Things to consider when Purchasing an Electronic Weather
Station
1. How easy is it to set
up the station? With most of the competing stations, you
need to install each sensor separately, which adds complication and takes time
and effort. Our Vantage ProŽ weather stations are designed to make setup as easy
as possible. The Integrated Sensor Suite is factory-assembled. Just complete a
few minor assembly steps, insert the battery, and you're ready to mount the
sensors. Mount them all together using our optional tripod, or detach the
anemometer to mount it sepa-rately. Flexible mounting options make it easy,
either way.
2. What is the maximum
transmission distance? The wireless transmission range for most of
the competing stations is generally quite limited. Although transmission range
is highly variable (depending not only on the surrounding physical features of
the land and structures but also on the RF interference in the area), our
Vantage Pro weather stations will almost always out perform the competi-tion,
transmitting up to 400 feet under most conditions. And-unlike the competition-we
offer wireless repeaters should you wish to extend the range even further.
3. What weather variables
are measured and recorded? Most other stations offer
barometric pressure, outside humidity and dew point, daily and yearly rainfall,
wind speed and direction, wind chill, and outside temperature. Some also offer
inside temperature and humidity, and a few even give you extra outside
temperature readings and current rain rate. Only Vantage Pro gives you all
these, plus:
- Additional Rainfall Information: 15-minute rainfall, hourly and
monthly rainfall, and rainfall amounts for each of the last 24 storms.
- Additional Wind Speed Information: 10-minute average wind speed,
direction of high speed, and 10-minute dominant wind direction.
- Apparent Temperature: Heat index (the combined effects of
temperature and humidity) and, with the addition of a solar radiation sensor,
temperature-humidity-sun-wind index.
- Optional Sensors for Solar and UV Radiation, something that's
becoming more important as we become increasingly aware of the dangers to
health caused by excessive exposure to the sun.
- Additional Information (with optional sensors) for agricultural
users: Evapotranspiration, leaf wetness, soil moisture, and soil
temperature
4. How many highs and lows are
measured and recorded? Most other stations simply give you the
current readings. If highs and lows are available at all, they are usually quite
limited. Only Vantage Pro gives you the highs and lows (and/or totals or average
readings) for just about all avail-able weather conditions for the last 24 days
(with time of day), months (with date), or years. No other weather sta-tion on
the market even comes close. And not only can you view the data numerically,
you'll also see it on Vantage Pro's on-screen graphs, giving you instantaneous
visual representations of long-term trends.
5. How often is the information
updated? The Vantage Pro transmitter sends a data packet to the
console every 2˝ seconds. The weather conditions that are the most variable
(such as wind speed and direction) are updated with each packet, while most
other conditions are updated every 10 seconds. With the competition's stations,
the update interval is much longer: 30 seconds, or even 3 minutes or longer.
This may not seem like an important distinction. But try watching the wind gust,
or the rain sud-denly come pouring down. It's very disconcerting to be looking
out the window, seeing something happening weather-wise, and not see it
reflected on the console for what seems to be an eternity
6. Can you use the station at
higher elevations? Our stations can be used up to 12,000 feet in
elevation. Many of the competing stations are limited to 6,000 feet or below. If
you're lucky enough to live and work-or perhaps enjoy a vacation home-in the
mountains, you'll find that our Vantage Pro weather stations work just fine, no
matter what elevation you're at.
7. How is the forecast
generated? The competition generally bases their forecasts
strictly on whether barometric pressure is rising or falling. This re-sults in
none too accurate a prediction. Vantage Pro uses a sophisticated forecasting
algorithm which takes into ac-count not only barometric pressure, but also wind,
rainfall, temperature, humidity, and longitude and latitude. The result? A much
more accurate forecast. Not perfect, but even the guys with the satellite
pictures don't always get it right!
8. How is the forecast
displayed? The competition gives their forecast by means of an
icon. We have similar icons, plus over 100 different forecast messages that
scroll across the bottom of the display when you press the FORECAST key. None of
the other sta-tions have this scrolling message-it is unique to Vantage Pro. The
ticker tape also gives additional information, depending on which key you press.
For example, press the WIND key to display wind speed, and you'll see a mes-sage
showing you the 10-minute average wind speed. If it's raining, you can press the
RAIN YR key to see the last 15 minutes of rain, or RAIN DAY to see the last 24
hours of rain. And these are just a few examples! None of the competition has
anything like this.
9. How much data can you graph
on the screen? With Vantage Pro, you can graph just about every
weather variable, with averages and highs and lows for most, and go back in time
for minutes, days, months, and years. The competition typically graphs just one
variable-barometric pressure-and typically just for the last 24 hours. With all
the graphs on Vantage Pro, you can do tons of analysis, even without purchasing
an additional software package (although we offer one of those, too). And you'll
find that the more dramatic the weather is, the more fun it is to look at the
graphs. Just how windy is it, and how does it compare to the last windstorm? And
how much rain did we get this month, as compared to last month?
10. What is the computer
interface like? If you'd like to do even more analysis, you can
add our WeatherLink data logger and software package. The data logger stores
data at the interval you choose (from one minute to two hours) for up to six
months. You can transfer the data whenever you like, or leave your computer on
to have it automatically transfer every day. The data logger uses non-volatile
memory, so you won't lose the data even if you lose power. For some of the
competing stations, no software package is available. And while other stations
do offer a software package, they don't include a data logger -so your computer
must be on and the software running at all times.
11. How many alarms are
there? On Vantage Pro, alarms can be set be just about every
weather variable, for just about any reason imaginable-up to 65 alarms, in all.
Like the graphs, the alarms found on the competition's stations are generally
quite limited.
12. What is the accuracy,
resolution, and range? Our Vantage Pro weather stations generally
beat the competition in accuracy, resolution, and range. It can be diffi-cult to
find the specs for competing stations. When we do find them, our testing shows
that they are a bit, shall we say, optimistic. We are very proud of our specs,
stand behind them 100%, and are proud to publish them in our cata-log and on our
website.
13. How many other people are
using the stations? Although our Vantage Pro stations are new, we
have an installed base of thousands and thousands of happy Davis weather station
users around the country and around the world. If you check out the "Weather
World 'Round" sec-tion on our website
(http://www.davisnet.com/weather/cool/world.asp), you'll see a listing for
Norman, Oklahoma. Click on that link, and you'll go to the website for the
National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center. They're using our Weather
Monitor II (a predecessor to the Vantage Pro station) to update the local
"unofficial" weather conditions to their website. In addition, many Davis
weather station owners participate as volunteer observers for the National
Weather Service, the National Hurricane Center, and numerous local TV and radio
stations.
14. What is the company behind
the product? In business since 1963, we opened up the home weather
station market back in 1989. The competition has appeared only within the last
few years. Unlike the competition, we manufacture our weather stations right
here in Hayward, California, and have a full customer service and support staff.
Most of the competing weather stations are made overseas. And it can be
difficult (if not next to impossible) to get any kind of customer service or
aftermarket sup-port from these
companies.
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