PERSONAL WEATHER STATIONS: Queries and Advice

Just spent the last 3 hours taking apart and cleaning my Davis weather station and by doing so, I really got to appreciate just what an appallingly designed machine it is. Numerous single plates (and I ask.. WHY??) that don't fit back together when you are setting it back up (had to leave the two bottom plates as the screws wouldn't keep them locked on). Wires everywhere with connections that are inaccessible unless you take to whole thing apart. For example, after spending over a hellish half an hour jigsawing the plates back together (two of which would not fit) I realised that I had forgotten to reconnect the fan. Of course, that could not be done without taking everything apart again and **** that. I instead just pulled the wire off. These are unnecessary complications due to terrible design that I, or anybody else, does not need in their lives. Was very close to just getting a sledge hammer and smashing the whole thing to bits but I kept my cool.

Either way, I am pretty much done with this god-awful machine. It was always an unnecessarily bulky eyesore to look at anyway so hence-with, I'll be on the look out better weather station that is far easier to maintain.

Well, nothing really close to Davis in terms of reliability, to be honest. Bit more discrete would be Davis sonic anemometer instead of traditional one.

If you would consider Vue unit with pro console, I'd gladly swap, as I prefer to have sensors separately, not all in one. :)

Finally, my new old (explanation to follow) weather station is up and running! And online as well! Happy days!

Long story short - after years of struggling with not at all reliable Fine Offset (and their clones) weather stations, some time ago I bought 2nd hand Vantage Vue off fellow boardsie. Regrettably wind speed readings were way off (I estimate it showed just 1/3 of real wind speed), despite few new parts and multiple sites tested. Last month bit the bullet and bought Vantage Pro2 sensor suite, installed last weekend. Wind gauges on top of the roof (approx 1.5m above), the rest 1.8m above the lawn. Earlier this morning station connected to the PC, Cumulus (legacy) installed and set up.

I did my very best to clean up erroneous entries from the history (thank you Fine Offset for cheap tat you're selling!), finally gave up and decided to start from scratch. It's a pity, as I had roughly 12 years of data I cannot use.

Well, anyway, I am glad to be back!

I used to rock a couple of Davis stations back in the day (Vantage Vue and a Pro 2). Are they still back in the data logger and cable days or have they modernised at all? WiFi etc?

There's definitely an after market opportunity for someone there if they haven't themselves.

Thank you!

Yep, I actualy connected entire Pro2 ISS to VUE console, wirelessly. Still have VUE ISS on the roof as well, just too lazy to remove it (saying I'd keep it there as a backup is just an excuse TBH).

If you'd ever consider selling your old Pro2 - let me know please. Would be handy to have some spare parts. ;-)

Rain just stopped for a while, so immediately went out to shoot some photos.

VUE sensor unit (now disconnected) and VP2 wind gauges:

Far from perfect, but have no better place.

The rest of the VP2 sensor suite on the pole, accompanied by few now unused items, just left them there for the craic:

Willow trees are a bit close to the whole thing, I know, but IMO sensors are placed high enough to avoid rain shadow.

VUE console off fellow boardsie. Brand new VP2 sensor suite off German webshop:

The cheapest place in Europe to buy VP2 ISS (without console) at the moment of purchase.

I didn't. Have it connected to the laptop via USB. My top priority was to be able to store all the data locally, so that suits me better. :-)

Cool. Cheers!

So I am going to get a manual rain gauge. I see some of them are cone shaped. Is there any real difference between the various gauges?

Sorry can't provide you with any feedback yet, have it but haven't put it up as moving house soon!

If they're still there, I might pick one up to strap to the bike on a ride or two. Always wondering just how much the head wind affects me

Just to add to the above,I forgot to mention that the Vue console will pick up and display the vantage Pro 2 weather information

The pro 2 console likewise will pick up the vue

So if you have both operating within ear shot of each other,you won't know which is which without completely powering down one and even then its difficult to tell unless you know the frequencies they're operating on because the data will be almost exactly the same

I was reminded of this today because I dug out my old Vue console to use as a display in a bedroom

Best way to know is pour some water into the view,if its not recorded, you've a problem

If its recorded on both,you'll know you're connected on both to the Vue

Ditto the vantage

Different wind speeds might also tell you

Or in the case of the set up,you'll see both stations in the menu but you may not have looked for both in set up if you weren't aware the consoles can receive both

The latter is where you'd inadvertently end up with both consoles receiving and displaying from the one weather station

Data could be different from both in the above scenario either if both are operating on the same frequency as there could be drop outs because one is interfering with the other

There's only one or two places in Ireland to buy Davis

weathershop.co.uk are who I bought mine from but that was pre the introduction of full Brexit tarrifs

Seemsa decent price ( doubled though on what I paid a few years ago )

It's a good piece of kit