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Optional transmitters & station setting on VP2

Discussion specific to Davis weather stations
Touchtone
Posts: 93
Joined: Tue 09 Apr 2013 11:36 am
Weather Station: Davis VP2 Plus & FARS
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1
Location: Gin Gin, Qld, Australia

Re: Optional transmitters & station setting on VP2

Post by Touchtone »

prodata wrote:
Touchtone wrote:Thanks John. I have copied that document & I will read it through later, when I have plenty of time.
Regards. Bligh.
Well, it's not really easy reading (unless you're having trouble sleeping that is) - just browse through it is the best suggestion. But the first main section will give you some idea of how the API works and includes the short paragraph on channel timing. Other than that it's obviously intended for users who want to write their own software. But you did ask! :)
Thanks John. I now see what you mean as far as "can't put it down" type reading material, but it has helped me with the ID timing information.
The information in the console manual is really quite wrong as it says every 2.25 seconds for ID 1, when in fact it is every 2.5625 seconds & ID 2 is every 2.6250 & so on until No 8 at 3 seconds. So as each ID number increments it is 0.0625 seconds later.
Thanks again. I think we have probably thrashed this one to death, but it be of help to some others.
Regards. Bligh.

;)
RayProudfoot
Posts: 3602
Joined: Wed 06 May 2009 6:29 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2 with Daytime FARS
Operating System: Windows XP SP3
Location: Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, England
Contact:

Re: Optional transmitters & station setting on VP2

Post by RayProudfoot »

I recently changed the transmitter number for my anemometer from 2 to 1 and switched the ISS from 1 to 2.

The percentage of good hits does appear to have improved slightly - averaging around 98% from 97.5% or thereabouts.

Whilst it was easy to change the dip switches the console didn't pick up the signals until I realised I had to change the channel numbers for the ISS and anemometer in WeatherLink.
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

Image
Touchtone
Posts: 93
Joined: Tue 09 Apr 2013 11:36 am
Weather Station: Davis VP2 Plus & FARS
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1
Location: Gin Gin, Qld, Australia

Re: Optional transmitters & station setting on VP2

Post by Touchtone »

RayProudfoot wrote:I recently changed the transmitter number for my anemometer from 2 to 1 and switched the ISS from 1 to 2.

The percentage of good hits does appear to have improved slightly - averaging around 98% from 97.5% or thereabouts.

Whilst it was easy to change the dip switches the console didn't pick up the signals until I realised I had to change the channel numbers for the ISS and anemometer in WeatherLink.
While you can set the transmitter numbers in WeatherLink it would normally be done by going into the setup mode on the console & waiting until it detects the various stations & then moving on to setting the station numbers to the correct transmitter & checking that all the other not used stations are set to off. The console manual describes how to do this in detail if you have any difficulty.
Using the console to set the stations is the only way it can be done if you don't normally use WeatherLink.
RayProudfoot
Posts: 3602
Joined: Wed 06 May 2009 6:29 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2 with Daytime FARS
Operating System: Windows XP SP3
Location: Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, England
Contact:

Re: Optional transmitters & station setting on VP2

Post by RayProudfoot »

Touchtone wrote:While you can set the transmitter numbers in WeatherLink it would normally be done by going into the setup mode on the console & waiting until it detects the various stations & then moving on to setting the station numbers to the correct transmitter & checking that all the other not used stations are set to off. The console manual describes how to do this in detail if you have any difficulty.
Using the console to set the stations is the only way it can be done if you don't normally use WeatherLink.
Thanks for that. I suppose it makes sense that everything should be controlled from the console. But doing it via WL hasn't resulted in any problems.
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

Image
prodata
Posts: 317
Joined: Sat 05 Feb 2011 7:13 pm
Weather Station: VP2
Operating System: Windows - all flavours
Location: Littleport, East Cambs, UK

Re: Optional transmitters & station setting on VP2

Post by prodata »

Personally, I encourage any users who happen to be running the Weatherlink software to use that as the means of changing channels, transmitter types etc, rather than directly on the console. WL works just as well and allows you to review all the settings in one place.

In contrast, some users really seem to struggle to change these settings on the console - it just seems that there's something about how these settings are implemented on the console or maybe explained in the console manual that just doesn't click with some. I'd guess that it's about a once a week event on the phone for us to have to talk a user through making the changes to the channels via the console. (Remember that many AWS buyers are not PC or manual-reading enthusiasts, nor do the majority visit forums like this one.)
John Dann
Prodata Weather Systems
Littleport, East Cambs, UK
http://www.weatherstations.co.uk
Touchtone
Posts: 93
Joined: Tue 09 Apr 2013 11:36 am
Weather Station: Davis VP2 Plus & FARS
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1
Location: Gin Gin, Qld, Australia

Re: Optional transmitters & station setting on VP2

Post by Touchtone »

prodata wrote:Personally, I encourage any users who happen to be running the Weatherlink software to use that as the means of changing channels, transmitter types etc, rather than directly on the console. WL works just as well and allows you to review all the settings in one place.

In contrast, some users really seem to struggle to change these settings on the console - it just seems that there's something about how these settings are implemented on the console or maybe explained in the console manual that just doesn't click with some. I'd guess that it's about a once a week event on the phone for us to have to talk a user through making the changes to the channels via the console. (Remember that many AWS buyers are not PC or manual-reading enthusiasts, nor do the majority visit forums like this one.)
That certainly is very helpful to hear & definitely fair comment on my earlier reply to Rayproudfoot. I don't suppose I realized that there are some people who have trouble with these things & have to call for help, although I do admit following the console manuals instructions on setting the stations is not all that easy.
prodata
Posts: 317
Joined: Sat 05 Feb 2011 7:13 pm
Weather Station: VP2
Operating System: Windows - all flavours
Location: Littleport, East Cambs, UK

Re: Optional transmitters & station setting on VP2

Post by prodata »

Touchtone wrote:...although I do admit following the console manuals instructions on setting the stations is not all that easy.
It's a funny thing, almost interesting in way. When I read through the console instructions on this particular point, all the information is there and presented quite logically I think. So I'm not sure myself quite why some users have problem, but they do. Maybe the description is just too condensed and something that users only need to very occasionally needs to be given a bit more space and prominence and spelled out in two or three steps?
John Dann
Prodata Weather Systems
Littleport, East Cambs, UK
http://www.weatherstations.co.uk
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