Weather Stations

Weather StationsCampbell Scientific, Inc.W H E N M E A S U R E M E N T S M A T T E RW H E N M E A S U R E M E N T S M A T T E R®CAMPBELL SCIENTIFIC, INC.Weather StationsCampbell Scientific weather stations have become the world-wide standard for meteorological and climatological monitoring. In use on every continent and virtually every country, our weather stations are known for their precision measurement capability, rugged construc-tion, wide operating temperature range, and low power consumption. Campbell Scientific weather stations offer the flexibi-lity to easily change sensor configurations, data processing, and data storage and retrieval options.Photo Radu Carcoana, NDSU(Above left) High atop Nevado Sajama in the Bolivian Andes, a Campbell Scientific weather station monitors conditions relevant to global warming. (Above right) Weather measurements on the Sphinx provide input for its preservation.The flexibility and long-term reliability of our weather stations have resulted in their widespread use in scientific, commercial, and industrial applications. This weather station in the North Dakota Agriculture Weather network provides data critical to the application of pesticides.From frigid polar and alpine regions to the fiery Sahara, our stations have endured the elements for more than 25 years to provide accurate meteorologi-cal measurements. Most of our equipment has standard operating ranges of -25° to +50°C; extended ranges are from -55° to +85°C. The heart of every Campbell Scientific weather station is the datalogger, and every datalogger we manufacture is calibrated and tested to ensure accurate, reliable performance.Minimal power requirements allow use of alkaline or recharge-able batteries charged by solar panels or ac power. However, all this performance won’t cost a fortune. Low overhead and lean manufacturing allow us to offer quality equipment at reasonable prices.Tough Enough for the Extreme, Inexpensive Enough for the RoutineApplicationsMeteorology Individual Weather Stations record site-specific conditions for meteorological research and routine weather measurement applications. Weather Station Networks provide regional and local real-time data for weather monitoring, fore- casting, local warnings, and climatic modeling.  Air Quality and Diffusion Modeling applications use the datalogger to monitor and control gas analyzers, particle samplers, and visibility sensors.Other Meteorological Applications Ground Truth for Satellite Imagery Fire Weather StationsCampbell Scientific stations have become the standard used by the British Met Office.The Mesonet: Oklahoma’s Statewide NetworkThe Mesonet is composed of more than 115 Campbell Scientific weather stations that collect data for applications such as crop management, severe weather warn-ings, site-specific forecasts, and water resource management. Each station transmits data to the Oklahoma Climatological Survey (OCS) for processing and distribution to users via computer networks and bulletin boards, print and electronic media, and interactive public displays.The associated Micronet is an area of intensive study monitored by an additional 42 stations in the Little Washita Watershed.Every 15 minutes, the Oklahoma Law Enforce-ment Telemetry System (OLETS) collects data from each station via radio telemetry.Dr. Ken Crawford, OCS3Agriculture Crop Management Decisions such as irri- gation scheduling, integrated pest manage- ment, plant pathology, and frost prediction are based on data provided by our stations. Evapotranspiration can be calculated on-board using the FAO-56 Penman-Monteith equation, which is accepted by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.Other Agricultural Applications Erosion Studies Food Processing and StorageOther Applications• Utilities/Energy/Wind Power• Ecological/Biological/Microclimate Studies• Historical Preservation• Automotive Testing • Hydrometeorological Stations• Mining/Mineral Extraction/Earth Science• Highway and Pavement Studies• Alpine/Snow Science/Avalanche Control• Geotechnical/Structural Engineering• Sports Events (e.g., Olympic Games) Assessing Local Lightning Hazards and Thunderstorm ResearchPhil Geary, Campbell Scientific Ltd.ET107 Weather/ETo Station Consists of measurement electronics, power supply, environmental enclosure, 2- or 3-meter aluminum pole, and a standard suite of sensors mounted to a crossarm Measures air temperature, solar radiation, relative humidity, rainfall, wind speed, and wind direction with the standard suite of sensors; optional soil temperature, soil water content, and snow depth sensors available Transmits data via short-haul, telephone, or voice- synthesized modemsRAWS-H Data Collection Platform The RAWS-H contains a CR1000 datalogger with a Handar sensor connector panel. This allows you to replace a Handar Data Collection Platform with a RAWS-H and use the existing Handar sensors, enclosure, power supply, and tower.RAWS-F Quick Deploy StationOur RAWS-F (Remote Automated Weather Station for Fire Weather) is ideal for prescribed burns or other temporary installations. This quick deployment station can be setup in as little as 10 minutes—without tools. It consists of a 6 ft tripod, meteorological sensors, and an aluminum environmental enclosure that houses and protects a CR1000M module and a 12 V battery. The battery is recharged via a solar panel or an AC transformer. Each RAWS-F station is pre-programmed to comply with the National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) weather station standards.The outside of the enclosure has color-coded, keyed connectors for attaching wind speed and direction, air temperature and relative humidity, precipitation, solar radiation, and the optional fuel moisture/temperature sensors. Besides the connectors, a wiring panel is pro-vided that allows the attachment of additional sensors. The RAWS-F includes a CR1000KD for on-site com-munications. Telecommunications options are our GOES satellite transmitter or the VSP3 Vosponder Voice Radio Interface. The Vosponder allows customers to call a RAWS-F station via a hand-held radio and receive verbal reports of real-time conditions. Our RAWS-F station is also compatible with other commu-nication equipment such as telephones, digital cellular transceivers, and RF. Other Pre-Configured StationsThe RAW-P provides an enclosure with connectors for attaching the sensors. Campbell Scientific also supplies stations to Toro®, RainBird®, and Hunter for automating turf grass irrigation; contact them for more information.4Pre-Configured Weather StationsElectric Field MeterThe CS110 can be used as an automated weather station. Itmeasures the vertical component of the atmospheric electric fi eld at the earth's surface. An embedded CR1000 datalogger, sealed connectors for attaching meteorological sensors, and three digital control ports for controlling external devices and/or triggering alarms are included. The datalogger measures the sensors, processes the measurements, stores the data in tables, and can initiate communications. Communication options compatible with the CR1000 include direct connect, Ethernet, phone modems (land-line and cellular), radios, short haul modems, satellite transmitters, and multidrop modems. Our pre-configured weather stations offer research-grade performance with ease-of-use for weather and climate monitoring. They feature a standard sensor assemblage and simplified installation. The ET107 is an automated system designed for commercial agri-culture, irrigation scheduling, and meteorological applications.The CS110's measurements are useful for assessing the local lightning hazard and for thunderstorm research. Build-Your-Own Weather StationsThe flexibility of our products allows you to select only the components you need, in the quantity you need to customize your own weather station.Tripods and TowersOur corrosion-resistant tripods and towers provide sturdy support for sensors, solar panels, and enclosures. We have galvanized-steel tripods with 6- or 10-foot heights, stainless-steel tripods with 10-, 15-, or 20-foot heights, and towers with 10-, 20-, or 30-foot heights. Mounts for attaching wind sets, pyranometers, temperature and relative humidity sensors are available.SensorsCampbell Scientific offers high quality sensors for measuring the parameters listed below. These sensors interface directly to our dataloggers. If measurement needs are specialized, our dataloggers' analog, pulse counter, and digital inputs are compatible with sensors offered by most manufacturers. Wind Speed: cup, propeller, or sonic anemometers.  Wind Direction: vanes containing precision poten- tiometers or sonic anemometers. A single sensor assembly may measure wind speed and direction. Solar Radiation: silicon cell or thermopile pyrano- meters, quantum sensors, or net radiometers. Temperature (air, water, soil): thermistors, thermocouples, or RTDs. Relative Humidity: capacitive sensors that use integral signal conditioning. RH and air tempera- ture sensors are typically housed in a single body. Precipitation: tipping bucket rain gages or weigh- ing gages. A snowfall conversion adapter that uses antifreeze or a heated tipping bucket can measure the water content of snow. Snow Depth: ultrasonic distance sensors. Barometric Pressure: capacitance or strain gage pressure transducers. Soil Moisture: moisture blocks, analog output tensiometers, or reflectometers. Fuel Moisture: thermistor and reflectometer in a Forest Service-approved ponderosa pine dowel. Campbell Scientific weather stations can be customized using our standard product line to suit individual needs, employing a variety of towers, sensors, power supplies, and data retrieval products.5YOUNGYOUNGPYRMODELSR. NO.Made in USA6DataloggersOur weather stations are based around a programmable datalogger that measures sensors and stores data, in your choice of engineering units (e.g., wind speed in mph, m s-1, knots). Sensor measurements are often processed and stored as hourly and daily arrays (e.g., maximums, mini-mums, averages). The datalogger also supports conditional outputs, such as rainfall intensity.PC-based software is available for datalogger programming, data retrieval, and report generation. You can modify the program at any time to accom-modate different sensor configurations or data processing requirements. The datalogger has programmable execution intervals, on-board instructions for commonly used sensors, and adequate input channels to accommodate all standard sensor configurations. Use of measurement and control peripher-als can expand the datalogger’s capabilities.Power SupplyThe power supply consists of either a set of alkaline batteries or a sealed-rechargeable battery; the rechargeable battery can be recharged via solar panel or ac power. Campbell Scientific offers a range of batteries, solar panels, and chargers to meet the needs of your specific applica-tion. Weather stations with high current drain peripherals (satellite, cellular phone) may require one of our larger capacity batteries.Enclosures Environmental enclosures house the datalogger, power supply, data retrieval peripherals, and a barometer. The enclosures provide protection from dust, humidity, precipitation, sun-light, and environmental pollution. Our enclosures are UV-stabilized and reflect solar radiation. Enclosures can be customized for cable-entry openings or mounting brackets for our tripods or towers.The UT30 tower places the wind speed and direction sensor at a 30 ft (10 m) measurement height that meets EPA requirements.INSTRUCTION MANUAL C a m p b e l l S c i e n t i f i c , I n c .Tripod Weather StationInstallation ManualEasy Set Up Our weather station instal-lation manuals provide step-by-step instructions with detailed illustrations. Station set-up time for most customers is a few hours. Data Retrieval PeripheralsTo determine the best option for your site, consider the accessibility of the site, availability of service (e.g., cellu-lar phone or satellite coverage), quantity of data collected, and time between data downloads.On-site options: CompactFlash® cards Laptop Computer  Datalogger keyboard display PDA Handhelds DataView DisplaysTelecommunication options: Short-Haul Modems  Telephone (land line, digital cellular, and voice-synthesized) Ethernet Radio Frequency (RF) Transceivers (VHF narrowband, UHF narrowband, or spread spectrum) Multidrop Interface (coaxial cable) Satellite Transmitters (Argos and High Data Rate GOES)StarterOur starter software is available, at no charge, from www.campbellsci.com/downloads or from our Resource CD.Short Cut Program Builder creates weather station programs that measure sensors and output data. It sup-ports the meteorological sensors on our U.S. Price List.PC200W Starter Software allows you to transfer the weather station program and collect data via a direct communications link (i.e., an optically isolated RS-232 interface or a similar device).Datalogger SupportPC400, our mid-level software, provides advanced programming and telecommunications without introducing large network complexity. Scheduled data collection and combinations of communication options (e.g., phone-to-RF) are not supported.LoggerNet is a full-featured software package based on a server application and several client applications. LoggerNet supports connection to a single datalogger and large datalogger networks. This software pack-age supports scheduled data collection and combina-tions of communication options (e.g., phone-to-RF).Application SpecificVisual Weather is for customers who want reliable, real-time weather data and printed reports without worrying about technical details, such as program-ming, using client-server technology, or maintaining databases. For preconfigured weather stations, it generates a program as sensors, scan interval, and communications path are selected. Short Cut is included for configuring custom weather stations.Meteorological conditions are measured at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. The data are telemetered via phone-to-RF link to a base station.7Claude Labine, Campbell Scientific CanadaSoftwareUsing Visual Weather software, customers can create a wind rose report that displays the distribution of wind directions at multiple wind speeds. Site Selection and Sensor PlacementWind, air temperature, and water vapor pressure measurements are affected by surface type and roughness, soil moisture, regional topography, and obstructions.Sites selected for their applicability to a broader area should be free from obstruc-tions such as buildings, trees, and steep slopes. Ten meter towers are often used to raise measurement heights above low-lying obstructions. The following table lists the suggested measurement heights and exposure (distance to an obstruction) for each type of sensor. Measurement Height or Depth Exposure ConsiderationsWind 3 m ±0.1 m recommended (AASC) No closer than ten times the obstruction’s height. 2 m ±0.1 m, 10 m ±0.5 m, optional (AASC) 10 m (WMO & EPA)Air Temperature & 1.5 m ±1 m (AASC) The sensor must be housed in a ventilated radiation shieldRelative Humidity 1.25-2.00 m (WMO) to protect the sensor from thermal radiation. The EPA 2.00 m for temperature only (EPA) recommends the sensor be no closer than four times the 2 m & 10 m for temperature difference (EPA) obstruction’s height and at least 30 m from large paved areas.Solar Radiation Height should be consistent with the exposure The sky should not be blocked by any surrounding object. standard (AASC, WMO, EPA). To facilitate However, objects <5° above the horizontal plane of the leveling/cleaning, CSI recommends installing sensor are allowed. at a height of 3 m or less.Precipitation 1.0 m ±0.2 m (AASC) AASC & EPA suggest the sensor be no closer than four 30 cm minimum (WMO) times the obstruction’s height. The orifice of the gage must be in a horizontal plane, open to the sky, and above the level of in-splashing and snow accumulation. Soil Temperature 10 cm ±1.0 cm (AASC) Measurement site should be 1 m2 and typical of the 5 cm, 10 cm, 20 cm, 50 cm, 100 cm (WMO) surface of interest. The ground surface should be level with respect to the immediate (10 m radius) area.References:The State Climatologist. 1985. Publication of the American Association of State Climatologists: Heights and exposure standards for sensors on automated weather stations, (9), 4, October, 1985.EPA. 1987. On-site meteorological program guidance for regulatory modeling applications, EPA-450/4-87-013. Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Research Triangle Parks, North Carolina 27711.WMO. 1996. Guide to Meteorological Instruments and Methods of Observation. WMO No. 8, 6th ed. WMO, Geneva.Tanner, B.D. 1990. Automated weather stations, Remote Sensing Reviews 5, (1): 73-98.We would like to discuss your weather station needs. Please contact us at one of our offices, or visit our web site at: www.campbellsci.comREGCOMENDED FeedSENSORS PortlandOr USA Serial27115REGCOMENDEDFeed SENSORS Portland Or USASerial 27115REGCOMENDEDFeed SENSORS Portland Or USASerial 27115 27115H10H10THeight of tree (T)For geographically representative wind measurements, site the station well away from obstructions. Disturbed wind areas can also be avoided with a tower that is 2.5 times the height of the obstruction.815 W. 1800 N. | Logan, Utah 84321-1784 | USA | phone (435) 753-2342 | www.campbellsci.comAustralia | Brazil | Canada | England | France | Germany | South Africa | Spain | USA [headquarters]Copyright © 1999, 2007Campbell Scientific, Inc. Printed October 2007