Author Topic: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU  (Read 5172 times)

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Offline bill-e

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What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« on: January 08, 2011, 09:51:14 AM »
Hi folks,

I'm trying to understand exactly what I need to upload Rapid Fire to WU.

I want to do this without a connected PC.

So, is this the minimum list (cheapest list) of equipment I need?

Wireless VP2
Weatherlink 6510USB
Weather Plug

The cost for the above is $491 for VP2 and Weatherlink plus $200 for Weatherplug. for a total of 691 plus shipping.

The slightly cheaper option is

Wireless VP2
Weatherlink IP
for a cost of $589 plus shipping but if I'm reading everything correctly the Weatherlink IP does not do Rapid Fire...correct?

Is there anything I'm missing?  are there less expensive alternatives?

Thanks
  Bill

Offline davey6693

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2011, 03:56:27 PM »
Don't know about Weatherplug Bill but since no-one else responded yet, I can tell you that WLIP doesn't do rapid fire on its own. In my setup, I'll wake my computer up if anything big is going down storm-wise, and when the computer's awake, I have Cumulus rapid firing the data for me.
Davis 6152 wireless and WeatherLink IP. FARS and wireless anemometer transmitter kit. Solar radiation sensor add-on.

Offline dalecoy

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2011, 04:13:37 PM »
Devil's advocate stuff:


I'm trying to understand exactly what I need to upload Rapid Fire to WU.

I want to do this without a connected PC.


Note that Weather Plug (and similar devices), as well as WeatherLinkIP, are actually the same as PCs.  Single-purpose, no display, etc. 

A cheap netbook, or an old-but-serviceable PC (friends, craigslist, etc.) could be a cheaper-better alternative to the Weather Plug.

Having said that, I'll also ask why you need to upload Rapid Fire?  [I understand that it's cool - I'm just curious about why you need to do it]

Offline bill-e

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2011, 05:35:26 PM »
Need?  It's cool :)

Offline bill-e

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2011, 09:29:14 PM »
As for the Weatherplug, I'm thinking of getting one just for the economy.  At 5w a Weatherplug will cost $3.50/year to operate at .16/kwh.  A bare bones desktop computer is probably going to draw 100w so that's about $70/year.  I don't know what a Netbook draws but let's say it's 25w, that's $17/year.

I will have to check out what my Netbook actually draws.  As compared to a desktop the Weatherplug pays for itself in less than 3 years.  The elect cost of the Netbook is insignificant and I would consider it on par with the WP if indeed it's only 25w but I would have to spend a couple of hundred for a new netbook for this purchase.

PC based programs seem to provide the most flexibility.

Offline d_l

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2011, 09:45:33 PM »
The WeatherPlug with Meteohub license is $270.  Even the cheapest new netbook plus a license to some weather software is going to be $100-200 more than that.
--Dave--

Wireless VP2 w/ solar, 24hr FARS, Heater, (Envoy-WLIP)*3-Meteohub, plus custom VP2 @ 26', WL 6.0.4, WU & W4U=KNVRENO37 NetcamXL

People always talk about the weather, but they never do anything about it.  Not me.  I'm gonna measure it.  https://www.tceweather.com

Offline dalecoy

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2011, 10:17:32 PM »
The WeatherPlug with Meteohub license is $270.  Even the cheapest new netbook plus a license to some weather software is going to be $100-200 more than that.

Compare today's prices for netbooks, and assume WeatherLink software - you may be surprised.

Offline bill-e

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2011, 10:46:55 PM »
Actually the Weatherplug is $199 w/Meteohub.  Ambient's Weatherhub2 is $279.

I've found netbooks in the <250 range.

I'm just not sure I want to go netbook.  I have to dig further into what kind of a web page you can create with Meteohub...and also if they have a default web page configuration that is good and needs only tweaking for my personal taste.  I'd also hate to have to write from scratch a web page.

I may just buy the VP2 w/usb WL for now since I have a pc which can connect to it.  Then keep researching the best option for reporting/display.

As you can see I really dont know which way I want to go  ](*,)

Offline d_l

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2011, 11:01:35 PM »
Bill, note that $199 price only includes an time-limited evaluation copy of Meteohub.  It is $70 more for a full license.

The cheapest netbooks on newegg are $299.  I can't say if they would have enough power to handle various weather software.  I suspect that Win7 on them might bog them down more than WinXP on the same hardware.

With the Meteohub, you WILL have write your own web pages.  The Meteohub software only generates GIF or PNG weather graphs and can fill in text web page templates (that you design) with current data.

Dale, it is my impression that most people here eschew WeatherLink or relegate it to a secondary role at most.  So I expected that there would be additional software purchase costs.

--Dave--

Wireless VP2 w/ solar, 24hr FARS, Heater, (Envoy-WLIP)*3-Meteohub, plus custom VP2 @ 26', WL 6.0.4, WU & W4U=KNVRENO37 NetcamXL

People always talk about the weather, but they never do anything about it.  Not me.  I'm gonna measure it.  https://www.tceweather.com

Offline dalecoy

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2011, 11:20:46 PM »

Dale, it is my impression that most people here eschew WeatherLink or relegate it to a secondary role at most. 


That's not my impression at all.  I'm also not under the impression that "here" represents an average population - I believe that "here" is likely the enthusiast, techie, high-end segment (to a great extent), and many people here are interested in enhancing the capabilities of their station (i.e., adding other software, etc.).

But perhaps someone should do a poll?


Offline d_l

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #10 on: January 10, 2011, 11:42:56 PM »
Dale, 

Heh, I figured Bill-e was planning to be an enthusiast because of membership here at WXForum.net.   :grin: ;)
--Dave--

Wireless VP2 w/ solar, 24hr FARS, Heater, (Envoy-WLIP)*3-Meteohub, plus custom VP2 @ 26', WL 6.0.4, WU & W4U=KNVRENO37 NetcamXL

People always talk about the weather, but they never do anything about it.  Not me.  I'm gonna measure it.  https://www.tceweather.com

Offline bill-e

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2011, 06:58:39 PM »
I'm kinda an on and off enthusiast :)  I first got involved with home weather stations when I bought my WX200 and even wrote and distributed some software for it called JWX200.

Anyway When I moved to Windows I got VWS but I've always had a few nagging issues with it including some Error 403's with my current web page and the aforementioned "not responding" situation where where sometimes when I click on the gui is kinda freezes until what seems to be a gui refresh occurs and it starts working again.

Bill

Offline duke666

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2011, 02:46:22 PM »
I thought the meteoplug also came with trial software which is capable of producing web page templates?

Duke

Offline Resjudicata

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #13 on: January 18, 2011, 05:24:21 PM »
I have a rapid fire enabled on WU from my VP2 using WL through the usb, seems to have worked fine over the last couple of days. no added software or expense.

http://www.wunderground.com/swf/Rapid_Fire.swf?units=english&station=KCAVACAV8
 =D&gt;

Offline bill-e

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #14 on: January 18, 2011, 06:44:36 PM »
Thanks.  I know it can be done with WLser and WLusb and a computer, I was trying to do withoug the computer.

I may change my mind and buy a small laptop.  While a Netbook would work I don't think the screen is sufficient although I suppose I could KVM it into my desktop display.

Offline Randall Kayfes

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #15 on: January 18, 2011, 10:47:44 PM »
I suppose I could KVM it into my desktop display.

This is an option many have had great success with!



Offline jsulk28023

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #16 on: January 19, 2019, 09:57:42 PM »
I'm afraid if you want to speed up your upload time you will have to upgrade to their Pro version which is a monthly charge. I have the basic rate which cost nothing but you are limited to uploads every 15 minutes.

Offline vreihen

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #17 on: January 20, 2019, 06:48:49 AM »
Weewx (free) on a $35 Raspberry Pi ($60 after accessories) and a little bit of elbow grease does it all for me, and chews up less than 2 watts at idle according to an independent user's testing.....
WU Gold Stars for everyone! :lol:

Offline ocala

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #18 on: January 20, 2019, 06:57:51 AM »
You could also use the wifi logger.
Read about it here.
http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=34312.0
No connected PC is required. It takes data directly from the console and uploads it to WU Rapid Fire or a number of other locations. As it's name implies it uses your wifi to do this.
The blues had a baby and they named it Rock & Roll

Offline SlowModem

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Re: What do I need to Rapid Fire upload to WU
« Reply #19 on: January 20, 2019, 01:06:52 PM »
FWIW, there are many more places you can send your data besides WU.  I send my data to CWOP, WeatherForYou/PWS Weather, WU rapid fire, and a website (currently under renovation).
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

 

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