I've convinced myself to splash out a bit of money on a new weather
station - I'm leaning towards a LaCrosse WS2800 but I've read that some
people have heard of issues with the anemometer failing on these - although
I can't find any first-hand accounts. Does anyone have any experience of the
LaCrosse, or recommend an alternative? I'm in an urban location and one of
the plus points of the LaCrosse is that I can locate the sensors in
different places.

One other consideration is the ability to access raw data and log it in
something like Cacti on a linux box. Not sure what the possibilities are
there..

Any thoughts appreciated..

KotF

KotF wrote:
I've convinced myself to splash out a bit of money on a new weather
station - I'm leaning towards a LaCrosse WS2800 but I've read that some
people have heard of issues with the anemometer failing on these -
although I can't find any first-hand accounts. Does anyone have any
experience of the LaCrosse, or recommend an alternative? I'm in an urban
location and one of the plus points of the LaCrosse is that I can locate
the sensors in different places.

One other consideration is the ability to access raw data and log it in
something like Cacti on a linux box. Not sure what the possibilities are
there..

Any thoughts appreciated..

KotF
-------------------
It's probably best to state a budget because what you can get is
obviously dependent on that. Several of us have what is really the
cheapest PC linked option. This is the Watson W-8681 range badged under
several other names and made in China by Fine Offset.(Often sold by
Maplins and on Ebay (new). Costs about £70 for console, wind, rain,
humidity, temperature and pressure. Connects via USB and comes with
average software but is great with the free (donation ware) Cumulus
software. Don't think there is any Linux software. Latest model costs
about £95 but adds UV solar measurement. It tends to be very accurate if
sited properly as the Cumulus software enables data calibration. Mine
has proved to be reliable for three years with the odd minor hiccup.
Dave
http://www.laindonweather.co.uk/

"Dave Cornwell" wrote in message
...

-------------------
It's probably best to state a budget because what you can get is obviously
dependent on that. Several of us have what is really the cheapest PC
linked option. This is the Watson W-8681 range badged under several other
names and made in China by Fine Offset.(Often sold by Maplins and on Ebay
(new). Costs about £70 for console, wind, rain, humidity, temperature and
pressure. Connects via USB and comes with average software but is great
with the free (donation ware) Cumulus software. Don't think there is any
Linux software. Latest model costs about £95 but adds UV solar
measurement. It tends to be very accurate if sited properly as the Cumulus
software enables data calibration. Mine has proved to be reliable for
three years with the odd minor hiccup.
Dave
http://www.laindonweather.co.uk/

Thanks - I hadn't come across those. I had been prepared to spend a few
hundred, but having seen what's on ebay I think I'll go for one of those...

KotF

On Thu, 19 May 2011 20:58:32 +0100, Dave Cornwell
wrote:


Several of us have what is really the
cheapest PC linked option. This is the Watson W-8681 range badged under
several other names and made in China by Fine Offset.(Often sold by
Maplins and on Ebay (new). Costs about £70 for console, wind, rain,
humidity, temperature and pressure. Connects via USB and comes with
average software but is great with the free (donation ware) Cumulus
software. Don't think there is any Linux software. Latest model costs
about £95 but adds UV solar measurement.

Not sure if this is the latest model but CPC do the W-8681 for £78
http://cpc.farnell.com/1/1/71963-wea...81-watson.html

Pete B wrote:

"KotF" wrote in message
... "Dave Cornwell"
wrote in message
...

-------------------
It's probably best to state a budget because what you can get is
obviously dependent on that. Several of us have what is really the
cheapest PC linked option. This is the Watson W-8681 range badged under
several other names and made in China by Fine Offset.(Often sold by
Maplins and on Ebay (new). Costs about £70 for console, wind, rain,
humidity, temperature and pressure. Connects via USB and comes with
average software but is great with the free (donation ware) Cumulus
software. Don't think there is any Linux software. Latest model costs
about £95 but adds UV solar measurement. It tends to be very accurate if
sited properly as the Cumulus software enables data calibration. Mine has
proved to be reliable for three years with the odd minor hiccup. Dave
http://www.laindonweather.co.uk/

Thanks - I hadn't come across those. I had been prepared to spend a few
hundred, but having seen what's on ebay I think I'll go for one of those...

KotF

It will depend on exactly what level of performance you want though.

I use, as some others on this board do, a Davis VP2 with solar sensor which
gives good results that are virtually indistigushable from those of a local
conventional long standing Stephenson Screen setup about 1/4 of a mile away.
What very slight variations do occasionally show are probably more to do with
real variations in the two locations than the differences between
conventional Stephenson and AWS type screens.

The Davis kit is mostly very good but many people find that the raingauge
under-reads by around 15-20 percent compared to what an adjacent manual
5-inch raingauge measures. That is certainly the case with mine. No doubt
this is partly due to the fact that the Davis raingauge is integral with
the temperature/humidity unit so it has to be mounted a few feet above
the ground.


--
Norman Lynagh
Tideswell, Derbyshire
303m a.s.l.

Geo wrote:
On Thu, 19 May 2011 20:58:32 +0100, Dave Cornwell
wrote:


Several of us have what is really the
cheapest PC linked option. This is the Watson W-8681 range badged under
several other names and made in China by Fine Offset.(Often sold by
Maplins and on Ebay (new). Costs about £70 for console, wind, rain,
humidity, temperature and pressure. Connects via USB and comes with
average software but is great with the free (donation ware) Cumulus
software. Don't think there is any Linux software. Latest model costs
about £95 but adds UV solar measurement.

Not sure if this is the latest model but CPC do the W-8681 for £78
http://cpc.farnell.com/1/1/71963-wea...81-watson.html
-------------------
As Estate Agents would say - "Location, Location, Location" !
Certainly with the Watson the built in heat shield is insufficient but
easily rectified in all sorts of ways as sensor can be extended to
anywhere with standard cheap cable. The pressure is amazingly accurate
but of course you have to set it to relative pressure and not absolute
pressure as the one mentioned clearly has!
Dave