Basics

A "weather station"
Essentially a self contained sensor suite
Is modular, but should measure most/all of these things:
- Air temperature
- Relative humidity
- Vapor pressure
- Barometric pressure
- Wind speed
- Wind Direction
- Gust/Gust Likeliness/Frequency (Via Software from other wind stuff)
- Solar Radiation (General Brightness, and/or UV brightness)
- Day/Night Time/Cycle (Via software from solar stuff)
- Precipitation (any form, with differentiation)
- Lightning Strike Counter
- Lightning Strike Distance
A Nice Bonus Would be Integration with Wireless Indoor Air Quality Monitors that Monitor:
- Air Temperature
- Humidity
- Air CO2 Concentration and maybe Oxygen (latter is less important)
- Particulate Matter
- Optional Hydrocarbon Sensors (Detects Offgassing etc, as long as you are careful about all that shouldn't be too huge of an issue, but a sensor can't hurt, just not desperate for one in my opinion)
Seems to be a total cost of ~150-200 USD for a MAXED OUT OTS Model

Off the Shelf Options

The "Atmos 41 All-in-One Weather Station" by "Meter Environment" - unknown cost
- All in one unit, uses an Ultrasonic Anemometer

"Ambient Weather" Brand

"Ambient Weather WS-2902 WiFi Smart Weather Station" (~190USD as of this edit)
- Uses a physical anemometer
- Wireless
- Supports Other Sensors:
  - Main ones of interest are the Indoor Thermometer-Hydrometer , Indoor and Outdoor Particulate Matter Sensors , a Lightning Detector (although it may only do "time since last one", not distance or direction, although need to look into this more)
- Can publish to Weather Underground and Citizen Weather Observer Program etc
Need to double check compatibility with all the sensors/accessories, granted may be able to sneak arduinos/rpi's in somewhere to get stuff to work right
The Ambient Weather WS-2000 May be required for their sensors, it's ~300USD as of this edit

Existing Open Source Designs

GreatScott

A Youtube Video on Their Design

Open Green Energy

A Youtube Video on Their V2.0 Design
Probably the most "complete" ?

DigiblurDIY

A Youtube Video on Their Design

University of Oklahoma

The Main Page for the Project

Minimum Viable Product

"Self Contained" ie is one unit, often on a post
Lots of Networking Options Via Modules (NONE (just storage on sd etc) , Wired XLR, Wired USB , CAN BUS or Ethernet etc
All sensors are modular
Can handle any* weather (* being whatever is desired by end user)
Durable
DIY (or premade)
As low cost as possible
Modular

Basic Design

General Overview/Conceptual Design

Stacked "modules" similar to Arduino Shields and Rasberry Pi Hats
Each is sealed (need to determine weatherproof connectors
Either the modules are "flush" or there is a seperate shell/cover
Arduino and/or Raspberr Pi as the core computer/microcontoller (unless a custom board is used)
The main controlls and electronics are in one module
Cables is in another
Optional Onboard Storage is on another
Each wireless thing is a module
Max "stack" no more than 50cm excluding the pole for mounting, and any antennae etc

Sensor Modules

Air temperature

Standard PCB + Custom Mount / Leads for Module Specific Stuff
One Wire Temperature Sensor ~7.50 USD as of May 2020

Relative humidity

Standard PCB + Custom Mount / Leads for Module Specific Stuff
Need to Make Decision Using This Link + Other Info

Vapor pressure

Standard PCB + Custom Mount / Leads for Module Specific Stuff
Estimate with math, or use actual sensor?

Barometric pressure

Standard PCB + Custom Mount / Leads for Module Specific Stuff
SparkFun Atmospheric Sensor Breakout - BME280 - ~20 USD as of May 2020

Wind speed

Standard PCB + Custom Mount / Leads for Module Specific Stuff
Via an ots or diy Ultrasonic Anemometer

Wind Direction

Standard PCB + Custom Mount / Leads for Module Specific Stuff
Via an ots or diy Ultrasonic Anemometer

Solar Radiation (General Brightness, and/or UV brightness)

Standard PCB + Custom Mount / Leads for Module Specific Stuff
All that may be needed is a solar panel or two, and if two a UV filter on one
Exerpt from This Article on Arduiono.com
- "The instrument for measuring solar radiation is called a Pyranometer. Pyranometers can cost anywhere from $200 -$800, even from Chinese suppliers, making them inaccessible for the average hobbyist. You can read more about them here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyranometer

I was recently looking into buying a solar panel for my home and wanted to know if it would be worthwhile and so wanted to estimate the amount of solar energy available where I live.

I wasn't interested in buying a Pyranometer so I thought I could save some money and have some fun at the same time by making my own. "

Follow their directions + adapt to custom module

Precipitation (any form, with differentation)

Standard PCB + Custom Mount / Leads for Module Specific Stuff
Via the Open Source Tilt Bucket Precipitation Gauge

Lightning Strike Counter

Standard PCB + Custom Mount / Leads for Module Specific Stuff
Via the Open Source Lightning Sensing RDF Sensor

Lightning Strike Distance

Standard PCB + Custom Mount / Leads for Module Specific Stuff
Via the Open Source Lightning Sensing RDF Sensor

BOM

Initial Guess/Rough BOM

Arduino ~20USD
And/or Raspberry Pi anywhere from ~9 USD for a Raspberry Pi Zero to ~75 USD for the "max spex" Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (8 GB RAM version)
PCB Blanks / copper plates etc for custom pb's ~X.xx USD for X many
SMD's for sensors
- SMD a
- SMD b...
Solder/Solder Paste
3D Printed Cases / Welded Metal Case Cost ~20 USD max for fdm print, metal would be ~?x USD
All the Cables + Cable Breakouts/Adapter Plugs Needed ~20 USD -ish hard to estimate, also does not include long runs, also can be replaced by cheap wireless module for same ish cost
Total of ~150-200 USD for a MAXED OUT Model

V-BOM

CAD

Code

Weather Underground - for global upload

Internal Links

External Links

Open Source Weather Station

Contents