We are using an Ambient WS-2000 Osprey …


… weather station for a variety of weather related functions here at the farm. The WS-2000 is a comprehensive local and remote monitoring package. The Osprey sensor array connects to the console via RF (915 MHz) up to 330 feet line of sight in open air, or 100 feet under most conditions. The wireless signal will not, however, pass through solid metal or ground. The sensor array’s primary power source is a solar panel which charges the super capacitor, with optional battery backup. The sensor array mounts to any pole between 1.25 and 2″ diameter with adaptive mounting bracket and U-Bolt design that can be tightened to your mounting pole. The WS-2000 supports up to 8 thermo-hygrometers and 2 air quality sensors, 1 indoor and 1 outdoor. It also supports a lightning detector, leak detector, and soil meter.

We are an approved Citizen Weather Observer Program (CWOP) …

…weather station. Our station ID is GW4339. The CWOP data is quality controlled through NOAA and MADIS. The program is made up of ham radio operators and other private citizens around the world that have volunteered the use of their weather data for education, research and use by interested parties.

The CWOP embraces three goals: 1) to collect weather data contributed by citizens; 2) to make these data available for weather services and homeland security; and 3) to provide feedback to the data contributors so they have the tools to check and improve their data quality.

CWOP members send their weather data by internet alone or internet-wireless combination to the findU server and then every five minutes, the data are sent from the findU server to the NOAA MADIS server. The data undergo quality checking and then are distributed to users. There are over 800 different organizations using CWOP mesonet data. Here is a partial list:

  • NWS Weather Forecast Offices
  • National Center for Environmental Prediction
  • National Ocean Service
  • National Transportation Safety Board
  • National Center for Atmospheric Research
  • Department of Homeland Security
  • Kennedy Space Center
  • NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
  • University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
  • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • MIT Lincoln Laboratories
  • Weather Underground


Weather Camera …
We are using Blue Iris security software to run a 16 camera CCTV system. One of those cameras is dedicated to a horizon view, pictured at right, in order to capture spectacular weather and sunset events. Mostly as time lapse videos. Snapshots are normally used for sunset images.

We are using POE to run our system, with three TP Link CPE 510 point to point wireless bridges. This is so we can get several cameras at the horse barn and the goat outbuilding.
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