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Re: [TowerTalk] weather station on tower?

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] weather station on tower?
From: Patrick Greenlee <patrick_g@windstream.net>
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2015 06:46:22 -0500
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
I too have the wireless Davis unit with all the options mentioned by Larry below. All options except bird spikes and funnel filter as my unit is about 10 years old predating those improvements. I am very satisfied with its function and never heard it on any radio. I will be relocating it to a tower or other elevated location (favoring a tower) as a couple of my cows once ate the interconnecting wiring between the anemometer and main unit. This during a brief period when the surrounding protective electric fence was powered down.

I expect to mount an arm at least 3 ft long horizontal from the tower on which to mount the Davis to get a more accurate wind direction and speed with less turbulence interference from the tower. As the tower in question is a tilt over with hinge 8 ft above ground I can tilt the tower to service the Davis as if it were an antenna. Birds like to perch on the rim of the rain gauge funnel and their deposits tend to plug the funnel. Thanks for the info Larrry re the bird spike and filter upgrade. I will look into those upgrades re their retrofitability and separate purchase availability.

Patrick        NJ5G

On 9/1/2015 12:25 AM, Larry McDavid wrote:
I've had a Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 wireless weather station for 5 years and it has been flawless. I have two receiving console display units and have never had any RFI susceptibility or emission problems with this system. However, the sensor suite transmits on 902 - 928 MHz in Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum mode, not at 430 MHz as stated below.

Since the system uses FHSS RF mode, you are unlikely to *ever* detect it on any ham receiver.

The sensor suite is powered by a solar cell which charges a super capacitor for overnight operation. If several days without sunshine are encountered, the unit includes a Li primary cell as battery backup. My system includes a 24-hour fan-aspirated radiation shield powered by its own solar panel and NiCd cells.

These systems do require at least annual maintenance so they should be accessible for service. In particular, the tipping-bucket rain gage needs its conical collector and the buckets cleaned as they accumulate dust and dirt. There is a recent version of the collector funnel that has a better filter at the bottom and has bird-repellent spikes. Since my aspiration fan runs 24/7, the plastic louvers that make up the radiation shield also need cleaning once a year.

I had a previous wired Davis system for 25 years so I now have some 30 years of accumulated weather data stored on the connected computer. I never had any RF problems with either of these Davis Instruments systems; both performed flawlessly!

Now, granted, some will say we don't have "weather" here in Los Angeles (I live near Disneyland). Historically, though, we do get *some* rain and often have wind with gusts to 70 MPH where I live. I've seen relative humidity values as low as 5 % during a "Santa Ana Wind."

Larry W6FUB


On 8/31/2015 9:45 PM, Bill Parry wrote:
I have a La Crosse that is mounted on the tower (wireless) and have had no
RF problems.  Works just fine.

Bill W5VX

-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Lew
Sayre
Sent: Monday, August 31, 2015 10:58 PM
To: Ken
Cc: Towertalk Reflector
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] weather station on tower?

I've had the Davis Vantage Pro II wireless for the past 3 years. Very
reliable and rf quiet. It Tx around 430Mz but I've never heard it or
recognized it on hf or vhf..
...


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