Welcome to the Cumulus Support forum.

Latest Cumulus MX V4 release 4.4.2 (build 4085) - 12 March 2025

Latest Cumulus MX V3 release 3.28.6 (build 3283) - 21 March 2024

Legacy Cumulus 1 release 1.9.4 (build 1099) - 28 November 2014
(a patch is available for 1.9.4 build 1099 that extends the date range of drop-down menus to 2030)

Download the Software (Cumulus MX / Cumulus 1 and other related items) from the Wiki

If you are posting a new Topic about an error or if you need help PLEASE read this first viewtopic.php?p=164080#p164080

Newbie Questions

Discussion specific to Fine Offset and similar rebadged weather stations
Post Reply
Jsears
Posts: 39
Joined: Thu 06 Oct 2011 8:49 am
Weather Station: Wetherwise WS-1080
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional
Location: Jeffersonville, Ohio USA

Newbie Questions

Post by Jsears »

Hello all..I am totally new to this forum and to weather instruments in general. I just got a WS-1080 FO unit, and have a couple of questions.

Below is a screenshot of the Cumulus console. I thought it might be easier to show you what I what I am talking about than try to explain.


First, in the bottom right corner, is the Wind Rose. How do you read it? Also, there is nothing more than one thin blue line, pointing East. Shouldn't there be more to it? Or is the lack of data due to the fact that my system has only been set up a couple of days? As you can see, the wind has been quite calm since I set everything up.

Next, At the bottom, there is a box titled "Current". What is this, and what (if anything) should be in there?

Next, in the heading, the forecast shows "Stormy, Much Precipitation". And on the desk display, there is a "sun", indicating that it is going to be sunny. According to local weather reports, they are calling for very nice weather and no rain for the next several days. Is this reading erroneous due to the fact that the unit has not had enough time to track conditions, and give an accurate forecast?
cumulus1.JPG
The next couple of questions deal with graphs. The first one is wind direction/average. Is this what the graph should look like?
graph1.JPG
And the last question concerns Min/Max/Ave Temps. Why is there no data on this graph?
graph2.JPG
I do have one more question concerning the desktop console. If I want the backlight to come on, is there some place I should touch so that it doesn't put the unit into a mode that wants me to edit the information?

Sorry for such a long post, but you know how some people are ;)
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
MickinMoulden
Posts: 499
Joined: Mon 20 Dec 2010 12:12 pm
Weather Station: WS-1081 with rain gauge mod
Operating System: Windows 7 & 1.9.3 b1059
Location: Palmerston, NT, Australia
Contact:

Re: Newbie Questions

Post by MickinMoulden »

Jsears wrote: First, in the bottom right corner, is the Wind Rose. How do you read it?
Go to Configuration/Display and select "8" Wind Rose Points. Our 1080's don't diplay 16 points well (as now you've noticed).
Next, At the bottom, there is a box titled "Current". What is this, and what (if anything) should be in there?
You can type the "Current" weather (or a message), and it will output it as a tag which then you can put anywhere in your own website. See your Cumulus Help file for Webtags (or the Wiki).
Next, in the heading, the forecast shows "Stormy, Much Precipitation". And on the desk display, there is a "sun", indicating that it is going to be sunny. According to local weather reports, they are calling for very nice weather and no rain for the next several days. Is this reading erroneous due to the fact that the unit has not had enough time to track conditions, and give an accurate forecast?
The forecasts are independant. The Cumulus one is based of the initial settings you put in Configuration/Station/Forecast. I feel you may have the base pressure reading too high? Again, check the Wiki.
cumulus1.JPG
The next couple of questions deal with graphs. The first one is wind direction/average. Is this what the graph should look like?
Yes, it is a bit dull though isn't it? My guess is either your town doesn't get much wind or, more probable, that your wind sensor is buffeted. Get it as high as you can (7 - 10 meters) and away from higher obstacles (5 meters +).
graph1.JPG
And the last question concerns Min/Max/Ave Temps. Why is there no data on this graph?
graph2.JPG
You will need two full days of data to plot 2 points for each of the Min/Max/Av to make a line. The data is only taken at the end of the day (12am or 9am)
I do have one more question concerning the desktop console. If I want the backlight to come on, is there some place I should touch so that it doesn't put the unit into a mode that wants me to edit the information?
I touch mine in the box (oooooh, right on!) next to the Tendancy. But then again, mines broke and that's the only place that works now. I thought you could touch it once anywhere to light it up without it in edit mode. Check your manual.
Michael, Palmerston, NT Australia www.Palmerston-WeatherImageNo image? I'm offline!
ImageImage
Jsears
Posts: 39
Joined: Thu 06 Oct 2011 8:49 am
Weather Station: Wetherwise WS-1080
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional
Location: Jeffersonville, Ohio USA

Re: Newbie Questions

Post by Jsears »

Thanks, Steve..

These suggestions have helped a lot. I guess I'm just a little too anxious to see results.

Sorry to be a pest with the questions, but sometimes I need someone to tell me what step 1, step 2 and step 3 are :oops:

Jim
AllyCat
Posts: 1132
Joined: Sat 26 Feb 2011 1:58 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset 1080/1 & 3080
Operating System: Windows XP SP3
Location: SE London

Re: Newbie Questions

Post by AllyCat »

Jsears wrote:First, in the bottom right corner, is the Wind Rose. How do you read it? Also, there is nothing more than one thin blue line, pointing East. Shouldn't there be more to it? Or is the lack of data due to the fact that my system has only been set up a couple of days? As you can see, the wind has been quite calm since I set everything up.
Hi Jim,

The Wind Rose accumulates the product of the wind speed and direction so it will only "grow" whilst there is wind. Furthermore, it uses the previous 3600 time samples, but (whilst Cumulus is connected) these are 10 seconds apart, so it only reports the previous 10 hours. However, whilst downloading data from the logger the samples are at the logging interval (5 - 30 mins) so the rose can cover a much longer period.

Yes, the basic FO wind vane hardly reports the "intermediate" directions (NNE, etc.) at all, but it can be improved. Here are my test comparison roses for the original and a modified vane, when rotated for exactly one revolution at a constant speed by a very slow turntable (and with a simulated constant wind speed).

Cheers, Alan.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
MickinMoulden
Posts: 499
Joined: Mon 20 Dec 2010 12:12 pm
Weather Station: WS-1081 with rain gauge mod
Operating System: Windows 7 & 1.9.3 b1059
Location: Palmerston, NT, Australia
Contact:

Re: Newbie Questions

Post by MickinMoulden »

Jsears wrote:Thanks, Steve..

These suggestions have helped a lot. I guess I'm just a little too anxious to see results.

Sorry to be a pest with the questions, but sometimes I need someone to tell me what step 1, step 2 and step 3 are :oops:

Jim
Steve has commented on this post yet. Do you mean me?
Michael, Palmerston, NT Australia www.Palmerston-WeatherImageNo image? I'm offline!
ImageImage
User avatar
steve
Cumulus Author
Posts: 26672
Joined: Mon 02 Jun 2008 6:49 pm
Weather Station: None
Operating System: None
Location: Vienne, France
Contact:

Re: Newbie Questions

Post by steve »

The only thing I have to add to Michael's excellent reply is that if you don't want to use the 'current conditions' box you can turn it off again from the display settings screen. Presumably you turned it on hoping to see something useful, but didn't look in the help to see what the setting actually did ;)
Steve
Jsears
Posts: 39
Joined: Thu 06 Oct 2011 8:49 am
Weather Station: Wetherwise WS-1080
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional
Location: Jeffersonville, Ohio USA

Re: Newbie Questions

Post by Jsears »

MickinMoulden wrote:
Jsears wrote:Thanks, Steve..

These suggestions have helped a lot. I guess I'm just a little too anxious to see results.

Sorry to be a pest with the questions, but sometimes I need someone to tell me what step 1, step 2 and step 3 are :oops:

Jim
Steve has commented on this post yet. Do you mean me?
Michael..Yes..I meant to reply to you. I am very sorry. :bash: Steve has answered so many of my questions that I inadvertently typed his name. I apologize.

Jim
User avatar
MickinMoulden
Posts: 499
Joined: Mon 20 Dec 2010 12:12 pm
Weather Station: WS-1081 with rain gauge mod
Operating System: Windows 7 & 1.9.3 b1059
Location: Palmerston, NT, Australia
Contact:

Re: Newbie Questions

Post by MickinMoulden »

Jsears wrote: Michael..Yes..I meant to reply to you. I am very sorry. :bash: Steve has answered so many of my questions that I inadvertently typed his name. I apologize.

Jim
That's OK. Steve's the the MAN and an absolute legend :clap:
Michael, Palmerston, NT Australia www.Palmerston-WeatherImageNo image? I'm offline!
ImageImage
Post Reply