Topic: Size of data packets sent via internet for PWS's

[khp]

New user here and I have searched for the answer for my question but haven't had any luck.

 My question is what are the sizes of data packets sent from a PWS to the internet?  We live in the country and use Excede satellite as an internet provider and we have limits on the amount of data sent and received per monthly use cycle.  I am guessing that  they are real small, but if a person was updating a website or Weather Underground and updating often it could use a bit of data if the data transmissions are more than a tiny bit.

Most people with a cable or DSL internet provider this probably isn't even a consideration but I have been trying to find the answer for this question.  Thanks. 

[SLOweather]

Good question. You also need to ask how big the reply from the server is, too. That is figured into your bandwidth.

We've been studying this for our WeatherElement wired and cellular stations and have reduced ours down to about 1 kilobyte per transaction (up and down). At 10 minute updates, that's 144 kilobytes a day, or 4.32 megabytes per month.

Obviously, sending more often will use more bandwidth, as will sending any graphics.

We don't send any graphics, just data, and do all of the graphic generation on the server.

And, we've tested on HughesNet.

If you have a Davis Station, I'd be pleased to send a data hub to test with. PM or email me if you are interested.

I don't have any info on any other stations or programs to send data. I would suppose that WeatherLinkIP might be fairly low as well.

[Beaudog]

I had my Davis station sending data via Hughes net to  WU, PWS,CWOP, and AWEKAS The weathr station was the only thing using the satellite link and the daily usage was around 200 to 300 kb per day.

[SlowModem]

Here's a typical string of data to CWOP:

DW0148>APRS,TCPXX*,qAX,CWOP-2:@142231z3541.04N/08442.41W_040/000g001t074r000p000P000h77b10206eWUHU216DAVISVP2

If I remember right, a chatacter or space = 1 byte?  So that's not much (I didn't count).

I'd say PWS Weather or WU is similar (not counting any video or pictures you send).

I've had one station uploading to CWOP and three stations uploading to WU and PWS Weather on dialup with no problem (although I'm cutting back now).

[nincehelser]

Here's another data point:

AcuRite's AcuLink Bridge system takes about 450MB per month.  This is for reporting to AcuRite in 15-minute intervals.

Wunderground updates don't count as they get their data directly from AcuRite. 

[khp]

Thanks guys.  I haven't purchased a PWS yet but I am leaning to a Davis system.  Even at 450 mb per month that is'nt to bad.