Davis WeatherLink - APRS/CWOP Setup (Version
5.5 or later)
Updated: March 4, 2008
This web page instructs you on how to create a Internet
Connection Profile for APRS/CWOP by setting the Upload
frequency, entering your Citizen Weather Observers Program (CWOP) identification
number or Ham Radio Call Sign, and
turning "On" the APRS Weather Report
function within WeatherLink.
Note: Please Upgrade your WeatherLink
application to the latest (free) version available from Davis, here is the link
to Davis software support:
http://www.davisnet.com/support/weather/software.asp#vantagePro
Forward:
A. Before completing the Davis WeatherLink configuration for APRS/CWOP, you need to
obtain an official CWOP Call Sign by registering at the following web page:
http://www.findu.com/citizenweather/signup.html
B. The acronyms APRS, APRSWXNET, and CWOP essentially refer to the same
software function within WeatherLink
C. For CWOP/APRS to receive weather reports: Weatherlink
must be kept on, your PC must first be on (CWOP cannot
accept stored or old data), and your PC must have access to
the Internet
D. CWOP requires a high resolution for latitude and longitude coordinates than the settings used by your
Vantage Pro weather station. If you haven’t already entered your exact latitude and
longitude coordinates, please use the URLs listed below to get your precise location
information and enter it in the APRS Setup dialog box.
WeatherLink APRS Setup Menus for configuring CWOP/APRS:
Start the configuration by clicking on the Davis WeatherLink top-level pull-down menu "Setup" and "Internet Settings..."
1.
Click on the Internet Connection Settings button from the Internet Setup menu.
- configure your Internet connection type, either through a "local server" if
you have DSL or Cable Internet, or dial-up (you will need to identify your dialup
connection script created through Windows networking)
Note: According to Davis tech support, WeatherLink has a
"bug" in its Internet Connection software. If you have not setup Weatherlink to upload web
pages to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) before attempting
to send weather reports to CWOP, you will have to "trick" WeatherLink into
sending CWOP/APRS reports. In this case, the trick is to "dummy in" the
FTP settings on the Internet Connections Menu, as shown on the example Internet Connection Setting menu at this link.
2.
Toggle "On" the "Internet
Transfer Enabled" button (click on the button to change it from
"Off" to "On") from the Internet Settings Menu
3.
Find the Data Upload Summary section of
the Internet Settings window, and select Configure for the data upload Profile
you will use for APRS (CWOP)
NOTE: Three data upload profiles are available for internet
and APRS uploading.
4. From the Data Upload Profile menu:
a. Set the Upload
Profile frequency (usually every 5 minutes for DSL or cable Internet, 1 hour for
dial-up)
b. Click on the "Download Weather Station First" to "check" the box
in order to send fresh data from your sensors to CWOP/APRS
c. Click on the Select
Report Files button to cause the Upload Weather Reports for
Data Upload Profile menu to appear
5.
From the Upload Weather
Reports for Data Upload Profile menu, click on the Configure button in the APRS Weather Report section of the menu to cause the APRS Setup menu to appear
Note: Toggle the APRS Weather Report On/Off
button to the "On" position after completing the APRS Setup menu configuration
6. From
the APRS Setup menu:
a. Enter your CWOP or Ham Radio Call Sign obtained after registering with CWOP (examples: CW0351 or KB0TVJ-5).
-- please do not use WeatherUnderground or other non-approved and
unregistered call signs to send your weather reports to CWOP
b. Verify the Telnet
settings:
1.
Default
APRS Server
is
cwop.aprs.net, and
port to
14580
2.
Default Port is
14580
Note: The Telnet Port should be set to "14580"
(except as otherwise noted above).
3. Verify the telnet password setting:
The Password default setting is "-1 vers WL 5.7"
The "-1 vers" is required
by the APRS system. "WL 5.7" is
optional and can be changed if you wish"
4.
Edit your station location setting, as necessary: APRS
requires more precise location information than is used by WeatherLink. Use one of the
URLs listed below to find the exact Latitude and Longitude settings for your weather
station (WeatherLink requires the hours, minutes, seconds latitude/longitude position
format, or HH:MM:SS with any decimal seconds rounded to the nearest
"ones" second):
Latitude, Longitude Finder using a U.S. Post Office address:
http://www.melissadata.com/lookups/addressverify.asp
Elevation Finder: http://www.topozone.com/findplace.asp
alternative:
http://www.earthtools.org/
5. Exit the APRS Setup:
Click OK exit and save the changes made in this dialog box.
Final Notes:
A. Once you have have completed CWOP/APRS setup, check to see if your
weather reports are getting to our servers by looking at these web pages:
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/find.cgi?call=cw0351
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/wxpage.cgi?call=CW0351
- Change the "CW0351" identifier in the above links
to your Call Sign to see your weather reports
B. Once you know your data is getting to CWOP/APRS, please complete your
registeration process by contacting cwop-support
C. You can also identify configuration issues within Davis WeatherLink by checking
the diagnostic file, accessible on the "File" menu
and "View Log" menu of WeatherLink.
Back to APRS/CWOP Features | APRS/CWOP Overview | WeatherLink Internet Settings | WeatherLink Data Upload Profile |
WeatherLink 5.5 APRS/CWOP Setup | APRS
Data Format | CWOP Info Page