Help! WMR100 Main weather station USB connection problem

[bspince]

Your help is great, guys, thanks!

Please tell me more about the "dreaded wmr100 USB dropout problem."

bspince

[Weather Display]

there is a FAQ on that

[bspince]

Brian,
Thanks; I went thru the FAQ's before, and if it's the FAQ re: powering down, I've done that several times, but when I plug it into USB, a beautifully-working console goes haywire in short order (see my post 9 to this thread above).

I believe the WD I downloaded from OS may not be the latest version...do your later versions cure this problem, or is it a hardware problem? 

I've got 2 wmr100a's with 9 external T/H sensors each (at totally different locations), and I can't believe the hours I've spent trying to make these things work (probably not as many as you), and any insite you can offer would be very helpful.

Thanks again.
bspince

[Weather Display]

that version you downloaded is a free basic version

i think its more of a hardware, electrical interference/ground loop/feedback problem than a software problem

[bspince]

Thanks, Brian
At least I know which direction to turn.
'Appreciate your help.
bspince 

[neosec]

I'm having the same problem.  The base updates fine until I plug in the USB cable, the updates are slow or not at all.  The sensor package is near the range limit I'm sure, it's about 150 - 200 feet from the base but has to transmit through 3 wall of the house to get to the base.  I feel pretty sure that the USB connection is actually causing RF reception problems either by creating noise and drowning the signal or by reducing receiver sensitivity.  I did find a fix, that sucks, I can get good signal and updates if I lay the base station on it's back with the top pointing toward the sensor pack.  I'll bet this is a hardware problem and will have to be fixed with a circuit board mod.  An external antenna would probably help a lot.  I'm sure we will be hearing more about this problem with the WMR100A. 

[bspince]

I've had some further time to play with mine, and the problem is very repeatable: reception from remotes is rock-solid every time, but as soon as I plug into USB, only about half the channels update to the computer, and in short time the base starts loosing communication with some of the remotes.
Unplug from USB, pull the power & reset the base station, and it finds 9 remotes perfectly again, and works without a hitch endlessly.
If you Google "WMR100 USB problem", you will get a page from Ambient Weather containing a list of things to try to minimize disruption from the USB port...I did them all, to be absolutely sure I had left no stone unturned.  Afterwards the unit still failed repeatedly.
I called OSI's tech support line and told them what I'd seen and been through, and they offered to replace the unit.  If you spend as much time researching this on the web as I have, you'll find that folks still  have the same problem with replacement units; so I told the agent not to bother unless they can be sure it'll work.   She was very helpful and said they would test the unit in the lab to be sure it works before sending it out.  She said I could expect to receive it in 2 weeks.
I'm hopeful...we'll keep you posted.
bspince

[tydanny01]

I'm having the same problem.  The base updates fine until I plug in the USB cable, the updates are slow or not at all.  The sensor package is near the range limit I'm sure, it's about 150 - 200 feet from the base but has to transmit through 3 wall of the house to get to the base.  I feel pretty sure that the USB connection is actually causing RF reception problems either by creating noise and drowning the signal or by reducing receiver sensitivity.  I did find a fix, that sucks, I can get good signal and updates if I lay the base station on it's back with the top pointing toward the sensor pack.  I'll bet this is a hardware problem and will have to be fixed with a circuit board mod.  An external antenna would probably help a lot.  I'm sure we will be hearing more about this problem with the WMR100A. 

Hi, How can you use the "external antenna" to solve the USB connection problem?
I want to enquiry that is that all the market of external antenna is suitable for using to solve this case?

[Weather Display]

the wmr100 console is prone to stopping sending data to the PC, due to electrical inteference
a reset of the console is the solution
this is covered on the FAQ of this forum

[tydanny01]

Hi, How can you use the "external antenna" to solve the USB connection problem?
I want to enquiry that is that all the market of external antenna is suitable for using to solve this case?

Can you provide any image for my reference? For how to using the external antenna to solve the USB problem.
And, i need to find or buy which type of external antenna?
Furthermore, does the external antenna is directly connected to the WMR100 base station, it doesn't need to do anything on the base station. Is that correct?

[tydanny01]

the wmr100 console is prone to stopping sending data to the PC, due to electrical inteference
a reset of the console is the solution
this is covered on the FAQ of this forum

I have done the complete reset the WMR100 console, and reset two sensors. And even reboot PC, and restarted the WD.

[Weather Display]

what appears in the separate wmr100 data gathering program after doing all that

[neosec]

Can you provide any image for my reference? For how to using the external antenna to solve the USB problem.
And, i need to find or buy which type of external antenna?
Furthermore, does the external antenna is directly connected to the WMR100 base station, it doesn't need to do anything on the base station. Is that correct?

I'm sorry if I misguided you... There is no antenna plug or port on the base station or the sensor pack/integrated wind sensor/transmitter (not sure what to call it).  I don't think the problem I'm having is a USB problem.  Here's how it's working...
 - Without the USB cable attached the base gets updated info from the sensor pack at regular intervals like it's supposed to.
 - Plug in the USB cable and UPDATES from the sensor pack stop almost completely.
 - If I lay the base station on it's back aimed at the sensor pack updates from the sensors start coming again and send the data to the PC.  Notice it starts working even though the usb cable is still connected.

To me it seems like plugging in the USB cable either reduces the receivers sensitivity, reducing how far it can be from the transmitter, or adds a bunch of RF noise causing the signal from the transmitter to get lost in the noise grass so to speak.

If someone wants to verify this move the sensor pack closer to the base station with the usb cable plugged in and see if it starts to work again.  If it does it's definitely a RF (wireless link) problem.

My idea of external antenna(s) was just thinking... "that's what the design team SHOULD have done".  If anyone wants to hack (modify) their weather station check out "LINX Technologies",  goggle it, the have antennas you can buy from digikey.com and RF amps etc.  I can't mess with the station here... It's not mine it's my Father's.   I can't tell you how to do this because I don't know.  I would definitely require electronic skills and soldering.  Would void warranty for sure, and if you break it, well it's gone... maybe then I'd spend the extra $$ and get a Davis Vantage Pro, I've read people are happy with them but quite expensive.  Good luck all.

[Weather Display]

maybe try a usb cable with RF chokes on each end if it does not have that?

[tewin777]

Curious are we sure its interference? i found a reference in another weather software claims issue is with the usb.dll file installed by oregon scientific drivers.