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Weather station advice

Archived Nerdy Forum (Weather Q&A).
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daviescr
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Weather station advice

Post by daviescr »

Hi Everyone,
As a bit of a newbie to all this, i'm interested in getting myself a 'hobbyist' weatherstation for home use.
Anyone have any strong recommendations for what I should go for??? It seems that 'you get what you pay for' is true, and don't want to break the bank (baby on the way).

Look forward to any and all advice!

Cheers
Chris
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AUSSKY
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by AUSSKY »

Hi Chris,

can you give us an idea of budget? $100, $500, $750, $1000?

cheers,

Jane
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Victoria - The State of Drizzle & Occasional Tornadoes
(1999 -2016)
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daviescr
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by daviescr »

Thanks for the reply jane,
I'm looking at the low end of that - it's my christmas present from the wife... maybe a few years ago I would have splashed out 8-) . probably looking in the region of $250

Thanks
Chris
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Australis(Shell3155)
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by Australis(Shell3155) »

Image
I bought the La Crosse from Bunnings from memory it was about $220.00.
I am happy with it although it only seems to measure rain in 0.5mm also doesnt have wind speed gusts, maybe i should have got the model up, what I have found impressive is that they have a phone number and someone helpful actually answers.
Havnt got wet going out to look at a gauge and noting had 5mm in 45 minutes got to be happy with that.
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daviescr
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by daviescr »

Thanks a million to everyone for your advice, placed an order with weatherbuffs.com, so hope it arrives soon!
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by mutley »

Hi Chris,

It would be great to share your purchasing experience with "weatherbuffs". Delivery cost, time to ship etc.
Budget determined my purchase of a LaCrosse WS-2300 back in 2006. Fingers crossed I am in a position to upgrade to a Davis model in 2010 :mrgreen:

Cheers
Damian
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daviescr
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by daviescr »

Hi Damian,
Weatherbuffs have been great so far. The station I bought was pretty much an entry level unit, a LaCrosse 1630.
Was delivered to my office today - 8 days turn around. Am in QLD this week, so can't get my paws on it yet - plus is a chrissy present.

Order process was a breeze, email questions were answered overnight, and with the dollar where it is right now, is well worth the ~$50 shipping costs. Even shipped by DHL so could track the delivery.

Definitely use them again.

Cheers
Chris
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dagget
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by dagget »

Very interesting, almost time here to invest in a new weather station though probably not much need as there will be 3 observations in Trentham.. looking at Jane's site that Davis Vantage Vue looks great value, especially if it can do what the Vantage Pro does...another xmas pressie for me maybe.. :o
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Anthony Violi
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by Anthony Violi »

Just recieved my La Crosse weather station, now to set it up!!
http://www.therealworldweatherforum.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

avweatherforecasts.com
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daviescr
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by daviescr »

Just received my LAcrosse too, just wondering if there is any hard and fast formula for where you should site the station?

My guess would be somewhere away from fences, alley ways and so on, so as not to exaggerate wind flows etc?

Setting it up is part of the fun methinks...
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by Leroy »

Hi All, this is my backyard setup i have been working on for a while now getting the funds together gradually. I have a vantage pro 2 situated at the top of a 15mt pump up clarke mast

which gives it good air circulation at all times for temperature and wind speed. Can be 2-3deg warmer on light wind days @2mt above ground with the other vantage pro setup in the backyard. Because its hard to get a flat open area

in a backyard i have gone to these lengths, its fully portable and folds up, and when down its 3mt high. The rimco 7499 0.2mm TBRG connects to the top of the 15mt mast into the vantage pro 2's iss box via a 30mt cable used instead of the rain gauge that

comes with the package. The rain gauge also connects to a eds data logger inside the home via a 40mt cable which runs through conduit in the ground just as a backup in case there is a problem

with the vantage pro 2, so far the vantage pro has not missed a beat with rainfall or anything else. A few days ago i finished grounding the rain gauge with a 1.5m earth rod with a earth wire from the

rod to the bolt on the rain gauge, which helps with lightning around the area that can effect the long cable runs to the equipment. All we need now is a few storms to see. Its all finished now these

photos were taken during early november.


Tripod

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Hand Pump 70 Sec Fully Extended

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15Mt Mast

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Vantage Pro 2 @15Mt

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Vantage Pro 2 Console Inside

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Rimco 7499 0.2mm TBRG

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Copper Funnel Oxidizing Which Is Normal

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Every Rimco Comes With Its Own Serial No And Calibration Certificate

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Gold Plated Buckets For Minimal Water retention On Each Tip, And Bubble Level Which Is Important On Any Rain Gauge

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Circuit Board With 2 Separate Screw Terminals Going To Logging Equipment

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2 Nuts And Washers On Each Bolt For Leveling And Adjusting Feet

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Trench With Logger Cable From House To Rain Gauge

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Logger Cable Under Footpath Into The House And Two Dogs Taking A Breather

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EDS Data Logger That Records Every Tip Min And Seconds, Comes With Software. These Can Fit Into Rain Gauge To Like The Bom Use On Theres

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Mesh Cylinder Strainer, Keeps Most Debris Out

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O.2mm Siphon Side View

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Top View Of Siphon, Mesh Strainer Sits On Top, Siphon fills Up To Around Screw Slot Level And Drop Into Buckets, Sometimes Twice Per Bucket Tip
Which Is Good In Heavy Rainfall, No Rainfall Is Lost With This Setup. There Accurate To 1 Tip Up To 250mm/Hr And Around 3% @500mm/Hr

Image

6 Guy Ropes And Quick Tensioners And 3 Stakes

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Last edited by Leroy on Sun Jan 24, 2010 2:26 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by I_Love_Storms »

That is one awesome set up you have Leroy, may I ask what is the costing associated with a set up like that one?

I don't have any weather station type devices here, but I would like to look into it eventually, although don't know if I'd be able to go to the same level of complexity as your one! ;)
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Leroy
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by Leroy »

I_Love_Storms wrote:That is one awesome set up you have Leroy, may I ask what is the costing associated with a set up like that one?

I don't have any weather station type devices here, but I would like to look into it eventually, although don't know if I'd be able to go to the same level of complexity as your one! ;)


Hi I_Love_Storms, I sent you a PM regarding all that, any station will do to start off with, I started off with one in the mid 90's called a digitor the console and keypad was around the size of 2 slim mobile

phones and you had to put the temp probe in a ice bath of water and then boiling water and write down calibration number just so the temprature could start to function. Theses days Jane sell the davis systems

and bunnings has some to. The thing i have noticed with them all is to have them in the open as much as possible away from any sources of heat or lack of air flow, this can be hard, and the rain gauge as level as possible.

If they don't have a bubble level use a spirit level. This can be difficult but ground level is the best option particulary in windy or drizzly conditions were it can miss the gauge.

You can get extension cables for the davis units to extend rain gauges, Its really only phone cable, best to buy davis cables there suited for the outdoor conditions, where the phone ones you buy are for indoor use only.

Cheers
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by Blackee »

Brilliant set-up Leroy!!
Do you discount a portion of the wind speed given how high the device is off the ground? I thought the recommended level was 2m off the ground.
Mansfield 370m and Elwood
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apocalypse
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by apocalypse »

I've heard that the BOM take their anemometer readings at 10m above the ground, and the thermometer and humidity sensors at 1m.

Anemometer at Wagga Wagga
Image
Nathan Morris
2013 Rainfall
Jan - 3.8mm
Feb - 27.0mm
Mar - 0.0mm
YTD - 30.8mm
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Australis(Shell3155)
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by Australis(Shell3155) »

Wow.. sure is a Brilliant set up Leroy, seems you have been busy.
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by Jake Smethurst »

That is a great set-up mate. One of the best personal ones that I have seen! ;)

Your rain gauge looks very similar if not the same as the Bureau of Meteorology tipping buckets at weather stations.
Jake - Senior AWF Forecaster
Feel free to send me a private message if you have any questions.
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by Leroy »

Hey guys, thanks for the comments, 10mt is the norm for wind speed. In my backyard to the north and south the are reasonable high trees which effect

wind speed and directions if setup at 10mt. The other mast setup is at 9Mt and is 50% less wind speed over the 10Min average and can be up to 20km/h in maximum

gusts difference. In light winds the 9Mt setup can be showing a different direction to the 15Mt. The 15 Mt mast clears these and gets the best possible

wind speed and directions possible. Most of the bom's AWS are positioned in the open and nothing to effect there instruments. Even Melbourne city

wind speed and direction have been disabled for this similar reason with to many buildings effecting there readings showing different directions to

what should be shown. Temperature readings are read at 1.2m, in most backyards these can be 2-5deg warmer than it should be regardless of a

Stevenson screen because your drawing the air that is trapped in the backyard in. Because I'm not in the open i tried to replicate this by going

higher than the surrounding backyard into free flowing natural air. Some nights it can be cooler down low on the other mast were the other screen

Is situated at 2Mt, 1-2deg because cold air is heavier and when the wind freshens they become almost the same. Even temperature measure at the

standard height would still get reflective heat off dry dusty ground and grassed areas. At this height I have it it gets close to as natural air temperature

recording as possible. When i win tattslotto i will buy a farm and go nuts with a complete bom aws setup.

Your correct power storm the bom have about 4,000 of these TBRG throughout Australia at there aws sites.

Cheers Guys
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by Ausmammal »

If found this weather station on the internet and was wondering if it was a good buy? I think so and seems to everything required for a newby like me. Opinions appreciated.

AU $179.00 +$18 delivery: WS-1510-iT La Crosse Weather Station + Forecast Station FREE Bonus WF5000 Forecast Station Worth $139
I don't have a huge budget so can't go much higher in price. Even this is stretching it a little for me.

I am unsure though if it comes with or i can get PC software/connection for it?

OR this one:

$279 & $18 delivery: WS-2308 La Crosse Weather Station+ Leatherman Freestyle
FREE Bonus Leatherman Freestyle Multi-tool Worth $110
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Re: Weather station advice

Post by Australis(Shell3155) »

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have the la crosse ws1600 I am very happy with mine, for the price anyway. bunnings ~ $225.00
the company is just amazing. best customer support I have found in any company.
after the hail mine had hunks missing, they said, hang on we might have some spare parts and shipped it out to me free. they supply a phone number, just give them a call and they are willing to help.
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