Consider An Ambient Weather Weather Station
Ambient Weather weather station is my review of the Ambient Weather WS-1002 Observer. This professional level weather station is highly touted by many of the owners.
However, there are it’s detracters as well. I go through and give you an a list of pros and cons for this Wi-Fi color home weather station.
Here's a Look at What You May Be Missing
I did find that, if you are keenly psyched by the weather this is Your Weather Equipment. You may have a hard time walking away from all of its options.
After a thorough look over, this is definitely a must be considered choice for a serious weather station for you.
Description
The Ambient Weather WS-1002 Observer is the updated version of the WS-1001 Observer. One main thing has been changed. It has to do with the power source for the remote sensor array. I will discuss this in the pros and cons lists.
As I look at other ambient weather station reviews this one Ambient Weather weather station fits well for other reasons.
These reasons should be brought out into the light. Two things that are really inspiring to the avid weather fan are the
- the amount of data that is provided
- the ability to store, assemble and put together reports of historical significance
These reports over time could become very interesting and valuable for studying your local weather.
Features Including Instrument Sensors
The observer is accurate, precise and affordably priced; it transmits 915mhz from the outdoor sensor array and indoor temperature sensor
The display console sends and receives internet data using Wi-Fi connectivity
The observer transmits outdoor temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, UV and solar radiation from the all-in-one sensor array. The all in one presents the following set of weather instruments to you, for your study.
- Wind Direction Vane
- Wind Speed Cups (an anemometer)
- Solar collector to run the sensors
- Battery compartment for batteries for nighttime operation
- Thermo-hygrometer with a solar radiation shield
- UV sensor
- Solar radiation sensor
- Rain collecting gauge (self-emptying)
- Wireless indoor thermo-hygrometer-barometer sensor
- Bubble level to use to help level out the installation of the remote sensor array.
The observer also transmits indoor temperature, humidity and barometric pressure from the indoor temperature array
The dew point and rainfall rate and a graph provide detailed trends for barometer, temperature, and humidity from your outside sensors and your instruments location.
Display
The display consoles facing of the Ambient Weather WS-1002 looks like this. The display features a screen that displays historical archive data in the upper left-hand corner in the form of a graph.
The graph shows the following information. The graph shows the barometer, the temperature and/or the humidity too.
Also, other key sections of information are presented on the colored console screen.
The numerous sections, present themselves to you as I describe next.
Clockwise, next you will see shown the wind direction and wind speed, then also along the top of the screen is the home to a current wind gust speed reading and the current wind speed.
Further down the right side of the console screen you will find the inside humidity, the outside humidity, as well as the current outside dewpoint would be listed.
Then the calendar event readings, such as day of the week, month and date, and current year are in the lower right-hand corner.
Then, along the bottom, in a clockwise fashion, you will find the rest of how the console screen looks when observed by you.
You will have the current rainfall amount that has happened. Then it will also be listed in a “rain rate of inches per hour”. The current 24-hour rainfall total is listed as well.
Across the bottom towards the left-hand corner, you will find the current barometric pressure in HG.
Below that you will have the daily sunrise time, the moon phase for the day, and then the sunset time of that day as well.
Types of Transmission
So here is a short list of the pieces of transmission that are completed daily by the Ambient WS-1002 Observer
- The weather station console connects via Wi-Fi to the router/internet
- Sensor Array transmits with RF (Radio Frequency)at 915 MHz, to the display console inside the house
- Wireless transmission from the remote sensor array to the color display console. Transmission is recommended up to 300 feet of unobstructed transmitting
- The thermo-hygrometer-transmitter transmits directly to the console. Never set it up outside. The other big thing, is you need to set it up inside at anywhere from 5 feet to 20 feet away from the console for best results.
Dimensions
- Home display console measures 7.75″ in length x 5.75″ in width x 0.75″ is the height
- The LCD screen (the liquid-crystal display)for the console is measured at 6.25″ length x 3.5” wide
- Wireless indoor thermo-hygrometer-barometer sensor measures 2.5″ in height x 3.5″ in width x 1″ in depth
- Sensor with Array of Ambient Weather Instruments for outdoors measures 12″ in length x 6″ in width X 14″ in height
Help In the Mounting
When thinking of mounting the Ambient Weather weather station, you will need to know about the pole diameters.
What are the inner diameter (it’s 1-1/4″) and outer diameter (it’s 1-3/8″) of the end that is supposed to connect to a pole? With these dimensions you will be able to connect, to set up your ambient weather mounting.
Please remember that included in the Ambient Weather weather station package are two pieces that will help get the mounting set up for you.
A good idea for a perfect great weather station mount is using the Ambient Weather WeatherMount Weather Station Mount found on Amazon.com.
How Is It Powered
- Indoor remote sensor: 2 “AAA” batteries
- Outdoor sensor array: 3 “AA” Lithium or alkaline batteries.
- The display console which is the heart and soul base of operations is powered by using the supplied 5-volt DC power supply cord. This power cord is approximately 6.5 feet in length
Batteries are not included for any of the necessary powering.
The very important thing to note here. Many people when looking at this weather station assume that the solar panel on the remote sensor array is charging up rechargeable batteries. That is not the case at all. The unit must be powered by batteries.
The batteries it takes are “AA batteries. For outside use I always recommend Lithium batteries. They last much longer for outside use than regular alkaline batteries do.
The solar panel (when working) is basically powering the sensor array, but when there is no solar energy (like at night time) then the batteries are then powering the sensors.
Ambient Weather Software
The Ambient Weather software provides skill areas, which an Ambient Weather personal weather station owner can use to their advantage.
I am talking about the ability to get real-time, and past weather information generated by the devices the owner of the Ambient Weather WS-1002 Observer have set up on their property.
You are also able to hook up with the following apps or helpmates.
- Wunderstation Ipad App
- The Google Assistant program
- Compatible with Alexa-“Alexa voice command system” using the Echo Dot
You can use WunderStation iPad app certainly adds another dynamic but it is definitely an option.
However, You can set this up to work in conjunction with both the Google Assistant and with Alexa using the Echo Dot Assistant from Amazon
So it works with Google Assistant too.
Link your account get started: say “Hey Google, Ambient Weather” a weather report is needed.” It is also compatible with Alexa. Enable the skill and get started: say “Alexa, ask Ambient Weather for a weather report.”
This will provide you with your outdoor weather report, but you can ask for your indoor weather report as well by saying, “Alexa, ask Ambient Weather about the indoor conditions”.
Manufacturer Support
For full customer support for the Ambient Weather WS-1002
Ambient Weather may be contacted by either email or by telephone.
- Call them at 480-346-3380 Monday-Friday 8-3 pm EST MST
- Email them support@AmbientWeather.com
Pros
- The WS-1002 has been improved over the Ambient Ws-1001 and what it represented in weather instrument power source for the remote sensor array. Now in the WS-1002, the solar panel powers the sensor pack when there is solar power being generated.At night or when the solar power panel is not generating enough power, the “AA” batteries take over the job of powering the sensors.
- You will have access to all data sent to Weather Underground. It may be uploaded in .csv files for storage on your home computer
- Supports both Fahrenheit and Celsius measurements. Also supports all of the imperial (things are measured in feet, inches, and pounds) and metric measurements
- NIST time synchronization you will have the correct time. Daylight Savings time updates are done automatically
- you will be publishing real-time data to Wunderground.com 24-hours a day. It’s “Free” to do this
- The rain gauge has a very large cup for rain gathering and direct flow in the actual rain gauge below. Because it is a small hole that allows the water through it, most all of any kind of debris cannot enter the rain gauge, thus the rain gauge will not get plugged up with debris.
- You have the ability to set up then IFTTT type of mobile app inter-connectivity. The If It’s This The It’s That apps.
This simply explains what and why you may be interested in IFTTT. The main IFTTT service is for automatic actions-things that you want to happen every time certain conditions are met without you needing to do anything
Cons For Purchasing the Ambient WS-1002 Observer
- There isn’t an alarm clock function. Only alert type functions are all-weather instrument related
- It doesn’t track lightning activity
- Large hail storms produce large hailstones that will damage the anemometers probably beyond use because they are made from plastic. So in severe weather conditions you may experience some equipment failures
- No current mobile phone app to tie into this live data. The system is only set up to directly communicate with Weather Underground.
- Unable to set up push notifications to communicate alerts being set off
- Not a good idea to use in a salt water/ocean type environment, maybe not use at a beach house
- You are unable to add other sensors to it, for other locations to be monitored
Summing It All Up
Ambient Weather WS-1002-WIFI OBSERVER Solar Powered Wireless Weather Station
So if you have read all the way through the review, you will either see yourself owning this ambient weather observerip weather station or you have decided against it, you now have an opinion.
Now, you may very well be super charged up by the simple thought of getting your hands on one of these, or you fold up camp with absolutely no interest in pursuing this Ambient Weather weather station.
Either way, you will be making the correct decision for you. I look at my job, is to do your research for you and produce points that help you easily decide
This is a serious investment in both times to look after, assembling all the weather data, etc. You will be probably investing at least more than $250 in your purchase as well.
so take your time, read all of the information, and if you decide to purchase, this could be a very good investment in your personal weather education development.
I give this a rating of 4.1 on a 1-5 scale. The weather sensor array is well received by thousands of owners, and the display console and all of its features will bring you much closer to being a professional weather watcher.
