PDS Automatic Weather Stations

Introduction to the PDS weather station

Since Pacific Data Systems commenced the manufacture of automatic weather stations in 1986, we have delivered stations to hundreds of customers both across Australia and in 22 overseas countries.

A PDS Automatic Weather Station is supplied with our own Remterm Weather^® software which provides the user with the ability to configure the station's operational parameters, (sensor types, measuring ranges, logging intervals, etc) and to retrieve the stored data in either graphical or report format. Real-time graphical display of data is also available, as is remote communication with the station via the PSTN telephone network, the GSM or CDMA cellular telephone networks, satellite data networks such as Inmarsat D^® or Iridium^® spread-spectrum radio-modems or VHF radio data links.

PDS automatic weather stations offer an "open architecture" so that virtually any type of sensor (be it meteorological, air quality or water quality) may be connected - regardless of whether the sensor's output signal is voltage, current, resistance, frequency, contact closure or pulse. Other weather stations use a "closed architecture" whereby only sensors made by that particular manufacturer may be used. The constraints of such a system are obvious.

We offer a three-year warranty on weather stations and a one-year warranty on sensors telemetry modules and accessory items. These warranties cover both parts and labour. In addition, we provide unlimited free telephone support to our customers.

Please Contact us for more information and pricing on our Automatic Weather Stations including sensors and accessories.

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The heart of the Weather Station - the data logger

The standard data logger used in Pacific Data Systems Automatic Weather Station is the dataTaker DT80.

This Microprocessor based, battery-powered data logger has 5 differential or 15 single ended analogue input channels, 8 digital channels and 4 high speed counter channels. The 8 digital I/O and 1 latching relay, allow the switching on/off of control gear such pumps etc. These digitals can also switch devices such as sirens and buzzers as notifications of sensors reading out of specified ranges.

Most types of sensors can be connected to this extremely versatile logger, enabling the logger to be used for other functions, in addition to meteorological monitoring.

The 2 line display on the data logger allows the real-time viewing of data and alarm conditions while on site without the need for a PC connection.

There are 3 main ways of communication with an Automatic Weather Station using the DT80 data logger apart from telemetry. These are: Ethernet, USB and RS232 / RS485.

The data logger has an internal memory capacity of 64MB and is upgradeable to 1GB. This memory is non-volatile Compact Flash memory and will not be deleted if power is lost. If logging the 8 sensors every 5 minutes, the 64 Mb of memory can record for over 1700 days without filling up.

When initially setting up the weather station program, various options can be selected so as not only the raw data be stored or returned but also calculations using the sensors selected. Calculations such as average, maximum reading, minimum reading, standard deviation and many more can be added as one way of minimizing the end-user overhead when adding these calculations into viewing programs such as Microsoft Excel^®.

Additionally, the DT80 is also auto-calibrating and auto-ranging thus aiding the selection of the optimum workable parameters.

Find out more on the DT80 data logger. or go to dataTaker

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Downloading from an Automatic Weather Station in the field with either a PC or USB Flash Drives

Connecting the Automatic Weather Station to a computer is made easy by the Windows-based software supplied with each Weather Station which will run on IBM compatible PC's. You Simply "Point - and - click" on the required menu parameters in order to make you selection. Later, when you want to retrieve the stored data, you simply reconnect your computer and unload the stored data to a spreadsheet or database file.

USB flash drives are available to provide increased data storage capacity of up to 4Gb readings. The USB flash drives are transportable for downloading data via an off-site computer. The flash drive may also be used to store the stations program, if it becomes necessary to change a program in the field. This may be done without the needs for a computer on-site, simply by inserting a flash drive into the logger's USB socket.