weatherstations ?

[Spuddy]

Bithday today and got a bit of spending money.
since the old barometer on the boat is bust anyway, I thought I'd get one of they electronical gadgets.
There's various makes and various models with different features.
What's the experience on the desirable bells and whistles plus comparison of different makes ??
regards....spuddy

 

[DepSol]

Got one of the top of the range Oregon Scientifics with all the attachments. Works well and am just installing it in my new office.

Dom

 

[starboard]

Would agree with depsol, Oregan Scientific's is the "Rolls Royce" of weather stations. Get one that will show the history of preasure, a fair deduction can be made then of weather to come.
Good luck

Paul.

 

[jstalpaert]

Won't gree with depsol and starboard. Sailing Today (August 2004 issue) compared several electronic barometers, including Oregon Scientific. Vion came out as the best buy.

 

[Spuddy]

Yes, I'd thought the pressure trend feature was a must. Presumably it comes out on a LCD screen -- over what period does anybody think it should show the graph ??
regards..spuddy

 

[wicked]

Why not buy a Casio Sea Pathfinder watch instead. Has loads of functions including a trace of the pressure trend over the last 24 hours. Good for watching fronts go through etc.

Also does:
Race start timing, stopwatch etc.
6 alarms
Compass
Temperature
Lights up in the dark
Waterproof
Moon phase
Tidal graph

oh - I forgot - also tells the time.

Bit big but if you like gizmos it's a must have. Got mine cheap on EBay. Never look at my barometer now.

Dave

 

[jstalpaert]

Any electronic barometer should show an alarm if the pressure falls by more than 4hPa in three hours, beacause this means trouble! I think that a display graph showing the pressure for the last 12 hours is good. Vion Easy 5002 will cost you about 90 GBP, Oregon BAA968 about 100 GBP (from Sailing Today issue Agust 2004).

 

[starboard]

Hector pascal's!!!!!! please lets not give in to the Frogs, we still call them millibars in aviation!

Paul.

 

[jstalpaert]

Not sure that Pascal ever heard of Hector...even in aviation.

 

[starboard]

Guess he heard of Heathcotte though!

 

[jstalpaert]

How does Heathcotte relate to a pressure graph on an electronic barometer on a boat????

 

[starboard]

Something to do with the Yorkshire moors!

 

[jstalpaert]

www.ukweathershop.co.uk is a good reference and more relevant to your question than Yorkshire moors, or Heathcotte, or Hector (Pascal's brother), or ...

 

[Spuddy]

yeah...thanks.
I'd tracked them down while we were ttaking the tour of wuthering heights.
Thanks all for everything....spuddy

 

[DepSol]

YOu do not say what they compared them to or for? Bit inconclusive nd remember its only Sailing Todays opinion they do not represent the opinion of everyone else and are journalists so have the written word but not the final one.

Too many people take these magazines opinion as final and businesses can be damaged by someones opinion wether right o wrong.

Dom

 

[jstalpaert]

Right. They compared them on accuracy and price, all devices in the 80-100 GBP range. If you want the pressure history for the last 12 or 24 hours and a resonable weather forecast (not just based on pressure trend, as the avarage barometer does) then the Vion is cheaper. Vion will also give you a confidence index of the device's own forecast.
Most devices use a radio linked external sensor that measures outside temperature and humidity.
The problem is, in my opinion, to find a place for the sensor on a boat: they are not waterproof and must be kept out of the sun (else weather forecast will be useless).

 

[DepSol]

Ahh but he one I mentioned is def over 100GBP in price so to dismiss them all as no good when the test was in a certain range and didnt include them all.

 

[jstalpaert]

I didn't dismiss them as no good, just mentioned that Vion came out as the best buy, that's all.
If you are talking about the Oregon WMR112 @ about 250GBP, then yes that's the Rolls Royce.

 

[paulburton44]

got mine from good old Aldi.....!!!!!!!!!

£25.00

seems to be working fine.

remote temp and humidity sensor.

got it at home not on the boat !!!!!

 

[ditchcrawler]

I have a handheld one by Oregon Scientific.Shows pressure readings over previous 12 hrs by visual thermometer heights & actual readings & has a lanyard so it is a round neck jobbie.Cost £75 at boat show 3 years ago.I use XC weather to set the readings initially.It shows the normal temp,altitude ,time & stopwatch.It works well as the trend is the important reading I reckon.