What’s New ~ July - September 2009

Don't let this happen to you!

Sept. 2009 -- Here are a few more options to help protect your weather technology investment.

Heated Sensors

To prevent the possible disruption of weather data during an ice storm we offer a couple of options.

For Capricorn 2000 EX Weather Stations, we recommend a heated rain gauge and the heavy-duty wind sensor with the heated option.

Additionally, the Orion Weather Station is available with a heated all-in-one sensor head.

Sensor Storage Case for Vehicle-Mount Weather Stations

For Orion and Magellan Vehicle-Mount Weather Stations, a sensor storage case may come in handy if your vehicle does not have built-in sensor storage. These cases are constructed of ultra-high-impact structural copolymer, making them extremely strong and durable. They are unbreakable, watertight, airtight, dustproof, chemical resistant and corrosion proof, offering total protection for sensitive weather-monitoring equipment.

Orion Goes to Washington for the Solar Decathlon

Sept. 2009 -- Two teams have elected to use Orion Weather Stations to monitor weather parameters for their houses submitted for the 2009 Solar Decathlon in Washington DC. With a goal of net-zero energy consumption, weather conditions will directly affect the homes' operational systems.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Solar Decathlon brings together 20 teams from universities around the world to design and build zero-energy houses.

Virginia Tech's entry is called "lumenHAUS" -- lumen for "the power of light" and "haus" being German for both house and home with a nod to the BauHaus movement .

The Refract House, a combined effort from Santa Clara University and California College of the Arts, is dedicated to "promoting the idea of living light" -- harnessing sunlight, lightening the carbon footprint, and enlightening today's consumers.

Click for more information: Solar Decathlon

A conceptual drawing of SCU/CCA Refract House.

Solar-Powered Weather Stations and Extended Warranty

August 2009 -- To fully power weather stations in applications that do not have access to electricity, we offer solar panels. These are custom per installation based on geographical location.

While these can be used with any CWS weather station, the Orion and Magellan Weather Stations consume the least energy and are the best-suited for solar-powered weather monitoring systems.

Extended Warranties for Orion Sensor Module

The sensor head is one of the most fragile components of an all-in-one weather station, and frequently the one subject to the most abuse -- especially in portable and mobile installations.

In addition to our standard one-year warranty which is included with the purchase price, we offer Extended Standard and "No-Fault" Warranties on the Orion Sensor Module.

Protecting your weather station investment

August 2009 -- "Would you like fries with that?" You might cringe when you hear those words, or you might say, "Of course!"

When someone buys a weather station from Columbia Weather, we try to help them protect their investment by recommending accessories that will be useful to their particular installation.

This article highlights some options for CWS weather stations. We will address more in a future article.

Surge Arrestors To protect your weather station from power surges such as those caused by nearby lightning strikes or electrical storms. "

• Surge Protector for Orion and Magellan Sensor Modules, Catalog Number 8355 Quickly installed between the sensor head and the computer or display console. "
• Ethernet Surge Arrestor, Catalog Number 8356 Plugs directly into the Ethernet port on the Weather MicroServer. "
• RS232 (Serial) Surge Arrestor, Catalog Number 8353 Plugs directly into the Serial port on a computer. "
• For Capricorn Weather Stations, standard electrical surge suppressors can be purchased at your local electronics store such as Radio Shack or Best Buy.

Orion Bird Spike Kit, Catalog Number 9584

Seagulls seem to be inordinately fond of the Orion ultrasonic transducers. To discourage pecking and nesting we offer this Bird Spike Kit. Specifically designed not to hurt the birds, the spikes provide a barrier to make it more difficult for birds to land on top of the transmitter.

Oregon Department of Agriculture

July 2009 -- In 1988 a fatal multi-car accident was caused when smoke from field burning obstructed visibility on Interstate 5 in Oregon's Willamette Valley.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture implemented an extensive weather monitoring network to help regulate field burning. They chose Capricorn 2000EX Weather Stations to supplement the already existing AWOS stations at local airports (which were few and far between).

Most recently, Columbia Weather Systems has been working with ODA meteorologist Pete Parsons to update their weather network in conjunction with their new computer systems.

For more information click: ODOA Weather Network

New Weather Station with Built-In Compass

July 2009 -- The all-new Magellan Weather Station™ from Columbia Weather Systems combines a rugged multi-parameter weather sensor with an internal compass for critical weather monitoring with automatic wind direction alignment.

The Magellan sensor module integrates an internal fluxgate compass with a sonic anemometer for wind measurement and sensors for temperature, relative humidity, and barometric pressure.

Especially ideal for mobile and portable applications, the all-in-one sensor head has no moving parts and is housed in a powder-coated metal radiation shield for durability. With low power consumption, the Magellan Weather Station performs well for battery or solar-powered installations.