uv and solar 6163 v 6153

[mackbig]

I am definitely on their brown list.  Funny, this morning on the way to train, I got stuck behind a UPS van on the driveway to train station, he was doing about 5mph....  I thought what is a UPS truck doing making a delivery at 5:30am.... then when I got off the train at Union downtown, the same brown truck was waiting....    are they following me... have all those rants, gotten the brown shirts after me to silence me  

Seems they were doing some newspaper promo at all the train stations, and UPS was their shipping co..  

Andrew

It is a good thing that they did not use UPS.  If they had, and UPS knew it was for you you might not have delivery until 2010.

[mackbig]

Yup, said that on tracking notice.

Learned my lesson from past deliveries. 

UPS has convenient 3-6 hour delivery windows, and if you miss all three attempts their conveniently located pickup facility is 30 minute toll highway drive from my house,  40 minutes north of downtown toronto (assuming package is marked adult signature required, drive will not leave even if you sign slip)

Canada Post is good, typically your stuff ends up a local drugstore after first attempt, a few minutes away that has a post office in it. Worst case their courier facility is a 10 minute drive (larger items sometimes go there)

So now as a rule, I ship everything to my wife's real estate office.  There is a receptionist there 8-8 pretty much every day.

Andrew

I'm pretty sure a signature on delivery is required.  SOMEONE better be there... 

[Garth Bock]

I cant leave early today, but cough cough, feel a sore throat coming on... perhaps I better 'work' via VPN tomorrow, so I dont cough cough infect the office...    Andrew

[/quote]

At least there wasn't any oink oink in the cough cough......

[mackbig]

just got an sms from reception, package rec'd..... 

wow. most places would not even have shipped by now, and I have receipt of goods in less than 2 business days, using "cheap" Canada Post.

Trying to re-organize afternoon meetings.  *I really cant work from home tomorrow*

Andrew

[mackbig]

Reading the manuals on the ride home on the bus (my train line only has rush hour trains)

Too bad, I am looking at the wirelss xmitter for the anny.  It has jacks for uv solar rain temp and anny.  I wish I could put the uv and solar up on roof with anny.  That would be cool,  but in reading it looks like only one device per xmitter.

Should be up on roof by 3;30ish.  Need to pickup, and I will take my time.

Andrew

Ps: need to look at blackberry occasionally for work as well.

[port1]

   Ah!  So you did get home early...I knew it.
I can't say I wouldn't have done exactly the same thing!!
 

Good luck with the equipment guy.
We're all jealous...truly.
Have fun!
 
That's what it's all about.
 

Henry

[mackbig]

Install complete.  Its huge, a lot bigger than I imagined.  there is enough room in the rain bucket for full size incandecent lights, if the halogen thing doesnt work out.  FARS is whisper quiet.

2 more trips up to the roof than I planned. (had to move os anny down a bit, and of course I did not have that size wrench, and one other dumb trip)

Overall went pretty well.

The wireless anemometer was a little flighty, that took up quite a while to figure out.   Quite a few battery in and outs, changed channels a few times, I think the console might have been too close to xmitter, or iss.   

The vertical mount could use some reengineering. I take it most people pole mount.  If you actually used a wrench (as per directions) to tighten those lag bolts it would take over an hour, hardest bolts I have ever had to access.   Used a combination of a racket socket, a 1 foot super thin drill extender with socket on end. and did the final tighten one eighth turn at a time with the wrench.

Oh well it was worth it.   Nice construction, good packaging, directions and manuals in English.

It was dark when done, do I could not check the uv and solar leveling bubbles very close.  I am debating when I should do the flip over to VWS tonight, or let it settle for a while.  Guess it depends on tonight's honey-do list this little purchase has cost me.

I should probably read a little more, I have to erase the "storm" I created while testing rain and wind settings.

Andrew

[SlowModem]

   I'm sure you're very happy.  I hope it works well for you!   

[TorH]

Great Andrew, already up and running  Congratulation with your new Wxstation, i can't imagine you not are being satisfied with it, enjoy 

[killwilly]

Congrats Andrew on the new toy, and now the dreaded update to VWS 14

[mackbig]

Thanks, not sure what I am going to do yet.  My original plan was to switch VWS to the vp2, and get something like wuhu for the OS.   Last night I did not have much time so I just connected the Davis using weatherlink.  Bit of a learning curve on that software.  But the 968 is working fine talking to VWS on comm 5 using a serial-usb converter (so far).

I went through the version upgrades history since 13.09, other than THW and THWS I cant see any required reasons to upgrade to 14?  That and weatherlink ip, and vue are only other major upgrades neither of which apply to me.  The rest seem to be fixes to problems introduced in different beta versions.

Options
1) vp2 on vws 13.09, 968 on wuhu
2) vp2 on vws upgrade to 14.x, 968 on wuhu
3) vp2 on WD, keep 968 on vws 13.09

Decisions, decisions...  Option 3 is the most work since my site is fully configured for Ken's vws wf ajax tags.  Also have to buy (after trial) WD.

Andrew

Congrats Andrew on the new toy, and now the dreaded update to VWS 14

[mackbig]

Thanks all.

Go figure, get the station installed, and I dont think there has been more that a spot of wind, and almost no temperature changes since.  Strange weather we are in right now.

Now the playing can begin.  Cant wait for the sun to come up and see those UV and Solar sensors kick in. 

Andrew

temporary weatherlink conditions check.
http://www.mackweather.com/Weather_Summary_Vantage_Pro_Plus.htm

[killwilly]

Andrew, have you thought of giving Cumulus a try? Its a free/donation software programme, which is allegedly very good and used a lot here in the UK by Davis owners.


http://sandaysoft.com/products/cumulus

Alan.

[mackbig]

Alan,
I have thought of it but Greg (Slow Modem) said/thought it does not support "other" channels for temp sensors.  I use all three extra channels (channel 1 as outdoor)

Thanks,
Andrew

Andrew, have you thought of giving Cumulus a try? Its a free/donation software programme, which is allegedly very good and used a lot here in the UK by Davis owners.

[mackbig]

Alan,
Actually it says on the cumulus page.

version 1.8.6 14th April 2009
.......
Added web tags for WMR928 extra sensors

So might check it out.  I dont mind too much if it does not see channel 1 as outdoor, I can alway retag, or php it into my site.  Although if it does not do the channel swap, I wont be able to upload as cwop station.

But thanks for the bump... all things being considered right now.

Andrew

[killwilly]

Can't be bad for free.   

[mackbig]

Free is always good.

I went on the cumulus forum, Greg asked the channel 1 swap question in March 2009. The reply was "All it will do at the moment with the extra channel data is display it. That will probably change, but I don't know when."  I will join and post a follow up.  Last release was April, so I doubt it was fixed then, if not listed in notes.

Andrew

Can't be bad for free.   

[killwilly]

Good luck whatever you choose, and keep us posted on the new station.

Alan.

[port1]

   You got that up and running rapidly, Andrew.
Good for you.
Those hardware tightening issues must have been caused by the vibration resistant nuts, with the nylon insert within the threads, correct?
If so, that's a sign of premium quality construction.
White nylon?
 

Henry

[SlowModem]

Options
1) vp2 on vws 13.09, 968 on wuhu
2) vp2 on vws upgrade to 14.x, 968 on wuhu
3) vp2 on WD, keep 968 on vws 13.09

Decisions, decisions...  Option 3 is the most work since my site is fully configured for Ken's vws wf ajax tags.  Also have to buy (after trial) WD.

Andrew

I believe you can run vp2 on wuhu.

[killwilly]

Andrew,and anyone else who may be interested.

I have just carried out a quick cost comparison on the Davis 6163 purchased here in the UK. If I bought one today, it would cost the equivalent to $1,922, Canadian. 

I can't believe the cost difference is all in the transport across the pond.

Any thoughts?

PS. Show this to your ladies, it just might make them feel better. 

[SlowModem]

Andrew,and anyone else who may be interested.

I have just carried out a quick cost comparison on the Davis 6163 purchased here in the UK. If I bought one today, it would cost the equivalent to $1,922, Canadian. 

I can't believe the cost difference is all in the transport across the pond.

Any thoughts?

PS. Show this to your ladies, it just might make them feel better. 

What is the voltage and frequency in the UK?

[Bushman]

Voltage on the other side of the pond is 220 but the real kicker is that Euro units use 868 mHz due to radio regs.  So you can't use (legally) a North American model there.  "Pity" as they say in the red Rose commercial (you may have to be a Canuck or Brit to understand that one). 

[killwilly]

Andrew,and anyone else who may be interested.

I have just carried out a quick cost comparison on the Davis 6163 purchased here in the UK. If I bought one today, it would cost the equivalent to $1,922, Canadian. 

I can't believe the cost difference is all in the transport across the pond.

Any thoughts?

PS. Show this to your ladies, it just might make them feel better. 

What is the voltage and frequency in the UK?

Bushman just answered for me.

[SlowModem]

I was thinking Europe was 50 Hertz, but I didn't know about the UK.  Those differences probably add up (no pun intended) to the price difference.