[aprssig] Low cost entry weather station?

[Scott Miller]

Sounds like you want the 1-wire weather station from AAG:

http://www.aagelectronica.com/

You can get wind speed, direction, and temperature for under $100 after
shipping.  You've got a couple of options for APRS use.  The MicroWeather
board (http://www.rxcomm.net/) gives you the option of an LCD display and
more sensors, but (unless the firmware's changed since I got mine) you can't
set the beacon rate - it's fixed at 10 minutes, if I remember right.

The cheapest option is probably my own OpenTracker
(http://n1vg.net/opentracker) with the weather firmware loaded and an extra
680 ohm resistor installed.  You basically hook the sensor assembly up in
place of the GPS receiver (detailed instructions on the site and in the OT
manual) - just two wires, no external power or anything for the sensors.  It
works well, but for now it doesn't support any extra sensors.  If I ever
have time and can pick some up, I'll add support for rainfall and humidity
and such.  Firmware updates to the OpenTracker are always free.

The 1-wire system is nice because it does let you add extra sensors to the
same bus.  If you buy them all from AAG, though, you'll probably wind up
paying more for the finished station than you would for a bigger station
from Oregon Scientific or one of the other manufacturers.  Their add-ons
have a large markup.  A DS18S20 temperature sensor costs $5 from Digi-Key -
AAG sells the module for $20 with a box and connectors.

Hmm.. just noticed that they've got a $25 LCD module that can be controlled
by the host.  Maybe I'll look into a local weather display using that...

I just re-mounted my AAG unit on a new antenna mast with the new IGate
antenna - it's offline right now while I run cabling, but it should be back
up soon.  I'll post pictures for the whole setup when I get a chance.

Scott
N1VG

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "William McKeehan" <mckeehan at mckeehan.homeip.net>
To: <aprssig at lists.tapr.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2005 8:18 AM
Subject: [aprssig] Low cost entry weather station?


> Can anyone recommend a low cost weather Station that can be easily used
with
> ARPS?
>
> I'm looking to report Temperature at a minimum, wind speed/direction would
be
> the next most important thing to me, then rainfall amounts, then bringing
up
> the rear would be humidity and barometric pressure.
>
> Ideally, I would like to find a weather station that is of modular design
that
> I could get into with little cost, then add functionality to it as time
goes
> by.
>
> Suggestions?
>
> -- 
> William McKeehan
> KI4HDU
> Internet: mckeehan at mckeehan.homeip.net
> http://mckeehan.homeip.net
>
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