Searching for a homebuilt design to integrate

[Bobtronique]

Hi everyone!
I'm trying to find a design to use with Cumulus software which has a very interesting look. I like a DIY design
Since a long time, I am a voluntary observer for our canadian national weather service.
But I lack a weather station...
My geographical position is driving requirements like: capable to survive to a minus 30 deg Celsius, snow and freezing rain.
I'm concern about capabilities for the sensors to report wind gust rapidly... I'm not sure if wireless sensors could do the job.
Also, I think having UV and/or sun sensors could be useful.
What mechanical design are you suggesting for this piece of sotware?

[steve]

I know that you are asking about the hardware aspects, but have you considered how you are going to interface to Cumulus? You're either going to have to emulate an existing station which Cumulus supports, or use the 'easyweather.dat' file method, which is very limited.

[Bobtronique]

Thanks Sreve, I appreciated your concern. But, no, I did not figured out how to interface Cumulus at that time yet. I tought it could be easy to interface.
I did not looked at the requirements yet. From what I see from this side of the ocean, I realized that you're all "working" with commercial/professional products that you use as they are or trying to modify electromechanical aspects of them to make them more reliable/precise. The comunication interface itself is not too much discussed in here. Isn't it?
You are probably agree with about money/fun ratio. I was really concern about the money engaged if you buy a Davis or an Oregon scientific product. Those are expensive. Yeah, good products but expensive. That's why I'd like to built my own. Good advantage to learn a lot going this way.

Does peoples from this forum have built they're own station totally? Any idea?

[steve]

One or two people have or are building their own station. One possibility for interfacing to software is to use 1-wire; I hope to add support for this at some point.

[Gina]

Yes, I'm gradually developing a 1-wire weather station. I'm using what I can of things I have around mainly, cutting costs, but the 1-wire sensors have to be bought. Fortunately, 1-wire chips are just a few UK pounds. I have built an anemometer and wind vane while other sensors such as temperature use just one 1-wire chip. Humidity and pressure require a sensor plus a 1-wire chip. I've yet to build my own rain gauge. More details in the 1-wire thread in this forum.
https://cumulus.hosiene.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3860

[Charlie]

If you want to get started quickly, I'd recommend one of the Fine Offset stations. I got my "National Geographic 265NC" from Walmart here in Canada for under $100. I think Costco has similar units. If you're in a smaller community without a box store, try Amazon and have it arrive in your mailbox. I don't think you'll be able to build one for less than this, unless you have an amazing parts/junk box.

I'm also designing my own unit, but I'm having trouble finding time to work on it. This cheap commercial unit lets me gather baseline data and removes the timeline pressure from my hobby.

It also provides a standard (of sorts) to test my bits against, and it works well with Cumulus.

[Gina]

Yes, I agree with Charlie. I did the same - bought a Fine Offset rebadged station (from Maplin in the UK) and used it with Cumulus (having used Easy Weather to set the logging interval). Later I started modifying Linux software to my own likings. Then I got a second FO unit for testing and the ability to run two completely separate systems.

Now, having finished testing (more or less) I have one console sending data to my own Linux software and the other to Cumulus running on another box with Windows XP. Cumulus is at a much more advanced stage than my software. Concurrently I am designing and building my own weather station using a 1-wire wired network with 1-wire interface and sensor chips plus constructing my own sensing equipment.

So, yes, I too recommend buying a cheap, though quite usable, pre-built station, so that you can get going with recording the weather straight away. I haven't tried to add up all the money I've spent on my homebuilt weather station so far but all those little bits add up and I'd wager a bet that it's more than the cost of a Fine Offset station. It all depends on want you want to do and how much you already know about weather stations.

[Bobtronique]

Oh! Great! Thank you very much folks! Your comments are pine point my needs on this subject. Sure, I will go to
a Wallmart tonight just for gathering more information on cheap weather stations. I have to make some reading...I will come to you soon after investigation. Best regards...