Topic: the quest for a secure PWS for WeeWX

[m03da]

Hi, so, first post here we go:

I've been looking for a PWS that would tick all my rather specific boxes for some time now, alas without any luck, so I've come here seeking expert advice or pointers.

The requirements are as follows:

• wind speed and direction, much preferred ultrasonic
• temperature, humidity
• barometric pressure
• UV index
• solar irradiance
• precipitation rate
• PMxx
• lightning strikes

also,

• WeeWX compatibility
• solar powered
• up-to-date technology, decent sensor quality

The killer requirement: security. I don't trust a closed-source chinese piece of software enough to ever connect it to my home network. VLAN sandbox would require the WeeWX server to act as a bridge between the 'dirty' wifi and home network, which is messy. I also don't have a Windows PC or a mainstream OS smartphone to use a vendor's application to configure things. Another requirement from the same thread, no cloud connection ever, not even for initial config or updates, WeeWX will take care of uploading the data to a weather server.

This means that the PWS should be able to connect to WeeWX either directly through a cable (serial, USB...)

So far the contestants have been:

• Vantage Pro+, nice but lacks lightning, AQ, also the price is a bit too steep for my liking
• FineOffset/ Ecowitt GW1003 (or alt. the Y-shaped array) + WH57 + WH43, lacks secure receiver, any luck with WeeWX SDR???
• Elektor ESP8266 or ESP32-based PWS (link), uses horrible cheap old sensor array, would require extensive modifications to use a decent anemometer/ vane and to add lightning, AQ, light and UV, plus the development seems stale

I'll appreciate dearly any input on this, thank y'all in advance <3

[mcrossley]

The Ecowitt sensors plus GW1000 seem to fit most of your requirements. The sensors transmit on 433/868 MHz not WiFi, the GW1000 receives those signals but needs to connect to WiFi - your "dirty" WiFi. You then have a "computer" (could be rPi) connected to your dirty WiFi to talk to the GW1000 with a LAN connection to your clean network to view the data.

The GW1000 is configured from a phone app to set the WiFi config. Then over WiFi from your phone for the rest. It does not need to upload anywhere. It does not however have a data logger, so your "computer" needs to run 24x7.

[m03da]

That would be my fallback option if all else fails, yes. We live atop a block of flats in a moderately built-up area and the 2.4G spectrum is already loaded to the point of being practically unusable so I'd like to avoid adding yet another WLAN, let alone one used solely to connect two devices that are already linked up by a cable. Not to mention just how bodgey that arrangement would be.

At this point I'm still hopeful I've missed an SDR or reverse-engineered RX, or a PWS that doesn't need one...

[vinceskahan]

The GW1000 is configured from a phone app to set the WiFi config. Then over WiFi from your phone for the rest. It does not need to upload anywhere. It does not however have a data logger, so your "computer" needs to run 24x7.

If I recall correctly, there are watchdogs timers in the gw1000 that reach out to Ecowitt (China) and hit a web page and ntp server, so that violates the original poster's lan-only requirement.  I guess you could do the thing where you fake them out with some network sleight of hand (and block'em at your router as a belt+suspender) and go that way.   The weewx driver is very stable.  Using SDR is reportedly less preferred.

It would help if we had a price point the original poster doesn't want to go over, as their requirements are a bit of a heavy lift.

[m03da]

If I recall correctly, there are watchdogs timers in the gw1000 that reach out to Ecowitt (China) and hit a web page and ntp server, so that violates the original poster's lan-only requirement.  I guess you could do the thing where you fake them out with some network sleight of hand (and block'em at your router as a belt+suspender) and go that way.   The weewx driver is very stable.  Using SDR is reportedly less preferred.

While I'm aware that my priorities are messed up to the point of being silly, I'm more willing to either wait, put in some work and/ or give up some functionality, to have either a proprietary network-less solution or an open source networked one. This is a hobby project, I'm not looking for guarantees, nor am I in a hurry.

It would help if we had a price point the original poster doesn't want to go over, as their requirements are a bit of a heavy lift.

I would prefer to not exceed the equivalent of roughly 500USD or 400EUR. Weather is a hobby for me, but the list of those already includes synthesizers, drones, electronics, audio and lighting, it gets expensive 

[vinceskahan]

While I'm aware that my priorities are messed up to the point of being silly

Nope - they are what they are.   Not silly in the least.   Everybody makes their own requirements list.

I'm more willing to either wait, put in some work and/ or give up some functionality, to have either a proprietary network-less solution or an open source networked one.

I would love to hear how you do all that LAN-only for 500 bucks in gear that is accurate enough for you...and that works as a turnkey solution that doesn't require a lot of hardware maintenance.

FWIW, my PurpleAir phones home too, although I don't know if it will work if I block it outbound at the router.  I know it functions for some period of time during Internet outages, but I never tried to power-reset it at one of those rare times to know either way.

There have been guys who have posted totally rolled-their-own things from grabbing a bunch of sensors and doing all the software themselves, but I didn't go that way since there's a time-value of your labor too, unless building something yourself is the adventure in itself.

I still like a Vue plus serial/usb datalogger as the lowest price to get a quality station supported by a good vendor that works weewx and LAN-only, but many people here speak badly of the Vue due to its limitations vs. the VP2 (one sensor suite, less expandable, less maintainable, etc.), but that doesn't hit your AQI/lightning/light sensor requirements at all.

(FWIW - I got my VP2 just as the Vue was coming out, so I didn't go Vue then because it was too new.  I also hit a fabulous deal of $400 for the station and $100 for the serial datalogger, so I hit your $500 line back in early 2009 for that setup.)

[m03da]

I've considered rolling my own system based on something like ESPHome but it would be a hassle. At this point I'll probably bite the bullet, get the ultrasonic sensor array from FO and try to make it work with rtl_433.

[mcrossley]

The GW1000 is configured from a phone app to set the WiFi config. Then over WiFi from your phone for the rest. It does not need to upload anywhere. It does not however have a data logger, so your "computer" needs to run 24x7.

If I recall correctly, there are watchdogs timers in the gw1000 that reach out to Ecowitt (China) and hit a web page and ntp server, so that violates the original poster's lan-only requirement.  I guess you could do the thing where you fake them out with some network sleight of hand (and block'em at your router as a belt+suspender) and go that way.   The weewx driver is very stable.  Using SDR is reportedly less preferred.

It would help if we had a price point the original poster doesn't want to go over, as their requirements are a bit of a heavy lift.

True but from what I understand the NTP is not required, and a failed phone home just means it resets the WiFi connection causing a brief interruption to data.

[galfert]

It is more than just a constant 10 minute restart interruption of data, as NTP for accurate time is required for proper daily rain accounting.