How important is it for ham to have a personal radio weather monitoring station? For advanced amateur radio players, this seems to be an indispensable weather monitoring equipment before the connection, of course, there are many weather enthusiasts than indispensable monitoring weather equipment, today, and radio uncle BG5WKP walked into the SWL POST Thomas, see his evaluation of this Radioddity Raddy WF-100C wireless weather station!
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="221" > Radioddity Raddy WF-100C wireless weather station</h1>
Text: Thomas
There are a few hobbies and activities that always seem to tie radio enthusiasts together: topics such as aviation, astronomy, trains, language/travel, and weather.
Weather is a big deal for radio amateurs, as it is often one of the icebreakers used when air communication with other hams. I think it is for this reason that there are suppliers at several radio shows that specialize in selling personal weather stations.
A few weeks ago, Radioddity, a sponsor of SWLing Post, contacted me to ask if I would be interested in evaluating and evaluating the new weather stations they are already selling.
My times have changed...
I've always wanted a suitable personal weather station with a built-in automatic rain gauge and anemometer to measure wind speed in real time. Many years ago, we purchased a commercial-grade Davis weather station for my brother-in-law, who was a full weather/weather geek. If I remember correctly, the entire system cost well over $500, but the Davis station was powerful enough that scientists could buy these for remote monitoring and research.
My brother-in-law used this station for many years until he moved to the apartment on the ground floor, where he simply could not install it. He gave it to me, but I never installed it in our house because it would be challenging to do so with wires, and frankly, not very neat – black wires would run along our facades.
I consider buying a wireless station, but a lot of it is either too expensive or I don't know much about the company so question the quality.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="220" > enter the world of raddy WF-100C</h1>
I've received many requests from different companies to review products, but almost all of them have been rejected. The reason is that I wasn't convinced by the free product, and my actual time to do the review was very limited and valuable. I stick to reviews that are directly relevant to the world of radio, as well as products that I think might be useful to our community.
Radioddity has been a sponsor of SWLing Post for about a year and I was very impressed with them because they were open to honest criticism. Last year, they sent me a letter before the new Inclined Valley GSOC went public, and in short, I didn't like it and was very candid about it. Smaller retailers will cancel sponsorships (which, by the way, is completely fine for me), but Radioddity actually thanks me for being honest in my reviews.
So when Radioddity asked me if I would like to review their new Raddy WF-100C weather station, I agreed.
Within two days, it was on my doorstep, and as always in the spirit of total openness, it was free for me— in other words, a free product.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="219" > what WF-100C contains:</h1>
• A main outdoor sensor unit – the unit includes a UV sensor, rain gauge, weather vane, anemometer and a thermohygrometer radiation shield. It comes with a short mounting lever and universal bracket that provides a great deal of mounting flexibility. Radioddity claims the system is capable of communicating up to 330 feet (100 meters).
• A Remote Temperature/Humidity Sensor – This indoor/outdoor sensor displays temperature and humidity on a simple LCD display.
• One main display console – As shown in the image above, the main display console contains a lot of information: wind direction, wind speed, "feel" index, barometric pressure, simple 24-hour forecast, moon phase, remote sensor temperature/humidity, solar intensity, UV index, date and time, indoor temperature/humidity (measured on the display), rainfall and rainfall, dew point, and temperature/humidity of the main sensor unit. The color LCD display has a backlight and a very high contrast ratio, so it is easy to read even at a distance.
• A user manual – The printed user manual is actually quite comprehensive
The outdoor unit uses three AAA batteries, the remote sensor requires two AAA batteries, and the main display console is powered by the included AC adapter, but it uses three AAA batteries as a backup. Batteries are not provided.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="218" > product installation</h1>
One of the reasons this review unit is a freebie rather than a borrowed one is because it needs to be installed. The good news, however, is that installation is very simple.
Unlike my brother-in-law's wired Davis device, the Raddy WF-100C is 100% wireless, eliminating almost all the complications of the installation process.
Ideally, outdoor units should be installed away from any obstacles and installed as high as possible. It also needs to orient the integrated solar panel southward, and it should remain level to function properly (there is a small level bubble on top of the sensor unit).
Primary external sensor unit
Again, ideally, the primary sensor unit should be mounted high (above your home's roof line), in an open space above without branches, and within 100 meters of the main display console. Of course, this isn't always practical for every installation – especially if you live in a town home, apartment, or restricted neighborhood. Keep in mind that if there are obstacles around or trees overhead, it will affect the accuracy of wind speed readings, wind direction, and rainfall. In addition, if a branch falls from a tree overhead, it is also possible to damage the main sensor unit.
I was really confused about how to install the main sensor unit on our house so that it was a bit hidden, but facing south and away from obstacles. It also needs to be installed in a way that I can easily replace the AA battery at some point in the future. Warehouses or wooden sheds. Finally, I decided to temporarily install it on an 8-foot wooden pillar at the back of the house. I would eventually install it higher, away from the overhanging branches.
The additional indoor/outdoor remote sensors are small and can be mounted on a single screw. Note that you may need to assign a transmission channel to a small remote sensor for the host to detect. This is done through a series of DIP switches under the battery cover.
The main display console can be mounted on a wall or desktop integrated flip bracket.
I added three AAA batteries, plugged into the AC adapter, and within a minute, the primary display console collected data from the primary and secondary remote sensors. This is the correct "plug and play".
Now, I choose to simply display the console on a table near the front window of our house. Finally, if my family doesn't protest, I'll install it in my radio room!
I had to set the time manually, which was also easy to do. In fact, display units can be configured as imperial or metric units, 12/24-hour clocks, and in many different ways.
At the end of the day, following the way I'm currently installing the main sensor unit outdoors, I know that my wind speed and wind direction readings won't be very accurate — our house will block winds from the southeast. This will improve significantly when I install the device higher in the near future.
The most important readings for me were temperature, humidity and rainfall.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="217" > trial</h1>
I only installed the WF-100C for a week, and earlier this week a very wet weather system entered our area and was further affected by the tropical depression Fred.
In the mountains of North Carolina, we experienced flash floods and mudslides in some areas. Luckily, swLing Post HQ is located on a stable slope with good drainage and we had no property damage. Nearby low-lying areas, however, have more problems.
We took a closer look at the rain gauge to see how it handles and measures these tropical downpours. We're not meteorologists and don't have accurate data comparison equipment, but rain gauges seem to handle both heavy and small showers very effectively.
When we received about 2.5 inches of rain per hour, I took a picture of it above.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="216" > connectivity</h1>
With the Wunderground weather map, you can view other connected personal weather stations.
One of the biggest advantages of a personal weather station like the WF-100C is that it can connect locally to and synchronize with the Wunderground and Weathercloud personal weather station networks.
This is a great feature because it allows you to share your real-time weather information with anyone on the planet if you wish. I have friends who own vacation properties and set up very similar weather stations, mainly so that they can monitor ground weather conditions in real time through the internet.
Due to our unique and unstable internet connection at SWLing Post HQ, I didn't connect the WF-100C to any online weather network. I probably, because the amount of data being exchanged is very low bandwidth, and I hope the console can handle our frequent internet outages.
I should add that the connection process is actually quite simple and is outlined in the user manual.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="215" > review summary</h1>
Honestly, I was a bit out of my comfort zone when looking at personal weather stations. I don't know much about this market and there are no devices to offer comparisons.
That being said, I believe the Raddy WF-100C is a fun and effective device: it's easy to set up, flexible, offers a lot of weather data, connects to the best PWS networks, and has been supported by my Radioddity to this day impressively.
Radioddity's current WF-100C sells for $189.99 (RMB: 1235 yuan), which is equivalent to a similar product from other retailers, according to my pricing research. Radioddity Pro Tips? They are always making sales and usually offer coupons for people who subscribe to newsletters, etc. You may be able to buy the WF-100C for less than its retail price.
If you're looking for a research-grade weather station, the WF-100C may not be it. You'll need to spend more money to get this level of accuracy and quality – especially if it's a wireless system. If these things are important to you, check out Campbell Scientific and Davis Instruments.
I always question consumer electronics and the longevity of such products. As far as I know, the sensor units feel that they are well sealed and should be able to withstand exposure to extreme weather. According to Radioddity, the primary sensor unit can withstand hurricane-intensity winds. I hope I don't get a chance to test that claim.
I try to remember how publishing the WF-100C has been performing over time. If you're reading content in the coming months and I'm not adding updates to the post, feel free to nudge me in the comments section.
I thank Radioddity again for not only sending the WF-100C my way for a candid review, but also for sponsoring the SWLing Post. Thank you!
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="118" > comments from netizens</h1>
John Brent:
I was a little surprised that no one seemed to notice that the image of the product box with the base station details was incorrectly labeled. Obviously, the label of wind direction is the opposite of the label of wind speed.
By the way, I fit the description of a weather geek and have had many weather stations over the last 25 years. Mys is relatively simple because living in an apartment, I can't install a large unit with a weather sensor described here. Most of the products I have are LaCrosse products, and most of them perform admirably. But the shelf life for everyone is relatively short, and in most cases it lasts for 5 years before the problem arises. But some fail within a year, and almost always the base station fails. Accuracy is another matter, and none of them will be considered "professional grade".
Paul:
Thank you for your review! Davis Vantage Vue costs $300 and Radioddity costs $190 — I think the choice is clear, spend a little more and get more.
Mario:
We've had a wireless wx station for several years now, and it's very useful for knowing the exact weather of where we are. We had a rain gauge and in July we had a record 12 inches. Since we're used to having one, there's no lack.
Tom:
Two questions. Can the brightness of the indoor display be adjusted? In the photo, it was too bright for a dark bedroom but too dark for a sunny room.
The most important question is, will the wall warts that power the display add RF noise to your radio?
Joe Patty:
I've owned a Davis Vantage Vue for about 10 years. It has a data logger connected to my home network. There is also a server on the network that hosts a cheap but powerful software suite called Weather Display (weatherdisplay.com). The software uploads my weather data to Weather Underground as well as to the CWOP program. It also generates web pages for my personal site njvoorheesweather.com.
What I like most about the Vantage Vue base console is the message that appears on the display when it rains heavily. It indicates, "In the next heavy rainstorm!" ”
Troy Riddle:
I have a formal meteorological education and have worked as an aviation weather forecaster. I was a weather geek when I was a kid, and I was lucky enough to have a formal education and actually get paid as an adult
This looks like a very nice home system (I have no experience with this brand). But potential buyers should have realistic expectations. Weather stations in this price range are disposable – meaning they are manufactured without replaceable parts and components (and they don't live long either). When one component fails, you either replace the unit or continue to use it until multiple component failures occur and/or the system no longer meets your needs and becomes obsolete due to defects/failures.
Davis Instruments is the most popular — because there's no better word — the "upscale" brand that you can buy for home. But you might pay $700 for an entry-level system (and depending on the configuration, the price doubles).
It's like radio... When one radio sells for $180 and another costs $1,000, people don't expect equal performance and longevity. However, not everyone can afford a $1,000 radio (or weather station!). ）。 So, based only on what I can see from its functions/features, I would definitely consider this if I was in the weather station market in this price range. However, I suspect you'll be using it in 20 years, just as Richard Schreiber (read his post) uses his Davis Instruments Vantage Pro (also note that Richard has replaced multiple components over the years to keep his wx station up and running).
Thomas:
Good point, Troy.
I don't understand this market at all, but I agree with "you get what you pay for". My hope is that this will become something that I think is important enough that I actually invest in a higher-end unit at some point.
I admit I wouldn't have installed the main sensor unit in a location that would be difficult to access later because it does rely on internal battery power.
I do think this unit, as you suggested, should help me understand the connections between air pressure, clouds, wind, and temperature to help me make some simple predictions.
Richard Schreiber
Many thanks to Thomas for the full review, which was timely, as my own Davis Vantage Pro may soon be history. This is the one that needed to be replaced a few years ago, and now the anemometer and rain gauge show signs of failure. But after about 20 years of service, I'm not upset.
Raddy seems to have a wide range of features at a reasonable cost, in line with other affordable radio stations I've been surveying. Concerns about this unit (or, for that matter, any weather stations under consideration) are as follows:
— Can weather data be recorded locally in addition to the Weathercloud database.
— Easily upload data not only to WeatherUnderground and WeatherCloud, but also to other weather networks, such as CWOP or APRS or my own web pages. This feature is important for some weather observers.
— Despite the availability of reliable and inexpensive AQI sensors, most current weather stations do not have AQI monitoring. Available as an option
— The ability to withstand extreme weather conditions within a few years is important, and a new product like this one will be a gamble until there's enough time for consumers to provide real-world feedback, or the manufacturer does some endurance testing.
— Using batteries for backup power is inconvenient for many places where accessing the device can make battery replacement difficult.
The reality, however, is that solar power stations are not common in this price range.
An example for comparison might be the ambient weather WS-2902C WiFi Smart Weather Station, which is solar-powered and has the same price range.
wow! 20 years is an amazing amount of time for a unit.
If I get five years of service from PWS in this price range, I think I'll be happy. I'm sure the indoor display console will be used for a long time, but it's the main sensor with moving parts that I'm most worried about — especially the anemometer and rain gauge.
I haven't gone into the unit's logging feature yet, nor have I connected it to Wunderground (but I will eventually).
Of course, I'm sure Radioddity doesn't make these outright, and I bet it comes from the same facility as ambient Weather gear (though I don't have inside information on that – they're just so similar in appearance).
Thanks for your review!
Thomas
Andrew:
Thomas, given that the station has the ability to send alarms (which can also be sent to smartphones), it can be useful to set these alarms to alert you to snow, snow, strong winds, etc.; it's useful to go home in situations where your antenna is at risk or to be careful when you go home (for example, in cases of freezing), the only thing missing from the station imVVVHo is a thunderstorm detector; Charles Wenzel (techlib.com) has some design, but it would be cool to integrate them with the system
Mike in Knoxville:
In the past, I was a contractor at NOAA, installing and maintaining climate monitoring stations across the country (we used a lot of Campbell Scientific equipment, including data loggers). Therefore, I reasonably paid for the Davis Vantage Pro 2 wireless station. It ran for a few years, and then the barometer in the base station went out. Then, the remote station's power system failed (a bit of a common problem at the time) — it would drain the battery, even if the supercapacitor that was supposed to provide enough power to run for at least a few days was replaced. sun. I finally gave up and sold it on eBay piece by piece. It's a nice system with mediocre part quality, but ultimately it's not worth the investment.
After some time, I bought a $100 Chinese-made system that was physically damaged within 2 years. Hopefully this system is doing better and can be used for you for a few years, Thomas. I wanted a new system and considered some Pi projects, but haven't pursued any of them yet.
Here comes the uncle:
Do you think it's just a necessity to have a wireless weather station? What is the market outlook for such products? Welcome to leave a message to discuss! Warm tips: Domestic self-built weather stations and release data are violations!