Time to stick my feet back in the weatherstation world again

[Feek]

Hi,

Apologies for what are probably very basic questions, I've not been here for about eight years (I see my now broken signature points to my old twitter account).

Some years ago I had a cheap and nasty weather station that spent most of the time not working.

I'd like to get something sorted out again now and am prepared to spend a bit more cash.

I'm looking at the Vantage Vue from weatherstations at £299 as it looks as though it'll do what I want and hopefully be a bit more reliable. Ideally I'd like to do what I did before, set up a website, something like my friend Paul's site here which keeps history, etc.

Realistically, do I have to use a Windows PC for this? If so, I assume the WeatherLink Windows USB package is essential?

Is weatherstations the best place in the UK to buy from?

Thanks.

[RayProudfoot]

Hi Feek. Welcome back. As a satisfied Davis owner for the last 11 years I would endorse your decision to buy that make. But consider the VP2 because it has more flexibility than the Vue such as separating the anemometer from the station. More cost of course. It all depends on how serious you want to get. ProData have a deal on at present. https://www.weatherstations.co.uk/

I still run a Windows netbook but there are alternatives these days such as Raspberry Pi. Cumulus MX is now the preferred software but some of us still run Cumulus 1. I'm sure others will offer their advice.

[ExperiMentor]

Unless you have a real need for the esoteric features which are possible with Davis Vantage Vue or VP2, I'd strongly suggest you spend MUCH less and buy an Ecowitt-based system. You can buy the whole system, well built and will last for years, for about the same cost as just the Davis gizmo that you need to connect a Davis to a computer.

Can be bought either direct from Ecowitt in the far east (watch out for import duty) http://www.ecowitt.com/weather_station/ . The GW1001 ($150) connects direct to the internet (and via Cumulus if you want) or the WH2910C ($170) has a colour console display which connects to the internet, but not to Cumulus. Or add a GW1000 ($36) to have both console and Cumulus connectivity. They sell a good range of other sensors too (lightning, soil temperature ...).

Or you can get a limited range of the same Ecowitt kit (which is made by long-established Fine Offset) under other brand names such as www.froggit.de , or Sainlogic from amazon.de . Ordering from Germany seems less problematic than from the far east (at least until we leave the EU). Just as an example, see viewtopic.php?f=42&t=17806 or viewtopic.php?f=40&t=18314&p=144968#p144968

If you want to run it through a local computer, Cumulus MX on a Raspberry Pi is the way to go, as it allows you to leave it running 24/7 with minimal electricity use.

[Feek]

Thanks both.

I've spent a bit more time looking around and one thing I've realised is that actually, all these stations do a lot more than I need.

I'm a radio ham and all I really need is wind speed and direction. I'd like to run Cumulus and am very happy to do that with a Pi but realistically, all I need is gauges for wind speed and direction and be able to embed them into my web site along with the history.

The gauges and the embedding are straightforward enough but finding the right hardware is the tricky point.

Ideally I don't want to spend more than a couple of hundred quid. It needs to be wireless and it needs to interface with a Pi4 which I already have. I don't actually need a console.

Do you have any suggestions please?

Thanks.

[water01]

Cumulus MX like Cumulus 1 needs a minimum number of sensors to run https://cumuluswiki.org/a/FAQ#Cumulus_i ... eb_uploads

It will will not run with just wind speed and direction.

[Feek]

Interesting, thanks.

If I used the NoSensorCheck=1 option and only had the wind speed/direction visible, would that work. I can accept bad data for anything else as I'm not interested in sensors I don't have.

[water01]

I think that would work, but I think the "bad readings" applies to all readings not just the ones not read, so the even the wind ones may be unreliable.

[ExperiMentor]

Ideally I don't want to spend more than a couple of hundred quid. It needs to be wireless and it needs to interface with a Pi4 which I already have. I don't actually need a console.

This fits the bill perfectly: http://www.ecowitt.com/weather_station/107.html one sensor module (with the sensors you want, and others you can just ignore if not interested, but their presence will satisfy Cumulus MX). No console and interfaces to Cumulus MX. $150.

[Feek]

Nope, that says it needs to be regularly maintained every three months. That won't happen, I just want something I can put up and forget about.

It really is looking like this is the package I'm after, is that correct?

?

[RayProudfoot]

Every weather station needs some maintenance. Removing leaves from inside the rain collector always needs doing. If they block the gauge no rainfall will be recorded.

[beteljuice]

Bangs for bucks Ecowitt is now front runner.
You say no maintenance = impossible (Unless you spend thousands, and then it still needs the occasional look over)
How are you going to power it ?

[Feek]

Also part of my problem with Ecowitt is that they’ve been linked to Fine Offset above who I believe were responsible for the garbage Maplin and Watson systems I’ve had before. Is Ecowitt any more reliable than those heaps of junk I’ve had previously?

The description says they should be cleaned every three months. The location I’m planning is 35ft up in the air on my ham radio mast that can go over a year without being lowered. The station I linked in the first part is never cleaned and that’s going well.

As for power - my understanding is that these systems are solar powered with battery backup.

If the best solution here is still considered the Ecowitt then that’s what I’ll go for but there’s no way it’s going to be cleaned every three months, that’s just not possible.

I’m not trying to be awkward, just working out what’s best for me.

Thanks.

[prodata]

It really is looking like this is the package I'm after, is that correct?

Couple of quick points if you were to go down the Davis route (which I'd recommend of course ):

That summer sale price will come to an end at some point soon. No final decision taken as yet as to date and it should be good at least until the end of August but uncertain once we get into September.

Second, remember that the USB logger is only one of several options available these days. USB still works perfectly well of course and is among the cheaper of the options, but other options have more features (eg WiFi connectivity) and potentially offer more future-proofing, like the Weatherlink Live unit. Here's a schematic that I've put together, which hopefully isn't too overwhelming for anyone unfamiliar with the current Davis options but feel free to fire back any questions:

logger options AA.jpg

NB It says 'VP2 ISS transmitter', but exactly the same options are available for a Vue station. More description of logger options available on our main site at: https://www.weatherstations.co.uk/pc_linkage.htm

[Feek]

Sorry to keep chopping and changing my plans.

I've now got some software running that hooks up to WeatherUnderground and will automatically keep my aerial pointing into the wind once the wind speed or gusts reach a certain level.

With that in mind, the Ecowitt GW1001 will do what I want and if the rain sensor packs up due to not being cleaned, it doesn't matter.

The GW1001 ($150) connects direct to the internet (and via Cumulus if you want)

Bangs for bucks Ecowitt is now front runner/

I've asked them for a quote including delivery but before I actually go ahead and pull the trigger... The GW1001 will talk directly to WU so that will give me the practical use.

If I do decide to go down the Cumulus path to add live wind speed/direction indicators and history on my web site, do I have to do it with CumulusMX or will the GW1001 work with the old version?

Again, sorry to keep messing around in here. It doesn't help that I've recently been made redundant so I'm doing this on a reduced budget now. If that hadn't happened, I'd probably have ordered the Davis already.

Thanks.

[mcrossley]

If I do decide to go down the Cumulus path to add live wind speed/direction indicators and history on my web site, do I have to do it with CumulusMX or will the GW1001 work with the old version?

The GW1000 only works with Cumulus MX.