Upgrade hardware - what should I buy, and why?

[MrBodil]

I've got a Fine offset WH1081 (Jenkinsbird weather pro) as a birthdaygift in 2009. It has brought me much joy, especially being able to present everything on a website.
Now, I think it's time to upgrade a few steps, and I wonder which station I should buy, and why?

It must show metric values​​, obviously be linked to the pc as is, ready to use Cumulus software, and of course I want to be able to present my weather on my website. It may well be as wireless as possible between the sensors and the main unit, and I want the UV / solar radiation sensor.
How about Oregon's last station WMR300? Or is it Davis I should look for? The price should not exceed £ 500/$ 800/600 €
Thanks in advance!
/ / Magnus

[steve]

I don't think you're going to get anything better than the Fine Offset station with solar sensors for that price (although there may be stations that don't work with Cumulus that I don't know about). Even the WMR300 is just above your limit without the solar sensors. And it doesn't work with Cumulus.

There's the WMR200, but that only has an optional UV sensor, it doesn't measure solar radiation.

[MrBodil]

I can get WMR300 for $ 640 and the Davis Vantage Vue ™ for $ 400, but that includes no sensors for uv / solar radiation?
So, if I want to have a reliable system WITH UV / solar sensor and wireless, what should I look for?

[PaulMy]

Davis VP2 Plus

But unfortunately at a much higher cost,

Paul

[SpaceWalker]

Indeed, as Paul indicated, if you want a reliable semi-professional weather station, then you will need to allocate more money.

In my 10+ years of being involved with weather related activities, the only weather station I recommend is the Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Plus (which includes high quality UV and Solar Radiation sensors) - I have been using a Vantage Pro2 Plus for the past 7+ years with no problem whatsoever - I got what I paid for, quality and reliability.

Does Sweden have the same restrictions as the UK (such as for the transmitter frequency)? If not, you might want to look at purchasing a Vantage Pro2 Plus from North America where a Wireless Vantage Pro2 Plus can be obtained for about $665/€565.

[MrBodil]

Indeed, as Paul indicated, if you want a reliable semi-professional weather station, then you will need to allocate more money.

In my 10+ years of being involved with weather related activities, the only weather station I recommend is the Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Plus (which includes high quality UV and Solar Radiation sensors) - I have been using a Vantage Pro2 Plus for the past 7+ years with no problem whatsoever - I got what I paid for, quality and reliability.

Does Sweden have the same restrictions as the UK (such as for the transmitter frequency)? If not, you might want to look at purchasing a Vantage Pro2 Plus from North America where a Wireless Vantage Pro2 Plus can be obtained for about $665/€565.

Thanks for your replies!
I dont know (yet) if there are some restrictions about the frequency, but i guess there is. Unfortunately it seems that the frequency is not the biggest problem, but more of the measuring unit, ie, us standard, inch , etc., and not metric, or it does not matter for such Cumulus software?
Maybe it's different depending on the retailer, but Scientific Sales sells only with us measurement standard. Who else sells in us or uk?
Daviss own site sell ofcourse, but much more expensive, about 300 $.

[PaulMy]

Who else sells in us or uk?

Looks like you've already done some searches, and a couple mentioned in here http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=16948.0 I bought my Davis and just set it up as metric and used the little metric rain adaptor that was included.

Paul

[SpaceWalker]

Unfortunately it seems that the frequency is not the biggest problem, but more of the measuring unit, ie, us standard, inch , etc., and not metric, or it does not matter for such Cumulus software?

Unfortunately, for users outside North America, the transmitting frequency is the major obstacle/problem!

You have misread the online information - the Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 (and its less expensive partner, the Vantage Vue) can be set to display/produce data in both the metric or the imperial formats.

The Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 specifications displayed/stated on most online web sites (resellers) will be provided in the imperial format (oh, by the way, there is no such thing as a US standard).

That the online specifications for a weather station be displayed/stated in the imperial format does not mean the said weather station cannot operate with the metric format - almost all weather stations are produced in Asia where the metric format is the standard.

Living in Canada, my Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Plus (with UV and solar radiation sensors) has been displaying and producing weather data strictly in the metric format.

Over the years, I bought my weather equipment from 3 north american online resellers, one of which I am going to reference below (the other two have proven to be slightly more expensive and not as customer friendly):

• Archer Trading Post (Ryan Wilhour)
  • Gainesville, Florida, USA
  • http://www.archertradingpost.com/
  • Ryan is one of the most friendly person - and quite knowledgeable

If you are serious about purchasing a well built and reliable semi-professional weather station, then the Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Plus and the required Davis Instruments Weatherlink Datalogger (the serial port or USB version) are the instruments/products you should invest in.

[beelzebubs]

Indeed, as Paul indicated, if you want a reliable semi-professional weather station, then you will need to allocate more money.

In my 10+ years of being involved with weather related activities, the only weather station I recommend is the Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Plus (which includes high quality UV and Solar Radiation sensors) - I have been using a Vantage Pro2 Plus for the past 7+ years with no problem whatsoever - I got what I paid for, quality and reliability.

Does Sweden have the same restrictions as the UK (such as for the transmitter frequency)? If not, you might want to look at purchasing a Vantage Pro2 Plus from North America where a Wireless Vantage Pro2 Plus can be obtained for about $665/€565.

Thanks for your replies!
I dont know (yet) if there are some restrictions about the frequency, but i guess there is. Unfortunately it seems that the frequency is not the biggest problem, but more of the measuring unit, ie, us standard, inch , etc., and not metric, or it does not matter for such Cumulus software?
Maybe it's different depending on the retailer, but Scientific Sales sells only with us measurement standard. Who else sells in us or uk?
Daviss own site sell ofcourse, but much more expensive, about 300 $.

Magnus

If you order from outside EU and your package get stuck in the Swedish custom (tullen) you have to pay some extra cost for your weather station and it will not be cheap any more. I can't say that wetterladen is cheapest but their prices is low.

I have order accessories form the and it was no problems at all.
http://www.wetterladen.de/wetter-messge ... rstationen

/Kenneth

[N0BGS]

Magnus:

Check this link: http://www.scientificsales.com/ProductD ... e=6162&e=Y

Don't know about shipping, customs, etc, but that is a very good price.

--Kurt

[AllyCat]

Hi,

Unfortunately, 902 - 928 Mz (spread spectrum) is not a legal frequency band in Europe.

When purchasing goods outside Europe, you should assume that you will have to pay VAT (over 20% for Sweden?), Import Duty (not normally too much), the Shipping agents collection fee (sometimes frightening for low-value items) and of course shipping/insurance itself.

Add that to the need for the software/logger card (to connect to a PC) and you might not see any change from $1000 (or even Euros) and still not be allowed to use the wireless link.

Cheers, Alan.

[MrBodil]

Thanks for all the detailed replies. This is a jungle, and I actually got to experience this with the customs charges the other day when my wife received a package from Hard Rock Café USA worth 38$. We had to pay additional VAT and shipping charges even though everything was already paid. Its the first time this happend. My wife have ordered several times from US and Asia with no extra charges from the customs..
Probably hard to get the Swedish customs to believe that a weather station is a gift with value around 10-20 $ ...

About the frequency:
902-928Mhz is illegal in the EU because it is used for mobile telephony, I was told by the Swedish Post and Telecommunications Board.

Well, we will see where this will end. I want a new station, with UV radiation/Solar, but not for $ 1500-2500 (€ 1100-1800)..

[PaulMy]

902-928Mhz is illegal in the EU because it is used for mobile telephony, I was told by the Swedish Post and Telecommunications Board.

It may well be as wireless as possible between the sensors and the main unit

If you could compromise on the wireless then the frequency issue is gone, and a USA/Canada purchase could reduce your cost.

Paul

[nitrx]

Buy anolog stuff not sure about the UV

[AllyCat]

Hi,

Personally, the first thing I would forgo is the UV sensor. IMHO it's a very "difficult" (hence expensive) measurement to make (accurately) and I have doubts about its usefulness in Northern Europe, or even the Northern Hemisphere (unless perhaps if you're a pig farmer). I'm fairly sure that, at least with the lower-priced stations, it's purely a "marketing" decision to "tick all the boxes", rather than producing any worthwhile data.

What do you expect it to give that your local Met. station doesn't report (assuming that they even consider UV worth measuring)?

Cheers, Alan.