Today I received a free replacement temperature probe for my Taylor Digital Oven Thermometer/Timer. This is years old and has given me total satisfaction until about two weeks ago when the probe failed due to a break in the insulation/wire. Email communication to Taylor was answered quickly informing me that I was eligible for one free replacement probe, with additional ones costing $5.00. The thermometer goes for about $20 delivered on the 'net. No questions about receipts, when purchased, if abused, no returns - no nothing. Just my address and I got the probe!

In addition to relocating the temperature/humidity sensor (see pic in previous entry), I've enclosed the solar sensor in a translucent cover from a CD spindle stack. This has eliminated sensor saturation (in effect, sunglasses for the sensor) and I can now calibrate the sensor for 100% at peak sun (around 1:30 PM these days).

Well, at around 8:00 AM Saturday, 12 April we got hit with a major thunderstorm - lightning, hail, wind, much rain. At which time my station went dead. I didn't discover this until later in the day. Turns out the DS9097U RS232 interface connector got zapped by a lightning induced surge. This gave me a chance to make some more updates to my software and things are now back up using my spare DS9097U. I've ordered the parts to build a surge protector to avoid future recurrences.

August 29, 2005 - Another day that will live in infamy.

See The Great U.S.A.

anemometer & wind vane

temperature & humidity in modified bird feeder - has to be replaced. Not enough ventilation (catches morning sun in winter).

rain gauge and solar sensor (solar sensor saturates, needs mod.)

Well, after too many weeks my weather stations is up and running in its Version 1 configuration. Had to learn to program in Java (with much needed assistance from my son Christopher) and it was great fun to be totally immersed in an old-fashioned hardware-software engineering project. It’s now time to get back to my photography before summer and my Version 2 effort.

I have a long interest going back to childhood in the weather. I studied clouds and cloud formations in grade school and learned their relationship to changes in weather. Well now that I'm retired and have the time I'm starting to put together my personal backyard weather station. I'll be adding notes here as things progress. My project is based on "Weather Toys" by Tim Bitson published by wiley. It will be a "1-wire" system with a Java based software server running from an old T23 laptop. I'm planning to include PHP driven graphics for a custom web display.

Over the years (too many but who's counting) I've accumulated a collection of very useful freeware (free software). Some of it is currently maintained by the author, but some is no longer actively maintained and some can no longer be found easily on the web. When time permits I will be providing descriptions and download links -