513!

[harrym1byt]

> Build 513 now available.
>
> I'm hoping this will be the last beta of 1.8.3, assuming no other problems appear.
> Steve

You spoke too soon

Absolutely no complaints from me, on this version or the 514

I'm sure I speak for everyone here - A really terrific job Steve and with almost instant bug fixes as it has progressed - can't wait for the V2!

The single minus temperature (which Cumulus picked earlier in the week) was also recorded by the EW software at exactly the same time, so the glitch must have been recorded in the display units memory.

My apologies for my enforced absence for several days - new job, new car and a new rather complex PDA cum phone cum satnav to get my head around

Its the size (and weight) of a half brick It kind of reminds me of the early analogue mobile phones.

[steve]

Thanks, Harry. I'm hoping to get up to speed again on V2, I have actually been having a look at it over the last couple of days. It will be quite a while before there's anything to show, though.

Steve

[robert]

Thanks for the Work you have done on Cumulus
I have been looking for something like this for while now and found it about a week ago
Absolutely 1st class
Although I do have a website it is a hit and miss afair when I get round to it job, but It was absolutely essential that I got it running with your software so that the relatives around the word can see our wonderful weather.
My only problems are the poor wind direction (Cannot site my station anywhere else) which is subject to showing the wrong wind direction due to trees and buildings close by, SW wind showing as E, and the fact that my control unit and pc are in a little Room/cupboard that gets a little warmer than the rest of the place especialy when the door is shut.
Thanks for your good work

Best regards
Robert

[dc1500]

My Watson wind gauge is about half a metre above my garage roof so about 3 metres only above ground. My house lies a about 10 metres to the SW and a large silver birch tree is blocking it about 5 metres to the north. Although it appears to swing about in a random manner the average direction seems to work out very well. The speed is obviously low and I just have a guess at the multiplier to make it look it a bit better. Silly question, but you haven't got it mounted 180 degrees out, the marks are quite hard to see?
Dave

[harrym1byt]

My wind vane just span around aimlessly, I wasn't even recording a sensible average. I added an extra bit of tail to it in the form of a bit of duct tape doubled up so it could stick to both sides of the existing plastic tail. It is of a length such that the wind speed rotor just misses it. It made an immediate difference to what Cumulus recorded. The location of mine is also poor - 2m above the garage roof, making it about 4.25m above ground, but with house on one side, trees on the other.

I'm sure there is room for more improvement, originally the nose just looked too close in size to its tail. It's other problem is that it is just too free to spin - it could use some damping, but I'm not sure how to achieve it. I originally thought to add a few turns of tranformer wire, with the two ends shorted. Working against the magnet that is supposed to be in the vane, that would make it do some work to spin round.

[Super-T]

Harry, I thought the duct tape a good idea so I fitted some today when I was moving my raingauge and transmitter of of my mast that the wind instruments are on.

Duct tape has a bit of a curl to it so I might have to put something rigid on it to keep it straight while trying to keep the weight down.

The direction seems to be better from observing it, and not swinging anywhere near as much.

[robert]

You've got me thinking dave
The wind here is all over the place anyway -I have an old fashoned weather vane about 2 mts below it and it is better dampened due to its weight so is a good guide
I know that is correct as I have checked it with the Sun Stars GPS and Compass so any erros are minimal
When I set up the Pole with the KIT on I read the instructions very carefully and I believed I had got it right, I did not want to have to go up the pole -like I am now - The instructions that I had (very meagre) said the was a mark on the hub of the vane that should be pointed north so that is what I did.
But I have just been out side and trapped the Vane (Very long pole with a loop of wire and a powerful torch) at about north and it is showing west on the Console for the last 20 mins or so and that has convinced me of a problem
I have now applied a 90 degree correction in Cumulus for the web viewer but it still means I am "up the pole" this weekend
The results are already very much better

Robert
http://www.templar.me.uk/weather/index.htm

[Super-T]

Robert. I sell the wh1081 weather station...same as your Watson I believe, and some have had good marks for north whereas some are just moulded in the plastic. It sounds like your housing is somehow fitted incorrectly in relation to the circuit board inside. The circuit board is 8 reed switches activated by a magnet. Depending on which switch is picked, varies the voltage to the transmitter. For example.... .5Volt, .6Volt, .7Volt etc. I don't know the actual values as I haven't needed to test. It would seem that you need to find out which direction of the vane points north on your desktop display rather than correct it in Cumulus.

[robert]

Thank for that Super-T
Its coming down this weekend - Depends on the weather Ha Ha.
I realise that it is misaligned now and will mark the housing with a groove filled with TIPEX ( lasts for years) while I am looking at the console at ground level, and then remove my Correction from Cumulus.
Which Batteries are needed I have "lost" my manual in my Filing system as while it is down would be a good time to check the state of the kit and replace with Good batteries before inclement weather makes it imposible resulting in data loss.

Robert

[dc1500]

I seem to remember it was 2 AA batteries. If you can get lithium type they last longer and perform well in sub zero temperatures.
Dave

[robert]

Thanks for that Dave
Thats a size thats always useful to have around, how long do they last?
Might try and source some Lithium ones via the net depends on postage costs though

Robert

[Super-T]

I just use 2 x AA Alkaline batteries but then again Auckland doesn't get very cold.
What I have done though is to use vaseline (petroleum jelly) to seal off the batteries and cable connectors and hopefully prevent some moisture intrusion. A bit messy but easy enough to clean off later.

[dc1500]

Robert et al - can get AA lithium batteries from Argos and Maplins. Expensive but worth it if we have any severe frosts. £6.99 in Argos for 2 but says on line buy one pack and get one free so price for 4. Can reserve and collect so no post. Maplin says special offer £4-99 for a pack of four but picture only shows two in pack like Argos so double check. They are 33% lighter than alkalines and supposed to last longer than any alkalines in digital cameras etc.
Dave

[robert]

Thanks for that Dave Ill Check it out

Ok now for a question
Ive got the banner working, but how do I make it Link to my website like some do?

I play at that sort of thing now and again but realy just follow examples of what I need to do and so far have not worked it out

Robert

[dane]

To turn the banner into a link: surrond it with URL tags.
My banner as an example:

Code: Select all

[url=http://www.ibtest.dk/cumulus][img]http://www.ibtest.dk/cumulus/banner.php[/img][/url]