| Most of us get our weather information from the | | | | than others, such as the WLS-8000 Weather |
| evening TV weather news. Another good portion | | | | Station. This rather pricey model features |
| of the population actually watches and enjoys the | | | | industrial grade high-resolution/highly accurate |
| Weather Channel. | | | | sensors, a large digital display, and 128K |
| Then there are those of us who would rather put | | | | non-volatile memory with an integral clock. This |
| it all together while making our own observations | | | | system is fully addressable by PC via the RS-232 |
| and forecasts using our own weather equipment | | | | and it logs 4000 data points to memory. Up to |
| and instruments. This portion of the population is | | | | the second real-time data transfer to a Windows |
| known as "weather bugs, weather nuts, weather | | | | based PC with included Weather View 32 |
| aficionados, weather hounds," and a variety of | | | | professional software. 12 hour uninterruptable |
| other names. The point is, these people enjoy and | | | | power supply is standard. This model goes for |
| are sometimes obsessed by watching weather | | | | around $3750 which is comparatively cheap when |
| instruments and attempting to predict weather | | | | you consider what the National Weather Service |
| changes. | | | | pays for their equipment. |
| Like enthusiastic sports fans, these weather bugs | | | | However, there are wireless weather stations |
| can usually tell you just about everything there is | | | | available that are not nearly as expensive and |
| to know about weather. They read about it, they | | | | have much the same instrumentation as the |
| watch it on TV and they go to all the online | | | | WLS-8000. One such item is the Honeywell |
| forums and weather chat lines. Many of them go | | | | TE653ELW Desktop Weather Forecaster. This |
| to yearly or even monthly weather hound | | | | station includes many popular components and the |
| conventions. One thing is certain: every one of | | | | readout screen can be placed on a desktop or |
| them will have his or her own weather station. | | | | even hung on a wall and viewed very easily |
| Most of these will be wireless, digital home | | | | anytime the consumer desires. This product is |
| weather stations and they'll have sensors placed | | | | more than just a Weather Forecaster. It's a |
| all over their own property and often throughout | | | | Wireless Indoor Outdoor Thermometer and |
| the entire neighborhood. | | | | Hygrometer, a Barometer, and an Atomic Clock |
| Though they don't have the high sophistication | | | | with Dual Alarms, Calendar, and Moon Phase. The |
| that NOAA and NASA enjoy, because these | | | | price is $79 online. This is quite a difference. To |
| agencies are funded by the government, they do | | | | some, this is enough. To others, it's just the |
| have preferences and specific models of weather | | | | beginning of a good home weather station. |
| instruments that they acquire as often as they | | | | There are also portable, hand-held weather |
| can afford it. Some amateur weather forecasters | | | | stations that one can put in the care and carry |
| have an array of tools and instruments that TV | | | | along with them to any location. It is usually no |
| meteorologists would envy. It's all part of the | | | | larger than an indoor telephone and gives the user |
| fascination with weather and its various patterns | | | | a plethora of weather information. The Kestrel |
| and intricacies. | | | | 4000NV Weather Tracker is the next generation |
| No self respecting weather buff would be caught | | | | of weather monitoring. You can now measure |
| dead without at least two of the following tools: | | | | EVERY major environmental condition, easily and |
| anemometers, thermometers (indoor and | | | | accurately, right in the palm of your hand. |
| outdoor), rain gauges, barometers, atomic clocks, | | | | Barometric Pressure, Altitude, Density Altitude, |
| weather maps of all kinds, including NASA and | | | | Temperature, Humidity, Wind Speed, Wind Chill, |
| NOAA weather maps and even travel weather | | | | Dew Point, Wet Bulb, and Heat Index are all found |
| maps, hygrometers, psychrometers and any | | | | in one pocket sized instrument. The cost? About |
| other weather instrument that they can get their | | | | $250. |
| hands on. | | | | These are exciting times for weather enthusiasts |
| While most of these tools are found as separate | | | | and the tools needed to forecast and observe |
| components, each of them is represented in the | | | | the weather are very much available and at a |
| home weather stations that are offered for sale. | | | | cost that to most is easily affordable, to most |
| Depending on a person's budget, some of the | | | | folks. Nowadays, there's no reason not to have |
| weather stations are more sophisticated than | | | | your own wireless weather station right in your |
| others. Some specific brand names and models | | | | own home. It may not be long until you're |
| are preferred by some weather enthusiasts more | | | | considered a "weather nut. |