New User Questions Please

[babis3g]

Hi ... new to weather stations in general, with only some basic infos, and a user of 4 years (yeap still works great) of a maplin fine offset Code: N25FR
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/professional- ... ntre-n25fr

Thinking to upgrade after so many years with the next up model which is USB Code: N96FY & using the vouchers can be cheaper
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/silver-usb-wi ... ster-n96fy

My first question before spending your time with the next ones is:
Can i upload data using culumus software without having my pc ON?
I have looked at FQA and it says culumus collects data only from the PC, done a quick search but can not find any info
i have a draytek 2830n with one usb or an asus N55U with 2 usb, if helps

If not possible this products item from maplin to run data with the PC off, is any alternative software (example the default easyweather) or ...
any similar but an other brand weather station around this price that can do it?

Thanks for time answering my query

[steve]

Cumulus can't do anything while your PC is off, it is Windows software which runs on a PC. If your PC is off, Windows is not running and therefore Cumulus is not running.

A Fine Offset station cannot upload to the internet. It needs something else running and connected to it to perform that task for it. That 'something else' can be a PC running Cumulus or some other software, or it can be some other device running some other software (e.g. Pywws on a Raspberry Pi, or a Meteohub, or any other similar solution).

[babis3g]

Thanks for fast respond, will do some more search to none offset weather stations (at the mo i am aware of the davis)
if someone knows an alternative solution is welcome

Does any other user managed to use if with any 3rd party software for uploading data with the pc off? meteohub looks it can do it indeed (thanks for that info) & they have right now Free Evaluation Version

Is better to get this (maplin offset unit & meteohub) combination or get a none offset unit around the maplin price? so in general terms: weather station from maplin & purchase of meteohub licence for uploading data? is worthed it ... or any other model/brand of None offset is better? ... it just the previous model of maplin have served me (& still does) well for 4 years, is kind of trusty has survived with high winds, batteries lasted about 2 years, never any part broke apart the rain gauge needs clean over long period but just not usb

Thanks again ... any opinion as i am new is welcome

[philcdav]

Hi.

Steve explained the answer very well.

I am wondering why you would want to buy a server hardware and possibly software to use it, total cost 150 Euro plus, when you could do all this with the weather station and Cumulus for FREE.

Make a donation of 20 Euro per year for 10 years to make yourself feel good too

[babis3g]

Hi.

Steve explained the answer very well.

I am wondering why you would want to buy a server hardware and possibly software to use it, total cost 150 Euro plus, when you could do all this with the weather station and Cumulus for FREE.

Make a donation of 20 Euro per year for 10 years to make yourself feel good too

thank you for the respond ... the reason i am thinking spending some money (not that i want too - of course is better to add some for donation) is because i am new and as far i am aware for wonderground or any other site it needs always the pc on? i dont have any other server or android or iphone (a symbian 701) ... is any other way you are aware i can do it with my pc off still display the data on line? i don't mind if the live data is updated every 2,5,10 or 30 minutes ... thanks

[babis3g]

Hi Update

as new user with this weather technology after some more search, i was just about to end with a Oregon Scientific LW301 was almost hlf price right now from maplin which sends direct the data to the internet but the reviews stopped me .. finally ordered a used item copy ws-1080 from maplin at a good price to start with (remember i had the previous model without usb for 4 years which served me well & still does) and is on the way down here in Greece, so some time will need to arrive and set

Will use the Culumus software perhaps with an 8 years old laptop as server for always on as long has life or in the worst case the pc i am using right now the times is switched on

I also have find out this raspberry pi seems promising .. not sure if i can post the link in here but a user did find an image and has maked a small weather station with it (pi & ws 1080) & uploading his data on the web ...
as new not sure yet if pi will work with windows but i keep searching infos and hope (because i am not programmer) some developers will make it work so we can just get a program where can upload the data without pc

Thanks will update after some time when the new weather station arrives and is been set

[tumutbound]

As long as your laptop runs XP and has a USB port you should have no problem running Cumulus.

Windows will not run on the Raspberry PI. There are a number of packages available to upload data from a Fine Offset weather station - but none as good as Cumulus. It's the only reason I still have an XP installation.

[babis3g]

As long as your laptop runs XP and has a USB port you should have no problem running Cumulus.

Windows will not run on the Raspberry PI. There are a number of packages available to upload data from a Fine Offset weather station - but none as good as Cumulus. It's the only reason I still have an XP installation.

ohhhh ... Thanks for reply
Do you think/believe once is not possible with windows if is any chance in the future for the pi (what ever OS is using) to upload direct data to the router? (perhaps something like meteohub? which bypass the pc)

Yes it is an old Dell XP laptop updated to SP3 with USB 1.1 & will use it only to monitor or control the weather station when needs
My guess is the ws 1080 connected to laptop then to the router 2830n or if it helps better i can swap it (is in my stock just the draytek has better compatibility with the line) with an asus N55U which has many options for usb service center such, ftp, media share, icloud etc ... so do i need to set the router with DMZ for protection once the station & laptop will run direct to the router???

Also thanks for time but is any way to spent little more please to mention by pm some packages with very short of words so i can see my other options?

Thank you

EDIT
Is this option any helpful for the weather station? Aicloud
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgIAfG5ZhPs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-fcxZbn7mw

by the way maplin after one day ordered the station is already delivered just now at my mate in the uk wowowow maplin (the free post was to be expected with in 2-3 days)
Now my mate will send it the week after down here because maplin is not posting in the EU as far i know

[Grant]

Hello i have been monitoring weather in cape town South Africa for 6 years and now have a weather station but want to make a controller to catch the wire less info sent to the PC does anyone have info on it?

I have worked out how to wire the wind speed and wind direction hard wired into a controller but also want temp and humidity and pressure any info is appreciated.

if i get it all done my weather station will run one normal and the second on a GSM so i can send a sms and get into to my phone

Regards
Grant

[babis3g]

Hi & thanks ALL for the help, my fisrt weather station at PWS & Culumus
Is not going to be always on, so if no data try later & is updating every 10 min at the moment
http://www.pwsweather.com/obs/DOUKADES.html

EDIT
http://www.wunderground.com/personal-we ... =IPELOPON9

[uncle_bob]

Hello i have been monitoring weather in cape town South Africa for 6 years and now have a weather station but want to make a controller to catch the wire less info sent to the PC does anyone have info on it?

Hi Grant,
Werk_AG has made a wireless weather station that sends data over 433MHz to Receiver(s) that hook up to Cumulus.
This may be what you are looking for.

I've built one Transmitter unit and two receivers (one for my Cumulus server and one for my desk). They work very well, a lot better than the Fine offset setup. It uses the fine offset sensors but replaces the Fine offset TX and RX units.

See this link for more information....

http://www.meteocercal.info/forum/Threa ... Duino-Pro2

Cheers UB

[babis3g]

Hi again, Culumus working good with the W7, did not notice any issues but once i started the thread for few questions i have two more please
-The Current (down last) which has a box for writing/typing what is for?
- At the forecast when having incorrect prediction (example says showery but is sunny) how i change it? is this possible?

Thanks

[steve]

-The Current (down last) which has a box for writing/typing what is for?

See the help for the main screen: "At the bottom right hand corner is a 'Current Conditions' text box, which is invisible until turned on with the option in the display settings. A description of the current conditions can be entered here, and the web tag <#currcond> will be replaced by this text if used in a web page processed by Cumulus. If a file called 'currentconditions.txt' exists in the same directory as the Cumulus executable, the contents of this file will be used for the web tag instead, and at the time the web tag is processed, the current conditions box will be updated with the contents of the file. The file will be deleted if the text in the current conditions box is modified, either by being edited, or as a result of the file being used in the processing of the <#currcond> web tag"

- At the forecast when having incorrect prediction (example says showery but is sunny) how i change it? is this possible?

See the FAQ -http://wiki.sandaysoft.com/a/FAQ#Cumulu ... t_wrong.21

[babis3g]

Nice to have the option giving manually the current forecast status
Thank You for your time, so far all good

[babis3g]

- At the forecast when having incorrect prediction (example says showery but is sunny) how i change it? is this possible?

Thanks

Just a report
After setting close (adjust) at station settings>pressure extremes (based from other nearby stations according with their year stats) ... for over a month i am using culumus, the Zambretti Forecaster for my loaction works fairly well even for raining or sunny days Thanks for the feature