Weatherlink Live / Airlink

[iandrews]

Hi,

After getting my solar / uv sensors up on a pole separate to the ISS I am now looking at a Weatherlink Live unit to replace the Relay Device I am currently using to trick the VP2 Console that they are still attached to the ISS.

Looking around, a couple of sites (including www.weatherstations.co.uk - Prodata) have it for £225. However I have also seen it on www.skyview.co.uk for £187.50, apart for a couple of mentions on this forum I haven't heard of them, anyone used them?

I am also thinking of getting a Airlink, www.weatherstations.co.uk seem to have the best price on that at the moment, also notice they have a even better price if getting 2. So, for people that have the Airlink, is anyone using one indoors and outdoors (or have you had one indoors and them moved it outdoors or vice versa) and do you get noticeably different readings (i.e. is it worth getting 2, or is 1 (either indoors or outdoors) enough).

Thanks,
Ian.

[mcrossley]

I have both a WLL and an AirLink. The WLL has proved very reliable, and the constant 2.5 second updates of wind data are much better than via the VP2 console.

I have set the AirLink up as an outdoor unit, I don't really have any interest in monitoring the AQ indoors as I do not have any major sources of concern.

My AirLink kept locking up between every 3-7 days, and needed a power cycle to restore it (the reset button would not bring it back to life). Eventually I moved it thinking the weakish WiFi signal it was getting (typically -70's to -80 dBm) may be the cause. The new position was within a couple of metres of the primary WiFi node (-30's dBm) but it locked up again after 3 hours! I then replaced the supplied PSU with an old phone charger, it has been running about 4-5 days now without a lockup (but too early to tell yet).

However I have noticed that it now reboots itself every couple of days. The reboot isn't so bad because it retains all its statistical data which is lost on a power cycle and you start again.

[iandrews]

Thanks for the feedback. Think I may go for the Weatherlink and 1 Airlink. While I'm "upgrading" my system, I have also seen that there is a new "spoon" type measurer for the rain gauge instead of the tipping bucket. Again, anyone using one. Generically my rain gauge is ok, but I do seem to miss some rain when there has only been say light drizzle or a quick shower. Not sure if I remember reading somewhere that either the VP2 console (or maybe Cumulus) doesn't count the 1st tip, because there is no way to tell how much was in the bucket so it's excluded. Can anyone confirm, and not sure if the spoon helps with that.

Ian.

[mcrossley]

Some mixed reviews on the spoon so far. Generally pretty accurate, but can be jammed by pine needles (as can the buckets).

The VP2 and Cumulus count every tip.

[PaulMy]

I have also seen that there is a new "spoon" type measurer for the rain gauge instead of the tipping bucket. Again, anyone using one.

I had problem with my original tipping bucket and recently replaced it with tipping spoon and very happy with it. Except in our freezing/snowing days, the tipping spoon has been very good. All 3 usually the same or 1 tip (0.2 mm) difference which I relate to location difference, being in a triangle about 20 feet from each other.

Enjoy,
Paul

[iandrews]

Some mixed reviews on the spoon so far. Generally pretty accurate, but can be jammed by pine needles (as can the buckets).

The VP2 and Cumulus count every tip.

Thanks, no pine trees near by, but there is a big sycamore tree. Really covered the lawn in pollen last spring, and of course the spiny helicopter seeds in the autumn.

I had problem with my original tipping bucket and recently replaced it with tipping spoon and very happy with it. Except in our freezing/snowing days, the tipping spoon has been very good. All 3 usually the same or 1 tip (0.2 mm) difference which I relate to location difference, being in a triangle about 20 feet from each other.

Enjoy,
Paul

Did you do any calibration of the spoon. Think I have read that you can get to a screw to adjust it and test it by dripping a know amount of water from say a plastic cup with a pin hole in the bottom.

I have now ordered all 3 items (WWL, Airlink, Spoon) from Prodata (www.weatherstations.co.uk) and have to say very good service from them, with a little extra discount. So highly recommended.

[PaulMy]

Hi Ian,
Those are the same items I ordered from an equivalent very good North America vendor, Scaled Instruments, as I am in Canada.
I've had some communication with Prodata on their published literature, and agree they are very good and helpful!

No, I did not do any calibration. The results seem to be very good compared to the CoCoRaHS.
Debris is not a problem here, just need to check the cone now and then.

Enjoy,
Paul

[Mapantz]

I ditched the upgraded spoon tipper and went back to the see-saw tipper. After 6 months of use it started reading far too high compared to my other gauges, and silly rain rates. The shop carried out a test, and they claimed it was under-reading. Absolutely no way it was..