Is a Davis Vantage Vue a good move?

[islander]

One of the members on here (Belfryboy) makes an alternative to the Davis interface cable that's significantly cheaper. He can also produce a wireless version that enables the console and PC to be separate. I've recently bought the wireless version for my Vantage Pro 2 console (my console is downstairs and my PC upstairs) and I can say that the build quality is superb.

[JohnF]

One of the members on here (Belfryboy) makes an alternative to the Davis interface cable that's significantly cheaper.

Wish I had known about that before as the Davis logger is expensive for what it is.
Thanks anyway.
John

[robynfali]

Well, I have taken the plunge and ordered this morning station and logger for 380, so no complaints there.

Does it come with davies software? And if so, can you run that alongside cumulus?

[JohnF]

Hi Rob
You will not regret it if my early experience is anything to go by. The whole thing is quality and works very well.
Yes it comes with Weatherlink, Davis software and I run one or the other, not both at the same time.
Enjoy.
John

[duke]

Well, I have taken the plunge and ordered this morning station and logger for 380, so no complaints there.

Does it come with davies software? And if so, can you run that alongside cumulus?

As you have purchased the logger then it will come with WL software. In most cases WL does not like 'playing' with Cumulus using VVP. Having said that, others do have this set up successfully working. IMO, use WL to set up the station then turn it off and just use Cumulus.

[robynfali]

Fair enough, cheers, no doubt I will be asking for advice whilst setting it up lol

[PaulMy]

And I presume a Davis Weatherlink datalogger, which comes with Davis Weatherlink software. When you have run it with WL to set up the station and take a peek at what WL has to offer you will quickly move on to Cumulus WL does have some nice graphs, and as I started out with WL some 6 years ago before I found Cumulus I run WL twice a month for a few minutes to download the datalogger in WL so as I can maintain the data in WL, then shut it down and restart Cumulus. And like what duke said, I had found that WL and VVP did not get along well on my Windows 8 causing many stoppages so abandoned VPP.

Enjoy,
Paul

[VTHokie74]

I have been using an Ambient WS 1090 for 3 years that just stopped communicating at all on the USB port. I am looking at upgrading to a Davis VP2. Do I need anything besides the station to connect to a PC and put the station on WU? Do I have to buy Weatherlink software or will Cumulus connect directly with the VP2?

[PaulMy]

With the Davis stations you must purchase as an extra a datalogger (can be any one of USB, serial, or IP versions) to connect the console to a computer, or to a router if you get the Davis WeatherlinkIP version. The Davis Weatherlink package comes with the Weatherlink datalogger hardware, and also the Weatherlink software at no extra cost. You do not need to actually use the Weatherlink software and can run Cumulus instead, but the Weatherlink software is handy to initially set up the station (making sure it is set up as serial even if you have the USB version), make sure it is working, and to change the datalogger interval whenever you might wish to do that.

Once you have the station connected to the computer then programs like Cumulus can upload to WU and to several other sites such as PWS, WOW, CWOP, WeatherBug, and your own website.

Having said that, there are third-party dataloggers that some persons sell at a less cost than the Davis.

Enjoy,
Paul

[VTHokie74]

PaulMy

Thank you for the informative reply!