Wireless Weather Station at local fields

Projects that are not for RC, but are cool and worthy of development.
Post Reply
User avatar
ShowMaster
Posts: 4327
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:44 am
Country: -
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA

Wireless Weather Station at local fields

Post by ShowMaster »

Another of my hobbies.
Reports every 3-5 min 24/7 to the Internet the local weather conditions at the field, no Internet connection or WiFi avsilable. Check the wind before you drive to that remote field.
The magic link is ham radio.
The protocol used is defined buy 
 http://www.aprs.org/
The weather equipment I now use is inexpensive for what it can do and has good support. Visit Argent Data for that,
http://www.argentdata.com/
Here is a self contained station that just needs a free or $120 radio to work.
  https://www.argentdata.com/catalog/prod ... s64njt6fq7

The frequency APRS works on is world wide, 144.390 MHz. Many hams have free old radios that will work.
The packet weather data gets from the station to the Internet through "IGates" that covert the 2 meter data and sends it tothe Internet. IGates are everywhere and are free to use.
You do need a ham license from someone to use but most clubs have flyers with them. 
Here are 2 I put up several years ago. The first one is the system for $160+ radio
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/wxpage.cgi?call=K6OUA-11

Here is one a mile from my house
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/wxpage.cgi?call=WA6MHA-11
If  you choose the options on the page left you can see more data and a satellite  
view of the runways.

http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/find.cgi?call=WA6MHA-11
Let me know if you need more info, I hope this helps to understand what's going on. The flyers really like it.
SM

User avatar
rperkins
Posts: 1422
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 12:51 pm
Country: -

Re: Wireless Weather Station at local fields

Post by rperkins »

very cool. I like the ham radio integration
User avatar
ShowMaster
Posts: 4327
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:44 am
Country: -
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA

Re: Wireless Weather Station at local fields

Post by ShowMaster »

No free Internet access if any at all so ham radio came to the rescue.
SM
Oshb5ems
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2012 11:46 am
Country: -

Re: Wireless Weather Station at local fields

Post by Oshb5ems »

Hi

When I passed my first part of my Ham test and could use 2m and 70cms I had a radio that had the ARPS and packet radio built in and I could be followed over the internet on a map program but that was some time ago and I no longer have that radio,,

Andy
User avatar
ShowMaster
Posts: 4327
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:44 am
Country: -
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA

Re: Wireless Weather Station at local fields

Post by ShowMaster »

Look at the Argent Data site. You can build A WX station for very little. Many are using A 5 watt Chinese 2 meter radio for $120 or less. Only downside is the inexpensive WX Anemometer could freeze up in colder WX. Living in So Cal I don't worry about it.
The clubs I've set it up at really like it and I just got an award from one club for contributing something that everyone has learned to trust before setting out on a long drive only to find the wind is OK at their house and 20 MPH at the field 50-100 ft from where they take off and land. Updates every 3-5 min.
It was a lot of fun to build as well.
SM

Oshb5ems
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2012 11:46 am
Country: -

Re: Wireless Weather Station at local fields

Post by Oshb5ems »

Hi
I have a couple of 2m radios still hanging around not doing anything I might have a look into it. Here in the UK its a lot coolder than your used to lol you lucky person :) Is there sits for the building of the gear to attach to the 2m radio.. Its some time since I used the ARPS system but I bet its still running on the same site is it not?

Andy
User avatar
ShowMaster
Posts: 4327
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:44 am
Country: -
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA

Re: Wireless Weather Station at local fields

Post by ShowMaster »

A good start
http://wiki.argentdata.com/index.php?title=ADS-WS1

http://info.aprs.net/index.php?title=Frequencies

You can use PEET Bros stations and otheres with no freeze options with the Argent Data Opentracker Modems with a free FW update for weather reporting. Inexpensive devices and add your own instruments
SM
User avatar
Mechcondrid
Posts: 222
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2011 3:53 am
Country: -
Location: ledyard, connecticut, United States
Contact:

Re: Wireless Weather Station at local fields

Post by Mechcondrid »

lol you got this idea from me didnt you? (joking of course)
User avatar
ShowMaster
Posts: 4327
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:44 am
Country: -
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA

Re: Wireless Weather Station at local fields

Post by ShowMaster »

I just received a 1/5 watt dual band Baofeng uv-5 transceiver in the mail. I paid $50 to my door for it from 409shop.com.
It does everything I need and more all for $50. It's so small as well. It's going to replace a 50 watt mobile radio that's 20 years old and large!
This station has been on the air for 7 years with out issues.
The Apollo flying field users really like it.
The weather instruments are newer but the station is 7 years old.
I've been asked to join the underground weather group with both station locations and I think I'll do it this time.
BTW,
The local field has solar and generator backup. Since I'm able to monitor the charge on the battery system, I'm going to add a feature that allows me start the generator from home or within 100 miles if the solar can't keep up on a busy flying day. No Internet available at both locations so everything is done through a ham radio to Internet IGate interface. Once it's all talking actually I can use the Internet or the RF access on the APRS system.
It's another hobby I enjoy when I can't fly or modify RC systems.
Two different club installations

SM
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1367939665.703090.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1367939950.444692.jpg



Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk.
User avatar
Flaps 30
Posts: 1490
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 6:04 pm
Country: -
Location: Wokingham Berkshire

Re: Wireless Weather Station at local fields

Post by Flaps 30 »

One service in the UK that is of use to slopers (free fuel flyers) is this one ----> http://www.wendywindblows.com/
Last edited by Flaps 30 on Tue May 07, 2013 9:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Incorrect information removed that was related to umanned stations operations
User avatar
ShowMaster
Posts: 4327
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:44 am
Country: -
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA

Re: Wireless Weather Station at local fields

Post by ShowMaster »

Sorry to read that it can't be done in the UK.
SM


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk.
User avatar
Flaps 30
Posts: 1490
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 6:04 pm
Country: -
Location: Wokingham Berkshire

Re: Wireless Weather Station at local fields

Post by Flaps 30 »

Correction to my previous post. My mind was on unmanned stations and the like.. Yes it can and is being done in the UK in the same way. The only difference is that the APRS data is on 144.800 Mhz in the UK and much of Europe.

Sorry about that ...
User avatar
Rob Thomson
Site Admin
Posts: 4543
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:34 am
Country: United Kingdom
Location: Albury, Guildford
Contact:

Re: Wireless Weather Station at local fields

Post by Rob Thomson »

I thought something did not sound right.

So.... As I fly off about 15 different slopes, all over 40 miles from home.... Guess I won't be bothering to set one of these up 8-)

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Slope Soaring, FPV, and pretty much anything 'high tech'
...........if you think it should be in the wiki.. ask me for wiki access, then go add it!
User avatar
ShowMaster
Posts: 4327
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:44 am
Country: -
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA

Re: Wireless Weather Station at local fields

Post by ShowMaster »

In the Los Angeles area the free fields are scarce, (1), and the private ones (5) are all spread out over 50/100 miles round trip for many. Knowing the wind conditions for power models helps before driving there.
One field can be calm, the other can have 35mph gusts and 20 mph wind.
Local air port wind reports are not as accurate as that at the actual flying field.
For slope or glider flying its the same story, not so many close by.





Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk.

Post Reply

Return to “Other Electronic Projects”