User Manual - Top Meteo
Contents
1. Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 47 properly see Maintenance and Troubleshooting sections for further instructions Installing the telescoping mast and vehicle mount brackets 1 Select a location on the vehicle where the Orion sensor mast will be installed Three mounting brackets are included with the mast The mounting base plate and a spring loaded securing mounting bracket will be permanently mounted to the vehicle for quick and easy set up The third bracket is attached to the mast and mates with a slot on the spring loaded mounting bracket This bracket may be loosened and re positioned on the mast to fit the installation scheme and mounting bracket positioning A spacer for the spring loaded bracket is provided to insure that the mast is 90 vertical Ensure the vehicle mount sensor connector is in close proximity to the mast s mounting bracket location refer to the vehicle mount sensor connector section below Mark and drill the appropriate mounting bracket holes Be sure to allow for sufficient structural backing to adequately support the mast and sensor External sensor cabling is intended to hang freely along the side of the mast This assures the mast s easy extension and retraction without pinching crimping or cutting the sensor cable Users may tie wrap the cable to the lower portion of the mast The external sensor cable has a male connector that couples to the vehicle mount female connec2. d Tq i il e o 13 38 0 ihanan a mi d Si a ij iets l di Ed dl 4 End f db rei Sm t x o Ei AE a SOOT Dm Le NC eee y Y Description Pkg Ref Catalog No Mast 10 ft 1 1 88005 4 Wall Mount Bracket 2 9 88120 Lag Screw 1 4 x 2 1 4 4 3 88030 Cable Nail Clips 20 8 88110 Cable Feed Through Bushings 4 10 88140 Not included in kit Columbia Weather Systems Inc 44 Orion Weather Station EYE BOLT SCREW UNIVERSAL MAST MOUNT GUY RING amp COLLAR CABLE NAIL CLIP CABLE STANDOFF Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 45 SECTION 4 Vehicle Mount Installation Vehicle Mount System Configurations WeatherMaster Software Weather Display Console se Buidoosaja 3004 6 7 foot RS 232 Cable E les 3 z sjeyoelg JUNO 49NAL DO Power Supply 12 VDC y a O 1 D E D Cc kK O YN C O 109 O LO gt Eaa Orion Interface Module 50 foot Cable with Panel Mount Connector Installation Overview Unpacking the Unit Installing the telescoping mast and truck mount brackets Installing the vehicle mount connector and routing cable Installing the Interface Module Installing and connecting the Weather Display Console and Computer Software Installing the Orion sensor transmitter and Quick North Orientation Columbia Weather Systems Inc 46 Orion Weather Station Unpacking the Unit The sensor transmitte
3. Connect the Weather Display Console to the Orion Interface Module using the RJ 11 cable The Display Console can be connected to either serial port 1 or 2 Connect the Orion Interface Module to the computer using the RJ 11 and DB 9 connector RS 232 Interface The computer can be connected to either serial port 1 or 2 On the computer end the DB 9 connector is plugged into the computer serial port normally COM port 1 If the computer does not have a serial port then a USB to Serial Port converter will be needed Columbia Weather Systems Inc 50 Orion Weather Station Installing the sensor transmitter and North Orientation Installing the Mounting Adapter 1 Insert the telescoping mast sleeve adapter by screwing it into the threaded portion atop the mast extension 2 Insertthe mounting adapter O in the transmitter lower side as shown in the diagram above 3 Turn the adapter firmly until you feel that it has snapped into the locked position 4 Align the transmitter in such a way that the arrow on the underside of the transmitter points to the front of the vehicle see North Alignment 5 Tighten the Allen screw to firmly and permanently fix the adapter firmly to the sleeve adapter Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 51 North Alignment North Orientation Locate the alignment arrow and text North on the underside of the transmitter With the mast mounted on the vehicle extend the mast to
4. Orion Nomad portable weather station Orion data can be monitored with our proprietary Weather Display Console and WeatherMaster Software as well as with third party software The Weather MicroServer is available for Ethernet connectivity Modbus TCP Modbus RTU and SNMP interface Weather Underground and CWOP interface XML weather data and FTP Columbia Weather Systems Inc 12 Orion Weather Station Specifications Operating Conditions Temperature Operation 52 to 60 C 6 to 140 F Relative humidity 0 to 100 Pressure 600 to 1100 hPa Wind 0 to 60 m s Wind Speed Range 0 135mph 0 60 m s Accuracy 0 7 mph 0 3 m s or 8 whichever is greater for the measurement range of O 35 m s 5 for the measurement range of 36 60 m s Resolution 1 mph 1 m s Units Available knots mph km hr m s Wind Direction Azimuth 0 360 Accuracy 3 Resolution 1 Units Available Azimuth Relative Humidity Range 0 100 Accuracy 3 0 90 5 90 100 Resolution 1 Units Available RH Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 13 Temperature Range 60 to 140 F 52 to 60 C Accuracy 0 5 F 0 3 C at 68 F 20 C Resolution 0 1 F Units Available F C AC EEL CMA ALA Doe EA A PEE EN A ass ES a A SES NENE EE ae EA 40 HA Barometric Pressure Range 17 50 to 32 50 InHg 600 to 1100 hPa Accuracy 0
5. by measuring the time it takes the ultrasound to travel from each transducer to the other two The wind sensor measures the transit time in both directions along the three paths established by the array of transducers This transit time depends on the wind speed along the ultrasonic path For zero wind speed both the forward and reverse transit times are the same With wind along the sound path the up wind direction transit time increases and the down wind transit time decreases The wind speed is calculated from the measured transit times using the following formula Vw 0 5x Lx 1 t 1 tr where Vw Wind speed L Distance between the two transducers t Transit time in forward direction t Transit time in reverse direction Measuring the six transit times allows Vw to be computed for each of the three ultrasonic paths The computed wind speeds are independent of altitude temperature and humidity which are cancelled out when the transit times are measured in both directions although the individual transit times depend on these parameters Using Vw values of two array paths is enough to compute wind speed and wind direction A signal processing technique is used so that wind speed and wind direction are calculated from the two array paths of best quality The wind speed is represented as a scalar speed in selected units m s kt mph km h The wind direction is expressed in degrees The wind Columbia Weather Syst
6. its fullest extension Before tightening the mast into place use a field compass to orient the transmitter in such a manner that the alignment arrow points to Magnetic North Rotate the mast extension until the sensor is properly oriented Tighten the locking nut Wind direction can refer to either Magnetic North which is read with a magnetic compass or True North which uses the earth s geographic meridians The magnetic declination is the difference in degrees between the true north and magnetic north Magnetic Declination for the U S 40 N 30 N 120 W 110 W 100 W 90 w 80 W 70 W Columbia Weather Systems Inc 52 Orion Weather Station 1 Ifthe sensor transmitter is already mounted loosen the fixing screw on the mounting adapter 2 Use a compass to determine that the transducer heads are exactly in line with the compass and that the arrow on the bottom of the transmitter poinis to north 3 Tighten the fixing screw on the mounting adapter when done Once the sensor transmitter is aligned to north the transmitter can be removed from the mounting adapter without losing the north orientation Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 53 SECTION 5 Nomad Portable Installation Installation Overview Orion Nomad System Configurations Orion Nomad with WeatherMaster Software Columbia Weather Systems Inc 54 Orion Weather Station Orion Nomad with Weather
7. protection Tolerates up to 10kA surge currents Both differential and common mode protection on each channel Filtering against HF and RF noise Two power channels and two data channels Environmental protection class IP66 Catalog Number 8355 Includes adjustable mounting kit Columbia Weather Systems Inc 26 Orion Weather Station WeatherMaster Software Optional Weather Master 2000 File Options Configuration Help Weather Station EE riont 0 Display Wind Current Conditions Trend Min Max Statistics Weather Station Ora Oriont y Display Wind Curent Conditions Trend Min Max Statistics WeatherMaster is professional grade weather monitoring software This software package is designed for specialized markets that require robust weather calculations interoperability with computer models and data interfaces to other industrial systems WeatherMaster utilizes Microsoft Access database for easy data access and manipulation Please refer to the WeatherMaster user manual for installation and operation procedures Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 27 Weather Display Console Optional Configure Backlight Displays weather information Designed to be viewed clearly from a distance Industrial grade WVGA touchscreen Seven inch TFT color LCD panel with 800 x 480 pixel resolution Performs computations for wind chill heat index and
8. 015 InHg 0 5 hPa at 32 to 86 F 0 to 30 C 0 03 InHg 1 hPa at 60 to 140 F 52 to 60 C Resolution 0 01 InHg 0 1 hPa Units Available Kpa mbar InHg Precipitation Range cumulative Collection Area 602cm Accuracy 5 spatial variations may exist Resolution 0 01 in 0 254mm Units Available mm inches Columbia Weather Systems Inc 14 Orion Weather Station Input Voltage The Orion is supplied with a wall mount switching power supply Input 100 240 VAC 50 60 HZ 0 6A Output 12 VDC 1 25A The Orion can also be powered directly using a DC voltage source Input 5 to 30 VDC 60 mA at 12 VDC for unheated models Heating Power Source Input 5 to 30 VDC 1 1 A at 12 VDC Sensor Housing Protection class IP66 with mounting adapter Materials Polycarbonate 20 glass fiber stainless steel AISI 316 Weight 650 g 1 48 Ibs Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 15 Principles of Measurements Wind Measurement Both wind speed and direction are measured using advanced ultrasonic technology The sensor utilizes ultrasound to determine horizontal wind readings The array of three equally spaced ultrasonic transducers on a horizontal plane is an ideal design that ensures accurate wind measurement from all directions without blind angles or corrupted readings The wind sensor has no moving parts which makes it virtually maintenance free Wind speed and wind directions are determined
9. 503 629 0898 Web Site http www columbiaweather com Email info columbiaweather com Catalog Number 81650 Version 2 03 Printed in U S A Columbia Weather Systems Inc
10. Display Console Carrying Case Battery Transceiver Weather Display Console Orion Nomad with WeatherMaster Software and Weather Display Console Columbia Weather Systems Inc Carrying Case Battery Transceiver WeatherMaster Software RS232 Interface Weather Display Console Orion Weather Station 55 Orion Nomad with Weather MicroServer Weather MicroServer q O rn e COM COMS 8 38 VDC WeatherMaster Software 9 T e IE TA z 2 3 e ETH USB COM ER E Battery Transceiver Carrying Case Unpacking the Unit CAUTION Beware of damaging any of the wind transducers located at the top of the three antennas Dropping the device can break or damage the transducers If the antenna bends or twists the re aligning can be difficult or impossible Standard system includes 1 System Carrying Case Orion Nomad Sensor Transmitter 15 ft sensor cable 2 4 GHz Transceiver and antenna 2 12 volts Batteries Battery Charger User Manual D DDU DUDO 2 Tripod Q Guy wire and collar Q Tie down kit LI Canvas tripod bag Columbia Weather Systems Inc 56 Orion
11. LIGNED TO ENSURE NORTH ORIENTATION If the guy wire kit is used remove the alignment adapter prior to mast set up and slide the guy wire ring collar onto the mast extension then reinstall the alignment adapter Anchor the end of each guy wire to the corresponding tripod foot using the wing nuts Extend the mast fully and adjust the guy wires using the turnbuckles to tighten the guy wires evenly Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 65 Transportation Case and Sensor Plug In 1 Place the Orion Nomad transportation case at the foot of the tripod 2 Attach the 8 inch wireless antenna to the antenna cable on the outside of the case 3 Plug the 8 pin Female Sensor Cable to the 8 pin male connector on the outside of the case 4 Ensure the red black power cord connectors are connected to their respective battery terminals inside the case 5 Latch and Seal the case to the internal components from the weather elements Battery Power System 1 The Orion Nomad comes with a Battery Power System that consists of two 12VDC 7 5AH batteries and a 12 Volt battery charger One battery will continuously operate the Orion Nomad for approximately 60 hours One battery is intended to be charging while the other is in operation 2 Swap batteries as necessary to continue weather station operations Operation Once Mast is set up with the Sensor Head attached amp aligned plug the red black power terminals to the corre
12. NA Power 120 240 VAC 50 ft Sensor Cable Weather Display Console Serial Interface Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 31 Installation Overview Unpacking the Unit Installing Sensor Transmitter Installing the Interface Module Connecting the Sensor Transmitter to the Interface Module Connecting to MicroServer Weather Display and Computer Unpacking the Unit The sensor transmitter comes in a custom shipping container Be careful when removing the device CAUTION Beware of damaging any of the wind transducers located at the top of the three antennas Dropping the device can break or damage the transducers If the antenna bends or twists the re aligning can be difficult or impossible Unpack the Orion weather station and verify that all parts are included 1 Standard system includes Q Orion Sensor Transmitter LJ 50 ft sensor cable additional cable length if ordered LI Orion Interface Module Q 2 3 position terminal blocks Q Interface module power supply Q User Manual Q 6 foot RS 232 cable additional cable length if ordered 2 Weather Display Console Optional Q Display Console Q Power supply Q 6 foot RS 232 cable additional cable length if ordered Q User manual 3 WeatherMaster software and user manual Optional 4 Weather MicroS
13. Orion Weather Station 1 Orion Weather Station User Manual Version 2 03 Serial Number Date Purchased All specifications subject to change without notice Printed in U S A Columbia Weather Systems Inc 2 Orion Weather Station Copyright 2005 2010 Columbia Weather Systems Inc All Rights Reserved Proprietary Notice Orion Orion LX Capricorn 2000 Capricorn 2000MP and Capricorn 2000EX are trademarks of Columbia Weather Systems Inc The information and drawings contained herein are the sole property of Columbia Weather Systems Inc Use of this publication is reserved exclusively for customers of Columbia Weather Systems Inc and their personnel Reproduction of this material is forbidden without the express written consent of Columbia Weather Systems Inc Parts of the Orion Weather Station user manual were adapted from the Weather Transmitter WXT520 User s Guide with permission from Vaisala Oyj WINDCAP RAINCAP HUMICAP BAROCAP and THERMOCAPO are registered trademarks of Vaisala Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 3 Welcome Congratulations on your purchase of an Orion Weather Station Please read this manual completely prior to installation Columbia Weather Systems Inc 4 Orion Weather Station Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 5 Important Notice Shipping Damage BEFORE YOU READ ANY FURTHER please inspect all system components fo
14. Weather Station Receiving Transceiver Q 2 4 GHz Transceiver and antenna WU 6 foot RS 232 Transceiver cable Q Orion Interface Module optional Weather Display Console Optional Q Display console Q Power supply Q 6 foot RS 232 cable LJ User manual WeatherMaster software Optional O Software CD WU User manual Q 6 foot computer cable Weather MicroServer Optional MicroServer User manual 7 foot Ethernet cable a a a Q Power supply Inspect all system components for obvious shipping damage Refer to Important Notice Shipping Damage in case of damage Save the shipping carton and packing material in case the unit needs to be returned to the factory Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 57 Orion Carrying Case The Orion Nomad carrying case stores the sensor head batteries transceivers and other accessories It serves as a weatherproof enclosure with a wiring harness antenna and connection to the sensor head for power and communication via the wireless transceiver Columbia Weather Systems Inc 58 Orion Weather Station Tripod and Tiedown Kit The meteorological tripod is designed to provide up to 10 feet of stable secure support for your meteorological sensors Constructed from welded aluminum and powder coated for appearance and longevity the 15 pound tripod can easily support up to 60 pounds of Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 59 equip
15. aligning the female slots on the Sensor Head to the male teeth on the alignment adapter NOTE THE RUBBER SLOT COVER ON THE SENSOR HEAD SHOULD ALIGN WITH THE ADAPTER TICK MARK AND MAST MARKING ARROW Attach sensor cable by connecting the 8 pin waterproof male connector sensor cable to the one foot female sensor pig tail waterproof connector Holding the tripod vertical place tripod legs in their respective slots one leg at a time Once the first leg is in balance the tripod until the other legs are inserted and the tripod is free standing Columbia Weather Systems Inc 64 Orion Weather Station With all legs in place insert the leg locking pins The tripod may now be picked up and moved around for final placement and North Orientation over the grounding stake Secure the tripod to the grounding stake using the spring loaded chain Ensure the chain is tight enough to keep the tripod in place during high winds but not so tight to fully extend the spring Using the attached compass locate magnetic North Point the opposite front tripod leg and align it North magnetic North Because the wind sensor and alignment arrows have already been aligned the entire mast and wind sensor is now configured to magnetic North See Figure 2 Front Leg Points North Opposite Compass Figure 2 Tripod North Orientation Diagram Extend the mast to its fullest height and insert the locking pin NOTE MAST POSITION ARROWS MUST BE PROPERLY A
16. ation measurement The precipitation sensor is comprised of a steel cover and a piezoelectric sensor mounted on the bottom surface of the cover The precipitation sensor detects the impact of individual raindrops The signals from the impact are proportional to the volume of the drops Advanced noise filtering technique is used to filter out signals originating from other sources than raindrops The measured parameter is accumulated rainfall Detection of each individual drop enables computing of rain amount with high resolution Columbia Weather Systems Inc 18 Orion Weather Station Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 19 SECTION 2 PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Orion Sensor Transmitter The Orion Sensor Transmitter is an all in one sensor unit containing ultrasonic wind speed and direction sensor temperature sensor relative humidity sensor barometric pressure sensor and an impact rain sensor The temperature relative humidity and barometric pressure sensors are combined in a single module housed in a self aspirating radiation shield Sensor Transmitter Components 1 Top of the transmitter 2 Radiation Shield 3 Bottom of the transmitter 4 Screw cover Columbia Weather Systems Inc 20 Orion Weather Station Cut Away View 1 Wind Transducers 3 pcs 2 Precipitation Sensor 3 Pressure sensor inside the Sensor Module 4 Humidity and temperature sensor inside the Sensor Module Bottom of t
17. bite Times C 30 minutes Ea 10 minutes E 5 minutes Wind Chill F 35 74 0 6215T 35 75 V 19 0 4275T V 18 Where T Air Temperature F V Wind Speed mph Effective 11 01 01 Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 85 Wind Chill Temperature Comparison Old vs New Air Temperature of 53 F E h Wind Chill Temperature F n E Of Wind Chill Formula MEA Vind Chill Formula Wind Chill Equation WC 35 74 0 6215 T 35 75 V 9 0 4275 T V 9 Where WC wind chill temperature in F V wind velocity in mph T air temperature in F Note Wind chill Temperature is only defined for temperatures at or below 50 degrees F and wind speeds above 3 mph Columbia Weather Systems Inc 86 Orion Weather Station Heat Index Temperature in F 90 95 100 105 110 130 135 Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 87 Dew Point B In RH 100 17 2694 T 238 3 T 17 2694 Dew Point in C 238 3 B 1 B Where RH Relative Humidity T Temperature in C Ln Natural logarithm Columbia Weather Systems Inc 88 Orion Weather Station Columbia Weather Systems Columbia Weather Systems Inc 2240 NE Griffin Oaks Street Suite 100 Hillsboro OR 97124 6463 Telephone 503 629 0887 Fax
18. c Pressure Temperature and Relative Humidity PTU Module TABA E EN AE IAE E wc E ASEA AE ET A A AS EA 16 Rain al MACOS UT CIEI i ens SE NTN 17 SECTION 2 PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION esseeccsseccccseccccseceeoo 19 ORION SENSOR TRANSMITTE Ruido a a 19 Sensor Transmitter Components ooccccccconncnnnnononnnnnnnannnnnnnonannnnnonanonnnnnnnnannns 19 MADURAR A dane amex icc E o 21 Internal Terminal DIO A ai 21 Heine OPONE AA ene a eee 23 Onon INERTE Module odos 24 SURGE LIGHTNING PROTECTORS occccccoocccnnnonncnnnnnonannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnonnnanos 25 WEATHERMASTER SOFTWARE OPTIONAL cccsccccsecccessccessccescseessseeess 26 WEATHER DISPLAY CONSOLE OPTIONAL cccceeccceeceeeccesccessscesceeecsesseees Zi WEATHER MICROSERVER OPTIONAL cccsccceecceeccessccesseescseseseeeseeeceesenecs 28 SECTION 3 FIXED MOUNT INSTALLATION 29 FIXED MOUNT SYSTEM CONFIGURATIONS ccccccsssseceeeeeeeeceeeaeseceseaenseeeeees 29 INSTALLA TION OVERVIEW aras 31 UNPACKING THE UNI suar sonia bi Raia N 31 Installing the Orion Sensor Transmitter ccccccccccccccccssesscsccceeecaaeessseeeeeeaas 33 Dies ALENT 0 1 Rg RO SRT A PR OS 33 Columbia Weather Systems Inc 8 Orion Weather Station Installing the Mounting Adapter oooooonnncninnnnnnnnnnnononnnnnnnnnnanonnnnnonnnancccnnnnos 33 Norte era AA SAA 34 TAS ESTEMOS 35 LOCHAN A E E ae 35 Mounin Method srei N AE A A AAEN 35 Roun Cable asas o S A N 35 Con
19. ems Inc 16 Orion Weather Station direction reported indicates the direction that the wind comes from North is represented as 0 east as 90 south as 180 and west as 270 The wind direction is not calculated when the wind speed drops below 0 05 m s In this case the last calculated direction output remains until the wind speed increases again to the level of 0 05 m s The average values of wind speed and direction are calculated as a scalar average of all samples over the selected averaging time 1 900 s The sample count is based on a 4 Hz sampling rate The minimum and maximum values of wind speed and direction represent the corresponding extremes during the averaging time Barometric Pressure Temperature and Relative Humidity PTU Module Barometric pressure temperature and humidity measurements are combined in an advanced sensor module PTU utilizing a capacitive measurement method for each parameter The PTU module contains separate sensors for pressure temperature and humidity measurement The measurement principle of the pressure temperature and humidity sensors is based on an advanced RC oscillator and two reference Capacitors against which the capacitance of the sensors is continuously measured The microprocessor of the transmitter performs compensation for the temperature dependency of the pressure and humidity sensors Barometric pressure is measured using a Capacitive silicon BAROCAP sensor The
20. er Station 29 SECTION 3 Fixed Mount Installation Fixed Mount System Configurations The Orion Weather Fixed Mount Station can be installed in multiple configurations depending on communication options power availability and viewing options Cabled System Sensor Module Ultrasonic Wind Temperature WeatherMaster Software Weather Display Console Relative Humidity Ethernet Interface Serial Interface Barometric Pressure Impact Precipitation Weather MicroServer al ig E e COMZ COMS 538 ES 2 E N DE 2 H COMI Orion Interface Optional 4 port module offers up to 8 com ports Modbus TCP Weather Display Console SNMP Ethernet Interface XML Pur WeatherMaster Software Serial Interface Columbia Weather Systems Inc 30 Orion Weather Station Wireless System with Weatherproof Enclosure Following is an example of a wireless configuration WeatherMaster Software Serial Interface Surge Protector Weather Display Console Serial Interface Transceiver 900MHz or 2 4GHz RS 232 Interface Module Ground Weatherproof Enclosure Weather Display Console Serial Interface
21. erver Q MicroServer LJ Power supply Columbia Weather Systems Inc 32 Orion Weather Station O 6 foot Ethernet cable O User manual Inspect all system components for obvious shipping damage Refer to Important Notice Shipping Damage in case of damage NOTE Save the shipping carton and packing material in case the unit needs to be returned to the factory If the system does not operate or calibrate properly see Maintenance and Troubleshooting sections for further instructions Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 33 Installing the Orion Sensor Transmitter Site Selection Finding a suitable site for the sensor transmitter is important in obtaining representative ambient measurements The site should represent the general area of interest The sensor transmitter should be installed in a location that is free from turbulence caused by nearby objects such as trees or buildings WARNING To protect personnel and the device a lightning rod should be installed with the tip at least 40 inches one meter above the sensor transmitter The rod must be properly grounded compliant with all local applicable safety regulations Installing the Mounting Adapter 1 Insert the mounting adapter in the transmitter bottom side as shown in the diagram above 2 Turn the adapter firmly until you feel that it has snapped into the locked position 3 Align the transmitter in such a way that the ar
22. es Pressure Millibars 33 86 x inches of mercury Kilopascals 3 386 x inches of mercury Pounds per square inch 0 49 x inches of mercury Standard atmospheres 0 0334 x inches of mercury Columbia Weather Systems Inc 84 Orion Weather Station Tables and Formulas Wind Chill Chart In 2001 NWS implemented an updated Wind chill Temperature WCT index The change improves upon the former WCT Index used by the NWS and the Meteorological Services of Canada which was based on the 1945 Siple and Passel Index In the fall of 2000 the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research OFCM formed a group consisting of several Federal agencies MSC the academic community Indiana University Purdue University in Indianapolis IUPUI University of Delaware and University of Missouri and the International society of Biometeorology to evaluate and improve the windchill formula The group chaired by the NWS is called the Joint Action Group for temperature Indices JAG TI JAG TI s goal is to upgrade and standardize the index for temperature extremes internationally e g Wind chill Index The current formula uses advances in science technology and computer modeling to provide a more accurate understandable and useful formula for calculating the dangers from winter winds and freezing temperatures Temperature F Calm 40 5 Oo 5 10 do Wind mph 9 8 7 6 5 4 4 3 Frost
23. h the sensor transmitter to a radio transmitting mast or tower Select a mounting location that will allow the sensor cable to be routed away from other data cables to avoid interference Never route sensor cables in tall trees Do not mount sensors close to power lines or telephone lines For normal roof mounting the recommended minimum distance from power or telephone lines is 25 ft 8 m Use extreme caution when working close to power lines Mounting Method Choose the appropriate mounting method for the installation and obtain any necessary mounting hardware Refer to Optional Sensor Mounting Hardware section for information on optional sensor mounting hardware and accessories which are available from the factory If the mounting hardware is not obtained from the factory be certain to use metal parts which are plated or galvanized to assure maximum longevity Secure the mast to the roof using guy wires with sufficient tensile strength or to building wall using a wall mount hardware kit Routing Cable Use plastic tie wraps to secure the cable to mast particularly at the mast base Tighten the tie wraps securely and clip off any excess length with a wire cutter tool Route the cable back to the Interface Module CAUTION There may be electric wires in the wall When routing cable through walls we recommend that you shut off the electricity in the room s where you are drilling Any mast or tower should always be proper
24. he Transmitter 1 Alignment direction sign 2 Service port 3 Watertight cable gland 4 Unused cable gland covered 5 Optional M12 connector Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 21 Mounting Adapter To facilitate easy installation and north alignment the Orion Sensor Transmitter comes standard with a mounting adapter The mounting adapter is easily connected to the end of the mast and the sensor transmitter simply snaps into it The north alignment needs to be performed only once Internal Terminal Block The sensor transmitter is shipped with a one 1 foot cable terminated by an 8 pin connector half This cable is connected to the sensor transmitter at the factory via a terminal block 1 Grounding jumper remove for ship marine applications Columbia Weather Systems Inc 22 Orion Weather Station The Orion sensor transmitter has a standard internal RS 232 wiring as shown below 1 2 OSS 3 TX 4 5 RXD 6 SGND 7 8 im 9 a 10 mil 11 12 13 14 15 16 fr Hie 18 HTG 19 VIN 20 VIN For heated sensor transmitters terminal 17 HTG is connected to the Blue wire and terminal 18 HTG is connected to the Brown wire Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 28 Heating Optional Heating elements located below the precipitation sensor and inside the wind transducers keeps the precipitation and wind sensors free from snow and ice A heating te
25. ice to Columbia Weather Systems Inc for calibration and adjustment see USER SUPPORT INFORMATION section for more information Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 75 Section 9 Troubleshooting This chapter describes common problems their probable causes and remedies Wind measurement failure Both the speed and direction sensors are not reporting correct data Pressure humidity or temperature measurement failure Blockage trash leaves branches bird nests between the wind transducers Check that the wind transducers are not damaged PTU module may not be properly connected There may be water in the PTU module Remove the blockage Ensure the proper connection of the PTU module Remove and dry the module Columbia Weather Systems Inc 76 Orion Weather Station Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 77 SECTION 10 USER SUPPORT INFORMATION This section consists of the following items 1 One Year Limited Warranty Please read this document carefully 2 Return for Repair Procedure This procedure is for your convenience in the event you must return your Orion for repair or replacement Follow the packing instructions carefully to protect your instrument in transit Limited Warranty Columbia Weather Systems Inc CWS warrants the Orion Weather Station to be free from defects in materials and or workmanship when operated in accordance w
26. inches Hg the sensors reading can be adjusted using WeatherMaster software or the Weather Display console Please refer to their user manual for more information Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 73 SECTION 8 MAINTENANCE This chapter contains instructions for the basic maintenance of the sensor transmitter Cleaning To ensure the accuracy of measurement results the sensor transmitter should be cleaned when it becomes contaminated Leaves and other such particles should be removed from the precipitation sensor and the transmitter should be cleaned carefully with a soft lint free cloth moistened with mild detergent Replacing the PTU Module Note Avoid contacting the white filter cap with your hands Handle the PTU module from the plastic connector base 5 yf 1 Disconnect Orion sensor connector from cable and remove from mounting adapter 2 Loosen the three screws at the bottom of sensor and slide out completely as shown below Columbia Weather Systems Inc 74 Orion Weather Station Remove the base section and disconnect the flat ribbon cable Pull out the top of the sensor Release the small white flap and remove the PTU module DA Connect a new PTU module replace the top re connect the flat ribbon cable replace the base and tighten the three bottom SCrews 7 Re install on mounting adapter and reconnect cable connector Factory Calibration and Repair Service Send the dev
27. it views the entire sky Relative Humidity Popularly called humidity The ratio of the actual vapor pressure of the air to the saturation vapor pressure Sea Level Pressure The atmospheric pressure at mean sea level either directly measured or most commonly empirically determined from the observed station pressure In regions where the earth s surface pressure is above sea level it is standard observational practice to reduce the observed surface pressure to the value that would exist at a point at sea level directly below Solar Radiation The total electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun 99 of the sun s energy output falls within the wavelength interval from 0 15 microns to 4 0 microns with peak intensity near 0 47 microns About one half of the total energy in the solar beam is contained within the visible spectrum from 0 4 to 0 7 microns and most of the other half lies near infrared a small additional portion lying in the ultraviolet Wind Chill That part of the total cooling of a body caused by air motion Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 83 Unit Conversion Speed Kilometers per hour 1 610 x miles per hour Knots 0 869 x miles per hour Meters per second 0 448 x miles per hour Feet per second 1 467 x miles per hour Temperature Temperature in C 5 9 temperature in F 32 Temperature in F 1 8 x temperature in C 32 Distance Millimeters 25 4 x inch
28. ith the manufacturer s operating instructions for one 1 years from date of purchase subject to the provisions contained herein CWS warranty shall extend to the original purchaser only and shall be limited to factory repair or replacement of defective parts EXCLUSIONS Certain parts are not manufactured by CWS i e certain purchased options etc and are therefore not covered by this warranty These parts may be covered by warranties issued by their respective manufacturers and although CWS will not warrant these parts CWS will act as agent for the administration of any such independent warranties during the term of this warranty This warranty does not cover normal maintenance damage resulting from improper use or repair or abuse by the operator Damage caused by lightning or other electrical discharge is specifically excluded This warranty extends only to repair or replacement and shall in no event extend to consequential damages In the event of operator repair or replacement this warranty shall cover neither the advisability of the repair undertaken nor the sufficiency of the repair itself THIS DOCUMENT REFLECTS THE ENTIRE AND EXCLUSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PARTIES AND EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED HEREIN ALL OTHER WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED PARTICULARLY THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANT Columbia Weather Systems Inc 78 Orion Weather Station ABILITY AND OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE EXCLUDED This warra
29. ly earth grounded to minimize electrical storm damage The use of a properly grounded metal mast or tower however does not insure protection from electrostatic discharge Columbia Weather Systems Inc 36 Orion Weather Station These items could become electrically charged resulting in damage to the sensors and or console This could damage the system in the event of an electrical storm Use insulated standoffs user supplied see Section 4 when routing cable to help avoid this problem Note If the standard 50 ft cable provided with the sensor transmitter is not long enough it may be extended by splicing on an appropriate length of 22 gauge stranded seven conducior shielded cable with the same color code When cutting and splicing insure good contacts proper color coding of the terminal leads and a good seal A good solder splice and water proof insulation are essential merely twisting the respective wires together is not adequate Additional cable Catalog No 81545 anda water tight splice kit Cat No 81580 are available from the factory Once the sensor transmitter has been placed route the cable back to the Interface Module Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 37 Connecting the Sensor Transmitter to the Interface Module Using a 1 Straight Slot screwdriver attach the wires from the end of the sensor cable to the terminal block screws on the Interface Module as follows Color Signal No C
30. mbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 41 Fiberglass and steel 10 foot masis are available for use with either Roof Mounting Hardware Kit Cat No 88002 or Wall Mounting Kit Cat No 88003 Roof Mounting The Roof Mounting Kit Cat No 88002 is suitable for both a slanted and flat roof installation The figure and table below illustrates and describes the individual parts Lil Tr o E El SS aed EN il s gt fo gi a AS N ae 7 y A O A bol a EA Le bY fi TA o o AU A ici a A EN o No l r w Description Pkg Ref Catalog No Mast 10 ft steel or fiberglass 1 1 88005 88004 Universal Mast Mount 1 2 88010 Lag Screw Roof Mast Mount 4 3 88030 1 4 x 2 1 4 for comp roofs Cable Standoffs Wood Screw 4 5 88050 Guy Wire Clamps 1 8 3 4 88070 Steel Guy Wire Galvanized 50 ft 6 88080 Eye Bolt Wood Screws 1 4 x 3 4 7 88090 Columbia Weather Systems Inc 42 Orion Weather Station Turnbuckles 6 open x 4 closed 3 not shown 88100 Cable Nail Clips 20 8 88110 Cable Feed Through Bushings 4 10 88140 Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 43 Wall Mounting The figure and table below illustrates and describes the individual parts in the Wall Mounting Kit Catalog No 88003 Items included in the kit are marked with an asterisk Individual paris are also available Ds He ee a i c a Pa o mim 9 E 1 co A i
31. ment cccccccccccssssccccccceccnseseccceeeseaaeesseeeeeeeaas 63 Transportation Case and Sensor Plug In cccccccccccccceeseecsceecceeenaeseseseeeeeans 65 Daltery DONS VSee scion e a T hietioteenseeaseeceaevieseeeeeks 65 OPERATION Gas asa ASR coo aca 65 MONITORING loto rca adaga ds pna sais 66 Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 9 SECTION 6 ORION SENSOR DATA OUTPUT DEFINITION cuasi iia 67 Wind AAA A a see atclsiihete bie 67 PLC DA A ant dae OG A Sai A A ine re mae TT OC etn ERT ere 68 PRECIP OM Dad sereia aa 68 Supervisor Dale eae etait Sea E Rad cena tea eis ada eaten ote Agee 68 CERCO COMPUIAU ON apto ARE iaa 69 Encoding the CRC as ASCII Characters coooccccccnnnnnonnnncnnnnnononananonnnnnnnananonoss 70 SECTION 7 CALIBRATION cccccccsccccccccccccccccccccccccces 71 PACTORY CATIBRATION a dio cos 71 TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE READING ADJUSTMENTS cccccesccescesseesees 12 SECTION 8 MAINTENANCE 2 cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccces 73 ERAN AA A O E O 73 REPLACING THE PTU MODULE ccscssscssscssccssccvscescccscesscosccecccsceesceosces 73 FACTORY CALIBRATION AND REPAIR SERVICE cccoccnccnnconocnnccnoronaconccnnconiconicos 74 SECTION 9 TROUBLESHOOTING ccccccccccccccccees 75 SECTION 10 USER SUPPORT INFORMATION 77 LIMPLED WARRANTS cad TI EXCEO SIONS o a T ee TL RETURN FOR REPAIR PROCEDURE occnccnoconocnnccnoronicnnconaronoconocnnronac
32. ment An optional tie down kit allows for additional security in high wind areas To install insert the legs into the main body secure with stainless steel retainer pins Extend the mast to the desired height and insert another retainer pin Install the guy wires to complete the set up Tripod Paris List 6 o y R ltem Description Qty 1 Body Mast Assembly 1 2 Legs 3 3 Retainer Pins 4 4 Guy Wire Ring with 1 3 Wires and Turnbuckles Anchor Screw with Chain Columbia Weather Systems Inc 60 Orion Weather Station 6 Clamp with Strap 1 7 Retainer Pin 1 Specifications Capacity Supports up to 60 lbs Shipping Weight 17 lbs Shipping Box Dimensions 70 x 8 x 8 Tripod and Tiedown Kit Catalog Number 88019 Columbia Weather Systems Inc 61 Orion Weather Station RS 232 Interface Module 3 000 7 1 450 The RS 232 Interface Module connects up to four devices to the wireless transceiver such as computers display consoles and other such devices Columbia Weather Systems Inc 62 Orion Weather Station Installing the Mounting Adapter 4 Insert the mounting adapter in the transmitter lower side as shown in the diagram above Turn the adapter firmly until you feel that it has snapped into the locked position Align the transmitter in such a way that the arrow at the bottom of the transmitter points to north see North Alignme
33. mperature sensor Th underneath the precipitation sensor controls the heating Three fixed temperature limits namely 3 C 2 C and 4 C 37 F 38 F 25 F control the heating power as follows 2C lt T lt 3 C 50 heating power 4 C lt Th lt 2 C 100 heating power eia Columbia Weather Systems Inc 24 Orion Weather Station Orion Interface Module 1 450 The Orion Interface Module is used to supply power to the sensor transmitter and to provide two RS 232 communication ports The RS 232 ports can be connected to computers display consoles transceivers and other such devices The Interface Module has two LED indicators The green LED is a power indicator and the red LED is a data indicator In normal operation the red LED will flash every second to indicate a data record being transmitted Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 25 Surge Lightning Protectors A nearby lightning strike may induce a high voltage surge which the internal suppressor of your weather instrument may not be able to withstand causing significant damage to the weather station Proteci your weather station investment with the Orion Surge Protector This compact transient overvoltage suppressor is designed for weather Stations in areas with an elevated risk of lightning strikes such as the top of high buildings or installations with cable lengths greater than 100 feet Superior 3 stage surge
34. necting the Sensor Transmitter to the Interface Module 37 OPTIONAL SENSOR MOUNTING HARDWARE cceseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 38 Tripod and TICdOWN Ki wets i eae PER ES 38 SPECULO ONS EEE o E ae 40 POOP MONO oiee a e ET a alae 41 Wal MOUNT ai 43 SECTION 4 VEHICLE MOUNT INSTALLATION 45 VEHICLE MOUNT SYSTEM CONFIGURATIONS cccccccceecceeecececeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 45 INSTALLATION OVERVIEW 45 UNPACKING THE UNIT cio a 46 INSTALLING THE TELESCOPING MAST AND VEHICLE MOUNT BRACKETS 47 INSTALLING THE VEHICLE MOUNT SENSOR CONNECTOR AND ROUTING CABLE 48 INSTALLING THE INTERFACE MODUEE scort airis 48 CONNECTING THE WEATHER DISPLAY CONSOLE AND COMPUTER 49 INSTALLING THE SENSOR TRANSMITTER AND NORTH ORIENTATION 50 Installing the Mounting Adapter ooooonnnnccnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnonanrononnnnnnnnnnnccnnnnns 50 NOTH AMINO 51 SECTION 5 NOMAD PORTABLE INSTALLATION 53 INSTALLATION OVER VIE Nidos 53 ORION NOMAD SYSTEM CONFIGURATIONS erra 53 UNPACKING TEUN erkin E EE 55 OOVION GC ATIY o C OSO tas IE TRIPODAND TIEDOWN ies andadas 58 LTADOAL ELITES EIS A AAA RR RR RE 59 SPECO NONS lt A SU e SGA 60 Ro 292 Interface MOI Cae 61 Installing the Mounting Adapter oooononnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnannnnnnnnnnnanocinnnnos 62 SETUPTISSTROCTON Sr dela na OR muni aos a 62 ULC CLEC TION E iria Si da A phon eau 62 Mast Set Up and Sensor Align
35. nt Tighten the fixing screw Q to fix the adapter firmly to the mast Set Up Instructions Site Selection 1 Upon arrival at the deployment site determine a suitable location where the Orion Nomad mast may be set up away from physical obstructions and heavy foot traffic Because of Orion s wireless transceivers the telescoping tripod and sensors may be remoted as far as 3 miles Line of Sight LOS away from where the weather data is viewed Site location should be away from trees buildings or other obstructions that will alter accurate wind direction and speed readings Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 63 3 Screw the grounding tie down auger into the ground at the center of the placement until the auger portion is adequately secured If the site selection is on blacktop pavement use a 6 nail spike or Rebar driven into the surface at a 45 angle This sufficiently secures the mast during operations Mast Set Up and Sensor Alignment NORTH Figure 1 Tripod North Orientation Alignment Remove tripod components from the bag Stand the tripod up without legs so the sensor head may be attached to the mast The mounting bracket alignment adapter should be permanently secured to the mast NOTE THE ALIGNMENT ARROW ON THE MAST AND THE BLACK TICK MARK ON THE ALIGNMENT ADAPTER SHOULD ALWAYS BE ALIGNED TO ENSURE PROPER NORTH ORIENTATION Attach the Sensor Head to the alignment adapter by
36. nt has been completed it will be returned by a carrier and method chosen by Columbia Weather Inc to any destination within the continental U S A If you desire some other specific form of conveyance or if you are located beyond these borders then you must bear the additional cost of return shipment 4 If your unit is not under warranty we will call you with an estimate of the charges If approved your repaired unit will be returned after all charges including paris labor and return shipping and handling have been paid If not approved your unit will be returned as is via UPS COD for the amount of the UPS COD freight charges Columbia Weather Systems Inc 80 Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station Orion Weather Station 81 Reference Glossary Aspirating Radiation Shield A device used to shield a sensor such as a temperature probe from direct and indirect radiation and rain while providing access for ventilation Barometric Pressure The pressure exerted by the atmosphere as a consequence of gravitational attraction exerted upon the column of air lying directly above the point in question Celsius Temperature Scale A temperature scale with the ice point at O degrees and the boiling point of water at 100 degrees Dew Point The temperature to which a given parcel of air must be cooled at constant pressure and constant water vapor content in order for saturation to occur When this tempera
37. nty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state Return for Repair Procedure 1 In the event of defects or damage to your unit first call the service Department Monday through Friday 8 30 am to 4 00 pm PST 503 629 0887 to determine the advisability of factory repair The Service Department will issue an RMA number Return Merchandise Authorization to help us identify the package when received Please write that number on the outside of the box 2 In the event factory service is required return your Orion Weather Station as follows A Packing e Wrap the Sensor Transmitter in a plastic bag first Pack in original shipping carton or a sturdy oversized carton e Use plenty of packing material B Include A brief description of the problem with all known symptoms Your telephone number Your return street shipping address UPS will not deliver to a P O box Write the RMA number on the outside of the box C Shipping send freight prepaid UPS recommended Insurance is recommended The factory can provide the current replacement value of the item being shipped for insurance purposes Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 79 D Send to Columbia Weather Systems Inc 2240 NE Griffin Oaks Street Suite 100 Hillsboro Oregon 97124 E C O D shipments will not be accepted 3 If your unit is under warranty after repair or replaceme
38. onconaconicnanons 78 REFERENCE siii 81 CILOSSARY sail aaa 81 ASpiratin Radio mas rela dad 41 Baromelrie Pressure cenene nne di 1 Celsius TemperatineSCAle seios saias eaisits nes gado desisto ada 41 Dew FOT dias 1 Density ADE areia DEDE 41 Fahrenheit Temperature SCALE ass sinais an l Global Rado si ole cna esl ee 82 VAS AAA a A A aaa Ra 82 Pyranom ia eco 2 Relative HU io ea 2 AR AI A aa ak ieee Da dan Daio a kes ata 82 Soldar kadil TO iii dos ana A A teats 82 AA ac RA 82 UNE CONTERSION e o eae 83 SPE x ccs a RE nats tse ssa aaa oe cinco te auc EEE ts anc tual nc oon dan soars aaa 83 Temperaturas aE E EEE O a E O N 83 TOSCO saree E 83 Columbia Weather Systems Inc 10 Orion Weather Station PRESS Ri area a DS A A ad 83 TABLES AND FORMULAS usadas 84 Wina Chill Chari a 84 Wind CULE QUA ON wnt ee has SO es es ire RR da 85 e TB IZ GORRO SEER RR RN NOIR oe Tate hs gE ale RANGE NS a ae SO Dew POLE ce a eat ahh ie he RR ae 67 Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 11 SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION The Orion Weather Station The Orion weather station provides ultrasonic wind direction and speed measurements a highly accurate impact rain sensor capacitive relative humidity temperature and barometric pressure readings all in a single sensor module High accuracy and fine resolution make this system ideal for precision weather monitoring Available in three configurations fixed mount vehicle mount and the
39. onnection Terminal Number P Power Serial 1 Serial2 amp For heated sensor transmitters connect the brown wire along with the red wire to position 1 and connect the blue wire along with the white and bare wires to terminal 2 Columbia Weather Systems Inc 38 Orion Weather Station Optional Sensor Mounting Hardware Tripod and Tiedown Kit The meteorological tripod is designed to provide up to 10 feet of stable secure support for your meteorological sensors Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 39 Constructed from welded aluminum and powder coated for appearance and longevity the 15 pound tripod can easily support up to 60 pounds of equipment An optional tie down kit allows for additional security in high wind areas To install insert the legs into the main body and secure with stainless steel retainer pins Extend the mast to the desired height and insert another retainer pin Install the guy wires to complete the set up Tripod Paris List 6 o y Item Description Qty 1 Body Mast Assembly 1 2 Legs 3 3 Retainer Pins 4 4 Guy Wire Ring with 1 3 Wires and Turnbuckles Columbia Weather Systems Inc 40 Orion Weather Station 5 Anchor Screw with Chain 1 6 Clamp with Strap 1 7 Retainer Pin 1 Specifications Capacity Supports up to 60 lbs Shipping Weight 17 lbs Shipping Box Dimensions 70 x 8 x 8 Tripod and Tiedown Kit Catalog Number 88019 Colu
40. or is checked in a zero wind verifier that meets Vaisala s manufactured specifications The pressure temperature and relative humidity module is tested against a Vaisala PTU200 working standard The measurement of humidity temperature and pressure are each verified against the PTU200 working standard prior to shipment The PTU200 pressure measurement is calibrated against a Vaisala PTB220 barometer and is traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology NIST via Vaisala s Measurement Standards Laboratory MSL The PTU200 temperature measurement is calibrated against a Hart 1560 working standard in a liquid bath at Vaisala s MSL and is traceable to NIST The PTU200 humidity measurement is calibrated against two Vaisala HMP233 working standards which are calibrated against a HYGRO M3 dewpoint meter The HYGRO M3 dewpoint meter is calibrated in Vaisala s MSL and is traceable to NIST Vaisala s MSL has been accredited by FINAS according to ISO IEC 17025 The Zero wind verifier measures the ultrasonic speed transmitter and received in zero wind environment Once this is calibrated the wind readings will be accurate over the full range of the sensor Columbia Weather Systems Inc 72 Orion Weather Station Temperature and Pressure Reading Adjustments Even though the temperature sensor is calibrated at the factory to 0 5 F and requires no further calibration and similarly the pressure sensor is calibrated to 0 015
41. other calculated parameters 200MHz ARM9 CPU Serial or Ethernet connection Connecis directly to weather station with serial port or connecis to a Weather MicroServer over a network utilizing an existing Ethernet infrastructure no extra wiring The MicroServer configuration also allows for data from one weather station to be monitored from multiple display consoles at various locations Screens can be factory customized to meet specialized market and industry requirements The Weather Display is also available in a 19 rack mount chassis and a panel mount configuration Please refer to the Weather Display Console user manual for more information Columbia Weather Systems Inc 28 Orion Weather Station Weather MicroServer Optional The Weather MicroServer uses a small computer board that runs an embedded Linux operating system The MicroServer has 512MB flash memory for data logging and operation The Orion transmitter connects to the MicroServer via COMA The MicroServer has two RS 232 COM ports and an Ethernet port The MicroServer offers the following e XML Weather Data e FTP weather data in XML or CSV format e Modbus TCP Modbus RTU Serial RS 232 and Modbus ASCI interfaces e SNMP interface e Weather Underground interface e CWOP interface e Three months of data logging at 1 minute interval e Interface to optional visibility and solar radiation sensors Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weath
42. putation The computation of the CRC is performed on the data response before parity is added All operations are assumed to be on 16 bit unsigned integers The least significant bit is on the right Numbers preceded by Ox are in hexadecimal All shifts shift in a zero The algorithm is Initialize the CRC to zero For each character beginning with the address up to but not including the carriage return lt cr gt do as follows Set the CRC equal to the exclusive OR of the character and itself for count 1 to 8 1f the least significant bit of the CRC is one right shift the CRC one bit set CRC equal to the exclusive OR of 0xA001 and itself lse right shift the CRC one bit Columbia Weather Systems Inc 70 Orion Weather Station Encoding the CRC as ASCII Characters The 16 bit CRC is encoded to three ASCII characters by using the following algorithm 1st character 0x40 OR CRC shifted right 12 bits 2nd character 0x40 OR CRC shifted right 6 bits AND 0x3F 3rd character 0x40 OR CRC AND 0x3F The three ASCII characters are placed between the data and lt cr gt lt lf gt Parity is applied to all three characters if selected for the character frame The CRC computation code is added to the end of the response if the first letter of the command is sent by using lower case Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 71 SECTION 7 CALIBRATION Factory Calibration The wind sens
43. r comes in a custom shipping container Be careful when removing the device CAUTION Beware of damaging any of the wind transducers located at the top of the three antennas Dropping the device can break or damage the transducers If any the antenna bends twists re aligning the sensor can be difficult or impossible Unpack the Orion weather station and verify that all parts are included 1 Standard system includes LI Orion Sensor Transmitter Q 15 ft external sensor cable and male sensor connector plus additional cable lengths if ordered LJ 50 ft internal cable with vehicle mount female sensor connector plus additional cable lengths if ordered and all weather connector cap Orion Interface Module 2 3 positon terminal block connectors Interface module power supply User Manual 6 foot RS 232 cable plus additional cable lengths if ordered Oooo wv LI 9 ft telescoping mast with vehicle mount brackets LI Mast extension sleeve adapter 2 Weather Display Console Optional Q Display Console LJ Power supply UI 6 foot RS 232 cable plus additional cable lengths if ordered LY User Manual 3 WeatherMaster Software with User Manual Optional Inspect all system components for obvious shipping damage Refer to Important Notice Shipping Damage in case of damage Save the shipping carton and packing material in case the unit needs to be returned to the factory If the system does not operate or calibrate
44. r obvious shipping damage The Orion is a high precision instrument and can be damaged by rough handling Your unit was packaged to minimize the possibility of damage in transit Please save the shipping container for any future shipment of your Orion sensor In the event your order arrives in damaged condition it is important that the following steps be taken immediately The title transfers automatically to you the customer once the material is entrusted to the transport company NOTE DO NOT RETURN THE INSTRUMENT TO COLUMBIA WEATHER SYSTEMS until the following steps are completed Failure to follow this request will jeopardize your claim 1 Open the container and inspect the contents Do not throw away the container or any damaged parts Try to keep items in the same condition as originally received Notify the transport company immediately Request the transport company s representative inspect the shipment personally 4 After inspection request a Return Materials Authorization RMA from Columbia Weather Systems by calling 503 629 0887 5 Return approved items to us at the following address Columbia Weather Systems Inc 2240 NE Griffin Oaks Street Suite 100 Hillsboro OR 97124 6 After a repair evaluation an estimate of the cost of repair will be sent to you Columbia Weather Systems Inc 6 Orion Weather Station ESD Protection Electrostatic Discharge ESD can cause immediate or latent damage to elect
45. ronic circuits The Orion is adequately protected against ESD for its intended use However it is possible to damage the product by delivering electrostatic discharges when touching removing or inserting any objects inside the equipment housing To avoid delivering high static voltages yourself 1 Handle ESD sensitive components on a properly grounded and protected ESD workbench When this is not possible ground yourself with a wrist strap and a resistive connection cord to the equipment chassis before touching the boards When neither of the above is possible at least touch a conductive part of the equipment chassis with your other hand before touching the boards 2 Always hold the boards by the edges and avoid touching the component contacts Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 7 Table of Contents WELCOME 3 IMPORTANT NOTICE SHIPPING DAMAGE cccceees 5 ESD PROTECTION ide 6 SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION occcccnccccononcconosoccononccononcconosoconnsos 11 THE ORION WEATHER STATION ai 1 SPECIFICATION Sci a a a A 12 Operatine CONDI ONS sara ra 12 Wind SC cla canais Ra A E a 12 Wind DUT CCE ON Sao Ras oie 12 kelanve umid ias 12 TEMPERO oi eee 13 BAVIME PrE UT Or E A ETT 13 Precipa ON eino io aio 13 Input VOULE ir r oia 14 Heatin Power SOUNCO Ear ETE E A ET ET N eee TO 14 SENSO TOUS O oeras ioen N E NA ETNE ETE 14 PRINCIPLES OF MEASUREMENTS o iio 15 Wind MEAS OMET AA AS AR AOS dame 15 Barometri
46. row at the bottom of the transmitter points to north see North Alignment 4 Tighten the fixing screw to fix the adapter firmly to the mast Columbia Weather Systems Inc 34 Orion Weather Station North Alignment To help the alignment there is an arrow and text North on the bottom of the transmitter The transmitter should be aligned in such a way that this arrow points to the north Wind direction can be referenced to true north which uses the earth s geographic meridians or magnetic north which is read with a magnetic compass The magnetic declination is the difference in degrees between the true north and magnetic north Compass Alignment 1 Ifthe sensor transmitter is already mounted loosen the fixing screw on the mounting adapter 2 Use acompass to determine that the transducer heads are exactly in line with the compass and that the arrow on the bottom of the transmitter points to north 3 Tighten the fixing screw on the mounting adapter when done Once the sensor transmitter is aligned to north the transmitter can be removed from the mounting adapter without losing the north orientation Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 35 Installing the Mast There are three acceptable methods for mounting the mast to a roof or building structure Sloped roof mounting flat roof mounting or wall mounting See Optional Sensor Mounting Hardware for more information Location Do not attac
47. sensor has minimal hysteresis and excellent repeatability as well as outstanding temperature and long term stability Temperature is measured with a capacitive ceramic THERMOCAP sensor Relative humidity measurement is based on a capacitive thin film polymer HUMICAPO180 sensor The sensor is highly accurate with negligible hysteresis and excellent long term stability in a wide range of environments Radiation Shield This module is mounted in a specially designed radiation shield which protects the sensors from both scattered and direct sunlight and precipitation The composite material in the plates offers excellent thermal characteristics and UV stabilized construction The white outer surface reflects radiation while the black inside absorbs accumulated heat The internal sensor module is easily replaceable and readily available as a spare component To order a replacement module please use catalog no 9581 Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 17 Rainfall Measurement Rainfall is measured with an impact sensor which detecis the size and impact of individual rain drops The signals resulting from the impacts are proportional to the volume of the drops Hence the signal from each drop can be converted directly to the accumulated rainfall This measurement method eliminates flooding and clogging as well as wetting and evaporation losses The sensor transmitter uses RAINCAP sensor 2 technology in precipit
48. sponding battery terminals The Orion will automatically sense and transmit weather data via wireless transceiver 1 Transceiver Power Connectivity Transmission a Check for the red power light b Check for the steady green connectivity light c Check for the one second green pulsing blinking transmission light 2 Once the transceiver lights are all operational data is being transmitted If the green transmission light is not blinking once per second data is not being transmitted Re check the RS 232 power and antenna connections Columbia Weather Systems Inc 66 Orion Weather Station Monitoring The data transmitted from the remote sensor can be monitored using the Weather Display console computer weather software and or Weather MicroServer Connect the wireless transceiver to the appropriate device Please refer to the system diagrams in the beginning of this chapter Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 67 SECTION 6 Orion Sensor Data Output Definition Wind data is transmitted every second PTU data is transmitted every 15 seconds and Precipitation data is transmitted every 0 01 inch accumulation A Supervisory message is transmitted every 60 seconds when heating is turned off and every 15 seconds when heating is turned on The RS 232 interface is as follows Bits per Second baud rate 9600 Data bits 8 Parity None Stop bits 1 Flow control None Note The sign after a parameter val
49. tor on the side of the vehicle To extend the mast locate the large textured locking ring at the top of the nested mast This ring loosens and tightens the mast extension A counter clockwise rotation loosens the ring and allows the mast to be fully extended Clockwise ring rotation tightens the extension in place Columbia Weather Systems Inc 48 Orion Weather Station Installing the vehicle mount sensor connector and routing cable 1 To install the female vehicle mount sensor connector drill a 9 hole in close proximity to the sensor mast mounting bracket installation A recommended location is near the mast s lower base bracket Drill four small pilot holes for the mounting screws Run 50 ft cable through the hole and route to the Orion Interface Module location 4 Connect the cable to the 3 position connectors as listed in the chart below 5 Affix the connector with mounting screws on the external side of the vehicle and ensure the associated all weather connector cap is securely attached Installing the Interface Module Using a 1 Straight Slot screwdriver attach the wires from the end of the sensor cable to the terminal block screws on the Interface Module as follows Terminal Number Signal Color 2 Sround White and Bare 3 NoGomecion 6 Signal Ground Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 49 E Power Serial 1 Serial2 Connecting the Weather Display Console and Computer
50. ture is below 0 C it is sometimes called the frost point Density Altitude Density altitude is a meteorological variable that is important to pilots especially during the summer The density altitude is the altitude in a standard atmosphere where the density is the same as the given atmospheric density During a hot muggy summer day a pilot begins take off from an airport with an elevation of 2500 feet Because of the warm temperature and the moisture in the air the airplane has to work as if it was taking off at an airport at an elevation of 6000 feet resulting in the plane needing more power and a longer roll down the runway to take off Fahrenheit Temperature Scale A temperature scale with the ice point at 32 degrees and the boiling point of water at 212 degrees Columbia Weather Systems Inc 82 Orion Weather Station Global Radiation The total of direct solar radiation and diffused sky radiation received by a unit horizontal surface Global radiation is measured by a pyranometer Heat Index The heat index or apparent temperature is a measure of discomfort due to the combination of heat and high humidity It was developed in 1979 and is based on studies of evaporative skin cooling for combinations of temperature and humidity Pyranometer lt measures the combined intensity of incoming direct solar radiation and diffused sky radiation The pyranometer consists of a radiation sensing element which is mounted so that
51. ue indicates an invalid value Wind data Example Or1 Dn 240D Dm 249D Dx 260D Sn 4 38 Sm 4 9S Sx 5 4SMCO where Ori Wind message Dn Wind direction minimum D degrees Dm Wind direction average D degrees Dx Wind direction maximum D degrees Sn Wind speed minimum S mph om Wind speed average S mph Sx Wind speed maximum S mph MCO CRC 16 code Columbia Weather Systems Inc 68 Orion Weather Station PTU Data Example 0r2 Ta 73 4F Ua 26 3P Pa 29 711E x where Or2 Temperature Pressure and Humidity message Ta Air temperature F F Ua Relative humidity P RH Pa Air pressure Inhes Hg E x CRC 16 code Precipitation Data Example Or3 Rc 0 0101 Rd 2530s Ri 0 011 Hc 0I Hd 0s Hi O0INmo where Or3 Precipitation message Rc Rain accumulation inches Rd Rain duration s s Ri Rain intensity inches h Hc Hail accumulation M hits in Hd Hail duration s s Hi Hail intensity M hits in h Nmo CRS 16 code Note Precipitation data is reset to zero after the record is transmitted Supervisory Data Example Or5 Th 69 0F Vh 0 0N Vs 17 0V Vr 3 483VCa where Or5 Supervisory message Th Heating temperature F F Vh Heating voltage N heating is off Vs Supply voltage V V Vr 3 5 V reference voltage V V Ca CRS 16 code Columbia Weather Systems Inc Orion Weather Station 69 CRC 16 Com
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search