Mounting Tripod - Davis vs Ambient Weather

[chsgas]

I think I'm going to take the plunge and order a Vantage Pro 2 station.  Since I'm not sure where I will end placing it in my yard (no ideal spots) I'm to buy a tripod to mount it to start.  Does anyone have any recommendations between the Davis 7716 tripod versus the Ambient Weather EZ-48 tripod?

[CNYWeather]

I got my  7716 from Provantage.com

http://www.provantage.com/davis-instruments-7716~7DAVU009.htm

Had to put a taller pole in it, but I was happy.

[MoradaWx]

bought mine from Rat Shack with 10 foot pole works great

Rick

[Bunty]

Or do as I did and simply mount it on a post if you're not having your station on the roof..  It would be a lot cheaper.

[d_l]

I bought my 5' tripod from these guys: http://www.summitsource.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=tripod&x=0&y=0

[racenet]

bought mine from Rat Shack with 10 foot pole works great

Rick

Yep, that's the best route to go. Costs a lot less. 



Bob

[Anthony]

Unless your are putting the station on your roof. You really do not need a tripod. A 4x4 post, 1 or 2 10' sections of electrical conduit and a bag of cement is all you need.

[d_l]

Must be nice to live in a place where digging a hole deep enough to plant an anemometer post isn't a several day long project and that is only if you are lucky enough to pick a spot that doesn't require a tracked backhoe, jack hammer, or dynamite to move or punch through a buried boulder too big to dig out by hand.

[racenet]

A little C-4 works wonders.   

[d_l]

If only ... That would help whenever I wanted to plant a tree too. ... or dig up the garden. 

[Scalphunter]

1/2 lb C-4  does wonders but wife doesn/t like be  having to board up windows after. LOL.  we are like 3 feet to bedrock. so hard to get anything to stand without making a  big pad.

Utility company  here does their own blasting to plant their poles.

John
KL7IFP

[racenet]

we are like 3 feet to bedrock. so hard to get anything to stand without making a  big pad.

I feel your pain. We are a tad closer then that here. In some places, it's only a foot below grade. The basement of our house is actually built into the ledge. I never laughed so hard when, several years ago, a guy who came out to do some wiring in our garage went to put in a new grounding rod. I told him to forget it. He wouldn't listen. Around the garage he went, then around the yard, hitting ledge 1 - 2 foot below grade. A 6 foot rod was a bit long I'd say.  He finally gave up. 



Bob

[Scalphunter]

 when I  built here I used  some zip cord to trench with and then laided copper cable out in them and refilled over for my  house and antenna grounding. The house itself sit on bedrock. Only dirt ub=nder it is what the rain has washed in over the  past 30 years. Now if i can only find  that satchel bag I left out there.

John
KL7IFP

[Anthony]

If you can get down 12 to 18 inches with about 2 or 3 on each side. That's all you need. Remember you are only putting up an anemometer.

[chsgas]

Okay I decided to just go to Radio Shack and buy their antenna roof mount tripod until I decide where I will permanently place everything in my yard (live in city with trees and have a hip roof with no chimney etc and don't want to mess up new roof).

Next question - I live in Charleston, SC which is prone to lightning strikes.  I'm leery of using a metal pipe to mount the sensors.  I saw where people suggested using electrical PVC conduit instead of metal for mounting.  I went to Lowe's last night and the 1 1/4" PVC electrical conduit seemed pretty flimsy especially if I keep all 10 feet to mount the anemometer up higher.

Does anyone have problems using PVC conduit at that length on a tripod?  Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Thanks!!

[racenet]

I went to Lowe's last night and the 1 1/4" PVC electrical conduit seemed pretty flimsy especially if I keep all 10 feet to mount the anemometer up higher.

Does anyone have problems using PVC conduit at that length on a tripod?  Does anyone have any other suggestions?

The best thing I can suggest is, don't do it. PVC is a very poor choice for a mast that is used to measure wind. As you can tell, it bends and flexes. Use a 10' radio shack mast and be done with it. If you are really that worried about lightning, ground the thing.




Bob
 

[Scalphunter]

 PVC is  very poor to use as mast. Flimsy, no way to get rid of static from  wind across it.  Juse  take a piece and rub it on your arm and you will see how quick it takes a charge. Get a piece of  sch 40 tubing and you should be ok.

John
KL7IFP

[offroadjosh]

I plan on use so conduit (2, 10ft sections mounted in concreete with a 4x4 for support) to upgrade my curren mount:) of course.... when the ground thaws haha.



Josh

[Scalphunter]

C4 can thaw that ground Josh. It makes very good fire starter. Just don't set it in a depression.

John
KL7IFP

[ncpilot]

I think we've had a few threads on the merits of lightning protection by grounding.

Thing is... any strike that's close enough to scare you could have enough of an EMF pulse to fry equipment anyway--let alone a direct strike, grounded or not.

Some might argue that a properly grounded system will have less likelihood of a direct strike--or maybe it's more accurate to say a system with proper lightning protection (which involves more equipment than just a ground wire).

That's why wireless is so nice--you're decoupled between station and computer.

With all the worry about grounding a weather station--what are you doing to prevent damage with your internet coax/phone line connected directly to your computer? Maybe your modem/router will fry before the pulse gets to your computer, maybe not...

I'd be more worried about fire and having to replace appliances if there was a direct strike...