Citizen Weather Observer Program (CWOP) Information

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Updated:  November 14, 2012

Who are CWOP Members? CWOP Background Info Join CWOP! Weather Software Supporting CWOP

CWOP Data Flow

Viewing CWOP Data

Data Quality Monitoring

Other Servers Sharing Data with NOAA

CWOP Partners

CWOP and Computer Security

-- Have an Internet connection (cable, DSL, dial-up, etc.) ***or***
have a wireless digital Ham setup (there are 10,000+ registered CWOP members, i.e., "CWxxxx", "DWxxxx", "APxxxx", "ARxxxx", and "ASXXX" stations, on FINDU/ MADIS)
-- Generally have a well sited weather station (O.K., trees block my winds too)
-- Want to share their data
-- Have weather data logging software that can format and send APRS messages (VWS, WeatherDisplay, WeatherLink, WeatherView32, etc.)
-- Think of watching weather as a serious hobby
-- Want to learn about how things fit together

*  Background Info Page:
http://www.findu.com/citizenweather/

* Main CWOP Page by CWOP Support:
http://wxqa.com/
Includes:
-- Latest CWOP News and System Status, check here often!
-- Weather station siting info
-- Posts CWOP station QC data from MADIS
-- Show "raw" packets of data
-- Post station list of CWOP sites

* CWOP National Hurricane Center Page by WX4NHC and Joe Schmidt:
http://www.fiu.edu/orgs/w4ehw/CWOP-Main.html

* CWOP Signup Page: Get your CWOP ID here, ex. CWxxxx
http://www.findu.com/citizenweather/signup.html

* Within a week after signing up, please check CWOP search to confirm. Then, after verifying your findU.com location, send e-mail to cwop-support@noaa.gov and request registration.

Company

Application Storefront User's Forum CWOP/   APRSWXNET Forum Contact (fix "at" with @) Operating System Hardware Supported:
Manufacturer (Model)
1.  1-Wire Weather Service for Java ("as is" code)

* OW4J Page

* Download code
*Documentation

TBD TBD Karl Uppiano

* Windows

AAG (Dallas 1 Wire weather station (and version 3))
2. AfterTen Software
Supports the Mac!

*WeatherTracker

Download online version

AfterTen Forum TBD Dean Davis

* Mac OS X  10.4.5 or later 

Davis Instruments  (VP (1 or 2), WM II, Wizard)
La Crosse (23XX)
Oregon Scientific (WM918 and WMR968)
3. Ambient

VWS Software 

Note:  Requires "Web and Internet" VWS Version to support APRS/CWOP

Note:  Add on software required for APRS/CWOP:
VWSAPRS

VWS CWOP Forum Tim West

* Windows

AAG (Dallas 1 Wire weather station (and version 3))
Campbell Scientific
Columbia Weather
(Capricorn 2000)
Davis Instruments
(Vantage Pro/Plus, VP2, WM II, Wizard III, Perception)
--- VP, VP2 requires Davis WeatherLink Console to PC package
Huger (WM-918)
Kestral 4000
LaCrosse (WS-2300, WS-2305, WS-2310, WS-2315)
Oregon Scientific (WM-918, WMR-918, WMR-928N, WMR-968)
Peet Bros
(ULTIMETER 2100, 2000, 800, 100) ...Peet Bros CWOP Page
Radio Shack (WX-200, AccuWx 63-1016)
Rainwise
(MKIII, WT-2000, MH-1)
Texas Weather Inst.
WeatherHawk
4. ControlByWeb

X-320M Web-Enabled Weather Station Controller with direct data upload

X-320M

Web-Enabled Weather Station Controller

TBD TBD ControlByWeb Support

X-320M can be configured through a web browser on any operating system.

No PC is required for data upload.

The X-320M Weather Station Controller is compatible with many 3rd party meteorological sensors from manufacturers such as:

Davis Instruments
RM Young
Met One
NRG Systems
WaterLog
Comet
Novalynx
Setra
Vaisala
Stevens
Apogee Instruments

A detailed list of specific 3rd party sensors can be downloaded here.
5. Davis
Setup Procedures:

WeatherLink
Requires WxLink version 5.2 or later

TBD Davis Support

* Windows,
* Mac version Does NOT support CWOP, yet

Davis Instruments (Vantage Pro/Plus, VP2, WM II, Wizard III)
--- VP, VP2 requires Davis WeatherLink  Console to PC package
6. FreeWX

* FreeWx

FreeWx Forum Andy Keir

* Windows

Oregon Scientific (WM-918, WMR-918/928/968)
Radio Shack (WX-200, AccuWx 63-1016)
7. GNU_Wx(Freeware- use code "as is")

* GNU Wx

 
TBD TBD Steven Bjork

* GNU Unix

Temperature Sensor
Note:  This is a "home brew" weather station
8. Henriksen

* 1-Wire

TBD Arne Henriksen

* Windows

AAG (Dallas 1-Wire)
9. Melhuish Projects
(use code "as is")

* 1WW Linux Project
* SourceForge

Source
Forge
CWOP Info Page Simon Melhuish

* Linux
* BSD
*RISC OS

AAG (Dallas 1 Wire weather station (and version 3))
10. Misterhouse

* Misterhouse
weather_vw.pl   (PERL script by Clay Jackson)

MH Yahoo Forum TBD Bruce Winter

* Linux

"weather_vw" is a helper application for the Ambient VWS application; thus, supports the weather stations VWS supports.
11. Open2300
(use code "as is")

* Kenneth's Wx Page
Open2300 Wiki

Open2300 Yahoo Forum TBD Kenneth Jahn Lavrsen

* Linux
* FreeBSD
* netBSD
* Windows

La Crosse (2300, 2305, 2310, 2315)
12. PC-Wetterstation / WsWin

* Intro Page
* Download Page
Note: Add on software required for APRS/CWOP:
WsWinAprs

WsWin Forum (German) TBD Werner Krenn

* Windows

ELV/ Conrad/ Huger (WS2000 (V2.x) and WS2500 (V3.x))
Oregon Scientific (WM918,  WMR-918/ WMR-968/ WMR-928N)
Davis Instruments (Vantage Pro, Vantage Pro2)... with WeatherLink file
Mebus, Irox, Honeywell, RSB (TE923)
13. Mach 10 Software

*

WxMatrix TBD Marcus Adams

* Windows

Peet Bros (ULTIMETER 2100, 2000, 800, 100)
14. OSCirrus Software

*

TBD TBD Landon Cox

* Linux (Ruby)

Fascinating Electronics Anemometer
Olimex AVR MT 128 controller

  -- Sold by SparkFun Electronics
15. Raindrop Labs "wiz3d" ("as is" code)

* Raindrop Labs Page

*

WxMatrix TBD Alan Batie

* FreeBSD

Davis Instruments (Weather Wizard II/III)
16. Thunderhead Technologies

WxSolution

TBD Dan Hanson

* Windows

Davis Instruments (Weather Monitor II, Weather Wizard II/III, Vantage Pro, VP2)
--- VP, VP2 requires Davis WeatherLink Console to PC package
Heathkit (ID-4001, ID-5001)
Texas Weather Inst. (WR-25 and variations)
17. VanProd

* Vanprod Root
* Home Page
*

TBD TBD Stan
Sander

* Linux,
* Unix,
* Mac OS X

Davis Instruments (Vantage Pro, Vantage Pro2)
18. Steve's Weather Tools/ VPLive
(Freeware)

* Steve's Weather Tools Root
* VPLive Home Page
* Readme

 

TBD TBD Steve
Hatchett

* Windows

Davis Instruments (Vantage Pro, Vantage Pro2)
19. Weather Display (WD)

* WD - Full Version

* APRSLite - Supports CWOP only

WD Forum 

WD CWOP Forum Brian Hamilton

* Windows
* Linux -

RedHat7.2+, SuSe7.3+, or Mandrake8.2+) (limited hardware support for Linux)

AAG (Dallas 1 Wire weather station (and version 3))
Campbell Scientific
Columbia Weather (Capricorn 2000)
Climatronics Ultrasonic
Davis Instruments (WMII, Wizard III, Grow, Vantage Pro/Plus, VP2)
--- VP, VP2 requires Davis WeatherLink  Console to PC package
Environdata (2000)
ELV/ Conrad/ Huger (2010/ 2110/2210/2310/ 2315/2300/WS23XX/WS2500PC/2510/3600)
Heathkit (ID -5001)

La Crosse (2010, 2110, 2210, 2300, 2305, 2310, 2315, 2500, 2510, 3600)
Maximum Inst. (Weathermax)
Mebus, Irox Pro, Honeywell, RSB (TE923)
Metron (UWS 3000-ws)
Novalynx (WS-16 Weather Station)
Oregon Scientific (WM918,  WMR-918/ WMR-968/ WMR-928N, WM-900H)
Peet Bros (Ultimeter 100, 500, 800, 2000, 2100 and II)...Peet Bros CWOP Page
Radio Shack (WM200/MK III)
Rain Wise (WS2000)
Texas Weather Inst. (WR-25 and variations)

Weather Hawk
20. WeatherHawk-XP/X
Supports the Mac!

*

Download online version

TBD TBD John Johnston

* Windows 2000/XP
*
Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later

(Models 232, 240, 510, 511, 520, 521 916, 922)

 
21.WeatherView32

WV32
Download online version 6.0.0.156 for free from WV32.  CWOP supported in all versions except Home

WxMatrix Forum TBD Dave Heider

* Windows: NT, 2000, ME, and XP

Columbia Weather (Capricorn 2000)
Davis Instruments  (WM II, III, VP 1, 2)
--- VP, VP2 requires Davis WeatherLink Console to PC package
Maximum Inst.
(Weathermax)
Oregon Scientific (WM-918/WRM-918)
Peet Bros   (Ulitmeter 2000, 2100)
Radio Shack (WM200)
Rain Wise
(WS2000)
Texas Weather Inst.
(1-Wire)
22. WUHU  (Freeware)

* WUHU Yahoo Forum

 

Yahoo Forum
 

TBD H. Smith

* Windows (except Win98)

La Crosse (WS23XX, and WS3600)
Oregon Scientific(WMR-968/918/928)
Mebus, Irox Pro, Honeywell, RSB (TE923)
Note:  WUHU replaces the LaCrosse "HeavyWeather" data logging application

b.  Ambient VWS -
Base
and
Internet Versions

Yahoo Forum

TBD H. Smith

* Windows (except Win98)

All weather stations supported by Ambient VWS application (#1 above). 

Note:  WUHU is a helper application for the Ambient VWS.  You need to install and configure this application before loading WUHU.

c.  WV32 -
Supports all versions of WV32

Yahoo Forum 

TBD H. Smith

* Windows (except Win98)

All weather stations supported by WeatherView32 application (#15 above). 

Note:  WUHU is a helper application for WeatherView32.  You need to install and configure this application before loading WUHU.

23.  WView
Supports the Mac!

WView

TBD Mark
Teel

* Linux
* FreeBSD
* Unix
*
Mac OSX

Davis Instruments (Vantage Pro and VP 2)
--- Requires Davis WeatherLink Console to PC package
Vaisala WXT-510

La Crosse (WS-2300, 2305, 2310, 2315)
24.  weewx
Written in Python!

weewx

weewx
User's Group
TBD Tom
Keffer

* Linux
* FreeBSD
* Unix
* Mac OSX

Davis Instruments (Vantage Pro and VP 2)
--- Requires Davis WeatherLink
25. WX200D

wx200d

*

TBD Tyler Allison

* Linux

Oregon Scientific (WM-918, WMR-918, WMR-968)
Radio Shack (WX-200)

* APRS Protocol:  CWOP uses the APRS protocol to format its messages.  Here's a couple places to learn more about APRS formatted weather messages:
        -  Philip Gladstones APRSWXNET Page (learn by example):   http://pond1.gladstonefamily.net:8080/aprswxnet.html
        -  Raw data stream example:  http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/rawwx.cgi?call=CW0351
        -  TAPR Full APRS© Specification (pdf file):   ftp://ftp.tapr.org/aprssig/aprsspec/spec/aprs101/APRS101.pdf

  1. CWOP data are sent in real-time from your Personal Weather Station (PWS) via the Internet or through a Ham Radio wireless RF broadcast to a site with an Internet connection (Digipeater)
  2. Data are forwarded to the CWOP servers, using the round-robin domain "cwop.aprs.net" port 14580.  
  3. Data are sent to the FINDU server where html time series web pages are created for CWOP members and files are queued for pickup by the NOAA Global Systems Division.
  4. Finally, NOAA Global Systems Division fetches the data from FINDU every 15 minutes and ingest the data into the Meteorological Assimilation Data Ingest System (MADIS) database (as "APRSWXNET" data type) where data are quality controlled, merged with over 25,000 other surface observations and forwarded to other NOAA workcenters, including some Weather Forecast Offices (WFO)... more info about MADIS.

CWOP servers supporting CWOP connections:  APRS nodes and ports (blue columns below) are used in data logging software to send data to CWOP/APRSWXNET

SYSOP/Email Web Page Server Status APRS Node  Port
Gerry Creager http://cwop.aprs.net:14501/ Note:  "cwop" is not an actual server, pseudo 'round-robin' load sharing.  We recommend "cwop.aprs.net" be your primary server. cwop.aprs.net 14580

Notes: 

  • Software connecting to CWOP/APRSWXNET should only use the cwop.aprs.net server, port 14580 as the primary server and automatically "roll-over" to servers listed above if the primary server is unreachable.
  • Suggest CWOP/APRSWXNET members send their data every 15 minutes, optimally every 10 minutes (but not more frequently than every 10 minutes as this could stress server bandwidth)
  • If your data logging applications does not have auto-rollover (those programs other than VWSAPRS and WeatherDisplay) and should a server stop accepting your weather messages, you will have to manually reconfigure your CWOP setup to point to an alternative APRS-IS server (see APRS Nodes and ports in blue shaded columns in above table).  Check the cwop.net "News" page to verify that it is the server and not your Internet connection or computer problem.

* FINDU Station Time Series Page:
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/wxpage.cgi?call=cw0351&last=36&radar=***
Note: add your "CW" ID in place of "K4HG" in above link

FINDU Time Series of CWOP/APRSWXNET Data

* FINDU Station Table Page:
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/wx.cgi?call=CW0351&last=36
Note: add your "CW" ID in place of "cw0351" in above link

* Other CWOP/APRSWXNET Stations in your vicinity:
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/wxnear.cgi?call=cw0351
Note: add your "CW" ID in place of "cw0351" in above link

* CWOP data plotted in real-time: Select your "Region" your state or NWS CWA, change "Network" to "All Networks", and then click on the "Map It" button to display your station
http://mesowest.utah.edu/cgi-bin/droman/mesomap.cgi?state=MD&rawsflag=1

* NOAA MADIS: select "APRSWXNET" from the "Select Data" menus
http://www-frd.fsl.noaa.gov/mesonet/
Notes:
-- Data displayed with over 18,000 surface observations
-- Must first register with valid latitude/longitude and successfully send data through FINDU/APRS before appearing on MADIS
-- Will take about 1 week to get the new "CW"s onto NOAA MADIS (after confirmation with Russ); database updated every Wednesday afternoon (~23:00GMT)

MADIS plot of CWOP and many other mesonet data

 

*  MesoWest, University of Utah - Station Data: https://mesowest.utah.edu/droman/

MesoWest Clickable Map Station Data MesoWest Station Time Series

*  View your data on NOAA's National Weather Service web pages using the following links:
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mesowest/getobext.php?wfo=lox&sid=c3247&num=48
--
View graphs for your station by replacing "C3247" station ID in the above links with your 5 character CWOP ID (drop the "W" in this case).

* Steve Dimse FINDU CGI Page: Very interesting and useful set of tools
http://www.findu.com/cgi.htm

* CWOP Logo... Please post logo on your site and link back to signup page:
http://wxqa.com/archive/cwp_logo.gif

*  NOAA's MADIS Quality Control and Monitoring System (QCMS) was developed to assist NWS meteorologists use mesonet data on their AWIPS workstations.  QCMS uses automated validity, internal consistency, temporal, and spatial checks to evaluate data quality (read more about QCMS).  Your station's performance statistics are available at these locations:        
- NOAA's QCMS Statistics for APRS Wx Net Citizen Weather ("flagged" stations only)  HourlyDaily   |  WeeklyMonthly
- CWOP QCMS Interactive Retrieval Page
- Get feedback of your weather station's performance by registering with Phillip Gladstone Quality Reporter Suite which includes a Quality Assurance Listserver and Graphs Email Service (strongly recommended for CWOP members):   
        o Sign up for daily weather station QCMS performance statistics to be emailed to you:

         http://pond1.gladstonefamily.net:8080/weather-qc
        o Participate in a discussion of weather station operations list server:
        http://pond1.gladstonefamily.net:8080/mailman/listinfo/wxqc

        o Add pictures of your weather station siting using FLICKRTM, which will appear on your Station Info Page:
         http://my.xfinity.com/brookevilleweather/flickr_setup.html

- Phillip also plots graphs (below) of QCMS and Observed CWOP station data (replace "C0351" with your ID):
    https://weather.gladstonefamily.net/cgi-bin/wxqchart.pl?site=C0351

Observed Station Pressure (Reading)
verses QCMS "Guess" (Analysis)
in millibars (altimeter pressure reduction)

QCMS Pressure Comparison (Observed vs Expected)

Observed Station Temperature (Reading)
verses QCMS "Guess" (Analysis)
in degrees Fahrenheit (F)

QCMS Temperature Comparison (Observed vs Expected)

Observed Station Dew Point (Reading)
verses QCMS "Guess" (Analysis)
in degrees Fahrenheit (F)

QCMS Dew Point Comparison (Observed vs Expected)

*  MesoWest Quality Assessment, using regression analysis   (more about Mesowest quality assessment), replace "C0351" with your CWOP ID, https://mesowest.utah.edu/cgi-bin/droman/regress_database.cgi?stn=C0351

*  Weather for You and Ham Weather Signup Page: Thanks to the efforts of Joe Torsitano!

*  Anything Weather:
http://www.anythingweather.com/

*  Citizen Observing Networks Supporting CWOP:

* Weather Blogs to Visit and Interact with:

  • WeatherNation, http://www.wxnation.com/blog/, national commentary
    • Lead Blogger: Bill Young Jr. , email:   webmaster(@)wxnation.com
  • CapitalWeather,  http://www.capitalweather.com/, active commentary for the D.C. Metro area
    • Lead Bloggers:  Jason Samenow, email:     Andrew Freedman, email:   , Josh Larson, email: 
  • Gothamist Weather:  http://www.gothamist.com/archives/weather/index.php, active NYC area commentary
    • Lead Bloggers:  Joe Shumacher, email:   joe(@)gothamist.com and Kevin Porterfield, email:  kevin(@)gothamist.com
  • Fresh Bilge:  , hurricane commentary (seasonal)
    • Lead Blogger:  Alan Sullivan, email: disabled, correspond through commentary on the blog
  • MyWeatherGuide:  http://blog.myweatherguide.com/,   hurricane commentary (seasonal)
    • Lead Blogger:  Ed Oswald, email:  eoswald(@)myweatherguide.com
  • more???

*  "Old School"  Weather ListServers:

CWOP and Internet SecurityParticipating in the CWOP does not by itself increase risk from Internet attacks.  CWOP communications protocol does not allow other computers to connect to your computer, rather CWOP members connect to a trusted CWOP server, upload your weather data, and immediately disconnect.  No data is sent from the CWOP server to your computer. 

However, increased exposure to the risks of computer software damage, denial of service, and identity theft is possible if you don't take steps to educate and protect yourself when using the Internet.   

While you should patch computer insecurities using software and hardware, you also must resist responding to emails requesting personal information.  This fraudulent activity by criminals is called "phishing."

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