Topic: Do more with your data: Connect a GW1000 and a Meteobridge to your station

[galfert]

If you have a Fine Offset clone weather station like: Ambient Weather, Ecowitt, Froggit, Misol, Maplin, Tycon...etc. There is now a new solution to do more with your weather data. You could before connect a Meteobridge but that required the use of an ObserverIP. There now is a newer method instead of using an ObserverIP. The Meteobridge now can get weather data from an Ecowitt GW1000. This is a device that Fine Offset has released and it is possible that soon other Fine Offset reseller brands will also carry it. The good news is that it seems that the GW1000 from Ecowitt is capable of receiving data from other sensors that are not Ecowitt branded. This seems to follow what was previously known regarding the ObserverIP as long as the frequency matched.

Meteobridge now supports the GW1000, which works with all Fine Offset stations

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The GW1000 is a new console available for your Fine Offset station. It is configured via a mobile app called WS View (Android and iOS). You can see live data on the WS View app. You can continue to use your existing display console. By connecting the GW1000 to the Meteobridge (or WeatherBridge) you'll be able to send your data to just about any online weather service including CWOP and many others, also to your own website, and to your own SQL server.

Of course there are other solutions to get your station data into other weather software. I' not trying to take away from those other solutions that often are less expensive. But this method is very simple and powerful and requires little if any advanced technical expertise. It is as turn key as it comes if you get a pre-built Meteobridge that may go by different names like WeatherBridge. Of course you can still build your own Meteobridge if you prefer.

For now the only place to get a GW1000 seems to be from Ecowitt. They are a great company and will sell you a GW1000 with a frequency to match your existing station for your country. If you don't have a station then you can also get a complete station from Ecowitt.

* If you have a WS-2000 or similar console like the HP2551 or some other Fine Offset similar device like the HP2550 you may notice that the Meteobridge detects your console as if it were a GW1000. This is not a working solution. These display consoles as of now do not support this data API that only the GW1000 has right now. The reason the Meteobridge detects them as a GW1000 is because they are running the same chipset it seems. So for now only the GW1000 has this capability. If you have one of these display consoles all you need to do is add a GW1000 and you'll then be able to use the Meteobridge. This is the same reason why the WS-2000 also shows up on the WS View mobile app but you can't see its live data as you can the GW1000 live data.

[galfert]

GW1000 vs ObserverIP

You may already have an ObserverIP and you have it connected to your Meteobridge, so you may be asking yourself why you need a GW1000.

Here are some differences between the GW1000 and the ObserverIP:

• The GW1000 has a built in API to get data from the network. The ObserverIP never had an elegant solution for the Meteobridge to get data as it needed to do screen scraping. This was a lot of overhead on the ObserverIP. Sometimes the ObserverIP would lock up.
• The GW1000 is like a newer ObserverIP that is more powerful.
• The GW1000 can see extra sensors for Temperature, Humidity, Soil, and PM2.5. The ObserverIP doesn't have all these sensors. The ObserverIP only has extra temp/hum but they don't show up in Meteobridge because they aren't in the ObserverIP Live Data page.
• The GW1000 has built in indoor tempterature, humidity and barometric pressure. The temperature and humidity sensor are at the end of tethered cord so that the GW1000 doesn't affect the temperature and humidity reading. You don't need the external indoor sensor anymore that you use with the ObserverIP. One less device to put batteries in and worry about.
• The GW1000 doesn't have a webpage but it has the ability to see the live data and to configure it via a mobile app.
• The GW1000 is a WiFi device so you may more easily place it where it is convenient.
• The GW1000 if you get it from Ecowitt can then report to Ecowit.net which is turning out to look like a great online service
• The GW1000 nicely plugs into the Meteobridge's USB port for power. No other cables required. Very nice indeed.

[galfert]

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* If you have a WS-2000 display console you still will need the Indoor Sensor to keep using your display (yes it looks different than the one I show in this picture).

Just so that everyone understands the significance of this. If you own a Fine Offset clone station. That is you have a station brand that is Ambient Weather, Ecowitt, Tycon, Aercus, Watson, Misol, Froggit, Maplin, Conrad...etc. Then you can use this GW1000 WiFi console. You can keep using your existing console too.

If your station looks like any of these, then the GW1000 (with the matching frequency) will work:
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All you need to do is get a GW1000 with the matching frequency for your station. Your frequency will be 433 MHz, 915 MHz, or 868 MHz. After you know your frequency then you can order the correct version of the GW1000 now from Ecowitt. They will send you a GW1000 with whichever frequency you need.

This is truly a worthy upgrade.

The GW1000 will not work with this older generation sensors:
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These look similar but notice wind vane and anemometer placement is opposite

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Old stuff also not compatible with GW1000

[BKS97]

Galfert: One review on Amazon suggests the GW1000 “does not work” with the WS-2000.  Another states the opposite.

https://www.amazon.com/ECOWITT-Gateway-Temperature-Humidity-Pressure/product-reviews/B07JLRFG24/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_show_all_btm?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews

I’m not sure what the reviewer means by “does not work” because you state the GW1000 can receive data from the sensors of Fine Offset clones not actually branded Ecowitt, then pass the data on to the Weatherbridge.  Any further clarification would be appreciated.  I have a WS-2000 weather station in operation.  I am intrigued at the possibilities the GW1000/Weatherbridge configuration offers without, as you mentioned, having to have extensive technical knowledge.

[galfert]

Galfert: One review on Amazon suggests the GW1000 “does not work” with the WS-2000.  Another states the opposite.

https://www.amazon.com/ECOWITT-Gateway-Temperature-Humidity-Pressure/product-reviews/B07JLRFG24/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_show_all_btm?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews

I’m not sure what the reviewer means by “does not work” because you state the GW1000 can receive data from the sensors of Fine Offset clones not actually branded Ecowitt, then pass the data on to the Weatherbridge.  Any further clarification would be appreciated.  I have a WS-2000 weather station in operation.  I am intrigued at the possibilities the GW1000/Weatherbridge configuration offers without, as you mentioned, having to have extensive technical knowledge.

When you read Amazon reviews you need to be careful of what exact product the reviewer is talking about. If you look at the details of that review you will notice that the person is reviewing not the GW1000 but they are reviewing the WH31. This is because Amazon allows grouping of models or colors or parts to be listed together. So yes Ecowitt branded sensors like the WH31 are not picked up by the WS-2000. I have an Ecowitt PM2.5 sensor and my WS-2000 and ObserverIP do not pick it up. This is even though both the WS-2000 and ObserverIP have the latest firmware from Ambient that claims to support PM2.5 in preparation for its release. So yes Ambient hasn't yet released the PM2.5... we'll see what happens.

What I can tell you is that the opposite, which is an Ambient sensor to be picked up by the Ecowitt GW1000 does work. I have not just the Ambient outdoor Osprey sensor array (WS-2902-ARRAY) but I also have the WH31 extra sensor also from Ambient, and both of them are picked up by the GW1000.

I will say though that you never know what could happen down the line. Ambient might decide to push out an update that breaks this compatibility, or the other way around and Ecowitt may decide and they push out an update and then you can only use their GW1000 with their brand sensors EDIT: Not likely. See follow-up post. But these updates are not forced...not yet anyway. In the case of the GW1000 though you can't go backwards on firmware release version, and only the latest version is ever available and it is updated via the app.

Either way the GW1000 is a small investment. If it stops working in the future because of some unlikely future update then you could probably then get the GW1000 from Ambient as I'm sure they will eventually carry it. But will the Ambient version if/when it comes out support this API? Worst case is you get an ObserverIP as those are are small investment also and then the Meteobridge (WeatherBridge) keeps working. But Ambient sells the WeatherBridge so I can't see them not supporting it when they come out with their GW1000. Here is the thing the GW1000 has to be configured via the mobile app. This means that it has to support this API or else there would be no way for the app to see the live data. This device has no display. So the API has to be there is what I'm saying. So I'd gamble on the future Ambient GW1000 to work with the Meteobridge.

[BKS97]

Galfert - thanks for the additional information.  I’m going to continue looking at this.

[galfert]

Well actually I misspoke. Ambient firmware updates (and any other Fine Offset clone updates) are for the console not the sensors. So I don't think there is anything Ambient can do to thwart their sensors to continue to be picked up by Ecowitt consoles.

And Ecowitt is not likely to disable their consoles to continue to pick up other brand sensors because they are knowingly selling GW1000 and other consoles like HP2551 and HP3500 to people looking to do just this. I know this because at one point I almost bought an HP3500B console and I point blank asked Ecowitt if it would work with my Ambient branded WS-2902-ARRAY and they said yes.

Bottom line: I see no risk in the investment of an Ecowitt GW1000.

[BKS97]

Thanks again for your help.

[galfert]

Realize too that another option is to get a complete system from Ecowitt, not just the GW1000. The only thing you have to lose then is that there is no AmbeintWeather.com upload. Which means you don't get any of the neat features that AmbientWeather.net offers like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant integrations. But Ecowitt has stated that they are considering maybe at implementing this too as some point with Ecowitt.net.

However if you have a WeatherBridge (from Ambient) then you gain AmbientWeather.net upload capability. The WeatherBridge may seem expensive compared to a DIY Meteobridge but realize a DIY Meteobridge doesn't have the AmbientWeather.net license. But if you have a DIY Meteobridge (or some other branded Meteobridge as they do exist in other countries) you can add the AmbientWeather.net license for $150. When you consider this added license it is actually cheaper to have gotten the WeatherBridge from Ambient to begin with...which is why I have a WeatherBridge instead of DIY Meteobridge. For those that are still confused...a WeatherBridge is a Meteobridge that is sold by Ambient already built and ready to just be plugged in and used.

So in my case with an Ecowitt GW1000 and an Ambient Weatherbridge my data ends up at both Ecowitt.net and AmbientWeather.net. I'm even sending my PM2.5 to my SQL server now. No online weather service, other than Ecowitt.net, yet takes PM2.5 (that I know of) but I've got it all in SQL because of the Meteobridge.

[galfert]

Here is how popular the Ecowitt GW1000 is today. Pretty soon this map will also show other Ecowitt consoles that will be upgraded to enable Ecowitt.net data uploads. So perhaps this won't be the best gauge to see as for GW1000 adoption. But who knows...maybe other Ecowitt console will also have this API and enable the Meteobridge to work with them. As you can see not too many. My thinking is that this new Meteobridge integration should hopefully drive a lot of new GW1000 sales. I think they are a great combination.

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* These maps also only show those stations choosing to allow their data to be public. It is the default choice when registering. Hopefully most people will grant their weather data to be public. Apologies for only showing the contiguous 48 states and Canada and part of Europe. There are no stations now in Alaska and Hawaii and other parts of Europe don't have stations.
Maybe we can look a this in a few months and see how far the GW1000 goes. And there are a few in Australia, China and other countries. Anyone can see this map without an Ecowitt device. Just create a free Ecowitt.net account. Not any different than signing up to see public Davis Weatherlink.com accounts.

[Platokidd]

Okay my head hurts again ..  figured I would just ask...

I have the WS-2000 pws. I would need to purchase https://www.amazon.com/Ambient-Weather-WEATHERBRIDGE-Universal-Compatible/dp/B00FPPYM7M/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=WEATHERBRIDGE&qid=1556675826&s=gateway&sr=8-3
And this.
https://www.amazon.com/ECOWITT-Gateway-Temperature-Humidity-Pressure/dp/B07JLRFG24
Correct?

Then connect the GW1000 to the Weather bridge and to my network.
Omit the indoor sensor that came with the ws-2000. (would re-calibration be needed with the gw1000?)   

[galfert]

Platokidd,
Yes you have it all correct. Since you are in the US the Ecowitt GW1000 that you buy on Amazon.com (US Amazon) will be the correct one for the US using 915 MHz, and that matches your Ambient WS-2000.

Then yes to save technical setup know how (like flashing custom firmware and possibly needing to know how to use a TFTP server..etc) you can get the Ambient WeatherBridge. If you feel up to the DIY task then you can get a TP-Link TL-MR3020 ($25+shipping), and then add the Meteobridge software and license (65 Euros), and then optionally also buy the AmbientWeather.net license ($150) if you want that extra optional feature. Total price for Do-it-Yourself is $98 plus shipping with no AmbientWeather.net license or $248 plus shipping with optional AmbientWeather.net license. Which is why depending on if you do want the AmbientWeather.net license it is just cheaper to just get the Ambient WeatherBridge ($204) as it is all in there and preloaded and fully licensed for both Meteobridge software and AmbientWeather.net and it is has less technical know how required because you don't have to build it.

I've plugged in the GW1000 into my Meteobridge (Weatherbridge) USB port because it was convenient. All that does is give the GW1000 power. There is no data connection happening there. You could plug in the GW1000 to any other USB power source if that is more convenient for outdoor sensor array reception and if you wanted the Meteobridge at a different location for some reason. The Meteobridge by the way can connect to your network via WiFi or via Ethernet. You start off with an Ethernet connection just to first configure it and then you can switch to WiFi if you prefer that.

The GW1000 is essentially a second console for your weather station. Just like adding a second display console. You can have as many consoles as you want. The consoles don't know nor talk to each other, as they only see the sensors. The sensors don't really talk to the consoles either...they just send a radio broadcast signal that any console can pick up, so they too don't know if the console is listening. It isn't a two way communication. The GW1000 has its own built in barometric pressure sensor. Therefore yes, you would need to calibrate it. But it is really easy. Just enter into the configuration settings the same Absolute and Relative pressure numbers that are currently showing on your existing display console (provided you already calibrated your display console)
I still suggest you read the following regarding getting the Meteobridge and GW1000 to be properly calibrated.
https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=36787.0

By the way you do keep using your indoor barometric sensor that came with the WS-2000 so that you can continue to use that display.

* FYI - The Meteobridge (Weatherbridge) requires a 19 Euro update license every 2 years to continue to get the latest version of the software. But this is optional. After 2 years if you want to keep that last version you got, then that is your choice.

[Lighty269]

Just finished setting this up, bought all from Amazon.  The Ecowitt seems pretty nice.  I only bought GW1000, WH32,
 WH40 & WS68, along with the TP Link bridge.  I am now trial version and will see how it compares to the WS-2000 from Ambient.

[BKS97]

I set up a GW1000 today — a small device with lots of features, as has been discussed on this thread.  It is receiving sensor data from my WS-2000 and the hookups to ecowitt.net and MET WOW were quick and easy.  I plan to add a Weatherbridge device later on.  The ecowitt.net dark theme dashboards on the Ipad and Android phone are attractive.

[WA4OPQ]

My GW100 arrives tomorrow, I've already looked over the manual
Hey galfert....  Have you figured out how to set up a static IP?

[WA4OPQ]

and then optionally also buy the AmbientWeather.net license ($150) if you want that extra optional feature.

Why would anyone consider paying $150 when you could buy an ObserverIP for $35 and dedicate it for ambientweather.net.

[Mandrake]

My GW100 arrives tomorrow, I've already looked over the manual
Hey galfert....  Have you figured out how to set up a static IP?

Easiest way is to do it is via your router. Your router should have some DHCP functions and you normally have the ability to set defined devices (via their MAC address) a set or fixed IP address.
I am not aware of any capability on the actual device to set a fixed address so via your DHCP and router is the only option here.

[Mandrake]

and then optionally also buy the AmbientWeather.net license ($150) if you want that extra optional feature.

Why would anyone consider paying $150 when you could buy an ObserverIP for $35 and dedicate it for ambientweather.net.

You might go down that route if your are not using Ambient Weather kit (rest of the world) as the weatherbridge then allows you that licence to use their data server and is not tied to any frequency limitations. Of course if you have bought into the Ambient weather system or have 915Mhz based Fine Offset clones then the option to just buy a ObserverIP would work fine.

[Transporterman]

What Mhz speed did you choose for your Ecowitt station in the UK Mandrake?  Are there any UK laws about it?  If it's wrong it might interfere with Mi6 communication and the MIB might be visiting!     

Is the GW1000 compatible with 5g does anyone know?  I don't much about it and I have a feeling that the 5g rollout might get put back anyway after the Huawei thing.  My new security ip camera says that it 'won't work with 5g'.

[Mandrake]

What Mhz speed did you choose for your Ecowitt station in the UK Mandrake?  Are there any UK laws about it?  If it's wrong it might interfere with Mi6 communication and the MIB might be visiting!     

Is the GW1000 compatible with 5g does anyone know?  I don't much about it and I have a feeling that the 5g rollout might get put back anyway after the Huawei thing.  My new security ip camera says that it 'won't work with 5g'.

I chose 868Mhz. My old FO (Maplin) Station was 433Mhz and latterly had some interference which was why I went 868Mhz. However both are fine in the UK.
You want to avoid the 915Mhz range (US default) in Europe as that's used by Mobile phones. That said I do know some folks have risked this and procured US spec kit and have not had any problems. Technically though you would be in breach of regulations and could get a knock on the door by OFCOM. I hold a Radio Amateur Licence so I would be unable to claim ignorance if I got caught!

You should be fine with any of the frequencies used by the weather stations once 5G is deployed. 5G has 3 frequency bands in Europe (Low band 700Mhz, Mid band 3.5Mhz (likely to be the most used) and a high band 26Ghz. There will probably be more frequency ranges released though I believe these to be all above the 26Ghz ranges.

I think you might be getting slightly wrapped around the axle on compatibility of 5G etc
The reason your IP camera say not compatible with 5G is that in the future (very nearly here) you will be able to buy home network kit that transmit/receive on 5G frequencies as well as the current crop of wifi  (a/b/g/N/ac).
I don't believe that weather stations will change their transmit frequencies but future gadgets that replace our consoles and loggers like the Gw-1000 may well use 5G to hook into your home infrastructure.

[galfert]

Yes as Mandrake has said there is no way currently to set a static IP on the GW1000. Setting an IP reservation based on MAC address on your DHCP server (router) is my preferred method anyway.

Besides stations not on 915 MHz that can't use an ObserverIP there is also stations from other manufacturers that are compatible with the Meteobridge. Having the option to upload to Ambientweather.net could be appealing to them. Regardless having the ObserverIP is yet another old slow and flaky console that then need to also be calibrated. And maybe you want less clutter and you only want one console. And maybe you want the exact same data on Ambientweather.net as on other online services and the ObserverIP does some pretty bad data averaging that I've noticed. So yes paying the $150 license still makes sense over an ObserverIP. But even better is to just buy the WeatherBridge if this is your intention to upload to Ambientweather.net.

The GW1000 has nothing to do with 5G nor 4G nor any other cellular technology. The GW1000 receives one way radio transmission (RF) over 433 MHz, 868 MHz, or 915 MHz depending on version. Then it connects to your WiFi for making its data acquisition available. None of this has anything to do with cellular communications.

[WA4OPQ]

I've just set up my GW1000 and I'm pleased. I'll be testing with Meteobridge next.

I have a somewhat unusual situation in that I'm building a small network of weather stations, as guests on other people's computer networks; my choice would be a static IP.  I prefer to intrude as little as possible so modifying their routers is not my favorite choice.
At first I thought the WS View app saved me, as it shows the IP. But it only works on WiFi not over the internet. So I need to find a solution if a remote site changes it's IP address.

I've added Tennessee to the Ecowitt map.

[WA4OPQ]

On an additional note:

It appears that the 2902-GW1000 has 1.5-2.0 greater RF range than the 2902-ObserverIP.
I'll be doing more testing.

[galfert]

I'd say adding a DHCP reservation is hardly intruding on someone's network. It's not like you are reconfiguring other aspects that affect the network as a whole.

But I agree being able to set a static IP could be advantageous but only if you knew the DHCP scope was limited to allow for statics to be assigned. Then on other people's network you might need to worry if they decide to set a static that conflicted. Which goes back to setting a DHCP reservation as a better network management policy. Whenever I set a static IP I still like to put in a DHCP reservation regardless for documentation purposes.

[WA4OPQ]

OK, I converted my home station to GW1000. I'll check and see if I need to recalibrate the barometer.
I'm going on a three week vacation soon, I trust the GW1000 more than the ObserverIP.