Thanks for your replies. I was under the impression that higher was better, trying to get up higher from buildings and trees. But perhaps 5-10 feet up from fence in backyard might be pretty good.
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It depends on what your purpose is. If you dont need to know the wind very accurately then it is more important to make it easy to access. We just dont know how long or in what conditions you might need to access it for some reason.
If wind is important to you this post compares different wind readings for different locations which shows that you really have to get it very high if you want accurate wind readings.
cheers Ian 
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That looks like a lot of pole, with a couple of connectionsâŚif it is moving/swaying in the wind it is ârainingâ.
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Not necessarily. Check the video I have linked in this post: Photos of Air and Installation
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The problem you have with a one-sensor system like the Tempest is that you need to optimize for wind (ideally 10m up with massive clear area around it) versus optimizing for temperature/humidity (ideally about eye-level in the middle of a relatively clear grassy area), so pick the one that makes most sense for your needs. At least initially mount it in such a way that you can take it down easily, just in case you need to reset it or relocate it for some reason.
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Installed tipping spoon assembly. Received a thunderstorm event early this morning before 0700 obs:
Davis VP2Plus = 0.33 inches
NWS *-inch Gauge = 0.32 inches
Ambient WS-2000 Osprey and Weatherflow Tempest = CABLE INTERNET DOWN DUE TO CUT CABLE COAXIAL!
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I have an antenna mount with a sch 40 pvc extension of about 4â. It leans just slightly and I cannot get it perfectly straight (plumb). Is that ok?
Also, I was reading that 33â is the recommended height, mine is currently at 19.7â. Does this make a big difference, and any roof mount suggestions to get to 33?
Thanks a ton!
Nic
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IIRC 33â is the standard for a formal weather reporting station. Itâs not necessary for a personal weather station. More important to get a height that minimizes the impact of nearby vegetation and structures. Itâs also more important to have a pole/support that minimizes vibration and sway vs. maximizing height and also allows for reasonable access should repairs/cleaning be required.
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I concur. I have my Tempest mounted on a 1 3/8" top rail pole at about 8.5â AGL, embedded below AGL 18". With a common sense approach and research into what the mounting/siting requirements are, I strongly believe that wherever YOU decide on siting/mounting, YOUR station is reading REPRESENTATIVE atmospheric parameters for YOUR SPECIFIC LOCATION. I am a NWS COOP observer. During my stationâs location siting/mounting evaluation and utimate approval, my local NWS Forecast Office OPL representative determined OFFICIAL sensor siting/mounting and provided the equipment (NWS MMTS and 8-inch rain gauge) for OFFICIAL readings at my location GRANITEVILLE 1.2 NE. As far as a Personal Weather Station (PWS), âgive it your best shotââŚthen enjoy your hobbyâŚ
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OPL = Observation Program Leader. The NWS person who is in charge of the Entire Observation program for a local NWSâs CWFA (County Warning Forecast Area). . .including ASOS (Automated Surface Observing System) and the volunteer CO OPerative observers. . .like Billy.
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I want to mount my Tempest to my roof to try and get a more accurate reading. I found a wooden dowel that I can mount it on, but I think it will warp in the rain. Any other ideas for mounting on a pole on the roof? I would worry about putting it on a metal pole, and PVC might not be sturdy enough. Any suggestions for what others have done is appreciated. Thanks
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Try putting the wooden dowel inside a rigid pvc electrical conduit pipe rated for sunlight. The other option would be a vinyl wrapped wooden clothes rod used in closets.
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This is what I have been using. You can paint the ends if you want to keep water out.
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Have you seen any yellowing or sun damage on the vinyl of the vinyl wrapped clothes rod?
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Looks great! I also have a flat roof. What did you buy for that setup? Thanks!
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Solid Signal Non-Penetrating Roof Mount for Antennas and Dishes (SKY32816) Ordered from solidsignal dot com. Ballast is concrete bricks from homedepot. Mount was $60 bucks. Peace, kevin
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Did you ground this??? Iâm new to all this. Wouldnât something like this need to be grounded in case of lightning??? Thanks for the help.
Chuck
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Thanks for the quick reply! Is that a separate mast from Home Depot that you had to drill? Is that the 5 foot that comes with the kit?
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Current AIR and SKY owner with a new Tempest installed now as well. I placed the Tempest near the beach in a different microclimate than my backyard SKY and AIR devices. I expect cleaner wind, less humidity, and fewer âheat islandâ effects in this location, but am looking forward to comparing the data between these two sites that are only a few hundred feet apart but feel vastly different.
The tempest is mounted to a 1" x 10â SCH 40 galvanized steel pipe welded to a series of lag bolts embedded in a large wood piling. This arrangement allowed me to get the pipe perfectly plumb and discourages tampering, since this is in a semi-public area. Time will tell how this arrangement works.
Station ID for this one is 27083. My back yard station is 2554.
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Eric, Iâve been wondering exactly about that - how far off the roof (in my case, a white metal roof) it needs to be to make radiation off the roof negligible. At first, I had my Tempest about 4â above the roof line (because thatâs how high my old existing TV antenna pole extended). My sense after a couple of weeksâ comparison with my other instruments was that my daily high temperatures were perhaps a couple degrees too high. So to experiment, I took a 2â length of PVC pipe and got the Tempest up to now about 6â above the roof line. I donât have enough data yet to know if that makes any difference. So when you said âhigh enoughâ, what did you have in mind?
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