NZ Weather Forum

After a few years of manual recordings, I was looking for a more automated solution, and I was looking for a data-logging system so that I didn't need to have a pc running 24/7. I found the specs for the 3500 which coincided with my wife asking what I wanted for my birthday

The unit captures temps, dew points, humidity, and pressure. I'm happy to continue to capture rainfall data myself from a raingauge and not too worried about not having wind data. In the urban environment where I am the wind wouldn't give too much useful data.

The console has the capacity to store approx 1700 readings, with the interval settable via the PC software (which is a bit of a dog!). I've left mine on 5 minute intervals which is the factory default.

The unit is linked to the pc via a serial cable to a free port (from what I have read LA Crosse units hate USB-serial converters). The PC software (Heavy Weather Pro) doesn't need to run all the time, and when started will poll the console for the stored data since the last time the program was run and updates a history.dat file. This suits me fine, I can go away for a couple of days and not miss any data.

One disadvantage I have found with the Heavy Weather software is I can't add any comments for observations eg clouds seen or interesting events. I'll continue to poke around for a solution, maybe create a database table that can be joined to an analogue of the history.dat file

Heavy Weather is a bit of a crusty program, though it can do graphs fairly easily. If I can I'd like to try to do an interface to Excel for more analysis (the program can export a delimited text file)
I'm also experimenting with the freebie wuhu software for uploading the station data to wunderground.com
http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstat ... IAUCKLAN42

Cheers,

G

Have fun with your new Toy!

Nice! Good stuff!

After a bit more fiddling, I've discovered I can run the wuhu software in direct serial mode, where it will read all the history for the station and upload it to wunderground

GraemeWi wrote:After a bit more fiddling, I've discovered I can run the wuhu software in direct serial mode, where it will read all the history for the station and upload it to wunderground

wund1.gif

That's what I do and run a webcam too..

The good thing is that you can use the HTML links in WU to link to other websites.. I use it to show students how you too, can be a weather geek!

Hi Graeme i run a identical unit using the same software etc.
Ive been extremely happy with my unit which i purchased second hand from one of the forum members.
I spray the anemometer now and then with a spray i use for my sea fishing reels and that keeps the blade turning.
But like you in this environment the readings are questionable.

Janos wrote:Hi Graeme i run a identical unit using the same software etc.
Ive been extremely happy with my unit which i purchased second hand from one of the forum members.
I spray the anemometer now and then with a spray i use for my sea fishing reels and that keeps the blade turning.
But like you in this environment the readings are questionable.

What's the name of the lube spray?

I thinks its called tackle guard ..good for use in a salty environment.
Most fishing shops sell it.