I have and love my home tempest system - but we want to setup a weather station at a nearby lake for where we go for wind-sports (kitesurfing, …).
There is no power or WiFi internet with the range of the desired locations and the Tempest hub, so we are looking for something with IOT like capabilities.
There is no t power or WiFi internet with the range of the desired locations and the Tempest hub, so we are looking for something with IOT like capabilities.
There are lots of such systems for agriculture or government, but all are $$$.
They have mentioned a Pro model with cloud upload, but that has been pending for ~2 years now, and nothing seems imminent.
Davis sells a long-distance repeater with a range of up to 1.2 miles, which would be enough to reach a Network connection. that coupled with a solar power system for the hub, could work.
Has anyone made a setup like this for a Tempest, or have other recommendations for this goal?
(I’ve seen two other similar queries, but no solutions - yet!?)
Hi @guthrie ,
I have not tried this idea ‘yet’ but when I have run out of Skys for my long distance purpose my intention if the remote Tempest has not been released is to dismantle a normal Tempest and change the location of the antenna. I suspect that it is currently a wire hanging down the center surrounded by solar panels and battery. In my distance tests of the Tempest I found insignificant difference when I rotated the Tempest in case the antenna had a gap some where that the signal may escape better. I suspect the antenna is connected to a circuit board in the top but I am only guessing from pictures I have seen on this forum. In which case mounting a vertical antenna up out the top might be the simplest option. In which case the design might also enable a reflector up the side of the antenna.
Yes I acknowledge this experiment would void warranty, destroy rain and solar readings etc, but all I really need it for is the anemometer.
This is the internals of the Sky, and I only guess Tempest to be similar antenna https://community.tempest.earth/t/failing-sky-investigation-discussion/7034/4
cheers Ian
For my mobile system I just use a cellular Wi-Fi connection, either with a dedicated hotspot device or to a phone or tablet with hotspot capabilities. Since most such devices charge with some sort of USB connection you would just need a solar setup to keep a 12V battery charged with a 12V to USB adapter.
@iladyman - Thank you - Sounds like you have been successful with this approach(?).
If you change the antenna wire, what sort of distance can you get between sensor unit and the hub?
If it is really this simple, petty odd that WeatherFlow doesn’t just provide an external antenna plug connection!
Or s that something that one could add themself?
@gizmoev - thanks; I do see some interesting solar WiFi hotspot devices ( Solar powered 4G hotspot with battery) which look quite nice, but then one would also have to have monthly service charges for a carrier?
I’ll have to add up the initial and annual charges, and see if it is feasible, and see if the local Army COE who run the park would support this! Thanks.
My remote option design… does include a USB LTE modem… and the data plan for that is running at $5 per month for 2GB of data… which appears to be enough for the WF connection (and my WxBox connection)…
It’s still in design/testing phase. Biggest hurdle so far is powering the unit via solar/battery backup.
–Sam
WF-T cannot provide a detachable antenna, external connector, or even provide you with help in making any antenna changes without violating their FCC device approvals.
Per the letter of the law, an end user making any unauthorized modification to a transmitting antenna is also illegal. Probably not something that the feds would dispatch a fleet of black helicopters to enforce, though…
