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what weather station do you recommend

Posted: Tue 11 Mar 2025 1:46 pm
by Mincek
Hello.
I have 6 wind stations located in windy places by the water so that kitesurfers and windsurfers can see the current weather conditions on the spots. The data is shared for free on the website.
Most of my stations were based on various Fine Offset, Hyundai, Conrad, or OneConcept models.
Unfortunately, the VERY high failure rate, including disconnection between the sensors and the receiver, as well as sensor failures, e.g. temperature, forces me to look for other solutions.
Now to the point, I would like to know what models of weather stations you use and could recommend, with low failure rates of sensors and disconnections. I would like to mention that I am still looking for more budget-friendly solutions, rather than $1000 per weather station. Of course, the station must work under Raspberry Pi and Cumulus MX.
Best regards,
Mincek

Re: what weather station do you recommend

Posted: Tue 11 Mar 2025 2:13 pm
by RayProudfoot
Davis VP2. It may be expensive but so are lesser stations that don’t last as long and need buying again and again and again.

Re: what weather station do you recommend

Posted: Tue 11 Mar 2025 2:25 pm
by Mincek
davis vp2 it`s to expensive for me. Do You know, how i must to pay for 6 station ?? :)

maybe something else ?

Re: what weather station do you recommend

Posted: Tue 11 Mar 2025 2:40 pm
by water01
Ecowitt HP2551, mine installed 1st September 2021 and been completely reliable since then.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ecowitt-Wirele ... 1b6e3d217f

Re: what weather station do you recommend

Posted: Tue 11 Mar 2025 2:43 pm
by RayProudfoot
Mincek wrote: Tue 11 Mar 2025 2:25 pm davis vp2 it`s to expensive for me. Do You know, how i must to pay for 6 station ?? :)

maybe something else ?
How far apart are the existing stations? Why six if in one location? More info needed. Where in the world are you? Link to existing site might help.

Re: what weather station do you recommend

Posted: Wed 12 Mar 2025 6:12 am
by Mincek
Water01 - I have some stations of this type. Not working good. Like I wrote, disconnection (even if I add special antenne 868Mhz. Then sensor of temperature, I`m looking something else.

RayProudfoot
My stations is on 6 different location. I`m from Poland, and my website is www.wiatrkadyny.pl Now, I have a problem with 3 stations, and one kamera, that`s why i`m looking better solutions.

Best regards.

Re: what weather station do you recommend

Posted: Wed 12 Mar 2025 8:17 am
by RayProudfoot
@Mincek, unfortunately quality comes at a price. Do you have a budget? Maybe buy new equipment as and when you can afford it.

Re: what weather station do you recommend

Posted: Wed 12 Mar 2025 9:10 am
by Mincek
That`s why I`m looking solutions between Davis and Hyundai...

Re: what weather station do you recommend

Posted: Wed 12 Mar 2025 10:06 am
by RayProudfoot
Mincek wrote: Wed 12 Mar 2025 9:10 am That`s why I`m looking solutions between Davis and Hyundai...
You still haven’t given us a budget. Unfortunately there’s a huge gap between Ecowitt and Davis with nothing in between. Perhaps you could request donations on your website if the information you provide is valuable to visitors.

Re: what weather station do you recommend

Posted: Wed 12 Mar 2025 10:41 am
by broadstairs
Ray is correct you either have Davis Vaisala etc at a price or all the rest are budget end. If all six stations are necessary then as suggested ask them for help to provide the equipment and buy high end!

Stuart

Re: what weather station do you recommend

Posted: Wed 12 Mar 2025 10:44 am
by water01
Mincek wrote: Wed 12 Mar 2025 9:10 am That`s why I`m looking solutions between Davis and Hyundai...
Hyundai looks very similar to Ecowitt, but more importantly I do not think CumulusMX supports them.

Re: what weather station do you recommend

Posted: Wed 12 Mar 2025 11:11 am
by Mincek
"Unfortunately there’s a huge gap between Ecowitt and Davis with nothing in between." This is the most important message for me, unfortunately ;/

I don`t have any budget, I realized this project from my own budget. I can ask people to donate, but i must know the price of Davis.

I`ve been at Davis website, and it`s I don`t know what station I needed. Do I need console ?? or can I connected directly raspberry to sensor ??

Is the Davis Vantage Vue is also good choise ?? or only pro 2 ??

Re: what weather station do you recommend

Posted: Wed 12 Mar 2025 11:39 am
by RayProudfoot
@Mincek, The Davis Vue is an all in one unit with anemometer in the same unit as the rain gauge and temperature sensor. According to the UK Met Office guidelines temperature should be taken at 5ft (1.6m); rainfall at 12” (0.3m) and wind at 30ft (10m).

The Davis VP2 allows you to separate the anemometer from the main station (ISS). Important at places critical for accurate wind measurements. It also updates wind gusts every 2.5 seconds.

The Vue updates wind every 30 seconds I think. But in an open environment the Vue might be perfectly suitable. If you could post a photo of one of your locations that would help.

The Davis wireless signal is extremely robust. You’re paying for all this that lesser units can’t do.

I would consider making your site a subscription-based one if you use Davis kit. Keep the free ones for your existing kit.

Finally, find your nearest Davis dealer and discuss your requirements with them. They might offer you a decent discount for multiple stations.

Re: what weather station do you recommend

Posted: Wed 12 Mar 2025 11:50 am
by Mincek
It`s more complicated than I was thinking ;/

One message from seller of Davis is:
"Davis currently does not offer any software solution for PCs or other computers that would allow direct connection of the station to a computer.

Data can be accessed via a console, web browser or mobile application."

There is nothing about connection to Raspbery.

All stations are on the mast:
https://www.wiatrkadyny.pl/stacja03.jpg

Re: what weather station do you recommend

Posted: Wed 12 Mar 2025 2:35 pm
by PaulMy
Hi,
It`s more complicated than I was thinking ;/

One message from seller of Davis is:
"Davis currently does not offer any software solution for PCs or other computers that would allow direct connection of the station to a computer.

Data can be accessed via a console, web browser or mobile application."
The Davis VP2 outside ISS is basically the same as it has been and can be purchased on its own (without a console).

The Inside console has 3 options:
1. The new Weatherlink Console that replaces the now not-available old style console. This can upload to Weatherlink.com. Currently there is no direct connect locally from this console and CumulusMX would get the data from Weatherlink.com cloud. Catchup of archive data is available only with a paid Weatherlink.com subscription. https://www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmx4/index.htm

2. The Weatherlink Live which uploads to Weatherlink.com. CumulusMX can access the local near-live data in the same way as with the previous console/datalogger setup. Catchup of archive data is available from Weatherlink.com only with a paid subscription.

3. The Envoy console is still available and can be used with the serial/USB or an IP datalogger in the traditional way. Catchup of archive data is done from the datalogger https://www.davisinstruments.com/produc ... ther-envoy

Weatherlink PC software is still available (free) but is no longer maintained/updated https://support.davisinstruments.com/ca ... r-link-com
There is nothing about connection to Raspbery.
As you are aware CumulusMX does work well with the RPi so any of the console options will work with CumulusMX/RPi

Enjoy,
Paul