The installation of the robotic camera and the weather station sensors were part of the same project. The robotic camera is attached to the top of a 30 foot metal tower. The weather station sensors are attached to various parts of the same tower with the exception of the rain collector which is situated next to the tower about 4 feet above the ground. This tower is over 200 feet from the Trailfinders where the power and cables enter the laboratory.
With the help of two UCR electricians Brian Hambleton and Dan Martin and our reserve rover, Arnold Lozoya, the camera was placed at the very top of the tower. Its power and video cable were fed through the same 4 inch PVC conduit as all of the other weather station cables as well as 12 gauge AC wire. One important lesson we learned is to always use wide sweeps at the corners of the conduit instead of tight, elbows.
The robotic camera uses a electromotion twelve fold zoom lens. The pan/tilt action is 100 degrees horizontal and 25 degrees vertical. The input voltage on this camera is DC 12 to 14 V.
According to Texas Weather Instruments, each weather station sensor should be attached to the tower at a certain height and sometimes at a certain direction and angle. The wind sensor should be near the top as well as the lighting sensor. The rain collector should be near the bottom. The tower and the lighting sensor must have a good earth ground. They suggest at least a three foot copper grounding rod with a heavy copper or bare aluminum wire going to the junction box.
The weather station console and sensors are made by Texas Weather Instruments out of Dallas, Texas. This particular station, WRL-32S, with has solar, lighting, humidity, barometer, indoor/outdoor temperature, rainfall and leaf wetness sensors. The console, which is in our laboratory, displays all sensors readings except leaf wetness data. The leaf wetness readings as well as the others are accessible on our Weather View 32 software which we serve on our website.
The Weather View 32 software has many capabilities. This software enables you to capture and display forecasts, satellite and Doppler images from the Internet. It can show the weather stations current weather data and more. Visit www.weatherview32.com for more information on the Weather View software options. Please visit our weather station page at: www.jamesreserve.edu/weather.html.
