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For my 30th birthday a group of my friends bought me a [La Crosse
WS2355][WS2355] weather station. Over the weekend I installed it.
I mounted the wind speed
(anemometer) and and direction sensors to the mast of our TV antenna.
<figure>
<a href="/images/2010/09/_MG_9070.jpg" rel="prettyPhoto[weather]"><img src="/images/2010/09/_MG_9070-small.jpg" width="400" height="266" alt="Anemometer" /></a>
<figcaption>Anemometer</figcaption>
</figure>
The roof of the house seemed like the logical place for the rain gauge since
there's trees overhead on most of the rest of our block. I bolted the rain
gauge to a piece of aluminium that Dad had lying the around in his shed. I put
a slight bend at the end to get the gauge level. I then pop-riveted the bracket
to the roof.
<figure>
<a href="/images/2010/09/_MG_9066.jpg" rel="prettyPhoto[weather]"><img src="/images/2010/09/_MG_9066-small.jpg" width="266" height="400" alt="Rain Gauge Mounting Bracket" /></a>
<figcaption>Rain Gauge Mounting Bracket</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure>
<a href="/images/2010/09/_MG_9067.jpg" rel="prettyPhoto[weather]"><img src="/images/2010/09/_MG_9067-small.jpg" width="400" height="266" alt="Rain Gauge Bolted to Mounting Bracket" /></a>
<figcaption>Rain Gauge Bolted to Mounting Bracket</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure>
<a href="/images/2010/09/_MG_9068.jpg" rel="prettyPhoto[weather]"><img src="/images/2010/09/_MG_9068-small.jpg" width="400" height="266" alt="Rain Gauge Pop-Riveted to Roof" /></a>
<figcaption>Rain Gauge Pop-Riveted to Roof</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure>
<a href="/images/2010/09/_MG_9069.jpg" rel="prettyPhoto[weather]"><img src="/images/2010/09/_MG_9069-small.jpg" width="400" height="266" alt="Finished Rain Gauge" /></a>
<figcaption>Finished Rain Gauge</figcaption>
</figure>
The thermomometer/hygrometer under the eave of the house, near the TV
antenna. I bundled up the metres of extra cable between the
thermomometer/hygrometer and the other two sensors with left over cable ties.
The bundles hang on a cheap hook that I had in the shed. The end result is
relatively tidy and tucked away from the elements.
<figure>
<a href="/images/2010/09/_MG_9081.jpg" rel="prettyPhoto[weather]"><img src="/images/2010/09/_MG_9081-small.jpg" width="400" height="266" alt="Thermomometer/Hygrometer" /></a>
<figcaption>Thermomometer/Hygrometer</figcaption>
</figure>
I opted to have the sensors talk to the display via the 433Mhz wireless
connection to save having to run wires in through the wall or roof. The
downside of this is readings every ~130 seconds instead of every 8 seconds.
This is mainly an issue for the wind speed/direction but the temperature is
what I'm most interested in.
<figure>
<a href="/images/2010/09/_IM_9078-9080.jpg" rel="prettyPhoto[weather]"><img src="/images/2010/09/_IM_9078-9080-small.jpg" width="266" height="400" alt="The Finished Installation" /></a>
<figcaption>The Finished Installation</figcaption>
</figure>
To log and upload the [weather readings][weather] I'm using the [wview][wview]
weather station software. wview is running on the Mac mini connected to our TV.
The site layout is pretty basic so I hope to come up with a cleaner design in
the coming weeks.
**Update:** I built a custom logging and charting solution. See the post,
[Weather Station Software][software].
[software]: /technical/2010/09/weather-station-software/
[WS2355]: http://www.lacrossetechnology.com.au/shop2/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=93
[wview]: http://www.wviewweather.com/
[weather]: /weather/