Topic: EAR - free tool for testing Custom server-function

[olicat]

Hi!

Sometimes you want to know what the output line of your Ecowitt station actually looks like or want to check that the custom server function works.
You can of course use Wireshark or set up your own server, create a small php-script or use FOSHKplugin or something similar.
However, it is also very easy with this simple and free autoresponder service!
Maybe it will be helpful to you.

In addition to the Ecowitt format, the service also supports the Ambient Weather and WU formats - even stations that do not come from Fine Offset (e.g. Bresser/CCL) should be testable with it.
If the firmware of your FOSHK station is out of date, a corresponding message is given. Even if the air pressure has apparently not yet been calibrated (along with a link to instructions). A warning is issued when the battery level of a reporting sensor or console is below the internal warning threshold.

If you only want to briefly see the evaluation options, use 00:01:02:03:04:05 as the MAC address in the input field. This is used to display demo data.

By the way, EAR is the abbreviation for Ecowitt AutoResponder ...

Oliver

PS: Support-Thread auf Deutsch im deutschsprachigen Wetterstationsforum.

[Rover1822]

This is very cool!
This will help those that want to make sure that their custom server output can actually get out of their network and let them know the values that are being sent.

This Rocks!

Thanks Oliver

[Gyvate]

@olicat:
very nice - but the text behind the link will still need to be translated into English (unless the language display is dependent on the reader's IP address)

[olicat]

Hi!

unless the language display is dependent on

If German is recognized as accepted language of the browser, the output is in German. Otherwise in English.

Oliver

[Rover1822]

I think this topic should be made "Sticky", before it gets lost in all the other topics.

[olicat]

Hi!

I have now added a few minor improvements. For example, you can now also view the header of the last request and navigate more easily with jump labels.
In addition, I have created two dummies to show how the incoming data of a weather station is output (Attention! Since the data is generated through FOSHKplugin there're non-compliant additional keys!).
Use the MAC address 00:01:02:03:04:05 or the WU-StationID STATION-ID to view the data.

Oliver

[olicat]

Hi!

I made some minor changes to the EAR service.
In the Hints area, there is now a notice when there is a newer firmware version available or when the air pressure of the weather station has not yet been calibrated - together with a link to calibration instructions.
You can still enter 00:01:02:03:04:05 or STATION-ID (WU) as the MAC address in order to be able to view a demo evaluation.
Have fun!

Oliver

[olicat]

Hi!

There is another smaller update for the EAR service.
Now the output is valid HTML and the automatic language selection based on the browser language can be overridden manually.
I also improved a few other little things (such as optimization for smartphones, spelling mistakes, error handling).
Have fun!

Oliver

[olicat]

Hi!

The last change for the time being includes the warning for sensors whose batteries should be replaced.
If, for example, a WH51 reports a battery level of less than 1.2V, a corresponding warning is given.
I have tried to use the sensor names used by Ambient Weather for data from Ambient Weather stations.
But in the absence of a corresponding station, I can only test it to a limited extent.
In the case of Ecowitt stations, the designation is a little more meaningful (and I use them here).

So:
In the hints area you can see at a glance whether the air pressure should be calibrated, a firmware update is possible or a battery of a sensor should be replaced.

Example

Oliver

[olicat]

Hi!

Whenever you think you're done ...
For my own legal protection I have added an imprint.
In terms of content, the battery state of the WS19xx console is now also displayed and its runtime (still untested - the console is still not available - at least I don't own one yet).

EAR v0.5 is online

Oliver

[olicat]

Hi!

In the course of beta testing the WittBoy, I have put a new version v0.6 of EAR online.
The current firmware version v2.1.0 of the GW2000 is classified as faulty and a corresponding note is issued.
In addition, the WS90 is correctly named and its battery values are evaluated.

EAR is a service to check the custom server upload of the weather station. In addition, it provides extended information on the sensors used and the firmware version. You can see at a glance which data is being transferred from the station and in which format.

Oliver

[Rover1822]

I still think this topic should join the other ones that are sticky at the top of the forum list.
Very Cool Oliver!

[olicat]

Hi!

this topic should join the other ones that are sticky at the top of the forum list

I am not the one who can decide or even initiate this.
But we should also be careful to only pin things up there that really concern the general public - otherwise the daily contributions will only appear on the second page.
EAR can certainly be helpful on a case-by-case basis - but not for the regular operation of a weather station.
So I don't see any urgent need to keep it sticky.

Oliver

[Rover1822]

Fair enough
At least place EAR link in your sig

[olicat]

Hi!

Even though I have already pointed this out several times, EAR is a service for checking and not intended for the permanent submission of data.
In the meantime, I have 6 stations here that permanently deliver data to EAR at 30 second intervals.
This doesn't really make sense and may cost me money at some point if I exceed my hosting or traffic budget.

Presumably, the users have adjusted the custom server settings for EAR but subsequently forgotten to deactivate them again.
I would therefore like to ask all users to check whether the weather station is inadvertently continuing to send to EAR and, if it is not absolutely necessary, please deactivate it.

The following stations (locations are guessed) are currently affected:

GW2000B (GW2000B_V2.1.4) in 49727 East Jordan, Michigan, United States
GW1000B (GW1000B_V1.7.0) in 49727 East Jordan, Michigan, United States
HP2551BU_Pro_V1.8.0 (EasyWeatherV1.6.4) in 49727 East Jordan, Michigan, United States
GW2000B (GW2000B_V2.1.4) in T5H Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
GW2000C (GW2000C_V2.1.4) in 20152 Milan, Lombardy, Italy
GW1000_Pro (GW1000A_V1.6.8) in 37633 Dielmissen, Lower Saxony, Germany

If there is always a need for such a check by EAR, the custom server settings can remain active but the sending can be deactivated (Disable) within WS View/WSView Plus.
This way, the next time a check is required, this setting would only have to be set to Enable.

If you want a permanent recording by EAR, please contact me.
Then I know that these sendings are not made accidentally and I do not delete the accumulating data. As long as there are no additional costs for me, I have no objection. If necessary, however, I would have to add a few optimisations in this case, such as a ZIP download.

Thank you very much!

Oliver

[Rover1822]

Oliver, with your luck, they are people that don't come in here often

[olicat]

Hi!

Today there was a small update from EAR:

v0.11
- battery support for Ambient Weather leaf wetness sensor WH31LW(?)
- any special characters (e.g. in the password) should be displayed in lastline and the details
- EAR is able to run under PHP v8.1 now
- minor improvements

Nice:
So far, more than 100 stations have already used this service. I find that quite astonishing, because the benefit of the service is more for the experts - and those who want to become experts.

Remarkable:
Incidentally, the model with the most frequent use here is the GW2000.
Only very few Ambient weather station users have used EAR so far - I suspect that most AW station owners have no reason to tinker and are simply satisfied with the given possibilities.
Probably the high number of GW2000 and GW1100 devices is also due to the fact that for a long time EAR was the only (easy) way to check the firmware status of the WS90.
Hardly any station that uses EAR uses the WU protocol. The majority - of course - transmits in Ecowitt format.

I'll have to see how I can get the WIFI firmware for the HP25xxC to analyse it in more detail. Strangely enough, there have also been reports with the Froggit model designation HP1000SE-PRO_Pro. The HP25xxC also report with different model names - HP2550A_Pro, HP2550_Pro, HP2551AE_Pro, HP2551BU_Pro, HP2553AE_Pro, HP2553CA_Pro - surely there is not a separate WIFI firmware for each model?
Interesting!
Unfortunately, there were no recognisable exotics yet - neither a WS6006 nor an HP2560 or a station from Bresser/CCL was recognisable in the data here. Too bad!

Less nice:
Some stations are still permanently sending data to EAR - every 30 seconds - 24/7 - for months. So I have to delete a few files every few weeks so that the required storage space doesn't get too big. The waste of bandwidth remains, of course.
Maybe you could check again if your station sends data to EAR permanently by mistake and then stop it.

HP2553 in Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
HP2551 in East Jordan, Michigan, United States
GW1000 in East Jordan, Michigan, United States
GW2000 in East Jordan, Michigan, United States
GW2000 in Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand
GW2000 in Donostia / San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain
GW2000 in Gloucester, England, United Kingdom
GW1000 in Dielmissen, Lower Saxony, Germany

If you have one of these weather station models in use somewhere near the specified (estimated) locations and can remember having used EAR before, please check the settings in WS View/WSView Plus under More/Weather Services/Customised.
A simple Disable saves power, bandwidth, possibly costs and (my) work.
Thank you very much!

Regards, Oliver

[Rover1822]

For all, please review Oliver's previous post. He was generous enough to provide a test facility, but it is only a test facility,

His site has been invaluable for many to resolve issues.

Remember, we are just other people trying to assist, or offer opinion. Oliver's contributions are far beyond the normal, please, don't abuse them.

I'm just another user as well

[eliteweathernz]

Hey Oliver,

I apologise, I had my custom
Server set to still send data out to your service.

I’ve now disabled it so you should see the one from Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand drop off.

My apologises again,

[olicat]

Hi!

EAR is now on v0.14 - the new 3-in-1 array WS85 is now also supported.

Oliver