on the screen? what do users want to see?
how do they use it?

i'll just continue to re-invent the wheel and do it "my way" (as frank once said) - unless i hear you guys chiming in.


would be very interested to hear from you if you are interested in what i'm doing, or if you are doing something similar.

cheers
dch

[DanS]

WxForum member 'wxtech' may be interested in what you're up to as he's currently getting together all that is needed to 'roll your own' personal weather station. Your interfacing project might fit right in.

[Weather Display]

maybe check out the current web site winner, he has done exactly what you are starting to do (in the mark II version)

[dch26]

thanks for the replies guys. i will look out for member "wxtech".....

@Weather Display - not quite sure what you mean by "the current web site winner" - who/what is this? where can i find out more?

cheers
dch

[SlowModem]

@Weather Display - not quite sure what you mean by "the current web site winner" - who/what is this? where can i find out more?

cheers
dch

http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=13312.msg129328#top

[dch26]

ah, i see what you mean. that is a super great website.

2 things would stop me from using it, if it were available:

1) i dont speak c# - so cant modify it
2) i'm a tekkie to the end - so if i didnt write it, then its just not the same, and i'll re-invent the wheel until it rolls

i love the challenges of doing these things - and i need to incorporate my weather info with the other "connected"
things around my place (cctv, heating, alarm, power usage monitoring, lights, indoor environmentals, etc etc)

i need to check out the other website entries too.......inspiration awaits 

cheers,
dch

[wxtech]

Hello and welcome DCH.  Wxtech here, call me Al.
My head has been in the books this week.  All you Dream Machine followers/contributors, be assured that I'm working on it.  I'm at a crossroads (spaghetti junction) and need to decide on which direction that I'll proceed.  1-wire wireless using Xbee, Basic Stamp or Arduino is what I'm looking at now.
I'm proud to call myself a Weather Equipment Technician (retired), now hobbyist.
Don't re-invent the wheel, just adapt what's already available.  Whatever you think of, chances are it's already out there in the real world.
If the Dream Machine uses a microcontroller with a 433MHz receiver, maybe you can help decipher the data stream.  Many sensors are available that transmits on 433MHz.  We can stick up an antenna, capture wx data and fire it into the Ethernet.
What do you put on the screen, you asked?  My opinion: start with all the measured phenomena, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed, wind direction, daily rain accumulation, solar radiation (optional).  Then the user should have choices of the calculated values of monthly/annual rain accumulation, heat index, cloud height, ET, etc.  Also, make your system easily connectable to WeatherUnderground and CWOP.  Less is better, no clutter please.
Have fun,
Al

[dch26]

wxtech (Al),

i have just read thru your "Dream Machine" thread - sounds great. i am willing to join the "Dream Team"
let me know who has volunteered for what and i'll see if i can pickup anything else.

as well as coding (win, linux & iphone) i can show a reasonable hand to "thin client" interfaces (web sites) that
are fed the auto-refreshing data layer via ajax from a database. if the console is to be "thick-client" (installed software)
then i can create OpenGL 3d wizardry.

previous hardware hacks : GPS (nmea), AIS (radio vessel tracking),  k8055 and relay board, pc-control master,
pic microchip (10 years ago).

currently working on arduino ethernet project (cabled) and FlyPort Wi-fi (wireless). both are possibilities for the project.....the Flyport is especially cool,
 check it out if you are not familiar - ( http://www.coolcomponents.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=25_65&products_id=654 ) but i will have to test to see the "in use" power drain. solar panel and small battery to power??? dont know.

and the usual other million projects which dont get finished.
and then there's my work!

very aware that hardware needs sorting first - then sensors need deciphering (as you point out) - then after we can gather
all our data by some method or other - then we can do the sexy presentation stuff.

i can get a raw feed of the VP2 sensors from the console......dont think the format of that is published, dont know if
thats of use?? i will dump some later to take a look (again only of use if people like the Davis sensors and they are available
individually at a sensible price) - this is where my weather station newbieness lets me down - but i'm a quick study.

cheers
dch

[wxtech]

I think the Dream Machine project is still at the wishing stage.  People have been suggesting the features that needs to be included.  I'll work on a 'spec sheet' to list what the station needs to accomplish.  We need some progress in order to keep the Dream Machine a possibility.
On Oct 15 I asked for volunteers to pick a specialty to work on.  No volunteers yet.

[Mikla]

FYI... I developed a server sometime ago along with a client (the server allows multiple clients).  Was thinking of commercializing it, but I've moved on to other things...

[xykotik]

...after i sort out the frequency i should be storing these things into the database (once every 2 seconds seems a bit keen!) ...
...would be very interested to hear from you if you are interested in what i'm doing, or if you are doing something similar.

Look up member DeKay who has been blogging his exploits with hacking the transmitting bits and using a toy pager as a receiver/console.

[wuhu_software]

I was also kicking around the idea of an "open source" alternative to the consumer stations on the market by in 08'. It is a good idea for sure. Here is the list wish list I posted back then:

---

1) Real-time. There is no sense producing a custom weather station when
you can buy a complete La Crosse for under $80.

2) Accurate. The station sensors would need to be better than the low
end stations and comparable (if not better) than a Davis VP.

3) Logging. It would need to support PC-less operation using on board
memory. The greater the logging capability the better.

4) Expandable. Users should be able to add whatever sensors they want in
the future like UV, solar radiation, multiple temperature and humidity
sensors.

5) Wireless capability. Ideally the PIC controller could have it's own
Wifi transceiver. If it has Wifi, it might be able to upload directly to
weather severs without the need for a PC. There is a unit out there that
can do this with existing weather consoles. I forget the name of it but
can find it if you are interested. They use an open source router to do
this.

---

Back then I found an interesting board on Sparkfun. I forget exactly why we did not move forward with it but I think the board was lacking some capabilities.

Looking at their site today, it appears they made a new revision of the board recently and it seems to support most critical functions:

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10586

While it is $124 for the board, and you would need to buy the rain bucket and wind speed and direction sensors:

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8942

It could be a nice starter platform for a DIY station. The interesting part is that it has a programmable Arduino and open source firmware that can be customized for whatever purpose (open source firmware). Real-time capability is not a problem since the code can be completely customized. It can be connected via mini-USB or there are wireless options (X-Bee, BlueSMiRF). Perhaps there is even a way to use a Wifi transceiver and impelment a tiny TCP/IP stack so that data could be uploaded directly to the Internet for PC-less operation like the Davis WeatherLinkIP. There is even a LCD serial display that can be connected according to the comments via a TX line.

On the software side, maybe the real idea is to make a protocol / capability specification such that the hardware chosen is completely optional. For example, the protocol could ask the station what types of sensors it supports, whether it has a logger and how many records it can store. Someone on the site at Sparkfun also suggested mimicking existing protocols like Peet Bros which is not a bad idea. Perhaps all that is needed is a few extra packets that detail the station capability, logging requests, and maybe some utility functions like setting the time, etc.

If there is interest in this board let me know. I can also support this station in WUHU, including logging capability.

[wxtech]

It's good that you can support this system.  I'm building the Arduino Uno based station now.  I have the books and the Uno board will be delivered today.  I selected the Arduino because it is well supported with hardware and software.
In 2004, I was building my own station.  It was estimated to cost approximately $700 and then I found the LaCrosse for less than $200.  I had the Davis VP within a few months.  I migrated to Campbell and Vaisala pieces.  Now I'm using Davis Vue, VP2+, and Acu-Rite.
The solar shield is 24 hour aspirated using battery backed solar power.  I'm experimenting with DS18B20 in a Basic Stamp 2P 1-wire prototype and with RTD temp sensors.  I will add only a rain gauge.  The complete system will be only temperature and rain.  It is intended to supplement the NWS Coop daily manual devices that I read and report.
I have no intention to compete with Davis or Acu-Rite.  My console will be wood and stained glass using LED indicators.  It will display current temperature and record the 24 hour max temp, the 24 hour min temp, the 7AM temp and the 24 hour rainfall.
Others who are interested can take my starter and add barometer, wind, humidity and other sensors.
The rain gauge is a Waterlog H-340 but may change to Peet Ultimeter Pro drop counter or to an electronic dipstick later.  The prototype will begin as wired but will become wireless with Xbee modules later.
I agree that it's time to implement a standard weather station communications protocol.  It should support a wireless plug and play.  On setup, the logger should listen for weather data and indicate that it found a wx sensor.