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GW7ERI AMATEUR RADIO TUTSHILL - CHEPSTOW - MONMOUTHSHIRE UNITED KINGDOM 51.38.22 N 02.39.48W - 25 m ASL - MADIS ID: MAS579 Providing Live Weather Information for the Chepstow Area |
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Click on the pictures above to visit "Stay in Wales" or "Chepstow Racecourse" web sites. (New windows.) |
Chepstow Weather Data Refresh
Last July(2009):
Station Information. Weather information here at the GW7ERI station QTH near Chepstow is supplied to a dedicated pc by a Huger home weather station. A photo of the main console and sensors is accessible from the link below. An anemometer to measure wind speed and direction is mounted outside on the main station radio mast. Temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure data are produced by a combined outdoor sensor. A rainfall gauge completes the sensing equipment. Huger Weather Station Photograph Stevenson Screen Installation Data collected by the outdoor sensors is fed via cables to the console. This is in turn connected to the computer's com port via a standard nine pin serial lead and USB adapter. Buttons on the console allow various data to be displayed in the panel. In the picture linked above, barometric pressure information is shown, along with the present weather forecast, as determined by the station itself. Forecast data is not particularly accurate, and is really only an indication of a change in conditions. Connecting the weather station to a computer allows logging of weather data over time, and also the uploading of current information onto the internet, using FreeWx software developed by Andy Kerr. Information relating to the system requirements and use of FreeWx software can be found at: http://insvr1.midcoastwater.com.au/FreeWX/_sgt/f10000.htm In addition to data being sent to this web site, FreeWx software also has the ability to interface with UIView, an APRS (see Amateur Radio section) program written by the late Roger Barker G4IDE. FreeWx generates a file containing data received from the weather station, in a format common to APRS, which is then picked up by UIView. This file is broadcast by UIView over the APRS network, and can be received, decoded and relayed, by any other APRS equipped station within radio range of my transmitter. Through the use of Amateur Radio / internet gateway stations, this data is then re-broadcast onto internet APRS sites. The weather conditions here can then be viewed on various APRS web sites around the world. Other weather related information, ie. Lightening, Overview, and Weather Maps is provided by Meteorologica through their web site which can be reached at: http://www.meteorologica.co.uk/ The UK MetOffice, with all of the official weather data for the UK, plus the latest satellite images, can be found at: Why bother? Well, apart from the usual British obsession with the weather, and the fact that is always good to know when to start panicking that the antennas will come crashing to the ground in strong winds, a sustained period of high pressure moving away provides a 'lift' in VHF radio wave propagation. This enables VHF communication over greater distances than normal. The weather data collected here and broadcast on the internet forms part of the Citizen Weather Observation Program (CWOP). In addition to Radio Amateurs, many private individuals are uploading data as part of CWOP. Information from this central database is used by several professional bodies, including NOAA, to produce weather forecasts and historical trends. Data from personal weather stations is also used for international studies into possible climate change. The CWOP home page, which gives details of the project may be found at: Assuming the local computer FTP link here is functioning, the last APRS data packet sent from GW7ERI and its translation into plain language, along with historical wx graphs, can be found at: This particular site at www.findu.com, is the cental site for information transmitted via the APRS network, and is an excellent sarting point for all things APRS. By following the links on the left hand of the page , you can see information transmitted from other APRS enabled stations. Independant APRS web servers can be found through a web search using 'APRS' as the search string. More information on APRS and UIView software, which does a lot more than just transmit weather information, can be found in the Ham Radio section on this site. A full description of the weather satellite receiving equipment at GW7ERI can be found by clicking here or pay a visit to the Space section of my site. Weather maps are obtained from www.meteorologica.co.uk, and are dependant on their server being active. My thanks to them for providing this info free of charge! NB. Clicking on the links on the 'Google Gadgets' will navigate you away from this site. You can 'zoom in' on the map to the left to view a particular area by right clicking with your mouse, and drag the map to the area of interest by holding the left mouse button.
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Weather satellite imagery from Chepstow
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