Weather

[kf0rt]

Kinda new and something a bit fun.

Bought a Davis "Vantage Vue" weather station. Always wanted to get into this a bit and a good pal at work turned me on to a decent deal at scientificsales.com (not advertising, just sayin').

Arrived UPS yesterday and mounted the sensor deal on the chimney today using one of those strap mount things, a piece of a fence pole from Home Despot and only ONE band-aid. Been playing with it all day. Bought the USB module for the computer connection and must admit that the Davis software pretty much blows chunks (looks like a lot of the ham radio software I've seen -- Windows 3.1 interface?, ugh.).

Got the "Cumulus" software up and running (donate-ware) and that looks pretty good. Really pretty well done -- feeding it to the web now, but want to see what else is out there. Link is: http://www.westton.com/kf0rt/webcam/index.htm No real history yet, but it's "accumulating." Might add a a datapoint to the Weather Underground stuff as I learn more. Webcam's up too, and this computer STILL sucks.

Anyone else into this?

[N2CHX]

I've always wanted to but haven't. Checked out your page. Pretty nifty!

[kf0rt]

I've always wanted to but haven't. Checked out your page. Pretty nifty!

Pretty cool, but lots to learn. The first thing I learned was that somebody in da 'hood has the same setup (could have just bought the console and leeched). Had to switch mine to "channel 2" to get it to work. If I switch the "console" to channel 1, I get a different sensor, and it ain't mine.

Biggest pain was getting the thing to talk to the computer. One of those USB-RS232 deals and after about two hours of messing with it on two different computers, the fix turned out to be removing power from the "console." Hard reset? Manual said nuthin' about that. 3 C batteries (haven't tried the AC adapter yet).

Geekdom, gotta love it!

[K7SGJ]

I've got the Oregon Scientific station that I've had for several years. I have all the outside sensors on a ten foot mast which has room to mount the solar cells as well. I really do like it, but I have never really had time to mess with the software and computer interface. There appears to be a lot of freeware for it and of course lots of commercial stuff, as well. A lot of people seem to use these for monitoring and putting up on the Google weather widgit. Maybe one of these days.

[W5GA]

Eons ago, I used a Heathkit station. It worked pretty good until a 100+ MPH gust blew the wind sensor apart.

[kb2vxa]

Just one silly question, mounted on the chimbley doesn't heat exhaust play hob with the temperature sensor?

[kf0rt]

Just one silly question, mounted on the chimbley doesn't heat exhaust play hob with the temperature sensor?

The chimney goes to a basement fireplace; hasn't been used in eons and is pretty well sealed off these days.

[kf0rt]

Up on Weather Underground now:

http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KCOARVAD37

Seems like there are a few stations in the area.