Station Upgrade

[iandrews]

Hi, my dad is running a Fine Offset station from Maplins (about 10 years old), and he says the console is starting to get a bit flaky. With Christmas (and his birthday) coming up, it may be the perfect time to get him a new one.

When I set it up for him all those years ago, I did install a version of Cumulus so he could download the data every few days, but not sure how often he used it, and think he may have also used the Easy Weather software, but he says that no longer works on his Windows 10 PC.

Was thinking that a internet connected station may be best, as that way he doesn't need to keep a pc on, or need to download the data every so often. I have a Davis Pro2 and WLL box so know how that works, and I have seen a good deal on the Pro Data Weather web site of the Vantage VUE ISS (no console) and WLL box for £419. The only issue with this, is though he can see the current data, to be able to view historic data a Davis subscription would be needed (though suppose I could configure it to upload to Weather Underground, but not sure how good the 15 min interval would be). Otherwise Ecowitt seem to be popular here (did they develop from Fine Offset), however I don't know much about their systems, from what I can see you can view the current data, and it looks like there have a web (cloud) service that stores historic, but have no idea how good reliable it is.

Any thoughts / advice.

Thanks,
Ian.

[malkie]

I started with a Watson station from Maplins, which lasted about 6 years, and then "upgraded" to a Vantage Vue. The ISS of the Vantage Vue is not repairable and mine started to get very unreliable when it was 4-5 years old, basically eating batteries. So I now run a VP2 ISS on the original Vue console.

Since last September I have been experimenting with a Ecowitt GW1100 and a couple of external sensors. I am quite impressed with the Ecowitt and it does give you access to historic data quite easily.

This is my "site" on Ecowitt.net, the "Indoor" sensor is actually outside in a cheap Screen just under my VP2. It also houses the Lightning sensor.

https://www.ecowitt.net/home/index?id=59546

There are some variations between the GW1100 and my VP2, but you would expect that.

Next step is to add a proper external temperature sensor and anemometer, once she that must be obeyed has accepted I must have two weather stations!

I understood the WLL, when uploaded to Weatherlink, gave you access to all your data, you just can't download the historic data without a paid subscription?

[iandrews]

Thanks for your feedback / thoughts.

I did a bit of searching around, and though the Ecowitt's did look good, I decided to got with the Vue / WLL for him in the end. As I have the Davis kit, it means that I can use my knowledge and help him set it up / give help as needed. Also, I have found some "share" links on the Davis Weatherlink web site that bring up a nice web page (without having to login etc) that shows the a nice summery of the current (and today hi / lows) conditions, so if he's in his office, and wants to look at something where he would have used a console, he can just fire up that page.

Re the historic data / charts, if he doesn't want to pay for the Davis subscription he could create a Weather Underground account, and have Weatherlink upload data every 15 mins. I have been playing with it over the last few days (I had never bothered before as I use CumulusMX), and it seems that it would be enough for him to get daily (historic) chart data etc.

Speaking of Weather Underground, though my data seems to be going up ok (via Weatherlink), but I don't seem to be getting Solar / UV. Is there a setting somewhere that needs to be set (the station type in Weather Underground is set to a Pro2 Plus), otherwise I was think it may be because I have the Solar and UV on the extra wind transmitter, rather then in the ISS, but wind data from the same transmitter is showing up fine. Anyone else uploading from Weatherlink, or do you just do it direct from CumulusMX.

Ian.

[PaulMy]

Hi,

Anyone else uploading from Weatherlink, or do you just do it direct from CumulusMX.

I have a WU account being uploaded by WL.com from my WLL and VP2 Plus ISS and it shows UV and solar
https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/IMIDDL32
https://www.weatherlink.com/bulletin/9e ... e63b9d35ec

Enjoy,
Paul

[iandrews]

Thanks, assume you didn't do anything out of the ordinary to get solar / uv to appear. As I say, thinking it may be something specific to my setup in that the solar / uv isn't plugged into the ISS.

Ian.

[iandrews]

So, I stopped upload form Weatherlink, and set CumulusMX to upload. I set the tick boxes for Solar and UV (and Air quality), and now the solar data seems to be uploading (though 0 because it's dark). I can only assume Weatherlink isn't uploading it for some reason.

As a side, I also within CumulusMX ticked upload Air Quality, but can't seem to see it on the Weather Underground site.

Ian.

[PaulMy]

^%&%^&*(*)
(I have to remember to check if there has been another post between my starting a reply and submit after a lengthy drafting)

assume you didn't do anything out of the ordinary to get solar / uv to appear. As I say, thinking it may be something specific to my setup in that the solar / uv isn't plugged into the ISS

I have one VP2 Plus ISS that is received by two separate devices:

One is WLL and that updates my WL.com KomokaWeather Live account https://www.weatherlink.com/bulletin/9e ... e63b9d35ec
This WL.com updates WU https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/IMIDDL32 and includes UV and solar.
In the WL App Installed Sensors settings I have ticked Solar Rad and UV.

Another is WiFiLogger and that updates as a WL PC to WL.com KomokaWeather account https://www.weatherlink.com/bulletin/a3 ... ad6e1f09d1 and this also includes UV and solar.
This WL.com updates WU https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/IMIDDLES37 which also includes UV and solar.
There is no settings in WiFiLogger on UV and solar and presume it is inherent that these are included in the VP2 Plus.

edit, re follow up post:

I also within CumulusMX ticked upload Air Quality, but can't seem to see it on the Weather Underground site.

I also have the AirLink since October 2020 and have not seen that data on WU.

Enjoy,
Paul

[mcrossley]

WU added AQ to their upload protocol quite some time ago with the promise that it would be available on their website "soon". It has yet to appear

[mcrossley]

I think the weather link software will be like the VP2 console and not treat the solar data correctly unless the sensor is connected to the ISS.

[iandrews]

WU added AQ to their upload protocol quite some time ago with the promise that it would be available on their website "soon". It has yet to appear

Ok, won't wast time looking for that then.

I think the weather link software will be like the VP2 console and not treat the solar data correctly unless the sensor is connected to the ISS.

That's what I was thinking. Anyway, won't affect my Dad when I get things set up, it was something I just noticed when I was testing my setup. Anyway, if I want to continue using Weather Underground, and have the Solar data, I can just get CumulusMX to upload it.

[Phil23]

What'a your thoughts on also getting him a rPi?

I've done just that for my Uncle on the Ecowitt I organised for him.
While they do have a PC, the concept of running it 24/7 is foreign in their world.

The rPi3 I use just sits there quietly with only a power & ethernet connection.

Even if you don't have it uploading to the web, he can still access it locally from a collection of devices.

[BigOkie]

What'a your thoughts on also getting him a rPi?

I've done just that for my Uncle on the Ecowitt I organised for him.
While they do have a PC, the concept of running it 24/7 is foreign in their world.

The rPi3 I use just sits there quietly with only a power & ethernet connection.

Even if you don't have it uploading to the web, he can still access it locally from a collection of devices.

I've been running my CMX install on a rPi now for about five years. Got an rPi 3+ and installed it way back, then offloaded to Buster so I could update to the newest and haven't looked back. It can be complicated...since I did have about 13 years of historical data I needed to retain (I have methods of backing all this stuff up too) but in the long run it worked out best. Now I just need to see about getting some sort of UPS for the Pi that won't break the bank. I guess I could do a DIY but looking still....

[Phil23]

Now I just need to see about getting some sort of UPS for the Pi that won't break the bank. I guess I could do a DIY but looking still....

On that topic,

It seems there is a wide range of 5 & 12V out UPS's on the market these days in various forms.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/294452864159
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/254922020653

Have also seen PowerBanks with pass through & bare PCB Modules like this.

https://au.rs-online.com/web/p/ups-unin ... es/9125432
Cheers

[iandrews]

What'a your thoughts on also getting him a rPi?

I've done just that for my Uncle on the Ecowitt I organised for him.
While they do have a PC, the concept of running it 24/7 is foreign in their world.

The rPi3 I use just sits there quietly with only a power & ethernet connection.

Even if you don't have it uploading to the web, he can still access it locally from a collection of devices.

I did think that, I am mainly a PC may, but I do have a couple of Pi's doing things, so could set one up for him. Will see how it goes, he may be happy to pay the Davis charge to get charts, or the Weather Underground (15 min update) may be enough for his needs.