Common questions about the WeatherDuino system
What hardware do I need to build a WeatherDuino Weather Station?
The minimal hardware needed to build a WeatherDuino weather station is one Transmitter Unit and one Receiver Unit, and obviously a set of weather instruments (anemometer, rain gauge, temperature / humidity sensor, etc).
Besides transmission of the RF signal, the transmitter units act as an interface where all outdoor weather instruments are connected.
One transmitter unit is enough to connect all the most common weather instruments, however for reasons of better placement of some weather instruments, up to four transmitter units can be used with each receiver unit.
Where can I get the circuit boards to build a WeatherDuino weather station?
All information about circuit board prices, availability and how to order can be found here: Circuit Boards for WeatherDuino systems.
How is data transmitted?
In common with most weather stations, WeatherDuino works by using Radio Frequency (RF) signals for communication between the Transmitters and the Receiver Unit.
Currently WeatherDuino uses OOK/ASK radio modules, available in 433Mhz and 315Mhz versions. Most systems use 433MHz, however, depending on national regulations users may prefer to use 315MHz versions.
Up to four Transmitter Units can send data to each Receiver Unit.
What's the maximum RF range?
As with any RF signal, the maximum distance which can be achieved between Transmitters and Receivers depends on several factors.
In favourable conditions the range can extend to more than 100 meters. WeatherDuino users haven't reported any major problems for ranges between 10 to 50 meters.
Do WeatherDuino receivers have a data logger?
Yes, both the WeatherDuino Pro2 and Pro2 PLUS systems have data logging capabilities. Both systems emulate a Davis data logger, so they work in exactly the same way and have the same capabilities of the Davis data loggers.
For a quick comparison between WeatherDuino receivers, please refer to WeatherDuino Receivers - Comparison Chart
The number of data records which can be stored depends on the Sample Interval, which can be defined by the user in the WeatherDuino software. Below is a table illustrating the data logger capacity in relation to the Sample Interval.
| Sample Interval | Capacity of logger in time |
|---|---|
| 1 minute | 1 day and 20 hours |
| 5 minutes | 8 days and 21 hours |
| 10 minutes | 17 days and 18 hours |
| 15 minutes | 26 days and 16 hours |
| 30 minutes | 53 days and 8 hours |
| 1 hour | 106 days and 16 hours |
| 2 hours | 213 days and 8 hours |
Which weather instruments are supported?
One of the strengths of the WeatherDuino weather station is the wide range of types and brands of weather instruments that can be used, and more are being added all the time.
Click on the link to consult a listing of currently supported weather instruments.
I have a weather instrument which isn't on the list of supported instruments. Can I use it?
Maybe yes, maybe no. Please visit the WeatherDuino Support Forum and post as much information as possible about the weather instrument which you intend to use. The Forum is the best place to get answers for questions like this.
Does WeatherDuino support Solar Radiation / UV sensors?
Yes, through the use of the Solar / UV interface.
Does WeatherDuino support Soil Moisture, Soil Temperature and Leaf Wetness sensors?
Yes, through the use of the Soil / Leaf interface.
What weather software does WeatherDuino work with?
WeatherDuino emulates the Davis Vantage Pro2 communication protocol, so it works with any weather software which also works with a Davis Vantage Pro2 weather station.
Cumulus1, CumulusMX, WeewX and Weather Display are the most common software used by the WeatherDuino users.
User Interface - List of available languages
Currently, the user interface can be set to any of the following languages:
- Czech - Translation by Zdenek
- Dutch - Translation by Pierrelux
- English - Base Language
- French - Translation by Laulau
- German - Translation by engolling
- Italian - Translation by kraken1881
- Portuguese - Translation by Werk_AG
- Spanish - Translation by Ardummy
Is your language not on the list?
Maybe you could contribute to the project with a translation. It will not take more than an hour of your time, and a whole country will thank you.
