WH3080 Radio Time Signal Reception

[birder56]

Hi All,
I've recently aquired the Fine Offset WH3080 and mounted the sensors on the apex of my little barn. I am on a high spot in mid Devon and the sensors are about 5 metres above ground with clear air especially to south and west over open fields.

My enquiry is about receiving the radio transmitted time signal from Rugby? / Germany? Has anyone else had any problems getting this unit to register these time signals?

To paint a fuller picture, my first unit received from Signatrol was not transmitting any UV/Light information so they kindly and promptly sent a replacement. The first unit received the radio time signal, albeit it took about 2 hours to show up on the display unit but this replacement does everything it should except for the radio time issue. I want to sort this before returning the original unit but after a week or more there is still no time signal.

This is a long term interest but have only just jumped in to play with the technology as I now have time to play. This seems an amazing forum whicjh I hope I may also be able to contribute eventually.

Regards to all.

[AllyCat]

Hi and welcome to the Forum,

As you've already discovered, the FO Quality Control doesn't seem to be all that it might be, so you could have another faulty transmitter unit.

However, I think I saw somewhere (on this forum) that the aerial for receiving the time signal (which is from Germany) is directional. So if practical, try rotating the transmitter unit (arm) by about 90 degrees (around a vertical axis). Then you may need to wait overnight when any potential signal interference should be least.

Cheers, Alan.

[dpmiller]

reception is indeed pretty directional. Point the long face of the unit towards the ESE or thereabouts. I had mine set with the receiver due South (for the solar sensor's happiness) and was only getting spotty time reception overnight, none during the day. But with the ferrite rod face-on to the signal reception is perfect.

[geoffp]

I also had a problem with the solar/u.v. sensor when I purchased the WH3080, and Martin from Signatrol kindly replaced the sensor and transmitter for me, I still have a problem with the u.v at present showing 11 on the station, no way is it that much so will just have to put up with that one

As for the time signal I have never been able to pick that up and I live right on the East Coast. but I agree F.O Qaulity control is not that brilliant

Geoff

[birder56]

Many thanks to AlleyCat,

And "Lo!" it worked! Within the hour the time signal was registered and showing on the display unit. The downside is that the solar cell is no longer in the optimum direction but I'll see if that can be tweaked. It is at times like this that Devon's relative position to the far west of Europe becomes relevant.

Might be an idea to ask Signatrol to include a guideline in their marketing of the directional nature of the time signal reciever in the WH3080.

Now I can start setting it up properly in the Cumulus software following the recommendations in this forum.

Thanks again.

[AllyCat]

Hi,

Yes, one would have thought that FO would allow more than one rotational position for the solar module. To some extent the same issue can apply to the transmitter aerial (if working near to the maximum range), but it does seem rather more "omnidirectional".

TBH the slope of the PV cell is so slight that I doubt if the rotation makes much difference (especially down in the sunny South-West ) and the power consumption (at least of the 434 MHz version) is so low that ample charge should be available. Note that AFAIK the solar and IR data are obtained from other sensors which face vertically anyway.

Cheers, Alan.

[birder56]

A follow up to the WH3080 Radio Time Signal Reception saga:
Radio Time Signal reception is no longer a problem but the original 'out of the box' problem has rematerialised.

The UV/Light sensor was registering fine (let's forget accuracy for the moment) until I was elsewhere for week and no UV readings were registered on the monitor. The History readings showed it suddenly stopped one (possibly rainy) night but nothing conclusive. A full hard reset of both transmitter and monitor eventually brought everything back on line.

However, 2 days later (today actually) after some heavy rain the UV/Light readings failed again so one has to conclude that perhaps there is some sensitivity to dampness in this design .

My question to the wise and knowledgable is:
Has anyone experienced similar partial failures with the WH3080 system and (more importantly) has anyone achieved a mod or workround to prevent this fault occuring?

[dpmiller]

try re-crimping the plug on the lead from the solar unit.

[agsteele]

I have one of these units badged as a Watson...

So I'm pleased to see this discussion. Some of the set up information is decidedly poor in the so-called manual.

For example, I see on screen that so-called 'Barometric Trend' bar graph and the 'Weather Forecast' graphic appear to be flashing...

Actually the bar graph pulses across the display while the weather forecast flashes. But I can find no explanation of this so I'm unsure if it represents a setting I need to configure or something that is normal or...

Any experience anyone can share?

Andrew

[dpmiller]

the bargraph *does* scroll. Normal. IIRC, the forecast graphic flashing means a rapid change of pressure detected; more rapid still would bring on flashing arrows too, as a storm warning.

[agsteele]

the bargraph *does* scroll. Normal. IIRC, the forecast graphic flashing means a rapid change of pressure detected; more rapid still would bring on flashing arrows too, as a storm warning.

Thanks... Perhaps these will calm down once some real data has been captured

Andrew

[birder56]

A belated "Thanks" to dpmiller regarding recrimping. Before I do that I've reinserted all the plugs and rebooted the display unit. Everything has run OK for a few days now but I'll see if tonight's drizzle will have any effect and force me to do the recrimping.

If I ever manage to accumulate a decent set of data I must sort out how to download it into a spreadsheet (typically Excel) and create charts of the trends for our local community magazine.

[birder56]

A further thanks to dpmiller and a follow-up to the information transmission failures from the WH3080 to the display unit. I was losing the UV and light level signal after spells of heavy rain and general bad weather (rare in Devon, obviously ). The assumption was a fault on the UV part of the sender but I think it has proved to be more simple.

The WH3080 and it's receiver now have line of sight contact and have endured several bouts of heavy rain and general nasties over the past few weeks with no further sign of drop-out nor the need to reboot everything. It has taken a while to suss the obvious but it may now be possible to achieve continuous runs of data for assessment and future feed to a web site.

Thanks again.