[Xastir] weather station info......

[Gerry Creager N5JXS]

I've played with them extensively, and looked, to some extent, at them 
in a research/comparison setting.

the main drawback will be in getting a correct station barometric 
pressure.  Temperature tracked very well, as did humidity, for internal 
consistency.  I don't have enough data for a cross-check yet vice a 
research grade (Vaisala/ParoScientific) system, but I hope to in 6 more 
months.

The uWx board puts out Peet strings.  It outputs, IIRC (I've not looked 
and it's hitting a data-logger right now) every 2 sec or so, but not 
exactly on the second boundary: RTC and all, the timebase isn't real stable.

I'm hoping to get some funds freed up to work with Dave Anderson on this 
to make some improvements.  I've an idea for another board layout that 
would fit on a long, thin PCB and allow the whole thing to be placed in 
a solar radiation ("Gill") shield.  My thoughts would require surface 
mount components, making it harder for the typical ham to build, but not 
impossible, in my opinion.  Another potential improvement would be to go 
to a higher precision temp sensor, allowing better than 1 degC temp 
readings; yet another would match up to 3 sensors to derive a more 
accurate temperature reading over a range of -40C to +40C... with 0.1 
degC precision and 0.5 degC accuracy.  I'd like 0.1 degC accuracy, but 
there may well be limits to the use of the components involved.  Note 
that this is an upcoming line of research for me...:-)

I'd say that, bang for buck, the uWx board will do a good job.  A final 
caveat: get a spray-coating and coat the whole board, EXCEPT the 
sensors, which you'll have to mask off with tape during the spray job, 
before an outside deployment.  It'll help reduce problems.  Also, house 
the thing in a small, wooden (or well-ventilated styrofoam or 
thermoplastic) louvered enclosure.  Consider placing a CPU fan atop the 
system oriented to draw air into the enclosure and vent it out the top 
louvers.  This will improve the long-term stability of your readings.  I 
do not recommend the LCD for outdoors installations save in special 
circumstances.

Gerry

N1OFZ wrote:
> I'm also very interested in adding a weather station.  I have been 
> looking at µWeather at http://www.rxcomm.net  Anyone have any good/bad 
> experience?  I know it really doesn't hook into Xastir but it does look 
> really neat.
> 
> What is the best (most supported) wx station that works with Xastir?
> 
> Thanks,
> Dana
> N1OFZ
> 
> On Sep 9, 2004, at 8:40 AM, acierno at pocketdvm.com wrote:
> 
>> While we are on the subject of weather stations and Xastir -
>>
>> My Oregon Scientific WM-918 is on its last legs and I think the rain 
>> gauge has just died. I was looking at the list of supported weather 
>> stations (which is quite extensive!) and I was wondering if anyone had 
>> a recommendation. For price - you cannot beat the WMR-918 wireless 
>> station - but it seem that it only works on a networked system using 
>> Wx200 software..... I am not familiar with that software. can I run it 
>> on the same box as Xastir  and feed the data directly to it? (Yes, I'm 
>> new to this). Another alternative is the davis 6150 vantage pro. the 
>> vantage pro is listed under supported stations but there are several 
>> models (wired and wireless) are they all compatible?
> 
> 
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-- 
Gerry Creager -- gerry.creager at tamu.edu
Network Engineering -- AATLT, Texas A&M University	
Cell: 979.229.5301 Office: 979.458.4020 FAX: 979.847.8578
Page: 979.228.0173
Office: 903A Eller Bldg, TAMU, College Station, TX 77843