Disdrometer or Present Weather Sensor

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Karen K

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Apr 15, 2023, 11:15:45 AM4/15/23
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I got an Ott Parsivel2 disdrometer some days ago. So I started to write an extension to WeeWX to receive data from that device. The extension includes saving the data to a separate database, that is created automatically from the device configuration.

The device supplies the following data:
  • present weather code WMO 4677, WMO 4680, METAR, and NWS (it can distinguish between rain, snow, hail etc.)
  • rain rate and snow rate (3 decimals)
  • rain
  • MOR (visibility)
  • radar reflectivity factor dBZ
  • particle counting data
  • device monitoring data
IMG_5467-800.jpg

The extension is still work in progress.

Tom Keffer

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Apr 15, 2023, 9:51:04 PM4/15/23
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I admit to looking up "disdrometer".  I've seen them around, but didn't know what they are called. Pretty nice instrument! 

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Karen K

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Apr 18, 2023, 3:28:15 PM4/18/23
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I can present a web page now displaying the readings of the disdrometer.

michael.k...@gmx.at

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Apr 20, 2023, 2:19:57 PM4/20/23
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Interesting device, I'm curious how a long term comparison will look like. Is there insight about how this device performs in measuring precipitation in strong winds and what impact the sensors alignment relative to the wind has?
And what's on the price tag?

Karen K

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Apr 20, 2023, 3:01:52 PM4/20/23
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The instructions say that the device is to be aligned rectangular to the main wind direction.

The main purpose of the device is to distinguish between different kinds of precipitation. I guess the total of precipitation is less accurate. For the precipitation rate the specification says it is +-5% for liquid precipitation and +-20% for solid precipitation. 


I am curious, too, what the readings will say.

And don't ask about the price tag. It's about 7,000 Euros. But there are private weather stations around that have such a device. We just have to save money elsewhere.

Tom Keffer

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Apr 20, 2023, 3:07:22 PM4/20/23
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Speaking of oddball weather instruments, we're using one of these on a research boat I'm working on. You wouldn't want it to get mad at you.


image.png

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Karen K

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Apr 21, 2023, 3:16:17 AM4/21/23
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Tom Keffer schrieb am Donnerstag, 20. April 2023 um 21:07:22 UTC+2:
You wouldn't want it to get mad at you.
 
Unfortunately, my English is not good enough to understand this sentence. Did I do something wrong?

And may I ask you, Tom: Are you designing that ship or are you working on deck of that ship?

Tom Keffer

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Apr 21, 2023, 6:43:15 AM4/21/23
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LOL! No, you did not do anything wrong! I was commenting on how fierce these instruments look. Like an angry insect. The pronoun "you" is generic and refers to people in general, not anyone specific.

The boat is Western Flyer, the boat John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts took to the Sea of Cortez. They then wrote Sea of Cortez, a foundational book of the modern environmental movement. We are busy renovating the boat as a research and educational platform, hence the need for a super accurate wind and gas detector. 

See our website for more details about the boat. https://www.westernflyer.org/



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