Sun and Sky monitoring station

This might be of interest to few out there. It is a sun and sky monitoring system that used to be sold by Radio Shack. Its been picked up by the Society for Amatuer Scientists who are selling the very last 40 odd that they have. Its only about USD$40.00 and looks to do all sorts of measurements.

Have a look here http://www.sas.org/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SMO&Product_Code=Sun_Sky_Monitor&Category_Code=Projects

I don’t think it will interface to WD but it looks like a great instrument to have even stand alone.

Cheers

I’ve just ordered one…it looks like it could be an interesting thing to play with even if it doesn’t interface with WD!

Likewise - there is one winging its way down under to me as well :slight_smile:

Hi,
looks like a very usefull instrument, one is on its way to Rotorua NZ. :smiley:

And another one here… they’re doing well out of New Zealand lol

Got me curious…count California in on this…

Just got me interested and ordered mine…maybe I can use it in some way to calibrate/validate my solar sensor :lol: :lol:

Stuart

Maybe it’s what was used to calibrate your solar sensor :wink:

One coming to Essex too. At this rate I can guess what Brians first project when he gets back will be!

Julian

One coming to Essex too. At this rate I can guess what Brians first project when he gets back will be!

Who’s going to be the first one to break open the box and see if there is a data stream we can capture. 8)

Another one ordered here in New Zealand !!!1 8O

I sure hope that company is legit :slight_smile:

I wasn’t going to order one, but then after thinking about it, we have so much haze and smoke in the air around here I thought it might be interesting to see what this instrument will tell me. I’m hoping it isn’t complicated to use, something I can use on a daily basis and add the readings to my website.

I wonder if WD will allow a user to add fields to the database, say an input like daily snow, where the station owner does a manual reading and then inputs that into WD, and that once added to the WD db can be graphed and added to the reports section.

Has anyone else thought about how to use the data this instrument provides?

Too many unfinished projects, too little time :frowning:

Hehe, you can use my data, we share the same foul air in NorCal… #-o

I’ve been playing around with one - trust me, there’s nothing even remotely like a data stream to capture. :wink:

It’s basically 4 LED’s being used as sensors, connected to an op-amp and voltmeter. Literally less than $5.00 worth of parts.

However - and this is the big thing - it has an excellent manual, that describes both their theory and operation, and how you can measure haze, etc. Honestly, the manual is by far the best part.

You could gut the console and use it as a monitoring device, but, really, you’d be better off just homebrewing something specific to your needs, and retrieving the data via a 1-wire A/D.

I’d say that the value of the device as a whole is WELL WORTH what I paid for it. But don’t make the mistake of thinking that it’s some sort of automated system you can put to use right away, unless you already have a 2-axis rotator system to point the sensors directly at the sun, with a precision of a degree or less. :wink:

  • Rich

What about the filters?

Hi,
you can have another look at the “Sun and Sky monitoring station” here

http://www.forrestmims.org/pages/8/index.htm

it is down, near the bottom of the page,
and here are some more of his research data I don’t know what instruments he used for this.

http://www.forrestmims.org/pages/10/index.htm

Well, it comes with filters, as well. :slight_smile:

They’re not actually used for most of the experiements, though.

  • Rich

I’m most curious to see what the spectral response of the leds as photodetectors is… might be useful elsewhere :slight_smile:

They respond to around the same wavelength as they emit. There’s a paper by the guy who built that box, I’ll try and find it tomorrow.

Update, here’s some info http://www.sas.org/tcs/weeklyIssues/2004-06-25/backscatter/

You asked about using LEDs that emit different colors. The short answer is yes, LEDs of different colors generally respond to similarly colored light. Thus, a green LED that emits at 525 nm or so will have a peak spectral response of about 505 nm. An exception to the rule are the blue LEDs made from gallium nitride (GaN) and related chemistries. Blue LEDs may have a very sharp detection response near 368 nm. Green GaN LEDs may have the same or similar detection response. While the main response is sharply tuned, there is a broad shoulder of reduced response extending into the green.

The spectral tuning available by using different kinds of LEDs forms the basis for the Radio Shack Sun and Sky Monitoring Station, which uses four different kinds of LEDs to detect wavelengths of about 505 nm, 625 nm, 816 nm and 930 nm. This very broad range of wavelengths from very simple, inexpensive LEDs permits this instrument to measure photosynthetic radiation (PAR) and to detect aerosols and the total column water vapor.