[CDSM101]

Originally Posted by Rougies

Any consumer level weather station would require a PC running 24/7 to relay data to a website from the station.

As for experience to set it up, you'd need a fairly good level of knowing your way around a computer but it depends on the weather station and the software/web interface it uses.

As for a cheap weather station, I couldn't recommend one because they are exactly that, cheap
As for reliable, Davis are the stations of choice for amateur weather stations. http://www.barryelectronics.ie/7_dav...er-instruments
You can see by the prices why we all don't have one!

Aha that's where your wrong! I got mine from these guys http://www.vantage-vue.com/epages/62...roducts/6152EU

Saved a fortune so I did

[joujoujou]

Originally Posted by Fuh Q

[...]
Can anyone recommend a cheap weather station, or reliable make, or where is safe to buy from ?

Thanks..

What price range you're thinking about?

[Tactical]

A little of an "old fashioned" approach, but have you considered manual collection of data with individual instruments?

You could collate and present the data using something like the spreadsheet application on Open Office or MS Excel.

The data could be presented to many websites.

I guess it depends on what you're looking to achieve as a manual station requires a lot of effort and the automatic stations really only require a bit of theought in their set up and commissioning, thereafter a little bit of regular maintenance.

Like all things in life, you generally get what you pay for. Weather stations are no exception.

[Irish Steve]

Yes, the Davis range are great stations, but they are NOT cheap.

A fair number of people on here are using the stations from Maplin, and when they are on special offer, they are around the €60 mark, and the offers come round several times a year. They are made by a company called Fine Offset, and can be run without being connected to a PC 24/7, and will store readings for upload to a PC. The Sandaysoft forum has software that is more capable than the standard software that comes with the station, and for amateur home type use, where nothing absolutely depends on the results, the combination of the 2 is not bad.

No, they're not as reliable as the Davis, and they can have problems with reliability, but the spares are cheap, and the end result is pretty close to the results that the Davis will give, with a bit of DIY care with the set up and a few tweaks, the results are very similar, its all part of the learning curve.

You will get several Maplin stations for the price of 1 Davis, the end result may well be that you've not saved much, and there are some specialised sensors that are only available on the Davis, they are not essential to weather watching, depending on your success and how long you stay weather watching, the initial outlay will be a lot less, which may make it more attractive.

[talkabout]

Originally Posted by Irish Steve

Yes, the Davis range are great stations, but they are NOT cheap.

A fair number of people on here are using the stations from Maplin, and when they are on special offer, they are around the €60 mark, and the offers come round several times a year. They are made by a company called Fine Offset, and can be run without being connected to a PC 24/7, and will store readings for upload to a PC. The Sandaysoft forum has software that is more capable than the standard software that comes with the station, and for amateur home type use, where nothing absolutely depends on the results, the combination of the 2 is not bad.

No, they're not as reliable as the Davis, and they can have problems with reliability, but the spares are cheap, and the end result is pretty close to the results that the Davis will give, with a bit of DIY care with the set up and a few tweaks, the results are very similar, its all part of the learning curve.

You will get several Maplin stations for the price of 1 Davis, the end result may well be that you've not saved much, and there are some specialised sensors that are only available on the Davis, they are not essential to weather watching, depending on your success and how long you stay weather watching, the initial outlay will be a lot less, which may make it more attractive.

I have the above station and its great value, my first station lasted about two years and i just replaced it in November, but for €60 you can't go wrong. Long term i would like to get a Davis but the Fine Offset is a good start and spare parts are easy to come by.

[tylercollins]

Another person using the Maplin station here. Have it connected to the computer to upload data to my website (http://www.derryweather.co.uk/weather - currently in early development stages) But I haven't had a days bother in the year that I have owned it and I haven't had to change the batteries on the station yet either!

I'd recommend the Maplin one for starting out, but as talkabout as said above, long term I want a Davis

[Fuh Q]

Originally Posted by joujoujou

What price range you're thinking about?

As cheap as possible without being a complete wast of money.

[Fuh Q]

Thanks guys, Ive had a look at the Maplins website and there are a couple of weather stations, can someone post a link to the station you are using please ?

[tylercollins]

This is the one I'm using

http://www.maplin.co.uk/usb-wireless...ecaster-223254

[Fuh Q]

Originally Posted by tylercollins

This is the one I'm using

http://www.maplin.co.uk/usb-wireless...ecaster-223254

Think Ill have to go to Maplins during the week.

[talkabout]

Originally Posted by Fuh Q

Think Ill have to go to Maplins during the week.

They usually offer it on special for around £60 , may be best to hold off for a few weeks as this normally happens 4 or 5 times a year.

[Irish Steve]

There are some B grade units on the web site at the moment,

http://www.maplin.co.uk/b-grade-usb-...ecaster-683950

Under £50, which is good, still have 12 months guarantee. Not sure what the Euro price will be, or if they have them in the Irish Stores

A tip for delivery, depending on where you live, I've used them a lot recently, Parcel Motel, as they are a UK delivery address that bring things to the Republic (lots of locations) for €3.50.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/b-grade-usb-...ecaster-682792

Similar item

http://www.maplin.co.uk/usb-touchscr...ecaster-228825 is a full price one, but the offers come round pretty often, so unless you are desperate for one, this is too much to pay.

The important aspects are USB, as that's how it connects to a PC, without that, there's no data capture facility.

[joujoujou]

There is another option - not to go to maplins.

http://www.pjboner.com/products-page...h-solar-panel/

Above one is also a fine offset device, no price mentioned, but presumably price would be even better than maplins.

Already bought some stuff from pjboner, can recommend them.

Otherwise - ebay.

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/170923849016

[Irish Steve]

Originally Posted by joujoujou

There is another option - not to go to maplins.

http://www.pjboner.com/products-page...h-solar-panel/

Above one is also a fine offset device, no price mentioned, but presumably price would be even better than maplins.

They may well be advertising it on their site, but if you try to find it in their on line shop, it's not listed, which makes me wonder if they've given up selling them.

[Fuh Q]

Thanks, Im thinking Maplins maybe the better option as they stock replacement parts.

What does "B Grade" mean ?