Author Topic: Newbie questions  (Read 8596 times)

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Offline traildad

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Newbie questions
« on: November 12, 2011, 11:25:33 PM »
Hello all. I just installed my first weather station, a La Crosse WS-2811. I hope to use it to collect weather data for my home garden. It seems that my apple tree for example needs enough hours below 40 degrees to bear fruit. I will use the rain gauge to determine if I should reduce irrigation. I garden year round here in California and so I need to watch for freezing temps. I get a daily forecast from the weather channel. I hope to compile a history to see how close the high and low in the forecast is compared to my actual temps. If the temps in my yard are different than the forecast, It could help me decide when to protect my plants from frost.

The rain part is pretty straight forward.

Can anyone offer suggestions on how to collect data to show how many hours are recorded under 40 degrees?

Is the high and low for the day recorded some place?
I see the max and min, but that doesn't seem to be the same as the high and the low for the day. The history info shows a reading for every two hours. That would not necessarily be the same as the high and the low unless it happened at that time.

Thanks for the help. Ken

Offline DanS

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2011, 01:01:33 AM »
Hi Ken ad welcome to the forum!

In the HW program, you can use the template function to create outside temperature graphs for specific days, weeks, months, etc. to see temperature peaks and lows. Also if you upload the data to Weather Underground you'll be able to view the min/max data from that web site from where ever you are. Hope this is what you're after.

Dan
« Last Edit: November 14, 2011, 09:13:21 PM by DanS »

Offline traildad

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2011, 01:28:39 AM »
OK thanks. I made a template for temps under 40 degrees. I think that will work to show that info.

Since I have only had it running one day, I am not sure about the min and max. Will this display the high and low for each day, or is it the all time high and low since reset? Ken

Offline DanS

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2011, 01:47:30 AM »
Since reset or clear for the particular section icon, like max temp. The indicators peak and maintain until a higher reading comes along. Same for the lows, lowest dip remains until another comes that's lower. On mine I still have a 102.6F reading on the Max Outdoor Temp. registered March 03, 2011 that hasn't been exceeded since.

Dan
« Last Edit: November 13, 2011, 02:03:36 AM by DanS »

Offline traildad

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2011, 03:17:15 AM »
Ok that is what I thought. Is there no record of the high and low for each day? Every weather forecast predicts the high and low for the day. I would assume that temp would be recorded. Is there no way to keep a record of the highs and lows for each day? Thanks Ken

Since reset or clear for the particular section icon, like max temp. The indicators peak and maintain until a higher reading comes along. Same for the lows, lowest dip remains until another comes that's lower. On mine I still have a 102.6F reading on the Max Outdoor Temp. registered March 03, 2011 that hasn't been exceeded since.

Dan


Offline DanS

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2011, 03:43:53 AM »
Ok that is what I thought. Is there no record of the high and low for each day? Every weather forecast predicts the high and low for the day. I would assume that temp would be recorded. Is there no way to keep a record of the highs and lows for each day? Thanks Ken

Since reset or clear for the particular section icon, like max temp. The indicators peak and maintain until a higher reading comes along. Same for the lows, lowest dip remains until another comes that's lower. On mine I still have a 102.6F reading on the Max Outdoor Temp. registered March 03, 2011 that hasn't been exceeded since.

Dan


The only record is the complete data that is stored at intervals however often you have it set for. I've been saving at 1/2 hour intervals so if the peak high for the day comes and goes in between the 30 minute increment it's never recorded. Like with my 102.6F reading, it may have hit 102.8 or so and dropped back to 102.6 when the sample was read.
But no, to answer your question. I'm not aware of displayed daily highs and lows just the recorded ones in your data. You could go in a reset the temp. min/max icon every evening but what a pain that would be.

Dan
« Last Edit: November 13, 2011, 03:45:26 AM by DanS »

Offline traildad

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2011, 02:02:20 PM »
But no, to answer your question. I'm not aware of displayed daily highs and lows just the recorded ones in your data. You could go in a reset the temp. min/max icon every evening but what a pain that would be.

Dan
That's what I was afraid of. I am amazed that they make it that way considering what a normal convention the daily low and high is in weather reporting. I guess for my purposes, frequent recording of the temps will work as a close approximation. I wonder on average, how long a high or low lasts. I don't suppose I need the low and high down to a tenth of a degree for what I am doing. I guess I can set it for maximum frequency and then watch the data to determine a frequency that gives me an accuracy that I am comfortable with. Thanks for your help. Ken

Offline traildad

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #7 on: November 13, 2011, 02:28:24 PM »
As I look more at the graphing, it seems that I can't collect data showing the high and low for the day. :sad:
I can set it to show all data above or below a certain level or in a range. Since I don't know what the temp was for the high or low, I will have to look at the graph and manually pick out the high and low. I guess I need to see if I can export the data into Excel or something that might be able to do it for me. Thanks again. Ken
« Last Edit: November 13, 2011, 03:17:15 PM by traildad »

Offline DanS

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #8 on: November 13, 2011, 04:51:47 PM »
As I look more at the graphing, it seems that I can't collect data showing the high and low for the day. :sad:
I can set it to show all data above or below a certain level or in a range. Since I don't know what the temp was for the high or low, I will have to look at the graph and manually pick out the high and low. I guess I need to see if I can export the data into Excel or something that might be able to do it for me. Thanks again. Ken

I just now randomly picked a date, June 24th, to see what the high temp. was for that day. In HW I clicked on 'data' and scrolled back to then and see at 1:30PM we hit 90.9F. This could be graphed and/or printed out in data form. I could scroll slightly either way from here to see what the low was for the day. Is this what you're talking about?  :-k

Dan

Offline traildad

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #9 on: November 13, 2011, 05:31:31 PM »


I just now randomly picked a date, June 24th, to see what the high temp. was for that day. In HW I clicked on 'data' and scrolled back to then and see at 1:30PM we hit 90.9F. This could be graphed and/or printed out in data form. I could scroll slightly either way from here to see what the low was for the day. Is this what you're talking about?  :-k

Dan


I am not sure what you mean that you could graph it out. Do you mean graph that particular date and time? It seems that you are saying that you can manually search out the high for each day and graph it. I had hoped to be able to tell it to display the highs for a month without having to find them myself. Since I am trying to compare my readings to the forecast high and low I get sent to me, maybe it would work to just reset the max/min each day for a while until I get an idea of how they compare. I hope to be able to know that if the forecast says 34 for a low, that my yard might run a few degrees colder and I would need frost protection. Of course I may find that there is no consistent variance between my yard and the Weather Channel forecast. Ken 

Offline DanS

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #10 on: November 13, 2011, 05:50:12 PM »
Could you not take a month of your forecast highs/lows and graph out the same month of outside temps in HW (and/or print the data for the month)?  I just did a graph for temps. this past Oct. and can see the highest and lowest temps for the month and by selecting 'data' can see the same in numerical form. If you have a listing of the forecasts for the same period why couldn't you compare like this?

Dan

Offline traildad

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #11 on: November 13, 2011, 07:29:37 PM »
Yes that sounds like a reasonable way to do it. I guess I am just surprised that I can't just print out a list of highs for the month. I suppose it really isn't as bad as I am making it out to be.  ](*,) Thanks Ken

Offline wuhu_software

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #12 on: November 14, 2011, 03:40:43 PM »

If you are uploading to WU you can just click on your history page then select "Month" for the time span. The highs and lows are then displayed.

Offline traildad

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #13 on: November 14, 2011, 08:56:18 PM »

If you are uploading to WU you can just click on your history page then select "Month" for the time span. The highs and lows are then displayed.

I don't have WU. Are you saying that WU would display things differently? thanks ken

Offline DanS

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #14 on: November 14, 2011, 09:03:34 PM »
It's a website, http://www.wunderground.com/ , and once your station is set up and running you can upload your data to there and see what it's doing, by the day, month, year, max's, min's, etc.

As an example here's mine   http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=ICHIANGM4  

Another option is to use WuHu, WeatherUndergroundHeavyweatherUploader along with HW running in the background. See attachment, WuHu has min/max for sensor readings and it's a whole lot better program than HW. I run my WS-2810 this way and WuHu uploads to WU as well. It's also free/shareware and can be downloaded from here - http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/wuhu_software_group/  
« Last Edit: November 14, 2011, 10:15:52 PM by DanS »

Offline traildad

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #15 on: November 14, 2011, 11:51:35 PM »
Is that something I need to keep running 24/7 or can I upload the data as I have time? Ken






It's a website, http://www.wunderground.com/ , and once your station is set up and running you can upload your data to there and see what it's doing, by the day, month, year, max's, min's, etc.

As an example here's mine   http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=ICHIANGM4  

Another option is to use WuHu, WeatherUndergroundHeavyweatherUploader along with HW running in the background. See attachment, WuHu has min/max for sensor readings and it's a whole lot better program than HW. I run my WS-2810 this way and WuHu uploads to WU as well. It's also free/shareware and can be downloaded from here - http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/wuhu_software_group/  

Offline DanS

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #16 on: November 15, 2011, 12:11:03 AM »
The console stores up to 1750 data weather records and you can view any of them anytime on HW and/or WuHu if it is loaded on your P.C. That is, you won't lose any data being off line.  The uploading part can be at your convenience but the Internet site that you upload to (WU, CWOP, PWS, etc.) will have the breaks shown from the periods between uploads.
« Last Edit: November 15, 2011, 01:33:41 AM by DanS »

Offline traildad

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #17 on: November 15, 2011, 01:20:27 AM »
Can I view the highs and lows on the console or online? Ken

Offline DanS

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Re: Newbie questions
« Reply #18 on: November 15, 2011, 01:32:37 AM »
On your computer using HW's data file as we discussed and WuHu if you download that software to run on your computer. Online at WU or where ever you choose to upload your data to. I don't believe there is anywhere to see this on the console.
« Last Edit: November 15, 2011, 01:35:10 AM by DanS »

 

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