Mounting Ideas for Vantage Pro2

[MonyMony]

So I have it on good authority that Santa is going to be bringing me a new weather station in a few weeks. When I install this station I am looking for new mounting ideas to get better wind and for the first time UV/solar information. I don't have to worry about mounting near my house or any other structures so I am looking for ground mount ideas. Anyone have any good solutions they would be willing share?

Thanks!

[wx_jon]

If you're looking for the full 10-meter height for the anemometer, then I can't really help, because I've never had the tools or the location to do that. However, in most cases an all-in-one station sited on a pole or tripod about 5-6 feet above ground with no nearby obstructions is a good compromise, with only sustained wind data negatively affected. Here is a useful set of guidelines on station siting. I would add to that that if your rain gauge is separate from the anemometer, it is helpful to actually mount a fence around the gauge at a height above the gauge of about 1/4 the distance from the gauge, as this helps reduce wind-driven rain under-catch. Solar radiation is really easy because you just need to avoid shadows - make sure there are no nearby obstructions, especially to the West to South to East. For metal tripods I've had no issues with those offered here (not an endorsement).

[dmgould]

I have a Davis Pro 2 Plus with a fan aspirated shield. I had the ISS/anemometer mounted on my deck as a single unit. Recently I bought an anemometer transmitter so that I could split the anemometer off and move it above the peak of my roof. It is now about 25 feet (about 8 meters) above ground level, much better siting. I then moved the rest of the ISS from my deck down to a cedar post that is about 5-6 feet above ground level and away from any sun and rain shadows. It hasn't made much of a difference in my wind readings, but it has made a noticeable difference in temperature readings from my ISS. I'm at about 9050 feet in elevation so the sun really radiates onto the deck and the side of my house. That radiation was showing up as a bit higher that the actual temperature readings. Interestingly, CWOP likes my data better after the move, and Wunderground does not like it. They dropped my gold star since the change. Checking a number of the stations they compare me to in my area I have discovered most of them are also mounted on decks. What they are comparing me to is skewed. In any event, my siting is now much closer to what is recommended by most weather experts even if Wunderground doesn't like it as much.