| Have you ever considered buying your very own | | | | problem about the room the receiver goes in |
| home weather station? Not that I'm selling them, | | | | because the ideal transmitter can handle a wall or |
| but I believe I may be able to help you decide | | | | two. And it should be able to operate free of any |
| what to look for. | | | | governmental restrictions on radio frequency, |
| There are certainly many good reasons for | | | | allowing fast and reliable data updates. Most of the |
| having a modern weather station set up and | | | | likely problems are overcome with a radio range |
| working in your home. | | | | of 300 feet (91m) or more |
| Not the least of these is that they have never | | | | - Thirdly, your temperature sensor is shielded so |
| before been so easy to install and use, never had | | | | your readings are not affected by direct heat |
| so many useful features, and certainly never | | | | from the sun. |
| been such good value. | | | | - Fourthly it should be easy to install. A purpose |
| How Your Own Home Weather Station Will | | | | built stand would be nice. |
| Benefit You | | | | So far so good. You'd be up and running in no |
| The overall benefits of a home weather station | | | | time at all, and you'd be able to place the receiver |
| are huge. | | | | in a location that suits you rather than the radio |
| Modern home weather stations bring the outdoors | | | | link. |
| inside to you, as outside weather sensors | | | | - Now you have a couple of concerns about |
| frequently and regularly transmit weather | | | | temperature and wind strength, as it affects your |
| information to an attractively designed receiver | | | | garden. A few programmable warnings would be |
| display unit, which can be set up almost anywhere | | | | nice. |
| in your home. | | | | - And so would a charting facility so you could |
| Home weather stations can provide crucial | | | | review changing patterns over the last few hours, |
| information about approaching bad weather, as | | | | or days, or months, for almost any variable. |
| well as giving you valuable data you can use to | | | | - In fact, you can see a few good reasons for |
| help maintain your garden, greenhouse, pond or | | | | linking your weather station to your computer, |
| aviary, or even to decide what to wear when | | | | where some well designed software allows you to |
| you venture outside. | | | | follow up a whole range of thoughts and trends. |
| But best of all, they provide a painless way of | | | | - You've noticed that there are a number of |
| understanding the weather, and what drives it. | | | | private weather stations on the net, reporting |
| After all, weather provides the background to all | | | | online data just like you are getting from your set |
| our outdoor hobbies, sport and recreation. And | | | | up. But there's a gap in information in your area, |
| many people have found that a strong | | | | and you feel like you'd like to join the network - |
| appreciation of weather has led in many | | | | maybe even become a volunteer weather station |
| unexpected and enjoyable directions. | | | | in your area. And after a little bit of research, you |
| So there could be any number of reasons why | | | | find that it's no problem at all. Even better, you've |
| you first considered a weather station as a | | | | just found a large group of interesting people with |
| possible addition to your home, including just a | | | | similar interests to yourself, scattered over the |
| general interest in weather. | | | | country, even the world. |
| Let's think about what the ideal home weather | | | | All of these features can be found in quite a |
| station might be. | | | | number of home weather stations, ranging in price |
| The Ideal Home Weather Station | | | | from less than $150.00, if you are prepared to |
| - Firstly, it should be a wireless weather station - | | | | look around. However, like most things in life, you |
| no worries about where the cables go. And it | | | | tend to get what you pay for, and the better |
| certainly will be able to record temperature, | | | | models start around the $450.00 mark. Keep the |
| humidity, air pressure, wind strength and direction, | | | | name "Davis" in the back of your mind. |
| and rainfall. | | | | This doesn't mean that the lower priced home |
| - Next, the radio's range must be great enough | | | | weather stations should be disregarded, |
| so that you have no problems with installing the | | | | particularly if your budget is tight. It just means |
| sensors in the best place to obtain realistic | | | | that your weather station will work better and |
| weather data for your location - no problems with | | | | last longer if you take some care in setting it up |
| trees or buildings affecting your results because | | | | and maintaining it, including early preventative |
| your best position was out of radio range. No | | | | maintenance. |