I’d like to buy on OS WMR968, but I need to be able to get a figure for average windspeed over monthly periods without having to leave my PC permanently on. Is there such a thing as a data logger for the WMR968? From the manual I can see that it does have an average windspeed figure, but how long a period is this for? If I don’t re-set it, could I get an average figure for a month or even a year?
Thanks
The skyview datalogger is ok for the 968, but at present Brian has not completely coded WD to make it fully compatible.
The mfr is not helpful to 3rd party programmers and skyview’s software is designed for another brand of software.
Thanks Kojack,
Any further advice on the datalogger would be much appreciated: which one to buy, what software is best to use it with the 968? I’d be prepared to give it a try even if it’s not 100% Do you think my goal of getting a long term average windspeed (with a view to possibly installing a wind turbine) is acheivable with a 968 and skyview?
The ones I’ve seen for sale all seem to be USB, but the 968 has a serial connection (I think) and my experiences of usb to serial adapters are not good.
BTW, WMR968 & WMR928NX. The same models with different numbers for UK & US or different models?
Yes, the WMR928NX is the UK (or European) model, whilst the WMR968 is the US version.
The difference may be the wireless frequencies being used (I think).
Where is your location?
The skyview site in UK shows the datapack as having a serial cable.
Being fully delighted with WD and its support I hesitate to use other software. I also want datalogging facility and am seriously considering upgrading to Davis
I have used the wmr928 for almost two years and am happy with it so far, but it lacks some of the refinements of the Davis (which if you are USA based is much less costly than here in the UK)
I’m in the UK but will most likely buy from the US. Even paying vat & import duty I’ll still save
Thanks.
…and anybody know the difference between WMR968-JD and WMR968? I’ve seen them listed one one website with exactly the same specs but the -JD one more expensive…
I believe the JD Is John Deere Tractors Brand
Coyote
The Skyview logger sits between the wmr console and the PC. When WD is running the logger passes the data through to the PC and also stores it.
I don’t want to get into the whole UK pricing thing again, but if you are going to spend that kind of money for an OS+Skyview a Davis VP2 would probably be a better, although somewhat more expensive, solution. See this thread for a possible price break on the VP2.
better, yes. More expensive, yes, yes…
Prices in that thread are the same sort of figures I’ve come up with.
I’d need a data logger for the vp2 as well to get it to do what I want:
I based my comment on
If you already have a WMR968 then adding a data logger might be worth it. A new WMR928 will cost around
[quote author=administrator link=topic=19188.msg149101#msg149101 date=1160652256]
A new WMR928 will cost around
I think we’re comparing apples and oranges.
The WMR968 is an old model in the UK. The current model here is the WMR928NX. I think the closest equivalent in the US is WMR968-JD which seems to be RRP $500 (but currently has a sale price on that web site of $240). So if you had to pay full RRP you’d find it more expensive…or you could try to find someone in the UK with a sale on (I’m assuming you’re in the UK). Bear in mind that you’ll probably need to find a new power adapter and if it goes wrong the cost of shipping it back and forth to the US will add considerably to the cost. Plus you’ll probably find the US warranty period might only be 90 days compared to 12 months in the UK.
You also need to check that the wireless frequency used by the US models is licensed for use in the UK, otherwise you might find the fine for using an unlicensed transmitter will be a lot more than you’ll save importing the station.
As for wasting electricity…compare the cost of a data logger with the cost of a PC plus the electricity you’ll use and then also consider the fact that re-cycling the old PC rather than buying a new piece of equipment to add to the current mountain of electronic rubbish to be disposed of. It might actually be better for the environment not to buy the data logger!
This is getting complicated. Apart from the wireless frequency, what is the difference between a wrm968 from the US and a WMR928NX in the UK? From the specs on the oregon website they are indistinguishable. And what is the difference between the 968 and 968NX UK models? If you knew my location you’d realise that I’ve nothing to worry about in terms of the wireless transmitter interfering with anything else. Also, I can’t find any difference between the wmr928 and the wrm928-jd. On the oregon (US) website the specs and the prices are identical:
http://www2.oregonscientific.com/shop/browse.asp?cid=2&scid=84
BTW, both $299 US - can’t find anything selling for anything like $500
As for warranties & returns, assuming that I get a model from the US with the same specs, I’ll be paying less than half the price so I could just buy a new one and I’d still be winning. the datalogger seems to be just as cheap in the UK (I’m guessing it’s made here) so I’d buy it in the UK anyway.
Fair point about the PC. It is however being used, so not about to go to the skip. Will undoubtedly use up a lot more power than the datalogger 'though
I thought my mind was made up, but now I’m not sure…
The $500 for the WMR968-JD came from the previous site you quoted. It said RRP $499.99 (crossed out) and then $240 (Sale Price) underneath.
I’m no expert on the US models, but I thought (and I might be wrong) than the WMR968 was available in the UK for a while but it was then replaced by the WMR928 which then became the WMR928NX. I thought someone had said at the time that the 928 had replaced the 968 in Europe to differentiate between the US and Eu models. Thinking about it again maybe there isn’t a difference in transmitter frequencies. It’s possible that it’s the difference between the time signal frequencies used (Rugby or DCF77 and WWV in the US).
The 968-JD is a new model name to me, but I had assumed that it was the US equivalent of the 928NX in the UK. I don’t know the difference between the 928 and 928NX…I had a 928 and didn’t pay any attention to the 928NX when it came along because my 928 was working without problems.
The data logger for the 928 will use less power than a PC running 24*7, but bear in mind that it’s not as well supported by all the software packages as the Davis data logger.
I’m not trying to convince you either way. If you think it’s cheaper to import a station and take the risks of it failing or being incompatible with UK frequencies then that’s up to you. If you know that the software you want to use will successfully read all the data you need from the 928 data logger then it might be a cheaper option for you to go that way.
968 Jd Is just a Branded JD tractor Trademark Weather station is the same You just pay extra for the John Deere Name and colors
Coyote
So far as I can tell the 968 is the current US model, and the 968-JD is just a special edition in John Deere green (John Deere makes tractors and similar equipment and the green with yellow trim is classic trademark of theirs). I guess in the UK they might have a 968-JCB 
I thought the 928 and variations are the EU models using different time services, as you mention.