Tokoroa weather online

Willoughby · Unread post by **Willoughby** » Mon 30/04/2007 08:03

Finally some weather data coming out of Tokoroa..

Two different sites, http://tokoroa.dyndns.org/ and http://www.inmanavenue.com/

The gaps are starting to fill quickly on ricky's MML with the new Dannevirke station coming online too!
http://www.portunus.net.nz/weather/mml.html

dija · Unread post by **dija** » Mon 30/04/2007 21:36

Foggy Hamilton wrote:Finally some weather data coming out of Tokoroa..
Two different sites, http://tokoroa.dyndns.org/ and http://www.inmanavenue.com/

The gaps are starting to fill quickly on ricky's MML with the new Dannevirke station coming online too!
http://www.portunus.net.nz/weather/mml.html

Nice, Hopefully someone around Ruapehu starts one eventually eg: Waiouru / Ohakune / National Park

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Tue 01/05/2007 20:17

Nice, Hopefully someone around Ruapehu starts one eventually eg: Waiouru / Ohakune / National Park

We need more stations throughout the central North Island - such a diversity of topography and altitudes means a variety of climate and weather.

TokWW · Unread post by **TokWW** » Wed 02/05/2007 08:41

Thanks for the intro Foggy - and thanks for the pointer to the site!! Sorry to anyone who had tried to click on the location on the MM to jump to the site, I am using an Apache based server and it was very particular with the coding of the Index.htm filename - no uppercase allowed to default on startup with just the URL, solved that and changed filename to all lowercase and then went back and updated MML data.

Also had machine crashes and a whole lot of niggly errors getting a freebie PC up and running.

I have since stopped the AVG doing an auto scan and ZoneAlarm had an uncertificated dll which gave alerts and m/c stoppages, reloaded it from the home PC and re-installed and all is fine now.

I have all the instrumennts now out on the fence with the anemometer/windvane up on a disused wireless mast hockey stick and extended the cables with the heavy underground style two pair Telecom drum cable.

I have installed a disused Sharp video-cam with AV connection to the PC - installed a PCI TV/AV capture card and WD picked it up fine so I increased the pic quality to max and sized up to 640 x 480.

I have trained Google to find me as well, now 4th on the list for Tokoroa Weather...

About $500 all up for the whole site using a LaCrosse WS-2308U-CH (Cherry wood side panels and bronze body to match the piano

)

When the weather fines up, I will take some pics and add them to the drop down menus. I will probably stay with WD for now and just alter the html code for a bit of uniqueness...

Better get back to work here at Kinleith Mill

oh... http://www.InmanAvenue.com

Yes servers are in the States, server manager is in Tokoroa (5,500 hosted sites so far...) and $7/month at 2GB/20MB well, cheaper than that... $80/year.

Cheers

TokWW

Willoughby · Unread post by **Willoughby** » Wed 02/05/2007 09:16

tich wrote:
Nice, Hopefully someone around Ruapehu starts one eventually eg: Waiouru / Ohakune / National Park
We need more stations throughout the central North Island - such a diversity of topography and altitudes means a variety of climate and weather.

Which also means low population density!

But yeah, there are quite a few weather stations around up there owned by public utility and the army which is unfortunately shut off. Good that the Waiouru SYNOP comes through though..

Ahh, welcome Graeme!

TokWW · Unread post by **TokWW** » Wed 02/05/2007 11:17

Foggy Hamilton wrote:Ahh, welcome Graeme!

Thanks Foggy,

I am impressed with your recent photos on the Flickr site.

I am adding some to Heartland site and some background text. Its a fledgling community website just getting underway for Sth Waikato. I may use Flickr too.

Cheers

Graeme
Tokoroa

GreggWard · Unread post by **GreggWard** » Wed 02/05/2007 13:00

tich wrote:
Nice, Hopefully someone around Ruapehu starts one eventually eg: Waiouru / Ohakune / National Park
We need more stations throughout the central North Island - such a diversity of topography and altitudes means a variety of climate and weather.

Probably a stupid question, but do you have to be running WeatherDisplay to be added to the map? I am running FreeWX and upload my data to WeatherUnderground every 5 mins.

Willoughby · Unread post by **Willoughby** » Wed 02/05/2007 13:46

Yes you do.. but there is also the option of uploading to the APRS network on CWOP (Citizens weather observer program) and the MML can read that stuff as well as METAR data (few and far between here though lol =/ )

The good thing about CWOP is that it gets ingested onto the NOAA models like the GFS.. so the data put through on CWOP does need to be quality.

More info here:
http://www.wxqa.com

List of NZ'ers uploading
http://www.wxqa.com/states/newzealand.html

GreggWard · Unread post by **GreggWard** » Wed 02/05/2007 13:54

Thanks Foggy.

I'll have a read of those web pages tonight.

ricky · Unread post by **ricky** » Wed 02/05/2007 15:02

There are quite a few CWOP stations on my MML map... I look as aften as I remember and add any new locations that appear..

there seem to be two Tokoroa stations added is that right?

If anyone wants a more local area map added just let me know and maybe give me a map image with the corner lat/long co-ordinates then I can easily add it

TokWW · Unread post by **TokWW** » Wed 02/05/2007 15:27

ricky wrote:There are quite a few CWOP stations on my MML map... I look as aften as I remember and add any new locations that appear..

there seem to be two Tokoroa stations added is that right?

Yes, we both work at CHH PUlp & Paper mill and we are both using LaCrosse, I have a WS2308 and he has a WS3610 - touch screen. Both are linked by hard wiring for more frequent updates.

WD 0963 (me) and WD0966 (Arthur's)

http://www.inmanavenue.com/ and http://tokoroa.dyndns.org

ricky wrote: If anyone wants a more local area map added just let me know and maybe give me a map image with the corner lat/long co-ordinates then I can easily add it

Since we are almost on top of each other, if you use the NI map, then you have to do full zoom and then Pan to even see the difference...

When I get home I may check out what maps you have and suggest some coords if there is not one that is common to Waikato and BOP and Taupo.

Cheers

Graeme

Manukau heads obs · Wed 02/05/2007 15:30

Hi
it would be good if you had this graph:
http://www.inmanavenue.com/curr24hourgraph.gif
on your main weather page graeme?
(add the html code to show that to the datahtm2.txt file (and have ticked, let me control the datahtm2.txt file in the webfiles/web page setup in WD)

TokWW · Unread post by **TokWW** » Thu 03/05/2007 08:34

Thanks for the headsup Brian, I needed to try something new to add to the web page - I thought I was uploading the home station view page too and requested that to be live too but it only comes through when the Summary Gif packs a sad and that hasn't happened for a while now. The Live Graph is just too short... - I have changed the timing rotation now to 9:00am to line up with everyone else. We had 74mm over the last two days !!

I am on several committees and with 4 teenagers at home, life is busy sometimes, DW and eldest (working but flatting at home) call me "Jim Hickey" and at work I am getting razzed as the Senior Meteorologist and for everyone to stand at my entry at smoko times!! I even got a fake Desist notice in my mailbox last night addressed to me by name personally so I knew where that came from...!!!

Life has changed so quickly!! Oh and my shorn sheep have become lightly clad women strutting at home in the webcam... the humour goes on!!

Graeme

dija · Unread post by **dija** » Thu 03/05/2007 18:09

http://tokoroa.dyndns.org max temp today 29.1Â°

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Thu 03/05/2007 18:22

Its like the Whangarei one,it shows 30Â° if the sun is shining and if I remember correctly the top temp in Whangarei this year was 38Â° or something

TokWW · Unread post by **TokWW** » Thu 03/05/2007 20:57

I was speaking to Arthur today and he said his temporary weather shade had fallen off - the LaCrosse units were designed to be under the surfeits on the side of the house. Unfortunately, in the autumn sun, it is getting hit directly for parts of the day and if the shade hat falls off, the temp will climb again. His was supposed to have been recovered part way through the day. My max was 22.2degC at 2:46pm.

I have mine mounted 12m from the house on a fence post (extended cables by 25m) and used a cut off plastic fluid container with vent holes in the side, mounted higher than the unit, as a temporary shade - seems to be working ok. I will get something better and more permanent later on.

He is aware of the issues as we both strive to solve simple and systematic problems with similar units.

TokWW

dija · Unread post by **dija** » Thu 03/05/2007 22:16

hehe, thought as much.
I have the 3600 station (wireless) and believe it or not ... located under an upside down beer 'swap a crate' (piece of ply on top) on a 3 metre post

looks rather rude but provides sun shading whilst letting air circulation and most of all water proof

TokWW · Unread post by **TokWW** » Thu 03/05/2007 22:37

Manukau heads observer wrote:Hi
it would be good if you had this graph:
http://www.inmanavenue.com/curr24hourgraph.gif
on your main weather page graeme?

And added the 12hr direction plot too

Oh, and some setup comments...

Thanks guys for the prompting and help...

Oh and Arthur's unit is the recent WS3610 in a nice new modern black and metallic compact body... haven't seen it on LACrossTechnology.com page but he has one. I think he is still connecting with hardwire because they are all close and on the house.

TokWW

Manukau heads obs · Thu 03/05/2007 22:40

good stuff
grab a new download to fix the wind direction plot going out of range like that
(problem occured when i improved the background image sizing)
(and the plot is now coloured for windspeed)

TokWW · Unread post by **TokWW** » Fri 04/05/2007 13:08

Sorry guys, the serial link has now stopped working - short coupled cable - no problems there - but error data coming from the weather station. I have rebooted the PC a couple of times and no comms - occasional blink but "red" in the Quality indicator.

Disconnected the serial cable for the weather station a couple of times - count to 10 - nothing new or any better...

The weather station is still giving normal data on its screen. I may have to send it back...

Sigh!

Graeme

Manukau heads obs · Fri 04/05/2007 13:47

what station type?
if its the 2310, you could get a usb to serial adaptor?
but try reseating the serial connection to the pc and weather station console?

TokWW · Unread post by **TokWW** » Fri 04/05/2007 15:17

Thanks for comment Brian, I am an engineer and have a Ham license so I know the usual tricks to try and get things working - I posted the Qstn on the W-W Forum explainiong the whole process I have been through including shutting down both units, cables unplugged and then with equipment running which may be a nono anyway, but reconnected to the console and just the occasional green flicker but total red on Quality all the time. Very frustrating after making changes and the output seemed to be what I wanted.

I will email supplier now...

TokWW

TokWW · Unread post by **TokWW** » Mon 14/05/2007 15:10

Have had confirmation from La Crosse Technology, Wisconsin that they will honour a warranty repair but freight is at my cost both ways and at my risk. That's fine by me

They have communicated well this time as they did before I purchased the unit - having faith here

Brian has told me to select "No Weather Station Connected" option and it should post my webcam pics as per the timing selected.

TokWW

TokWW · Unread post by **TokWW** » Fri 18/05/2007 08:59

Aaagh - still no auto-updates of webcam image - am doing it manually morning and night.

Have posted the unit away - Economy Courier via NZ Post - $44 registered - ouch!! It was going to be $113 through NZ Couriers though!!

Have updated the website with some digital photography on the Drop Down Menu for Webcam images - scenes from home

Cheers

Graeme

NZ Weather Forum

Tokoroa weather online

Tokoroa weather online

Re: Tokoroa weather online

Tokoroa Weather Online

Current 24 Hr Graph WD

Hi temp on DynDyns.org

Updated per Brian's Suggestion

More Problems Except this is Hardware!

WS2308 Not Talking over Serial Link