Cumulus Support

I've had my wh1080 clas olhson model for about 4 years now and the console has finally given up (data errors to cumulus and pywws). Given that it was a clas olhson model I assumed it was 868mhz and so I managed to get a 2nd hand console from ebay to replace it. It has 868mhz stamped on the battery cover however its not picking up anything from the transmitter. The only difference I can see between the 2 is that the original clas olhson console is white and has a blue background light whereas the ebay console is grey with green background light.

Any ideas as to why it won't pickup from the transmitter?

Not only are there two frequency variants, afaik over time FO have also implemented different versions of the radio protocol too. Unless you buy a matched pair of transmitter/receiver, or spare specific to your console its going to be pot luck if they will work together or not. Sorry.

Thanks for the reply - I thought this might be the case.

I'm wondering if I get a new transmitter it might work?. I've located these two, however I'm not sure which is correct for the 'green background light' console

https://www.radioworld.co.uk/w-8681_wea ... i-pass-16b

https://www.radioworld.co.uk/w-8681_wea ... ii-pass-14

Is there anyway of identifying which might be correct?

https://cumulus.hosiene.co.uk/viewtopic.p ... 68#p128824 and https://cumulus.hosiene.co.uk/viewtopic.p ... 29#p104531
That does not answer your question, but is still worth reading, there must be other topics that talk about the different protocols, as somewhere or other AllyCat talks about the green and blue; and the date when protocols changed.

Hi,

Yes, Clas Ohlson appear to have been one of the last suppliers to change to the "new" wireless protocol, I think at the same time as the blue backlight was introduced.

Note that although it is quite "easy" to receive and decode the "new" OOK protocol (e.g. with a Raspberry Pi or PICaxe, etc.), I've never had any success receiving signals from the old protocol (e.g. Maplin prior to 2012) because it appears to use quite complex features of a dedicated FSK receiver chip.

Unfortunately it seems to be almost impossible to identify the transmitters from the outside. "Mk II" seems the more likely, the 8681 suggests 868 MHz and 1080 indicates the Radio Controlled Clock version (the 1081 like Maplin has no RCC). However the 1080/81 transmitters and Consoles (and to some extent the Solar versions) can be considered interchangeable (except obviously no RCC or Solar feature unless both support it).

You might also try Waters and Stanton as they are radio "experts", but they do appear to be more expensive.

Cheers, Alan.

edwardandtubs wrote:I've located these two ... Watson 8681-HTT MKII Pass 16B ... Watson 8681-HTT MKII Pass 14

AllyCat wrote: "Mk II" seems the more likely,

Since both the Watson transmitters in your links include "Mark II" in the description, I will try to add a suggestion to Ally Cat's reply, see if this topic helps https://cumulus.hosiene.co.uk/viewtopic.p ... 86#p127886 you to find an identifier. Malcolm has a Maplin using 433 MHz, but maybe something similar applies to Chas Ohlson 868 MHz.

I write as someone vaguely interested, as I considered copying Malcolm fairly recently as my thermistor and hydrometer failed on an old protocol transmitter. In the end I decided to buy a whole new station, moving from Maplin 433 to Chas Ohlson 868 (despite caution found elsewhere on this forum saying radio controlled models had more problems), and now use the new Chas Ohlson transmitter with my existing Maplin sensors (the wind sensors have been customised and do not match standard ones).
In past with earlier wind sensor failures I have tried to replace parts, but with Maplin closing I made the judgement to swap makes and gain some further spares by buying a whole new station.

Thanks for your contributions so far. I've taken the transmitter off and had a look at it. On the battery cover it has Model No: WH14C.

From your suggestions, am I right in thinking that to get the 'green light' console working I need a 'Watson 8681-HHT Pass 14' transmitter?.

edwardandtubs wrote:am I right in thinking that to get the 'green light' console working I need a 'Watson 8681-HHT Pass 14' transmitter?

Short answer - I have no idea how you work out which is right transmitter when you get it from a third party, which is partly why I did not buy just a transmitter.

Chas Ohlson themselves offer spare parts - if I read it right you want https://www.clasohlson.com/uk/Transmitt ... Parts=true for the grey framed green backlight and you have to hope thay do have some stock somewhere.

Chas Ohlson do stock the transmitter for the white plastic with blue backlight https://www.clasohlson.com/uk/Transmitt ... Parts=true and they sell both old and new consoles as spare parts.

Longer answer - The limit of my knowledge is what is in that post I quoted last time. Your transmitter says 14C, Malcolm said

malc-c wrote:There are two variants in the 433 Mhz range, pass 7 and pass 14. You should be able to identify what protocol yours is via a small green label inside the battery compartment. If this is missing, then check the PCB in the sender as most have the version written on them in marking pen. Mine had 14B written on it.

If (as it appears to me ) he bought the pass 14 model then that was for his 433 Mhz and so that is NOT what you want. I am only guessing, but it may be that Radio World don't do a 868MHz model. You could contact the shop and ask as Malcolm did

malc-c wrote:eventually came across one shop that stocked replacement transmitters for the Watson WH1080 and similar units. I described the board, the markings on the crystal and that it had a 14B in marker pen scribbled on it, which was all the info he needed.

Hi,

edwardandtubs wrote:am I right in thinking that to get the 'green light' console working I need a 'Watson 8681-HHT Pass 14' transmitter?.

AFAIK no, not if the Green Light Console has a "grey" surround. That appears to be the old "Pass 7" protocol, but your photo shows a "Pass 14" transmitter. I have an "old protocol" Clas Ohlson transmitter which indeed does have a green label marked "Pass 7". Unfortunately, I have several transmitters and the battery covers tend to get swapped around (IMHO a rather daft place to print the type number).

If you can open the transmitter (again old transmitters used to have a glued case whilst more recent versions use only moulded plastic clips), the old versions have a "real" SMD RF integrated circuit (can't remember the number offhand) whilst later versions have a COB (Chip On Board) underneath a "black blob" of epoxy.

It appears that Clas Ohlson describe the "old" transmitter protocol is for a "Grey" console (with green backlight?) but the spare part is "Obsolete", whilst the "new" transmitter is for a "white" console (with a blue backlight?) and is currently "Out Of Stock".

The other thing that I'm reasonably confident about is that Maplin's have always been 434 MHZ and Clas Ohlson's always 868 MHz, but that "8681" (like 1080/81) appears to cover a multitude of sins.

Cheers, Alan.