Which one to choose ? WMR928 or Vantage Pro

Hardware Weather Station Equipment
1

Hello all,

It is time to swap my WS2300 for a better station. It was a nice piece to start with, but i’m getting to the limits… want more sensors and a more stable system.

But which one to choose… it must be a wireless solution:

The WMR928 - way cheaper…
The Davis Vantage Pro - More expensive, but worth it ?

Can you guys help me with this one ?

Thanks, Aad

If there are other options, please tell me…

2

HI!
I have one of the oldest VP Pro Wireless stations. It has performed wonderfully. I had one problem a year or so ago,where the outdoor temps went crazy. A call to Davis and a rebuilt sensor solved the problem! It took me about 20 munutes to install the sensor, following their instructions. If this one ever needs replacing, I 'll buy another or whatever they offer as an upgrade!

Clam Bagger

3
I have one of the oldest VP Pro Wireless stations.
How old is it?

PS clam bagger your site doesn’t seem to be coming up.

Chris

4

I bought it when they first came out. Got in line for one when they started building them and got mine about 3 months later! Can’t remember when all that happened! I remember having to wait a year for them to come up with their “WeartherLink” software! Guess because I’m getting too old!

Thanks for alerting me to my weather page! It’s not fancy! I keep forgetting to add the “.htm” at the end! I believe its fixed now!
Please let me know.

Best,

Clam Bagger

5

I looked at a lot of stations before buying one and now I have 2 VP’s. Like Clam Bagger I waited months for one when they were first announced, and I got another about 18 months ago. They are expensive, but I think they are way ahead of Oregon Scientific, and the Davis support is great.

Check out the differences in accuracy and ranges in Ambient’s comparison table http://www.ambientweather.com/specifications/

6

I don’t believe there is a reasonably priced weather station with all of the desired features. Some things I would consider when replacing my weather station.
I would like to place the rain sensor away from the anemometer. It is important to place the rain sensor on a stable platform. Any movement of the rain sensor may cause the bucket to tip. Of course this wouldn’t be a problem with a rain sensor that counted the drops (no bucket).
I would also like to place the temperature sensor in a shaded location and/or a location away from any radiated heat. Even with active and /or passive aspiration over a roof or unnatural surfaces the radiated heat may affect the temperature sensor.
Therefore the sensors would need to be mounted in separate locations.
I should probably take a lesson from Brian and build my own.

You may read Some observations of my Oregon Scientific CableFree

7

I can agree with CaptDilli regarding the separation and making sure the rain guage is very stable with the tipping bucket arrangement! I have four radiated cables located at the base of the rain bucket to assure stabilization of the unit. This however did not prevent a squad of roaches from inhabiting the rain guage and using the buckets for a seesaw! Their actions created abnormal actuation of the tipping unit and gave me “rain” when it was dry. A generous application of roach killer suspended their play!

I have my total unit exposed to the ambient weather conditions approximately 50 yards from the high tide maximum of the Gulf of Mexico, hence the name "On the Beach".  I do not have my anenometer separated from the rain guage.  I only have the standard temp. guards installed to insure proper outside temps.  I also have another mercury thermometer located in the shade nearby as  a check on the outside temp reading.  They seem to be always within 1/2 of a degree of agreement, which I feel it reasonable!  In fact, that is how I determined there was a problem with the outside temp sensor.

Best,

Ed

8

I am now in favour of the WMR-928. Is this the european version of the 968 ?

Is it a reliable console… I now had to swap my WS2300 for three times because of defective electronics… don’t want that to happen with the 928.

Thanks, Aad

9

Knock on wood.
I have not had any problems with the components if my OS WMR-968. I believe the UK version operates on a different frequency than the USA version (433 MHz). That may be the difference in the model numbers.

From:
http://www.oregonscientific.co.uk/faq_detail.asp?c=2
All 3 channels use the same frequency 418 mhz or 433.92mhz while the data received from the remote sensors can be decoded by software to identify the corresponding channels as different channels have different transmission period.

10

I have a UK version WMR928. The difference is in the clock receiver, which in the UK takes transmissions from the Rugby transmitter.

The European version will use the German transmitter - in fact the manual doesn’t mention Rugby, so when that transmitter was down when I first set up I though my UK unit was for Europe, and not the UK. Murphys law!

The unit still works on 433Mhz.

I have had an extra sensor fail and am await replacement, but the main Solar Powered sensors are all behaving themselves.

Keith

11

one draw back of the wmr918/68 is the slower updating interval compared to the davis VP or even the ws2310
its only every 15 seconds…and the windspeed is only sampled at that point in time…all windspeeds between sampling times are lost

12

I got one of the very first VP Plus FARS wireless stations and it has been online for nearly three years now. No problems and great support from Davis (including a free update to the version B console software when I needed it). I’d go that way again in an instant. You do get what you pay for in this case!

Tom

[quote author=Ultima link=topic=3579.msg22235#msg22235 date=1075622839]
Hello all,

It is time to swap my WS2300 for a better station. It was a nice piece to start with, but i’m getting to the limits…