Topic: Ham operator needs help with software

[Al Massaro]

I am trying to find a file in Cumulus that I can access to generate a QST for local VHF transmission. I am using DRATS for DSTAR both over RF and Internet. DRATS has the ability to find a .txt file and Tx it as a QST at a fixed interval i.e. 1,5,10,30,60, minutes. I would like to find a file that Cumulus already generates, or have it generate a report much like a METAR from the Airport, just with more information. I have looked at all of .txt files it already has and either they are too much information or illegible for the reader.

Is there a way I can develop a custom .txt file stored on my computer, with the information I want to send out; Current Temp, Humidity, Barometer, Wind speed and direction, and maybe rain rate if applicable. I have tried every rss feed, the local metar, CAP and ATOM feed I can find to no avail, I am hoping you guys can point me in the right direction. Even if I need to add a program to parse the information from either WeatherLink or Cumulus.

Thanks in Advance,

[PaulMy]

Creating a .txt file with webtags http://wiki.sandaysoft.com/a/Webtags for cumulus to process with current data and then uploading or save on your computer at your Cumulus realtime or standard interval should be possible.

Paul

[Al Massaro]

Thanks for the reply, I have developed a file as I understand it (new to webtags, really just HTML right?). I set it up in Cumulus internet settings I thought, and told it to process it, set it for realtime, ftp, and utf 8 also made a folder for Cumulus to store the images in.
DRATS searches and finds the .txt file OK and Tx's what it finds, which looks like this:
<#date>    <#timehhmmss>

<#temp>   Temperature

<#hum>    Humidity
If I am correct I do not have something set correctly in Cumulus, or I have the file messed up with the descriptions. Either way I am somewhat confused as to what to do to get it to work. Any help or ideas appreciated!
Thanks in Advance,

[PaulMy]

I am no expert and do not know DRATS for DSTAR but if your output looks like you mention then it has not been processed by Cumulus.  A simple template .txt file with webtags like:
<#temp> <#dew> <#rfall> <#forecastnumber> <#press> <#hum> <#wspeed> <#bearing> <#cloudbasevalue> <#tempunitnodeg> <#rainunit> <#pressunit> <#windunit> <#cloudbaseunit> <#latitude dp=0> <#MoonAge> <#isdaylight> <#MinutesSinceLastRainTip> <#realtimeinterval> <#interval>
and then processed and uploaded by Cumulus would look like:
24.2 17.2 0.0 18 1015.65 65 0.0 0 872 C mm hPa km/h m 43 26 1 4700 5 5

If you wanted that processed file to be saved on your Computer rather than upload to your webserver you would put the path 

in Cumulus' Configuration > Internet > Files as C:\xxxx\xxxx.txt and not tick FTP.

Are you uploading any of the Cumulus standard template files, and if so can you provide a link?

Paul

[Al Massaro]

Paul, I tried the string and that was exactly what it produced, and that is what DRATS found and transmitted. What I am trying for is just a simple .txt file that anyone can look at and see what the temp or Baro is. No I am not uploading to a site, and I cannot find the templates in the program. I guess I have hit yet another stonewall with this project. I Do appreciate all of your time and help, just this is one of those "it would be great if" projects.
Thanks again,

[Al Massaro]

Just for information and clarification I have attached a screenshot of DRATS QST operation, note that the METAR @ 14:11:25 from the local airport is an rss feed from aviator Joe's website, the top forecast is a copy  and paste from an email and the information in between is from a .txt file on the local HDD.
I hope this helps clear up what I am wanting the information to look like.
Thanks again,

[PaulMy]

Hi,
Not sure if this is helpful but a text file with only descriptive text and Cumulus tags:
 
Date: <#time>
Temperature: <#temp> <#tempunit>
Pressure: <#press> <#pressunit>
 
after processing and uploading by Cumulus results in www.komokaweather.com/weather/test1.txt
and/or similarly saved on your C:\
 
You can format the date/time in one of the many ways available in Cumulus, and add any of the available webtags.
 
Enjoy,
Paul

[Al Massaro]

Paul,
Here are the latest results:
[10:05:56] [REPEATER] KF5SMHWX: [QST]
Date:       09:54:40
Temperature:    70.9 &deg;F
Pressure:       30.620
Humidity:    53
Wind:       0
Direction:    248
Rain last 24hr:    0.00
As you can see I need to work on alignment, I would like to get rid of the &deg, and I want to add units id to the various entries.
But it does work, And I really appreciate your patience and help!

[PaulMy]

Sounds like you are on the right track.  Sorry can't help on getting rid of the &deg; code nor the alignment especially in a .txt file, and for the units description you should be able to find the applicable webtag for each here http://wiki.sandaysoft.com/a/Webtags#Units or hardcode
 
Glad my very little knowledge but lots of trial and error experience was helpful.
 
Paul

[Al Massaro]

Paul, the degree prob is fixed with a change of webtag. Now if I can find a way to get the file to update between Tx times, once it runs it does not change any of the information, I have to reset the file to webtag manually. Also I cannot find a way to calibrate the Baro and temp output from Cumulus, both are high in the .txt file but accurate between console and screen. Below is a cut and paste from the QST program.
KF5SMH 1: [2015-07-14 12:45:54] [RATFLECTOR] KF5SMHWX: [QST]
Date:       11:16 on 14 July 2015
Temperature:    76.9F      (actual at the time was 75.4)
Pressure:    30.610in.Hg Rising slowly     (actual at the time was 30.21)
Humidity:    41
Wind speed:    2
Direction:    S
Rain last 24hr: 0.00
Sunrise:      06:04
Sunset:      20:32
Moon Phase:   Waning Crescent
The QST program was setup to Tx the report every 30 minutes and ran between 11:16 and 12:45 with the same information as above. This is the closest I have been to having the QST I want!  Attached is a screenshot of the settings page. As always Thanks for the help!

[PaulMy]

What is your realtime interval in Cumulus > Configuration >? And are any of the Enable Realtime, Enable Realtime FTP and Realtime.txt FTP on that settings page ticked?
 
Paul

[Al Massaro]

Paul
Yes I have process?, realtime?, utf 8? all ticked, APRS updates every 9 minutes, WU, PWS, and the rest update every 15, the interval halfway down the web update is 15 minutes, the enable realtime is ticked and the interval is 300 seconds, all of the other realtime boxes have been unchecked.

[PaulMy]

You could look at setting Realtime.txt at 5 or 10 sec as that would give you processed data much closer to your console.  I believe ticking only Enable realtime is ok. 
I have mine at 5 sec but because of several other Cumulus processes they can take more than 5 sec to complete so the Realtime 5 sec is actually more like 10 sec. and that is ok.
 
Paul

[PaulMy]

Just looked at your screen shot and do you have the source file and the remote file the same name and same place?  To avoid overwriting a webtag file it is a good custom to name the source nameT.xxx and then the processed file name.xxx and also in another folder.
 
Paul

[C5250]

I would like to get rid of the &deg;

&deg; is an HTML thing, you are creating a text file. Assuming you are using Windows, hold down ALT and type 0176.

[Al Massaro]

C5250, Thanks I appreciate it, found a different way to go and get what I wanted
Thanks again,

[Al Massaro]

OK I knew you guys could not go today without an update, so here it is. I finally extracted my cranium from my... and found what I was doing wrong. It appears all is now good here, with just one small issue that seems to be working itself out somehow, Barometer is still high but coming down every update. Attached is a screenshot of what it is now doing and a couple of the local boys are impressed!
Thanks again Paul for all of your help!! I really do appreciate it!!

[PaulMy]

Your very welcome and my pleasure.  And thanks for giving an update, others may want to do something similar.
That looks very nice, and presume it is coming from the txt file you created and that it is now being processed by Cumulus at a 5 min interval and update saved on your C: drive.
 
Re barometer, I presume that would be SL pressure provided by your station and passed on to Cumulus.  Have you looked at the Weatherlink settings and set your station to a nearby official station (during a steady high pressure period)?  I wouldn't think that you would want to use the calibrations in Cumulus if your station is working correctly.
 
Enjoy,
Paul

[Al Massaro]

Paul,
Sorry, I was down with neck issues fora couple of days, Dr took care of problem though. I found what I had done wrong I was using <altimeterpressure> thinking that would work, changed back to <press> and all is good once I got the correct altitude in the configuration. The QST is now going out at the top and bottom of the hour.
Thanks a lot!!