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Which Weather Station should I buy?

For discussion of DIY weather equipment - sensors, accessories, improvements to existing kit etc
bar2d2
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun 17 Mar 2013 7:20 pm
Weather Station: WH1080
Operating System: Windows 8
Location: DK

Which Weather Station should I buy?

Post by bar2d2 »

My Fine Offset WH1080 didn't last long :( I did set it up in the spring and it had numerous connection problems and since a month there was no rain info anymore, the contact cable is heavily corroded... and it didn't even experience a winter.
Right now I cant get radio contact to it at all anymore... The mounting screws are also corroded. Not very reassuring for an outdoor device!

I am hooked on this weather station stuff and would like to buy something RELIABLE that works properly and will last. :roll:

Any quality recomendations? :geek:
User avatar
PaulMy
Posts: 3775
Joined: Sun 28 Sep 2008 11:54 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2 Plus 24-Hour FARS
Operating System: Windows8 and Windows10
Location: Komoka, ON Canada
Contact:

Re: Which Weather Station should I buy?

Post by PaulMy »

Davis VP2 or Vue :!:

Paul
Davis Vantage Pro2+
C1 www.komokaweather.com/komokaweather-ca
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmx/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmxwll/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www. komokaweather.com/cumulusmx4/index.htm

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timpars
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue 22 Oct 2013 6:41 am
Weather Station: WH1081
Operating System: Windows 7
Location: Suffolk UK

Re: Which Weather Station should I buy?

Post by timpars »

I am in a similar situation but cannot afford to go to the Davis stations. Is there a half way house that I could consider. Something better than the WH1081 but not as dear as the Davis kit?
RayProudfoot
Posts: 3372
Joined: Wed 06 May 2009 6:29 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2 with Daytime FARS
Operating System: Windows XP SP3
Location: Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, England
Contact:

Re: Which Weather Station should I buy?

Post by RayProudfoot »

The Davis Vantage Vue is cheaper than the VP2. Good quality components should ensure it gives you years of trouble-free service. Cheaper stations will ultimately cost more as they need replacing more often.

ProData charge a reasonable price for the Vue. http://www.weatherstations.co.uk/vue_intro.htm
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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timpars
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue 22 Oct 2013 6:41 am
Weather Station: WH1081
Operating System: Windows 7
Location: Suffolk UK

Re: Which Weather Station should I buy?

Post by timpars »

Ray

I appreciate your points, but right now I don't have £300 to invest in new kit. So I'll probably have to wait and see.

Thanks anyway

Tim. ;)
RayProudfoot
Posts: 3372
Joined: Wed 06 May 2009 6:29 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2 with Daytime FARS
Operating System: Windows XP SP3
Location: Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, England
Contact:

Re: Which Weather Station should I buy?

Post by RayProudfoot »

Hi Tim,

The problem is there isn't a decent station available between the Fine Offset series and Davis. I appreciate it's a big jump financially.
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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timpars
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue 22 Oct 2013 6:41 am
Weather Station: WH1081
Operating System: Windows 7
Location: Suffolk UK

Re: Which Weather Station should I buy?

Post by timpars »

Ray

Can you link the Davis kit to a PC running Cumulus without the Weatherlink data logger?

Tim.
RayProudfoot
Posts: 3372
Joined: Wed 06 May 2009 6:29 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2 with Daytime FARS
Operating System: Windows XP SP3
Location: Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, England
Contact:

Re: Which Weather Station should I buy?

Post by RayProudfoot »

timpars wrote:Ray

Can you link the Davis kit to a PC running Cumulus without the Weatherlink data logger?

Tim.
Sadly not Tim. But an alternative logger is available from a source in this forum. I haven't used it myself but if you search for belfryboy you can find out more.
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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ironeagleuk
Posts: 322
Joined: Wed 02 Dec 2009 8:42 pm
Weather Station: Maplins N96GY (Watson W-8681)
Operating System: Windows 7 Home
Location: Folkestone, Kent, UK
Contact:

Re: Which Weather Station should I buy?

Post by ironeagleuk »

Are the Oregons or Lacrosse a good alternative inbetween the Fine Offsets and Davis systems?
Last edited by ironeagleuk on Wed 30 Oct 2013 11:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
Richard

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steve
Cumulus Author
Posts: 26702
Joined: Mon 02 Jun 2008 6:49 pm
Weather Station: None
Operating System: None
Location: Vienne, France
Contact:

Re: Which Weather Station should I buy?

Post by steve »

I haven't seen a LaCrosse 'in the flesh', from a programming point of view I hate them. I get the impression that you are paying more than a Fine Offset for a similar quality of product.

My first station was an Oregon, I was quite pleased with it. One of my current test stations is a WMR200, and the build quality is notably higher than the Fine Offset that I own. I can't speak for accuracy and reliability etc as I don't have the sensors set up outside.
Steve
ironeagleuk
Posts: 322
Joined: Wed 02 Dec 2009 8:42 pm
Weather Station: Maplins N96GY (Watson W-8681)
Operating System: Windows 7 Home
Location: Folkestone, Kent, UK
Contact:

Re: Which Weather Station should I buy?

Post by ironeagleuk »

I am pondering on changing to an Oregon, so that I can have a pond temp sensor, but I doubt I'll change any time soon
Richard

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prodata
Posts: 317
Joined: Sat 05 Feb 2011 7:13 pm
Weather Station: VP2
Operating System: Windows - all flavours
Location: Littleport, East Cambs, UK

Re: Which Weather Station should I buy?

Post by prodata »

RayProudfoot wrote: Sadly not Tim. But an alternative logger is available from a source in this forum. I haven't used it myself but if you search for belfryboy you can find out more.
As far as I'm aware, there is no alternative logger that will work with the current so-called 'green-dot' versions of the Davis Vue and VP2 consoles (though they often no longer sport the green dots on the packs).

It's true that there are one or two dedicated hackers who have been able to find a way around the green-dot difficulties, but as far as I know these are simply proof-of-concept prototypes and not generally available. Rob might be able to provide an update, but to the best of my knowledge this remains the current situation - unless you're an expert hacker, a current Davis console will require a Davis Weatherlink logger to connect to a PC.
John Dann
Prodata Weather Systems
Littleport, East Cambs, UK
http://www.weatherstations.co.uk
RayProudfoot
Posts: 3372
Joined: Wed 06 May 2009 6:29 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2 with Daytime FARS
Operating System: Windows XP SP3
Location: Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, England
Contact:

Re: Which Weather Station should I buy?

Post by RayProudfoot »

Hi John,

Thanks for clearing up any confusion caused by my post. :oops:
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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prodata
Posts: 317
Joined: Sat 05 Feb 2011 7:13 pm
Weather Station: VP2
Operating System: Windows - all flavours
Location: Littleport, East Cambs, UK

Re: Which Weather Station should I buy?

Post by prodata »

RayProudfoot wrote:Hi John,

Thanks for clearing up any confusion caused by my post. :oops:
No need for the :oops: in the slightest. It remains a rather confusing and messy situation and I'm not 100% sure that I'm totally up-to-date, hence my caveat about Rob/Belfryboy possibly being more able to offer a definitive view.

But to the best of my knowledge the situation is as I stated, ie green-dot consoles (which covers all Davis consoles currently being manufactured) aren't compatible with readily available alternative loggers.
John Dann
Prodata Weather Systems
Littleport, East Cambs, UK
http://www.weatherstations.co.uk
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GraemeT
Posts: 312
Joined: Wed 21 Oct 2009 11:19 am
Weather Station: La Crosse WS-2355 & WS-2306
Operating System: Windoze 7, 10, 11
Location: Bayswater, Australia
Contact:

Re: Which Weather Station should I buy?

Post by GraemeT »

For what it's worth, I have 2 LaCrosse stations, a WS-2355 at home running faultlessly for 4 years now and a WS2306 at our holiday house, which has been in operation since January this year with so far, no problems.
I believe that if you can't afford a Davis then LaCrosse is a better choice than F.O. (I have one of them too, but it only lasted until the rain got into the thermo/hygro unit and it died).

The only 'gotcha' LaCrosse units have is the need of a 'real' serial port as they don't talk USB.

Cheers,
Cheers,
Graeme.
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