Weather Stations and Ham Radio Go Together.

How many people get on the air and talk about the weather? How many people are involved in Skywarn? If you ever wanted to learn all about a Davis weather station, here is the video.

Weather is a part of our lives every day. Since I have had this up, I have seen the temperatures and heat index higher than my local news station suggested. Last week, my new carport canopy i bought and put up was destroyed with a routine storm one afternoon. I would have loved to know how high those winds really were.

If you are a amateur operator that is also involved in Skywarn, like myself, then a weather station is a MUST have.

 

Thanks a Eric for the informative VP2 video. I have had mine up for several years and for the most part it is very reliable. I had to replace the capacitor on the ISS, the anemometer- wind direction vane- both had worn out bearings. But all in all a good choice, not cheap. I also purchased a second console. I have one in the shack and the other on my night stand.
The Weatherlink interface I purchased is the serial version because It is more reliable, of course you will need a dedicated server on an UPS. Most hams link thier weather data to the CWOP aprs servers. http://wxqa.com/index.html
MADIS also gets your weather data uploads via CWOP . The Weatherlink network wants 30$ a year membership.
If you have a 2 meter rig not doing anything, you can use the local aprs repeater. Set it for maximum of once or twice an hour for updates.

Good luck and happy weather monitoring.

Earl
AB9TX

 

Thanks... Yes, i enjoy watching all this, always wanted one.. Got a half an inch of rain today, and this is the first time we got rain into it.

 

Eric great job - I am curious if you or anyone else reading this thread can comment on any potential issues with using a wireless weather station in proximity of my amateur radio antennas? Does Davis provide any recommendations in terms of separation? Thanks for your great videos - keep up the good work.

73 de N2DV

 

I would have something like this, but I live in an HOA. they would never let me have this outside...

 

our HOA had no problems with a weather station, but they first let folks get DirecTV dishes, since many are from NY and we are outside the NY sports market. If there have been any exceptions in your HOA, they might allow the weather instruments. Always worth asking.

 

Love my Ultimerer 2100 by Peet Bros. I have it mounted on the roof, and it see's plenty of action here in the winter on the North Oregon coast. Using Weather Display software for the computer and it is an excellent product. You can view the weather on my page here on qrz.com as it is updated every 5 minutes on the web. Again this unit and the peripherals were not cheap, but I expect them to last. Not using wireless here, and I do not have any problems running legal limit hf with the Cat 5 cable from the Roof mounted instruments only a few inches from my open wire feedline. Ray K7FU http://wx.west-tech.com/k7fu.html

 

How are those CW contacts coming along?

 

I have both wired and wireless wx stations. Also in skywarn. I've been waiting 30 years for some
bad (Ohio type) weather to report. Think I need a bigger butterfly.

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo

 

I have my Davis station up for years: http://pbeaudet.us

 

I have a few pieces for CW from MFJ that i am trying to find time to put part 2 progress video up, but next weekend i need to put up like 4 videos between now and then...

 

Very good job, Thank You

 

Hi,
The barometric pressure usually doesn't vary much between outside and inside homes or apartments because they aren't tightly sealed containers. That's the reason most weather stations have them in the inside consoles. Also check the manual but I think storm totals is something you can probably reset, like the NEXRAD storm totals estimate. The NWS resets those between systems when the radar is changed to clear air mode. This way say if a cold front was hanging around for several days, and producing several rounds of thunderstorms, then you could get a storm total, instead of 24hours, or hourly. You could probably use storm totals for tropical storms and hurricanes too, that is if you live in tropical areas. The storm totals comment is just my opinion based on NEXRAD estimate usage. The barometric pressure comment was from manuals of weather stations I have used or looked into.
I wanted a weather station, but the same problems with antennas have stopped me from buying one (a new one that wasn't destroyed). Enjoy yours.

 

+1 for the Ultimeter 2100 by Peet. It's been on my roof for years as well as earlier models before it. Out of sight, out of mind. No pots to wear out or get noisy. Also using Weather display for many years.
http://weather.dgerard.org/
http://weather.dgerard.org/dougwdl.html

Doug NP2GG

 

Thanks for making these videos, always enjoyable.

I've been using this one: https://www.amazon.com/Ambient-Weat...72&sr=8-18&keywords=weather+stations+wireless

by Ambient Weather for two years so far with no problems and it may appeal to those on a budget. The readout goes to an internet site so you access it on your desktop, tablet, or smartphone (no console which probably helps on the price). Mine is posted on my QRZ page.

I don't expect it would outlast a Davis, but at about 1/3 the price it's exceeded my expectations. I just run "100 watts on a wire," and no problems with RF. It's mounted about 20 feet from one end of my off center fed dipole.