Nicholas C. Kaufman's Digiwx AWOS SPEWS SHIT
Dave U. Random
> I haven't seen any other comments about the fact that a Belfort
> Instruments Digiwx AWOS comes with an analog (not digital) Chinese
> wind direction indicator and an analog (not digital) Chinese made
> wind speed sensor. Belfort converts the analog signal to digital
> after the fact!
Actually, somebody else noted the Belfort Digiwx AWOS Chinese wind
sensors:
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.aviation.products/msg/3606426f099b4c
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> You may say: BIG DEAL!
The use of unreliable wind sensors should sound ALARM bells!
> Have you seen the precision, accuracy and resolution of these
Belfort
> Instruments Digiwx AWOS wind sensors?
Belfort Instruments writes in their DigiWx AWOS Maintenance Manual:
"The wind speed sensor verification procedure is a confidence test,
which verifies that the DigiWx=AE AWOS wind speed readings compare
reasonably with measurements taken from a reference Kestrel Model
3000 Wind Instrument."
The Kestrel Model 3000 Wind Instrument sells for $129.00. So how good
can it be for a mere $129.00? I also couldn't locate any specs (eg.
precision, accuracy or resolution) for the Kestrel 3000.
And then you have Belfort's statement that their "readings compared
reasonably" with the Kestrel 3000. Where's that data? Who judged
was was reasonable? Keep in mind, that Belfort Instruments is NOT
ISO 9000, 9001, 9002, 9003, 9004 nor 9005 certified. So they likely
didn't record or write down any of the compared data.
Chinese wind bottles that "compare reasonably" with a $129.00
wind meter... what kind of corporate hogwash is this?
> Have you watched the Belfort Digiwx AWOS installer/technician (if
you
> can call them that) field adjust the magnetic north direction marker
> on the wind direction indicator using a handheld round magnetic
> compass (similar to what hikers use)?
Belfort Instruments writes in their DigiWx AWOS Maintenance Manual
under TOOLS AND TEST EQUIPMENT REQUIRED:
7. Magnetic compass S&Y 183, Stocker and Yale or equivalent
which is nothing more than a Lensatic compass as pictured at:
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_gear_compass_lensatic.php
Digiwx AWOS is sited using a 1950s style magnetic compass!
If that doesn't take the cake, then I don't know what does.
> Do you know the failure rates of these sensors in the field?
Well, since Belfort Instruments seems to specialize in using 1950s
styled equipment, one can only begin to wonder what the true field
failure rates really are. It's scary to say the least!
> These Belfort Digiwx AWOS Chinese made wind sensors are about the
> worst products available in the weather instrumentation marketplace
> worldwide. This is yet another reason why Belfort Instruments did
not
> get the following Digiwx AWOS weather sensors (ie. wind speed, wind
> direction, temperature, dewpoint, relative humidity, density
> altitude, present weather, precipitation, lightning, ceilometer (aka
> condensation altitude)) FAA Approved, nor FAA Ceritified and why the
> information SPEWED from a Belfort Digiwx AWOS is NOT OFFICIAL FAA
> WEATHER INFORMATION (like you'd find in a FAA METAR report). Belfort
> formats their UN-APPROVED, UN-CERTIFIED and UN-OFFICIAL weather data
> to make it look like an official avaition METAR when it's NOT! And
> that's why you won't find a single FAA COMMISSIONED Belfort Digiwx
> AWOS anywhere in the world!
Now I think one can clearly see why the words "Digiwx AWOS" and "FAA
commissioned AWOS" DO NOT belong in the same sentence!
It's both sad and true!
About Belfort Instrument Company:
Belfort used to be a leading provider of weather instruments to the
government, professional meteorology and aviation markets. Key
ords: "use to be." They never provided any wind sensors to the Wright
Brothers despite their fantastic assertion that they did! Historical
archives available at the U.S. Air Force National Museum (1100 Spaatz
Street, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433) tells a very different story
and specifically mentions a "Richards" anemometer which Wilbur Wright
held as pictured
at: "http://wings.avkids.com/Book/Wright/history1_19012.html". The
Belfort aerovane wind system on U.S. Naval aircraft carriers are
currently being replaced with ultrasonic wind sensors from QPI (11207
Single Oak Road, Fredericksburg, VA 22407) which just won a $94
million dollar contract for the Moriah Wind System. Belfort wind speed
and direction anemometers found on the ASOS platform are now being
replaced with ultrasonic sensors from the Vaisala Group. Belfort
Instruments Model 6000 visibility sensor will no longer be a part of
the U.S. Air Force's OS-21/FSB program come early 2007. And despite a
$500,000 U.S. government grant from NASA's Small Aircraft
Transportation System (SATS) program in 2004 to build a low-cost
ceilometer, Belfort didn't possess the technical smarts nor the
engineering know-how to accomplish the task. So now they're importing
the Eliasson CBME 80A laser ceilometer from Muir Matheson. As one can
readily see, Belfort is no longer setting any standards of measurement
in the weather instrumentation world. And now Belfort is propagating
lie after lie about their fabled company history while trying to steal
thunder from the accomplishments of the Wright Brothers. According to
the National Museum of American History (12th Street and Constitution
Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20560), Belfort founder Julian Friez
never made it to Baltimore to set up shop until sometime in the 1890s
even though Belfort officials fradulently claim the company was
founded in 1876. Thus, there was no 125th anniversary for Belfort to
celebrate in 2001 even though they hosted a party to which no one
came! Belfort's proclamation that it is the "Oldest Weather Company in
the World" is simply yet another Belfort lie as Thomas Romney Robinson
invented the first wind anemometer in 1846, six years before Julian
Friez was born in 1852. Belfort doesn't even know it's own company
history so they just make it up! You should wonder what other crap
(eg. Digiwx AWOS) they also make up! For more information about
Belfort Instrument and DigiWx, visit dogsh*t.com