How high to mount ISS?

[llbts1]

Got a Davis Vantage Vue. Been reading the manual on mounting the ISS. Davis states 5-7' above the ground. So I went looking at some of the mounting options in the pictures. You guys have these mounted all over the place. So that really confused me.(not hard to do) I have a little well house I am going to mount it to, in an open area. Height is no problem here. This building is maybe 3x4', 6' tall with a white wood roof. How tall above the roof should I mount this? Thank you for your thought and input. Larry

[dalecoy]

Could you post a picture?  Things like roof configuration, surroundings, etc. make a difference.

What weather parameters are the most important to you?

But generally, something like 3 ft. above the roof would be OK.  It's all a compromise.

[SlowModem]

Got a Davis Vantage Vue. Been reading the manual on mounting the ISS. Davis states 5-7' above the ground. So I went looking at some of the mounting options in the pictures. You guys have these mounted all over the place. So that really confused me.(not hard to do) I have a little well house I am going to mount it to, in an open area. Height is no problem here. This building is maybe 3x4', 6' tall with a white wood roof. How tall above the roof should I mount this? Thank you for your thought and input. Larry

Place it where you can reach the rain gauge so you can clean out debris that will collect over time.

[LFWX]

The "official" height for a temperature sensor is 5'

[SoMDWx]

And here's where is gets a lot of people with the ISS. Offical NWS siting recommends putting your rain gauge at ~ 2 ft above ground. This prevents splashing and effects from high winds blowing the rain out from the gauge. That's why I have my ISS located on the ground with a wireless anemometer on the roof...

Jim

[dalecoy]

With a Vue, it's really hard to put the rain gauge at 2 ft, the temperature/humidity gauge at 5 ft, and the anemometer at 33 ft.  I'm sure that the OP knows that - which is why advice was solicited.

If the OP wants to mount it above the 6-ft-tall shed, then that's another constraint.

[llbts1]

Thank you for the replies. Pictures were requested, so I have taken a few for consideration. I know, the lawn needs to be cut, but we have had something called rain here in Texas, and the weeds have really responded well to it, also, I know the well house needs to be painted too.    Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions. Larry            PS, forgot to mention, low side of roof is 6'

[dalecoy]

Thanks for the pictures.  I see there are a few trees.

Assuming you have decided to mount the Vue above the shed (and I don't see why not)....

If wind is the most important measurement, I would mount the Vue perhaps 10 or 12 ft. above the shed roof.

If rain/temp/humid is more important, I would mount the Vue perhaps 3 ft. above the shed roof.

[deepspringfarm]

Speaking of trees.
How far is it generally preferred to to keep an anemometer away from trees?
Also, if I get the USB logger, as opposed to the IP, when your computer is offline, does it just upload everything after that?
-Nathaniel

[LFWX]

Speaking of trees.
How far is it generally preferred to to keep an anemometer away from trees?
-Nathaniel

"Ideal" situation would be: (from the CWOP siting guide, page 17)
 
- 10 meters (33 feet) above ground level (AGL).
- If there are obstructions above 8 meters, anemometer should be at least 2 meters (7
feet) above obstructions (trees and/or buildings) that are within the immediate vicinity
of weather station (20 meters horizontally).
- Anemometer mast should be absolutely vertically level.
- Anemometer should be orientated to yield wind direction values from “true north”

But this is seldom possible, just do the best you can.

[dalecoy]

Speaking of trees.
How far is it generally preferred to to keep an anemometer away from trees?
Also, if I get the USB logger, as opposed to the IP, when your computer is offline, does it just upload everything after that?
-Nathaniel

As far as practical.   

And yes, with the USB logger, when the computer is offline, when you boot the computer, it can (and perhaps will) get everything from the logger that happened while it was offline.  But that's what the computer can do to get the missing data.  What the computer does with that data, depends on what software you have running on the computer. 

[SlowModem]

And yes, with the USB logger, when the computer is offline, when you boot the computer, it can (and perhaps will) get everything from the logger that happened while it was offline.  But that's what the computer can do to get the missing data.  What the computer does with that data, depends on what software you have running on the computer. 

And the site you send data to.  I believe that WU can be caught up with past data, but CWOP requires 24/7 input.

[dalecoy]

The bottom line: if you are going to make your weather data available to others (i.e., public) - then it's not very useful if it's only up-to-date part of the time.

In that case, you should have something that takes care of that all the time -- either your computer, or something like the WeatherLinkIP.

If you're only looking at it yourself, then the console is available 24/7, and you can (with the logger) look at all the data with your computer when the computer is running.