I don't know....I don't think CWOP and AWEKAS should be so easily accessible to the typical Ambient Weather customer. I like that there are hurdles of requiring extra hardware/software and even know-how to set these other services up. I don't want these other online services turning into another Weather Underground where the map is crowded with terrible weather station reporting, because of numerous issues; not calibrated, not maintained with clogged rain gauges, broken sensors that don't get replaced, poorly sited stations that don't receive proper wind, rain, and temperature readings.
It is already bad enough that there are a few CWOP stations that don't get maintained. But the fact that there are not too many per given area means that at least there is hope to reach out to these people as I've done. I've had most receptive response to other CWOP owners where I've pointed out defective Davis humidity sensors, and wrongly calibrated barometers that are not reporting Altimeter. It would be a nightmare if the map got crowded with people that don't know what they are doing and might not be so receptive to even care or understand what CWOP represents.
So I'm all for the barriers to entry to CWOP.
Also in reference to AWEKAS that is run by some strong willed Germans, they are intolerant if your station starts reporting bad sensor data. They will turn off your bad sensor that doesn't meet their QC. If you don't correct it and you continue to be a problem they will permanently block you. I think AWEKAS may not have be best bed side manners and they have turned a lot of people off, but I just think they are just being matter of fact where some people don't like this approach. In the past I've read about situations where there was disagreement that AWEKAS was comparing your station to a not so nearby station and it was impossible to sometimes achieve good QC. I think they have since fine tuned their QC to limit the area of what is considered a nearby station. Again I just don't see the average person being able to deal with AWEKAS reporting requirements.
My point is that if you invest in your weather station (time, money, respect) to get your data to these other places then you are more likely to take the time and initiative to do it properly. If it becomes as simple as reporting to Weather Underground then there goes the quality of that other weather reporting service.
CWOP and AWEKAS to me feels like an exclusive club. You don't want to let everyone in.