Weather Software > What Weather Software should I use/buy?
what software for recording & displaying data from davis VP2
sadivnik:
Salutations, Earthlings.
Excuse my elementary questions here; after some time over months trying to figure this out I am still confused...
I just finally got my Davis 6153m station (with 6450 Solar Sensor) set up with wifilogger-2 (after a few months sitting in my office in boxes) so had better figure this out now...
I'm most interested in this to monitor my home garden/orchard microclimate & compare (manually/mentally) to the data from the closest NOAA station, which is a few miles away on a different elevation & landscape & so often different conditions from my place.
I think my needs are pretty basic & offline-oriented compared to the much-addressed I-phone this or that, website broadcasting, etc. that seems popular.
I'm a bit confused by what software I ought to try - like cumulus (with its annoying 'wiki' website format that makes - at least to my mind - cohesive general program information impossible -- instead separating everything into yet another 'wiki' page, & and no views of what the program looks like on-screen that I can find on such a website), weather-display, or .. others .. can do.
I use mostly a w7 64 workstation computer, and it's not always on (though wfl and the weatherstation setup - barring catastrophe or electric fault - is).
For now I can see current & very recent data on the wall display & basic wfl web page, but I would like to:
1. record & save wx records long-term (years, decades), permanently, locally (on my computer or data storage, not 'cloud' or other 2nd party) for offline local use,
2. display current & archived records as needed, and
3. would be handy to have a program that can retrieve wx & climate (incl. daily records, etc. of various age) from [some reliable source] to compare with current conditions (this helps decide what needs to happen when, agriculturally).
I have no interest in anything I-phone, storing data on some company's website (like davis), etc. - I just want to keep & use of my records for my own use. I want to use this primarily as local instrumentation - like a thermometer or clock on my wall, which by the way aren't 'smart' (sic) and aren't connected to the web.
Other questions I have include:
1. Is there a standard or most durable data file format that wfl exports (and might be easy to use long-term)?
2. I can imagine a situation where I might not fire the workstation up for a month or three, say if I go on a bicycle tour or to prison, but want the data to remain recorded & stored even if the davis console or wfl buffer fills up (thus: auto-exported to ftp before that happens). Apparently I can periodically set wfl to periodically FTP data to my web space; I assume programs can likewise retrieve them from same or of course local saved files when needed, eh?
3. I still can't figure out if there's any actually useful way to make my local station data useful for anyone else (say NOAA forecasters or some easy for all to view, open access website that doesn't require a logon to view).
If there is/are I suppose the ability to transmit to such would also be good. I even asked a NOAA meteorologist a couple weeks ago and got a vague uncertain answer!
Sorry for the long list of what are probably sub-basic questions but I have been unable to figure it out... Setting up the station & wfl was a snap, comparatively though. I have some understanding of computers, FTP, etc. & training in wx/meterology so not totally lost on the concepts, I hope. But also don't want to make a 'hobby' of needing to fiddle with a program install...
Advice appreciated.
broadstairs:
Well the easiest way to gather data locally is to run some kind of PC 24x7 but is it possible to run with only having a PC on for part of the day with a Davis system because of the data logger. As for software Weather Display is good but it is quite complex and takes a while to become familiar with it is not free or open source, CumulusMX is actually quite good and runs on both Windows and Linux and is driven using a web page on you local PC where it runs (the webserver is built in) and CumulusMX (CMX) is free and open source, it is quite straight forward to set up. There is also Weewx (Linux only) and there are probably others as well.
Others here may have other suggestions.
Stuart
PaulMy:
Hi,
Well there is Davis' WeatherlinkPC...
But I do recommend CumulusMX, even though I have to agree with your WiKi comment. Some work on that was started, but little progress to date.
Re your questions,
Using CumulusMX:
1. Yes. I have 15 years of data currently in 5 minute interval, in comma separated files. MySQL can also be used.
2. Yes. Lifelong dayfile and monthly log files can be viewed from the localhost Dashboard by selection the day or start-to-stop dates.
3. Not a function in CumulusMX but historical charts includes the normal temp, hum, press, wind, rain, along with degree days, temp sum, and sun hours if equipped with the solar sensor.
All stored on the local PC or RPi at selectable interval, as well as also allow to upload to Weatherlink.com (free version)
Built-in standard website, or optional web templates by contributing users.
Other questions I have include:
1. I have a 1-minute upload of wifi realtime and wflexp.json komokaweather.com/wifi-console/realtime.txt and http://www.komokaweather.com/wifi-console/wflexp.json
I did have an import script to send the data to a MySQL database.
2. I am not familiar with such a program or script other than using the CumulusMX MySQL DB.
3. Third party services like WU, CWOP, WOW, PWS Weather, Windy, AWEKAS, WeatherCloud, OpenWeatherMap, WindGuru...
The CumulusMX local Dashboard is somewhat similar to this alternate template website but also has all the data log views, setting pages, edits, etc. http://www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmx/index.php
Check out the Charts, Annual Data and NOAA tabs.
While it may sound overwhelming it really is quite simple to install and to use it. And help is available from the forum, and a bit more personal by an existing user personal messaging.
Enjoy,
Paul
box:
--- Quote from: sadivnik on June 21, 2023, 03:41:52 PM ---Salutations, Earthlings.
Excuse my elementary questions here; after some time over months trying to figure this out I am still confused...
I just finally got my Davis 6153m station (with 6450 Solar Sensor) set up with wifilogger-2 (after a few months sitting in my office in boxes) so had better figure this out now...
I'm most interested in this to monitor my home garden/orchard microclimate & compare (manually/mentally) to the data from the closest NOAA station, which is a few miles away on a different elevation & landscape & so often different conditions from my place.
I think my needs are pretty basic & offline-oriented compared to the much-addressed I-phone this or that, website broadcasting, etc. that seems popular.
I'm a bit confused by what software I ought to try - like cumulus (with its annoying 'wiki' website format that makes - at least to my mind - cohesive general program information impossible -- instead separating everything into yet another 'wiki' page, & and no views of what the program looks like on-screen that I can find on such a website), weather-display, or .. others .. can do.
I use mostly a w7 64 workstation computer, and it's not always on (though wfl and the weatherstation setup - barring catastrophe or electric fault - is).
For now I can see current & very recent data on the wall display & basic wfl web page, but I would like to:
1. record & save wx records long-term (years, decades), permanently, locally (on my computer or data storage, not 'cloud' or other 2nd party) for offline local use,
2. display current & archived records as needed, and
3. would be handy to have a program that can retrieve wx & climate (incl. daily records, etc. of various age) from [some reliable source] to compare with current conditions (this helps decide what needs to happen when, agriculturally).
I have no interest in anything I-phone, storing data on some company's website (like davis), etc. - I just want to keep & use of my records for my own use. I want to use this primarily as local instrumentation - like a thermometer or clock on my wall, which by the way aren't 'smart' (sic) and aren't connected to the web.
Other questions I have include:
1. Is there a standard or most durable data file format that wfl exports (and might be easy to use long-term)?
2. I can imagine a situation where I might not fire the workstation up for a month or three, say if I go on a bicycle tour or to prison, but want the data to remain recorded & stored even if the davis console or wfl buffer fills up (thus: auto-exported to ftp before that happens). Apparently I can periodically set wfl to periodically FTP data to my web space; I assume programs can likewise retrieve them from same or of course local saved files when needed, eh?
3. I still can't figure out if there's any actually useful way to make my local station data useful for anyone else (say NOAA forecasters or some easy for all to view, open access website that doesn't require a logon to view).
If there is/are I suppose the ability to transmit to such would also be good. I even asked a NOAA meteorologist a couple weeks ago and got a vague uncertain answer!
Sorry for the long list of what are probably sub-basic questions but I have been unable to figure it out... Setting up the station & wfl was a snap, comparatively though. I have some understanding of computers, FTP, etc. & training in wx/meterology so not totally lost on the concepts, I hope. But also don't want to make a 'hobby' of needing to fiddle with a program install...
Advice appreciated.
--- End quote ---
I think you should try CMX
I have been running it for two and a half years on a W10 PC with few issues. I use it to log my ecowitt station and have also been using a Raspberry Pi in parallel
You do need to think about windows issues like updates (run CMX on a local login set to automatically start) and power backup. I have a UPS for the PC only which covers the occasional outage in my location, but you will also need backup for any peripherals you need to make it work (in my case the WiFi router and the GW1000 gateway unit)
The software is regularly maintained and because it's relatively simple the odd problems I have had have been resolved by reinstalling/updating or on the really helpful CMX forums
Even if it's not your final solution you can be up and running very quickly and for free!
sadivnik:
What is CMX? It's one of those terms that's impossible to find on a web search (the closest I can get is Calumet airport - which I've flown from - wx). Can someone add a link?
[after a few minutes - wait, I figured it out, cumulus; shorthand like my r-pi below for rubus pi]
Still assuming/hoping/can't imagining it's impossible to do periodic data exports from WFL to FTP or whatever so I don't have toleave my workstation komputer always on (and don't think I have time to learn about R-pi whatever).
Or is it for some reason necessary to first 'export' to some commercial program, like the davis 'weatherlink'? When I go to the alleged page, https://www.weatherlink.com/, for this I see only links to davis hardware for sale - no program info.
It's surprising this is so unclear to me, that goes for wfl too!
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