On 2010-04-30, Roger Shoaf wrote:

"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message
...

While I wind up making parts for things at home -- including
things which I doubt that I could buy anyway. Especially, things which
I have designed to fill a need, such as the mast for the new weather
station's sensors.

The sensors are battery powered, so I could use an insulating
support mast and not have to worry about lighting damage, but because of
the batteries, I will need access to them from time to time to change
cells. I don't particularly like climbing 24' in the air to reach the
housings -- especially in the kind of weather during which the cells are
likely to fail (cold, perhaps freezing rain, etc).

DoN,

Why not run a cable from the sensor down to a more convenient height and
forgo all of the business with the pulleys, rope and poles you describe?

Because my first weather station *was* wired, and I ran a length
of 8 ga solid copper wire down to a good ground rod. But even so, a
nearby lighting strike zapped the serial interface in the display *and*
in the token Windows PC. One of the serious advantages that I saw for
this setup was that there were *no* wires coming from the high sensors
into the house, so no need for grounding. Instead, I made the mast of
as insulating a material as I could.

I still have that first station, still with the zapped serial
interface, though I've been through quite a few motherboards and
computers since then. The makers refused to sell me a replacement
serial interface (a separate module) unless I would call them during
work hours, and go through a series of diagnostics with them.

Since The weather station was at home, and I was not allowed to
make private long distance calls from work -- even to 1-800 numbers, and
their work hours were similar to mine, I never got the replacement. End
of dealing with that company.

Enjoy,
DoN.

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