[Xastir] weather station

[Steve Friis]

Curt Mills wrote:
> On Thu, 18 Jan 2007, Tom Russo wrote:
>
>   
>> I had that problem, too.  It turns out to be caused by HF transmissions.  If
>> your temperature/hygro sensor is anywhere near your HF antennas it'll 
>> get bogus rainfall information.
>>     
>
> For what it's worth the rain sensor is a plastic tipping bucket type
> with a magnet embedded in the bucket plastic.  This goes past a reed
> switch as it tips in each direction.
>
> So what you really have are switch closures being read by the
> processor in the outside temp/baro/humidity sensor housing.
> Unfortunately you have a nice HF antenna connecting the two.
>
>   
Actually, with mine, it turned out to be the APRS antenna at 40 feet, 
with the LaCrosse rain gage at 10 feet from ground. This was 
intermittent, not always in sync with the 10 watt transmitter. Also, the 
rain gage fell apart after just 4 - 5 months in the sun.

The temperature sensor was wildly out of calibration, being at least 10 
degrees off from our mercury thermometric on the front wall. Sometimes 
high in reading, sometimes low. This location is in the shade most of 
the AM.

The barometer never did work right. Even after calibration it read 
higher than the airport which is just down the road from me.

The wind vane always had trouble starting at low wind speeds. Seems like 
it would take 2 - 3 MPH to get started.

Other than that, for $100, a nice toy in the interim until one can buy a 
good unit.


Z