WXforum.net
Weather Station Hardware => What Weather Station Should I Buy? => Topic started by: wigi49 on December 25, 2021, 03:31:55 PM
-
Hello everyone. Hope your solstice celebrations are peaceful and wonderful...
I have had a number of weather stations over the years, going back to my childhood (more than 50 years ago... I had a heathkit weather station)... and I have worked professionally in meteorology, though not for a long time.
I currently have two WXShield arduino boxes interfaced with a number of sensors, predominantly OS, but some old acurite sensors, and a few others, too. The WXShields are a dead end, as is the WSDL software I run with them... and now I am having some hardware failures on sensors... and I would rather get something a decade more state-of-the-art. I am in Alaska, and the two locations that I have are challenging, for a number of reasons... including some extreme weather (predominantly wind, but also temperature sometimes).
I have some criteria that are important to me... here's a list... and I would love to hear your comments... thanks!
Must-have:
Robust wireless sensor-to-base connections with operational ranges in excess of 100m.
Solar-powered anemometer with battery backup (will be mounted on a tower and inaccesible in winter).
Accurate temperature sensors to .1 degree C - calibratable sensors a plus. Able to handle minimum temperatures to -40C
Ability to support multiple sensors, particularly temperature, but also anemometer, perhaps.
Web-based or application based station output
Nice-to-have:
Drip counting rain gauge (rather than a tip bucket).
Ability to report PWS data to one or more of the aggregator services.
Do not need or want a console. I only ever want to see the station data (even locally) in an application.
I am quite technical and I am comfortable with the idea of using a homebrew combination of hardware, mix-and-match, etc. I have been running the WXShield/WSDL combination for years, and were it not for the durability of the OS components, I would stick with it... but replacing just one or two sensors makes buying something new make more sense.
I am interested in quality sensors that will survive in exreme conditions - in particular, strong winds and extended sun.
What are your suggestions??
Thanks in advance!
Wigi
Anchorage/Kenai, Alaska.
-
I am surprised nobody has any suggestions...
-
Perhaps the criteria you've set are too challenging. For instance, I'm not aware of any weather station that can deliver ±0.1C in temperature accuracy, especially operational accuracy, ie taking into account screen errors, other than research grade instruments maybe.