Avon-Weather.com Celebrates One-Year Anniversary!

[wurzelmac]

 

Congrats.

[elagache]

Congratulations Steve! 

Cheers, Edouard 

[Steve]

Make that ten years...

 

[elagache]

Dear Steve and WeatherCat station caregivers,

Make that ten years...

Congratulations! 

Have you ever had to replace anything on your station?  If you haven't, your station would be one of the most durable in the WeatherCat family!

Keep up the good work!  

Cheers, Edouard 

[xairbusdriver]

Congratulations, Steve!! 👏 🎉 🎂

[Steve]

Thanks! Actually, I started using the Davis VP3+ with LWC on September 7. The web site debuted on September 11.

Edouard, I have changed batteries twice for the ISS and once each for the soil and anemometer transmitter. I've replaced the FARS fan twice with OEM parts before replacing the third one with a 120V computer fan. I replaced one bad soil moisture probe.

That's it! I do have a second rain collector cone, but it is the winter one with the reptile heater and insulation inside.

Meanwhile, I'm on the third iMac.

Back when it was shiny and new

[elagache]

Dear Steve, X-Air, and WeatherCat faithful,

Edouard, I have changed batteries twice for the ISS and once each for the soil and anemometer transmitter.

You make a very strong case for not replacing these batteries so frequently!  I suppose I should simply adjust my calendar to replace the ISS battery only every few years.

I've replaced the FARS fan twice with OEM parts before replacing the third one with a 120V computer fan.

The Davis FARS setup is really hard on their batteries and I assume they didn't use a particularly robust motor to reduce the load on the solar-battery setup.  If a station is located way out in the wilderness there is no alternative, but when 110 volt power is available - it sure keeps things simple!

I replaced one bad soil moisture probe.

If my memory serves me properly, didn't you get the moisture and leaf probe for free as part of a Davis "test drive" program?  If so, you can't complain too much about having to replace one probe!

Congratulations once more!  You station has held up very well!

Meanwhile, I'm on the third iMac.
. . . . .

*Sigh*, I've lost count, but I think I'm actually on my 4th Mac.  One was a refurbished model that didn't last very long.  It does suggest that Apple's business model is much more profitable than Davis Instruments! . . . 

Thanks for being part of our community all these years!   

Cheers, Edouard 

[Steve]

That's the third iMac since starting using LWC/WC and Avon-Weather.com in 2011. I think there have been five iMacs, one (maybe two?) tower, and one pizza box Mac since jumping from the Commodore VIC-20 to Apple.

The Soil Station was a PR kerfuffle. My memory is fuzzy, but I was contacted by a third party firm doing market research/advertising/marketing for Davis. They had Davis send me the Soil Station to use and write an article and reviews. Somewhere along the line (12-18 months or so later) I received an invoice for the full price, or a return shipping label; my choice. I contacted the PR firm, who had been dismissed by Davis and of was no help, and then I called Davis themselves.

Davis had the record of sending me a unit, but that's about it. No freebie, nor any discount offered, no article or review. Quite a bit of back and forth later, and I ended up purchasing it at wholesale cost, which was actually more than Ryan Wilhour's cost less shipping. So, no, not free...

[elagache]

Dear Steve and WeatherCatters with long if occasionally faulty memories,

The Soil Station was a PR kerfuffle. My memory is fuzzy, but I was contacted by a third party firm doing market research/advertising/marketing for Davis. They had Davis send me the Soil Station to use and write an article and reviews. Somewhere along the line (12-18 months or so later) I received an invoice for the full price, or a return shipping label; my choice. I contacted the PR firm, who had been dismissed by Davis and of was no help, and then I called Davis themselves.

Davis had the record of sending me a unit, but that's about it. No freebie, nor any discount offered, no article or review. Quite a bit of back and forth later, and I ended up purchasing it at wholesale cost, which was actually more than Ryan Wilhour's cost less shipping. So, no, not free...

Sorry to hear that this turned out to be something of a bait and switch situation for you.  That wasn't very nice of Davis to ask you to foot the whole bill for what was ultimately their own mistake.  After all, Davis hired that third-party firm, and it certainly wasn't your fault that you thought you were being given a legitimate offer.

It is of course water under the bridge, but I am glad that you explained what really happened.  At least all I remember of what was posted on the forum was the happiness of getting the freebee.  The truth is always better than faded memories!

Thanks again,

Cheers, Edouard

[Blicj11]

Thanks for all the help you've provided to the rest of us over the years, Steve. Congratulations on a decade.