Author Topic: Sniff . . da' darn "mellar-drama" continues!! (Read 35761 times)

xairbusdriver · « **Reply #60 on:** April 05, 2015, 01:10:41 AM »

⅛ of a mile is well within the range Davis claims. As I understand it, the Envoy is simply a repeater to the Console, therefore, the data logger is in the Console. I also assume the Envoy has a battery as well as the AC adaptor. If that assumption is true, you should be able to take the Envoy to the general area of that other Station and determine exactly what ID it is using. That seems to be the easiest way to narrow down the problems; eliminating things you can control or affect.

elagache · « **Reply #61 on:** April 05, 2015, 10:34:10 PM »

Dear xairbusdriver and WeatherCat subscribers to this darn "mellar-drama"

Sadly the situation is back to the old pattern. This morning just after midnight there was a brief outage:

It only lasted about 5 minutes, but it sure seems connected to some sort of automated activity. Here is the errors:

I went to check the console diagnostics and it indicates that there was no outage at the station transmitter this time. Moreover it shows the signal strength to be almost maximum: 58/60. So at this point it seems much more likely that the problem is in between the console and the Envoy.

Quote from: xairbusdriver on April 05, 2015, 01:10:41 AM

⅛ of a mile is well within the range Davis claims. As I understand it.

Well yes, but this station is on the other side of a hill crest from me. So there is no direct line of transmission. More importantly, I'm no longer using transmitter ID #1 at all and haven't used it for months. On the other hand my temperature/humidity station has been at #2 for many years.

Quote from: xairbusdriver on April 05, 2015, 01:10:41 AM

The Envoy is simply a repeater to the Console, therefore, the data logger is in the Console.

No you have that reversed. The console is repeating the signal and the data logger is in the Envoy.

Quote from: xairbusdriver on April 05, 2015, 01:10:41 AM

If that assumption is true, you should be able to take the Envoy to the general area of that other Station and determine exactly what ID it is using. That seems to be the easiest way to narrow down the problems; eliminating things you can control or affect.

Again you have that reversed. There is no control panel on the Envoy. So you would need to take your Mac along to do anything with it. Yes, I could take my console in the region of that station, but given that from my house, I could see that it was using ID #1, it seems clear it cannot be an ID conflict. The problem is most likely radio frequency frequency interference and anything in the same radio frequency range contributes to noise that could result in losing the signal.

However, the symptoms really point to something in my computer setup being the major contributor. Something has to be generating a lot of RF noise as a result of automated activities after midnight. The obvious culprits are the hard drives.

I thought I would try to move the Envoy again hoping that perhaps the previous problems were caused by my choosing a station ID that had a greater problem with noise than the lower numbers. I can also buy a USB extension cable and move the Envoy significantly closer to the console and much father away from the rest of the electronics. For a $6 investment, it is worth a shot. If that doesn't work, I think I have to consider replacing the Envoy. At the moment it appears to be one component that isn't measuring up.

Oh well, . . . . . Edouard

elagache · « **Reply #62 on:** April 07, 2015, 10:17:29 PM »

Dear WeatherCat subscribers to this darn "mellar-drama,"

Sadly the outages continue. Yesterday, I once more was lucky enough to have one happen while I was up. The console was working perfectly but WeatherCat was indicating all channels invalid. On a whim I decided to power-cycle the Weather Envoy to see what would happen. Within the usual period needed for a Davis station to pick up a signal, the Envoy once more picked up the signal. That sure looks to me like a smoking gun that there is some wrong with the Envoy. If there was interference, power-cycling wouldn't have any effect.

So I bit the bullet and ordered another Envoy from Scaled Instruments. Alas, there is a typo in the ship to address that I just found. It is going to:

Orinda, CA
Canada, 94563

How on earth can the post office accept an address like that? . . . .

So perhaps my problems will be solved eventually, but like everything else in this struggle - it is stubbornly insisting on doing everything . . . . . da' hard way!

*Heavy Sigh*, . . . . . Edouard

elagache · « **Reply #63 on:** April 11, 2015, 12:43:45 AM »

Dear WeatherCat subscribers to this darn "mellar-drama,"

We last left this gripping tale with the Weather Envoy that is the only hope of saving the day plodding its way north to . . . . . Canada.

Fortunately, Ryan Wilhour came to the rescue and sent me a second Weather Envoy . . . . this time to California even!

You can't do better than Scaled Instruments for super service.

The very thing was delivered by the postman this afternoon. In haste I moved my data logger to the new Envoy and put in the batteries. There was first beep indicating that it had power. In about 2 seconds there is supposed to be a second beep indicating that it has passed its self-test. Many seconds passed and . . . . silence. Concerned about this, I open it up again and confirmed that the data logger was properly seated - it was. Repeated the experiment. Alas, once more only one beep was heard.

I went ahead and connected it to my Mac. I launched WeatherLink and checked to see if it could identify a station - Nope, . . . no station there.

Sadly there was only one thing left to do, try to put the data logger back in the old Weather Envoy and see if I could at least limp along as before. I reverted my setup into the old Envoy and . . . . everything is now working as before. So clearly the data logger is still working and the problem has to be with the new Weather Envoy having "issuez." . . . .

I've sent another email to Ryan Wilhour and I'll see what he has to say. but . . . . . . .

When things couldn't possibly get worse . . . . . . oh yes they can!!!

*Heavy Sigh* . . . . . Edouard

xairbusdriver · « **Reply #64 on:** April 11, 2015, 01:47:22 AM »

I will remind you that I have a very personal acquaintance who put a battery in backwards... can't imagine anyone else ever doing that... still...

and there are three in that Envoy?!

Perhaps there is some kind of electronic 'worm hole' surrounding your house? Everything that comes through it seems to be inoperative!

BTW, I think your comment about Scaled Instruments needs a bit of editing, ie; "...can do..." probably is meant to be "...can't do..." jist sayin'

Bull Winkus · « **Reply #65 on:** April 11, 2015, 03:41:01 AM »

Edouard, just when I thought you were going to whip this thing by throwing more money at it, it comes back to bit you in the butt like a bad ricochet in a rock quarry! This meller-drama is turning into a long running soap opera. Only thing missing is the part about who shot JR.

One thing about it, though. After you finish digging yourself into a hole, the only way out is up!

Better luck with the next one, buddy! Watch how you postmark that RMA.

We're pulling for you!

elagache · « **Reply #66 on:** April 11, 2015, 10:37:15 PM »

Dear Herb, xairbusdriver, and subscribers to this darn "mellar-drama,"

And the cause is . . . . . . . my data logger is too old.

Davis had made firmware changes to the consoles and Envoy that requires data loggers that were manufactured after 2011. Since I bought mine in 2009 when I bought my station . . . . obviously it is too old.

Ryan at Scaled Instruments thought that Davis would fix a problem like this for free. But reading their technical bulletin it doesn't read that way to me. It appears that Davis will upgrade the data logger for free if still under warranty or for their standard service fee if the data logger is out of warranty. I need to call Davis on Monday to find out.

Oh well, da' darn "mellar-drama" just keeps on going, and going, and going . . . .

Oh well, . . . . Edouard

xairbusdriver · « **Reply #67 on:** April 11, 2015, 11:17:31 PM »

Check that warranty thing for info about customer perseverance... you've shown enough of that to earn a new data logger, not just an upgraded one!

elagache · « **Reply #68 on:** April 12, 2015, 11:44:26 PM »

Dear xairbusdriver and WeatherCat subscribers to this darn "mellar-drama"

Quote from: xairbusdriver on April 11, 2015, 11:17:31 PM

Check that warranty thing for info about customer perseverance... you've shown enough of that to earn a new data logger, not just an upgraded one!

I got a reply from Ryan Wilhour and he was confident that Davis will give me a new data logger for free. There isn't any way they can upgrade the old logger. Apparently there has been a design change. So I need to call Davis tomorrow and get a RMA number to get the process going. My station will be down for a few days, but what I can do?

This morning there was another outage, and just as before, power-cycling the Envoy got it going once more. So that's clearly where the problem is. Also the weather is as boring and dry as it can be. If I have to lose some weather data, at least it won't be anything I'll be really sorry to lose.

Oh well, . . . . Edouard

elagache · « **Reply #69 on:** April 14, 2015, 11:49:14 PM »

Dear WeatherCat subscribers to this darn "mellar-drama,"

Amazingly, I got through to Davis Technical support without even a ring on Monday morning. I explained my predicament and they agreed to send me a data logger that is compatible with my new Weather Envoy. I rushed out the old data logger and it has already arrived at Davis. They said they would ship the new logger in a day or two. That means it should be shipped today since it wasn't yesterday. In the meantime I'm stuck without WeatherCat

Bummer Dude!

Oh well, . . . . edouard

Blicj11 · « **Reply #70 on:** April 15, 2015, 03:21:09 AM »

Quote from: elagache on April 14, 2015, 11:49:14 PM

In the meantime I'm stuck without WeatherCat

That is the worst!

Davis comping you a data logger is the best.

Bull Winkus · « **Reply #71 on:** April 15, 2015, 04:24:44 AM »

If this does it, you're going to deserve a laurel and hearty handshake!

Blicj11 · « **Reply #72 on:** April 15, 2015, 04:27:34 AM »

Ha ha Herb. Good one.

Bull Winkus · « **Reply #73 on:** April 15, 2015, 04:29:20 AM »

I was fixing it.

elagache · « **Reply #74 on:** April 15, 2015, 09:58:48 PM »

Dear Blick, Herb, and WeatherCat impatient types . . . .

UPS, USPS, and the other "usual suspects" in the package delivery business have come and gone and no sign of the data logger still.

The tech guy I spoke with on Monday said they would ship in a day or two. I suppose in the worst case that would mean it would ship today. What has me more nervous is that Davis sent me status emails when I sent them in my ISS transmitter board. I haven't gotten any emails even if they have the old data logger already.

I'll wait until tomorrow morning to see if finally some status emails show up, otherwise it is time to give them another call to find out what gives . . . .

Still waitin' . . . . Edouard

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