Cumulus will not download data

[rduenow]

I have an Ambient WS-2080 and I installed Cumulus 1.9.1 so I could report my data to Wundertground.com. Initially it worked, except it kept adding rainfall every day. Then after a couple weeks, when I tried to open the app, it hung and would not download my data. I finally gave up and uninstalled Cumulus and installed the Beta version of Cumulus 1.9.2. This worked better for about 3 weeks and then I encountered the same problem. It would not download the data and the app hung. However, this time when I uninstalled Cumulus and then reinstalled, after going through the setup display pane, Cumulus refused to download data and hung. I tried to restore my PC to an earlier date I knew was good, but I had the same result. Now, even though I’ve installed and reinstalled Cumulus (1.9.1 & 1.9.2) and tried a couple different restore points, Cumulus still refuses to download data and hangs.

Is there a fix for this problem?

[steve]

Please zip up the diags folder and attach it.

[rduenow]

Attached Diags folder per your instructions.

[steve]

I'm afraid I don't know what the problem is; your station isn't responding to requests for data:

7/19/2011 06:24:22.040 : 6:24:22 EWUSB: Initialising EW USB
7/19/2011 06:24:22.040 : 6:24:22 EWUSB: Looking for station...
7/19/2011 06:24:22.040 : 6:24:22 EWUSB: Found Fine Offset station
7/19/2011 06:24:22.061 : 6:24:22 EWUSB: Get history data
7/19/2011 06:24:22.067 : Request EW data block, addr = 000000

At this point, the station should reply with some data, like this:

19/07/2011 11:00:28.681 : 11:00:28 EWUSB: Initialising EW USB
19/07/2011 11:00:28.681 : 11:00:28 EWUSB: Looking for station...
19/07/2011 11:00:28.715 : 11:00:28 EWUSB: Found Fine Offset station
19/07/2011 11:00:28.899 : 11:00:28 EWUSB: Get history data
19/07/2011 11:00:28.900 : Request EW data block, addr = 000000
19/07/2011 11:00:28.920 : EWUSB: EW startup data line 01 55 AA FF FF FF FF FF FF
19/07/2011 11:00:28.928 : EWUSB: EW startup data line 02 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
19/07/2011 11:00:28.936 : EWUSB: EW startup data line 03 05 20 08 31 11 00 00 00
19/07/2011 11:00:28.944 : EWUSB: EW startup data line 04 00 00 00 F0 0F 00 30 42

You're not trying to run Easyweather at the same time? Assuming you're not, have you tried running Easyweather (separately), to see if it can get the station to respond? I don't know what else to suggest, sorry; it appears to be some kind of USB problem.

[rduenow]

I cannot communicate with EasyWX either. I've tried several USB ports and switched cables but still no joy.

I'll check with Ambient and see what they say.

[WX_Frank]

I got a similar problem...every 2 to 3 weeks my Cumulus 1.9.1 stops downloading data!
EasyWeather collects them fine, so I really hope there is a fix to this?
My station is the W-8681.

Resetting the station does the job, but I'm tired of doing this!
..and I'm not running EW at the same time.

Please help!

[steve]

Your station is saying it's not initialised:

09.09.2011 06:39:02.818 : Request EW data block, addr = 000000
09.09.2011 06:39:02.833 : EWUSB: EW startup data line 01 00 AA 00 00 00 00 10 01
09.09.2011 06:39:02.841 : EWUSB: EW startup data line 02 01 12 00 10 01 01 12 00
09.09.2011 06:39:02.849 : EWUSB: EW startup data line 03 1E 00 01 20 09 00 00 00
09.09.2011 06:39:02.857 : EWUSB: EW startup data line 04 00 00 00 01 00 00 F4 2F
09.09.2011 06:39:02.857 : EWUSB: Bad startup block 0, discarding. Byte 0 = 00 Byte 1 = AA

The first two bytes in memory should be 55 AA when it's running properly; yours are 00 AA. Do you have batteries in the station, or do you rely on the USB for power? Can you think of anything that might be happening just before this problem occurs?

[WX_Frank]

Your station is saying it's not initialised:

09.09.2011 06:39:02.818 : Request EW data block, addr = 000000
09.09.2011 06:39:02.833 : EWUSB: EW startup data line 01 00 AA 00 00 00 00 10 01
09.09.2011 06:39:02.841 : EWUSB: EW startup data line 02 01 12 00 10 01 01 12 00
09.09.2011 06:39:02.849 : EWUSB: EW startup data line 03 1E 00 01 20 09 00 00 00
09.09.2011 06:39:02.857 : EWUSB: EW startup data line 04 00 00 00 01 00 00 F4 2F
09.09.2011 06:39:02.857 : EWUSB: Bad startup block 0, discarding. Byte 0 = 00 Byte 1 = AA

The first two bytes in memory should be 55 AA when it's running properly; yours are 00 AA. Do you have batteries in the station, or do you rely on the USB for power? Can you think of anything that might be happening just before this problem occurs?

Thanks for the reply Steve.

I got batteries in my station.
I first thought it could be a (data) memory issue since I noticed on my W-8681 that this occurs when the icon reaches 1/4 full, so I cleared the data using EW (without any luck).

Frank.

[steve]

What I can do is put an option into cumulus.ini to turn off the check for the 55 AA initialisation bytes. I don't know whether the station will then operate correctly in this state, but if EW is able to read the data then I guess it must be OK. I don't know enough about these stations to know exactly what the 55 AA signifies.

[WX_Frank]

What I can do is put an option into cumulus.ini to turn off the check for the 55 AA initialisation bytes. I don't know whether the station will then operate correctly in this state, but if EW is able to read the data then I guess it must be OK. I don't know enough about these stations to know exactly what the 55 AA signifies.

I'm ready to try it out Steve...when will it be ready?

Thanks,
Frank.

[steve]

I've been doing some enhancements over the last few days which I am just about ready to release, and I've now added this change - so later today, hopefully.

[WX_Frank]

I've been doing some enhancements over the last few days which I am just about ready to release, and I've now added this change - so later today, hopefully.

Absolutly great Steve...plese let me know when and where I can download it

[steve]

Available for download now - see the announcement.

[WX_Frank]

Available for download now - see the announcement.

Great work Steve.....do I need to uninstall the previous (1.9.1) or just overwrite?

Cheers,
Frank.

[steve]

Just install over your existing version.