First...Agreed.
Second...I think my siting will be easier with at least the anemometer separated from the other parts... similar to your situation.
Third...In the planned location, there will be morning Sun except in Winter. But that site is also protected from winds. Memphis, TN area, so we don't get much snow, it is supposed to be only on odd numbered years. :) I'll post a satellite view of my property before making any installations. I always try to have some one to blame... :P
Fourth..., you are correct.I plan on showing this part (only) to my wife!
I think the black rain collector cone melts snow quicker in the winter.And it looks like the 6152 has the black one as opposed to the one on the Vue. We don't usually get much snow, but we do get ice storms. I don't think the 6152 has a heater, but I hope the opening is big enough to hold at least an inch of sleet/freezing rain... OTOH, how is the expansion of freezing/thawing water handled? As I understand it, rain is dumped automatically every so often. And a minimal amount is even measured. Is that how the station avoids freezing water from breaking the container?
I'm confused about "Standard" (6252), add-on "Day-time" (7747), and the 6153 (24/7) radiation shields on the Wireless Vantage Pro2 kit.
Unfortunately, I just determined that the fan no longer works...there might be some advantage to buying the model with the 24/7 fanAssuming it is a better fan! :) If not, it just might wear out twice as fast! :'(
...an optional and separate purchase.I'm beginning to think that is a big part of this hobby! Seems to be a key goal of most businesses! ;) Worked out that way form our little fish pond! :) Pretty much part of life, actually! ;D
Just got through reading the installation manual. Noticed that in cleaning the rain gauge it suggests using a pipe cleaner "to clear the funnel hole in the cone".
I'm leaning (already?!) toward doing the same thing you did. Spreading out the hit on the pocket book and waiting buying the day-time fan later. If my temps end up being way off that would be a signal to buy it. The difference in price should pay for a pretty accurate (non-wired, eye-ball read, heresy?) thermometer I can mount under the covered area that is well protected from the sun. [thinking]
I read about your experience with those motors and your plan to use a PC fan. Unfortunately, it may be that I have to mount the whole shebang (sorry for using technical terms) on a post/pole in the middle of the back yard. That precludes using AC. I was not sure how that full-time fan was powered.
<snip>
In my case I had a deck with AC power available. So I mounted my temperature/humidity probe under that. So there is no possibility of sun exposure at all. I did have a problem though. The air was so stagnant under the deck that I reading would be off under conditions of very still air. Adding the fan has now solved that problem.
<snip>
Does anyone think I'm over-thinking this?!
There are no moving parts and it thus requires very little maintenance.I can only assume that the Sun is not considered as a "part" since it is 'pre-installed'! [lol2] That might help in alleviating some potential concerns from SWMBO... assuming one could be found inexpensively!
I have not yet broached the subject of a "Weather Station" in the yard to SWMBO*.
sometimes you have to give up the ideal site for practicalityWell, there is about 140 acres on the other side of my back fence... I could put everything about 500' behind the fence... might get 'damaged' the next time they mow the hay, however... I might as well post an image of the "landscape" to show the lack of open space I have. BTW, I found a nice site that can provide Lt/Long + altitude and a clearer Google image: <EarthTools.org (http://www.earthtools.org)> Unknown accuracy, of course, but the US Geological survey site seems to have changed a bit since the info was posted in the CWOP pubs.
...spider webs get wrapped around the entire thing and he has to climb back up there to clean them offCouldn't I just use a shotgun?! Or just teach spiders to fear heights! 8)
Except that the deck itself and the gravel/concrete/etc under it (plus the house since it's in close proximity) acts as a giant heat sink. The result is that your gauge readings will always lag what you'd get from a sensor suite set up closer to the NOAA guidelines. And naturally there'll be data 'smoothing' since the under deck sensors aren't able to react as quickly to rapidly changing conditions.
As you've seen, you can purchase the daytime FARS after buying the unit. But the 24 hour FARS is not available separately, and is completely different inside than the non-FARS or daytime FARS units.
"A" and "B" are as close to "open space" as it gets in the back yard. "W" is for the proposed anemometer (with another ISS) on a 5' tripod holding at least a 5' mast.
"C" is more open but would be subject to neighbor approval and would place the ISS farthest from the location of the Console at "R".
I noticed you kept referring to setting up your anemometer on a second ISSMy bad. :-X What I called an "ISS" was really the wireless connection box that can be bought for adding remotely located instruments. Looking at the manual drawings, it appears to be very similar to the "ISS" in the Vantage Pro2; same cable inputs, same sized box, same channel dip switches, maybe a slightly smaller solar array (I'd have to look at them (virtually) side by side. The only physical difference seems to be the slanted solar array in the base station; the remote box is a simple parallel sided box, any tilt would have to be done mechanically. The proper term for the remote box is probably "SIM". I think the drawing actually labels the IC card as "SIM". ???
Bottom line, I don't really know how it is connected to the Console (and, therefore, the software).
If you didn't realize it, you will also have to purchase WeatherLink for Mac (http://www.davisnet.com/weather/products/weather_product.asp?pnum=06520). The WeatherLink software is really lame, but you need to buy this in order to get the data logger and USB interface to connect your station to your computer. Alternatively, you can buy a WeatherLinkIP data logger and Eithernet interface (http://www.davisnet.com/weather/products/weather_product.asp?pnum=06555). In that case you will be connecting your console to an Ethernet port on your home local area network. That is another way to avoid having to have your console next to the Mac where you run WeatherCat.
I did notice that the Mac version of the Davis software included the USB hardware. I assume (always dangerous, I know!) that the hardware (data logger) was to be placed in either the Console or the Envoy. Is that correct?
A less expensive option is to just get the 6152 console and use the iOS client on either an iPhone or an iPadThanks for the idea. My wife and I both have iDevices and they are usually close by, even at home. I'll have to investigate those apps.
I just hope you and Bull don't get into trouble bucking the "we'll help you spend your money" pledge! :o
First, Edouard, I most say you have a very unusual shaped house! It must be fun trying to hang pictures on those curved walls! :P
Extra stuff to move the anemometer to the roof:
- Envoy (Part # 06316 (http://www.davisnet.com/weather/products/weather_product.asp?pnum=06316) $175 ?)
- Anemometer/Sensor Transmitter Kit (Part # 06332 (http://www.davisnet.com/weather/products/weather_product.asp?pnum=06332) $150 ?)
- Mast, tripod or wall-mounts
The only purpose of the envoy would be to locate the Console some place other than in the "computer" room.
Thanks for the idea. My wife and I both have iDevices and they are usually close by, even at home. I'll have to investigate those apps.
Herb doesn't need money. He gets a commission for selling batteries to Edouard. :)
You could put it at the top of a flag pole near where you want to put the rest of the instruments.Hey, that would also enable me to have 39+ foot high anemometer! :o US Railroads are slowly moving to a new monitoring/control system that requires pretty tall radio antennae along the tracks. They look to be close to 40' high. They are built with a pivot point maybe 15' ADL so they can be unlocked and swiveled down to access the antenna. Of course, these things are probably using 6" diameter pipe on the bottom support and ? x 6 x 12 inch steel slabs to mount the pivot/hinge bolt. And they still may be rather unstable at the very top! But that might be modified and shortened for uses like ours. After all, there's already ~40' of cable for the anemometer that comes with the Vantage Pro2!
Until recently, we didn't have all these computers and to check the temperatureI just use the "Honey, do you mind going to get the morning paper?" And then I ask her what the temps were like. I can also find out if it's raining or very windy just by looking at her hair...
Gang correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you can use the secondary transmitter for the anemometer if you want to have that data appear in WeatherCat or be uploaded to other services. I think you have to find a way to connect the anemometer to your station transmitter that will be with the rain gauge. That's why I was suggesting that you look into how you could run that cable from the roof-mounted anemometer all the way to the rest of your instruments on the wood mount you are planning.
they lay [the poles] out in their maintenance yard and are free for the takingI guess that means they don't deliver/install! [lol] Last Spring I decided to buy some rubber mulch; getting tired of buying more shredded bark every year, not to mention hauling and 'installing'! Ordered a ~75 cu. ft. bag. Had to be delivered by truck. Truck arrives, bag has smashed the pallet it sat on to allow a forklift to move it, no forklift on truck. Bill of lading says the bag weighs ~1200 pounds!!! The driver, even though he looked like a NFL linesman, could barely budge the huge sack. He even called for backup and the two men still could not get it to the end of the trailer. It went back to the dock for high-level planning! When another truck finally returned, the sack was very near the door, we just cut open the sack and spilled/shoveled the mulch on the driveway! [biggrin] It was quite a show!! [cheer] By the time I need more mulch, I'll probably be too old to even drive the wheelbarrow!! :P If I do ever get that much again, I'll have it delivered to the Home Depot store and let them get it off the truck!! [rockon]
Gang correct me if I'm wrong . . . .
The anemometer transmitter kit's signal, when received by the console, is used in lieu of the anemometer channel from the ISS. So WeatherCat and/or any other software or service digests the wind data as if it came from an anemometer wired to the ISS. That's what makes it so handy to mount remotely.
QuoteYou could put it at the top of a flag pole near where you want to put the rest of the instruments.Hey, that would also enable me to have 39+ foot high anemometer!
I do worry a bit about intentionally punching holes in my roof! [heavyrain] [lightning]
QuoteUntil recently, we didn't have all these computers and to check the temperatureI just use the "Honey, do you mind going to get the morning paper?" And then I ask her what the temps were like. I can also find out if it's raining or very windy just by looking at her hair...
We have what is called a story and a half. That sounds like one of the contest categories at the <Annual Liars Contest (http://www.storytellingcenter.net/events/national-storytelling-festival/)> in eastern Tennessee! [bounce]
I had thought about using the wall of couple of rooms that jut out of the back roof. That would lower the anemometer a good 8', however, putting it, even on a 10' mast, barely above the peak of the roof. I'd really like to get it out/above of the turbulent air coming over that peak. A taller/longer mast would work, but it would also need to be stronger/heavier. However, mounting the transmitter kit low on that wall is entirely doable and would negate having to 'walk' on that 12/12 pitched roof! :o
Is this a multi-story house?It appears to be a single story from the front, with a very high peaked roof. However, there is a large "dog house" extension on the back of the roof for a couple of bedrooms overlooking the back yard. You can see the roof of that extension in the image in post #20, it's under the upper half of the "W" circle. (Is there a way, with the forum software, to link to a specific post?)
Unfortunately, with the house facing south, the remote anemometer kit will be on the north side of the roof. That makes access, without climbing onto the roof, very difficult if it is to remain in Sunlight for the majority of the year.
. . . . .
In other words, the location of the anemometer is pretty simple, mounting the kit is the main problem.
Edouard, you can get about 6 mos. out of the battery alone, as observed with the temperature transmitter, which doesn't have the solar cell. However, with the solar cell, that can be a couple of years. Since it is on the roof, the longer the better, as far as I'm concerned.
? I got not quite 6 months on battery alone. I have gone 7 years without changing the battery when my solar unit was plugged in.
Yeah, Blick, but you're closer to the sun than most people.
I learned, the hard, cold, and wet way, that I want the roof mounting and access much easier and safer!
. . . . .
The anemometer kit will be mounted on the very gently sloped roof of the "dog house" where it can face southward. I will also modify an aluminum ladder to 'hook' over the peak of the single-story wing that has the three-car garage and laundry room (right side of the image). Getting to that ladder is easy with the extension ladder I already have.
However, I would appreciate suggestions on securing that rather delicate cable to the run it makes over the composition shingles (about like 25 grit sand paper!).
Xair buddy, here's one promising method of securing that wire. (http://w5jgv.com/tie-downs/tie-downs.htm)
Got a OK from SWMBO... sort of... she reels didn't like the idea of a miniature Eiffle Tower on the roof!
She reminded me that I have a Christmas gift that will cover ~70% of the costs. [tup]
Great shot Edouard! I'll show her that! Here's one I just took to help her see (no pun intended, of course) how easily it could completely hidden from view!
The biggest problem now is to train the bird to fly around every time she goes outside...
Actually, I have pretty much decided to mount the pole on the wall on the right-hand side of that upper story, "dog house" (just to the right of the bird's tail). From the street, only the pole and the anemometer will be visible. I think a 10 foot pole can still get the anemometer at least 6 feet above all the roof within ~7 feet and at least 4 feet above the highest peak to the SE.
Question (May qualify as a dumb one!): Have any of you tried 'camouflaging' the pole; light blue/white/grey and maybe 'dull-coat', also
Opinions on these dealers? Any problems with any of them?
You're going to need at least one in about 6 months to 3 yearsI also look askance at predictions that are too detailed! The more precise, the less I trust them... that's one reason I usually turn off the TV "weathermen"! Besides, I've read some where about someone named "Herb" that gives away batteries? I think he may be in cahoots with the guy that sells some kind of highly educated feline (possibly a 'robotic' breed) that communicates with a Mac (probably via the mouse port) about the weather. We already have a cat, so I doubt we could use that feature...
Being the paranoid type, I tend to avoid eBay, although my wife has had several good purchases from that source. For anything over $25, I want a public name and address. [lol] Three of the dealers actually have lower prices on the 6152 hardware and have good reviews here, also. I'm probably too hard on some folks trying to make a living with eBay, but that's my problem. [banghead]
Our inventory has the improved rain cone design introduced in 2014. The changes include grip grooves, bird spikes, a new debris screen and the Davis logoNot sure about the other stuff, but I'd sure like to have that Davis "logo"! [cheer] :P
...HO logging railroad...OH NO!!! Another Model Railroading "nut"! When we built this house ~19 years ago, I had a small room designated as "The Layout Room"! Unfortunately, every time a flew a trip, SWMBO added some kind of box to the stash in there. Eventually, I got her to agree to relocate them... then our two Grand-Daughters and their Mother moved in with us (not to mention the Grand-Dog!). [cheer] "My" room became their Den. Oh well, I still have a subscription to Trains, looking at Model Railroader just made me frustrated! I gave most of my tools and models to a good friend, kept the stuff that belonged to the JLC & E. :D Now I concentrate on my small fish pond (no expensive Koi, just colorful Shebunkins) and planning the weather station! :P
make sure you take a compass or have a fairly precise location for true northGood point! But in my hundreds of hours of planning, thinking, researching, over-thinking, and planning, I came up with a way for my buddies still flying to help me out. I'll ask one of them to schedule his arrival back in Memphis at a time I'll be on the roof. Then, I'll have him fly several racetracks with north/south legs directly over my house. Simple, no problems with compass deflections caused by the metal pole or the steel plates in my
After all the valuable help from you "guys", I decided purchase of a Davis Vantage Pro2 (6152 w/the Mac software) and the Anemometer Kit from <RainmanWeather (https://www.rainmanweather.com/site/)>.
Quote...HO logging railroad...OH NO!!! Another Model Railroading "nut"!
Best of luck in getting your station up and running!Wait! What?! Don't you guys come and help?! I thought that was the whole point of this forum thing and the maps and ... [rainyluck]
QuoteBest of luck in getting your station up and running!Wait! What?! Don't you guys come and help?! I thought that was the whole point of this forum thing and the maps and ... [rainyluck]
I think that engine on the right is a... DOH! It's printed right under the fireman's window! [banghead] Can't see the driver arrangement on the other one.
Or is that on the interchange line back to civilization?! Are you modeling 2 or 3 foot gauge?
My station should arrive tomorrow (Monday) according to the tracking info: Memphis, TN, United States,03/21/2015,5:52 A.M., Arrival Scan Will be picking up a post and a "spike" to hold it up. I saw an image from Steve using this kind of device in the "Weather station installation examples, reply #2 (http://athena.trixology.com/index.php?topic=969.0)".
My soil is extremely soggy right now, so driving the spike should be easy. I just hope I can avoid hitting it with the riding mower! If the 30" spike proves too unstable, I can always 'plant' a post in some concrete.(http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u666/xAirbusDriver/spike_zps8sl59iza.jpg)
There are models available for square posts and/or round metal posts from <this company (http://www.ozcobp.com/oz-post.html)>, also. Hope it's not too easy to be true!
Thanks for the advice, I have considered the alternatives. I almost decided to just drive a galvanized pipe into the ground. If this arrangement doesn't pan out, I'll just ask SWMBO to hold the station in her arms while the concrete sets up...
[If] you have never gotten anything stuck, you're not very good at farmingI've also heard that there are only two kinds of farmers; lucky ones and good ones. Sometimes it's better to be lucky! My Father-in-Law must have been both! He used his back pay for his time as a POW in WWII to pay for the land he bought. I don't think he ever bought anything on credit his entire life! That plan served him well! It's great to not have any kind of financial debts, but few can withstand the relentless marketing industry! (He said after buying his latest 'toy'!) :-[ ::)
Thanks for the advice, I have considered the alternatives.
. . . .
Getting a six foot post tomorrow. I doubt I'll cut any of it off as I'm already taller than that. The water is mainly on the surface around here because of the deep layers of clay keep it from getting deeper.
OK! It's set up (temporarily) as far away as I can put in the back yard. Reception if fine. Preparing to install the ~7' post and mount the station on it. Right now the anemometer is just bolted to the station, and I'll mount it on the post, also. Waiting for the solar panel bracket to arrive.
First "owner" question: Is there any reason to even leave the WeatherLink app on the HD? Still have the CD and can compress it to a .zip file, also.
Haven't done anything with WeatherCat except start it up... and discovering it uses Java (I've always deleted all traces of Java in the last few years; too many security problems. However, I started WC just before eating lunch. Now, over an hour later, it's still "Testing... This can take a few minutes." I did quit the Davis s/w, does it have to be running while WC "Tests"? :o
Something it wrong here.Yes, and I think it is the lack of something between my ears! :-[
WeatherLink is a Java application.Most likely.
WeatherCat is a native Mac application.Agreed.
WeatherCat doesn't do any testing.Actually it can and especially when first run. At least the version I downloaded (2.0.2 Build 30) can and did. If you look at page 21 of the WC User Manual, you'll see the window that had the "Testing... This may take a few minutes." message. Of course, the image in the manual does not show the "Testing..." text, see below* for more on how to get that window after the first run of WC.
Finally, make sure you have quit any other weather software..."Well, there's your problem!" :P Nothing wrong with WC, it was simply the Davis app interfering with communications with the Console. It may also have blocked access to any files it was creating (Permissions). The problem was not reading the manual! [banghead]
QuoteWeatherCat doesn't do any testing.Actually it can and especially when first run.
For anyone doing a first install, remove the battery from the station after initial testing, at least while you are mounting it. You may not have it in the Sun during that time, yet it will still be transmitting, if the battery is installed. DOH!
The better thing to do is just let the station transmit but not run WeatherCat.Actually, the reason I made that statement is that WC and the Console is already indicating the battery is below full charge. It could be because much of the installation time the station was not properly aligned or even in view of the Sun, so it had to use the battery. Of course, who knows how old that battery might be? Looks like I need to start paying Herb? BTW, I actually didn't start WC until after the mounting was completed. :)
Of course, who knows how old that battery might be? Looks like I need to start paying Herb?
the Console Voltage should read 4.5 v or higher. When it dips below 4.5 v those console batteries need to be replaced.That assumes there are actually batteries in there! :P I kinda figured that out! ;D We're forecast for possible thunder storms this afternoon/nite. That almost always increases the possibility of electrical outages, so I'll be butting some batteries in the Console. Not too concerned about the low battery condition in the station, need to have some spares located locally or online, anyway. I'll have two batteries on standby since the anemometer kit uses one, also. How fast can Herb deliver them? I'm assuming he hand-delivers them to our house? :P 8) I'd better send him my address as my Profile map is not exactly accurate... [goofy]
Couldn't have done it without all the help from you weather cats!
Especially the "Trixology Support" guy! [tup]
I mentioned earlier that the ISS battery was reported as "Low" the very first time I started the Console. Got several emails today via WC about the ISS battery:
Lastly, is there info from Davis as to what minimum voltage is needed to run the transmitter?
I've looked at the WC reports and don't see one that logs the actual/reported battery voltage. The Hardware Options Battery Status has 8 segments, the extreme right one is labeled "ISS", the others simply "2" through "8". I have no idea what those numbered segments represent. At first I though it might be the 8 ID channels, but I think that is a simple coincidence, and there are only 7 segments to the left of the "ISS" segment, anyway.
Keep an eye on this one, you may have a defective station and may have to return it.Guess I'd better retrieve that shipping box... ::) We'll see what happens tonight/this weekend, I'm sure no one's at work in Hayward or FL, now. Well, FL, anyway. Besides, the "new" battery may actually be better than the original; perhaps Batteries+ stores theirs in a cooler warehouse than Davis/Rainman does. We keep ours in the frig. ;D
Lastly, is there info from Davis as to what minimum voltage is needed to run the transmitter?
But you appear to have solved that by mounting your cup high enough above the top of the post to avoid splatter.
Thanks for sharing the photo. You installation has my OSOA (Official Seal of Approval).
I did learn from CoCoRaHS that you should technically bevel the top of your post, away from the rain collector cup, to minimise the chance of rain bouncing off the top of the post and into your cup, thereby oversampling the amount of rainfall. But you appear to have solved that by mounting your cup high enough above the top of the post to avoid splatter.
Don't Panic and Carry On.
for measuring snow, the science remains mostly where it has been for hundreds of years: poke a stick in the snow and measure the stick.I believe there is one more very important step in that process; be sure not to poke the stick on your foot! That's extremely important down south where I live, since we seldom wear shoes... Frankly, if it's cold enough to snow around here, we just measure the stick while we're inside; no use getting cold while doing that outside. Besides, the stick is almost always the same length, either way. Only difference I've seen is that it gets wet if you poke it in the snow... [snow] [banghead]