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anemo and wind direction stopped when snow started 17 Jan

Discussion specific to Davis weather stations
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sacmac
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri 14 Sep 2012 6:48 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2
Operating System: winxp
Location: London
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anemo and wind direction stopped when snow started 17 Jan

Post by sacmac »

I suspect this may be a hardware issue, so apologies if I am hijacking a software forum with irrelevant issues - but... I would welcome any ideas on "stuck" wind readings.
The VP2 anemo and wind vane are set on a 5m pole on the school roof. All worked fine since installation (summer 2012) but wind speed and direction readings "froze" yesterday just 20 minutes after the UK snow started- coincidence? I have yet to go and check at school (a walk though snow) but wondered if you had any hunches as to the cause. I guess it must be a wireless transmitter issue because BOTH wind speed and direction have stopped. Maybe the snow has caused problems with wireless transmission (it was never a strong signal) - does snow reduce wireless transmission from these units? The batteries were OK last time I checked. Oddly, the readings are now stuck constantly at SE and 4mph: they didn't zero.
any help much appreciated - I'll go in later this morning and do some checks but would appreciate some helpful tips from anyone who might have experienced similar problems.
many thanks!
http://www.rgsweather.wordpress.com
I run our school weather station in Reigate, Surrey, UK ... http://www.rgsweather.wordpress.com
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: anemo and wind direction stopped when snow started 17 Ja

Post by RayProudfoot »

I doubt it's down to the temperature. My anemometer and transmitter have survived -11C. You should check for snow ingress into the transmitter box when able.

You can also use the diagnostics screen on the console to check reception quality. If it's borderline then falling snow may have affected the signal. The VP2 manual maintenance and troubleshooting section will help you interpret the info.
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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sacmac
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri 14 Sep 2012 6:48 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2
Operating System: winxp
Location: London
Contact:

Re: anemo and wind direction stopped when snow started 17 Ja

Post by sacmac »

Many thanks for your help. I managed to get in and check it, which obviously would have been sensible before posting for help :roll: ! Anyhow, for the record: it appears that the fresh snow on the roof of the awning attached to the building where the console is located (big school classroom "hut") was causing a complete loss of signal from the anemo transmitter to the VP2 console unit. It worked previously for months, until the snow arrived. The roof in question is a slanted awning outside the office where the console is located: it is covered in 8 cm of snow. This snow appears to have stopped the signal. When I reposition the console unit to have a clearer line of sight "below" the roof angle it picks up a good signal again and works. Thanks for replying, I am glad it is nothing more technical.
I run our school weather station in Reigate, Surrey, UK ... http://www.rgsweather.wordpress.com
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: anemo and wind direction stopped when snow started 17 Ja

Post by RayProudfoot »

Glad it was such a simple problem to resolve.

Nice to see schools taking an active interest in the weather. Your school may be nurturing the next Michael Fish! :D :D
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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gemini06720
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Joined: Mon 10 Aug 2009 10:16 pm
Weather Station: No weather station
Operating System: No operating system
Location: World...

Re: anemo and wind direction stopped when snow started 17 Ja

Post by gemini06720 »

RayProudfoot wrote:Nice to see schools taking an active interest in the weather. Your school may be nurturing the next Michael Fish!
Ray, have a look at this canadian product: School-Based Weather Station Network and their About page - discover that the school-based weather network has been in operation for some years and groups a fairly large number of schools.

The nice thing about the network is that it (mainly) consists of Davis Vantage Pro2 Plus weather stations... ;)

For the past 3-4 years, I have had regular contacts/presentations with the teachers and students of the Quamichan Middle School, one of the local school part of the School-Based Weather Station Network.
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: anemo and wind direction stopped when snow started 17 Ja

Post by RayProudfoot »

Thanks Ray. I think it's great so many schools have a weather station. Clearly it's something that the pupils find interesting.

Of course in these days of automated stations none of the pupils have to go out in all weathers to measure the rainfall. That might dampen their enthusiasm! :lol:

Well done to you too for promoting the hobby! :clap:
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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gemini06720
Posts: 1700
Joined: Mon 10 Aug 2009 10:16 pm
Weather Station: No weather station
Operating System: No operating system
Location: World...

Re: anemo and wind direction stopped when snow started 17 Ja

Post by gemini06720 »

RayProudfoot wrote:Of course in these days of automated stations none of the pupils have to go out in all weathers to measure the rainfall. That might dampen their enthusiasm!
Well, this 'modern generation' of students certainly do not have to go outside to see if it is raining or to take the rain measurements ... what is interesting thought it that all student at the Quamichan Middle School (local school) can view (although not touch) the Vantage Pro2 console (placed in a public area) - during my last visit, I was really surprised the number of students consulting that console on a regular basis during the school hours... :roll:
water01
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Re: anemo and wind direction stopped when snow started 17 Ja

Post by water01 »

Just had to free mine up, liberal dose of WD40 and its away again.
David
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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: anemo and wind direction stopped when snow started 17 Ja

Post by RayProudfoot »

gemini06720 wrote:what is interesting thought it that all student at the Quamichan Middle School (local school) can view (although not touch) the Vantage Pro2 console (placed in a public area) - during my last visit, I was really surprised the number of students consulting that console on a regular basis during the school hours... :roll:
I can understand why there wouldn't be allowed to touch the console but I hope the teachers display the appropriate data for the time of year. For example I've just enabled wind chill during this cold spell but will switch it off when it warms up.
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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sacmac
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri 14 Sep 2012 6:48 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2
Operating System: winxp
Location: London
Contact:

Re: anemo and wind direction stopped when snow started 17 Ja

Post by sacmac »

Thanks for the interesting extended discussion. Most impressed with all your weather sites: Vancouver network - awesome videos and links. I love the temperature maps. A weather network sounds like an impossible dream :) - would be good for SE England, though.
May I ask how you generate your rectangular weather site graphics which accompany each post here?
I run our school weather station in Reigate, Surrey, UK ... http://www.rgsweather.wordpress.com
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: anemo and wind direction stopped when snow started 17 Ja

Post by RayProudfoot »

sacmac wrote:May I ask how you generate your rectangular weather site graphics which accompany each post here?
Kevin at TNET Weather in the US has kindly provided the code and instructions. You can find everything here. http://cumulus.tnetweather.com/projects/phpggbanner
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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sacmac
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri 14 Sep 2012 6:48 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2
Operating System: winxp
Location: London
Contact:

Re: anemo and wind direction stopped when snow started 17 Ja

Post by sacmac »

thank you for your help!
I run our school weather station in Reigate, Surrey, UK ... http://www.rgsweather.wordpress.com
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PaulMy
Posts: 3777
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
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Re: anemo and wind direction stopped when snow started 17 Ja

Post by PaulMy »

Fortunately I have not experienced any communication issue as a result of snow, or anything else.

Very good site you have there. I presume student involvement has much to do by the interest of their teacher?
Please note: we do not have a sunshine recorder yet so our sunshine hours will always appear as 0W/m²!
You may need to talk to Ole at http://www.sunrecorder.net/

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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sacmac
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri 14 Sep 2012 6:48 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2
Operating System: winxp
Location: London
Contact:

Re: anemo and wind direction stopped when snow started 17 Ja

Post by sacmac »

Many thanks for the tip on sun recorders Paul.
Simon
I run our school weather station in Reigate, Surrey, UK ... http://www.rgsweather.wordpress.com
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