Construction Log

January 22 2008: Reconfigured the Averdigi NV3000 DVR card and achieved acceptable image. Image being served to the web site using ImageSalsa.

January 14 2008: Erected sensors on clubhouse.  System sending data to web site.

January 8 2008: Finally achieved a stable installation.  Transferred weather station to the clubhouse.

December 2007: Bought a Davis Vantage Pro2 weather station and replacement contemporary spec PC to serve the weather data.  Weather station connected to test installation and is working well.  Problems with VWS crashing being debugged.

October 2007: Decided that the accumulating problems required a new start and the club has committed to the installation of a new PC and weather station.

September 21 2007: Installed a powered USB2 hub to solve problem with Dazzle DVC90 causing the PC to lock up.

February 8 2007: Licensed the ImageSalsa software and included VWS output of windspeed, direction, outside temperature and wind chill.

June 28 2006:  Erected the webcam on the roof of the clubhouse.  Reconfigured ImageSalsa to stream the images as a web server. These images are interpreted on the web site using the Camstream applet from Meteorologica Ltd.

November 19 2005: Finally erected the weather sensors at the club. The weather server is sending this information to the web site.  Still working on the webcam.

July 20 2005:  Connected high res cctv camera to the dazzle capture device, streaming images to image server software. Excellent quality output.

July 18 2005:  Power sockets installed in the galley in preparation for the weather server.  The broadband router has been configured and powered up and tested. This is currently providing wireless access to the internet at the club for anyone with wireless enabled equipment.

July 5 2005: The bt line has been extended to the galley to enable the router to be installed prior to installing the weather server.

June 30 2005: Bought a Dazzle DVC90 digital video capture device.  This will be used to interface with the camera. It connects to a USB 2.0 port in the weather server. This has been tested with both ImageSalsa and Active Webcam software, which are being evaluated before buying.

May 16 2005: The demo version of the Ambient software ImageSalsa has been loaded on the Weather Server. This now streaming live images to the Clubcam page.  At present this showing a low resolution image of the weather station in my back garden.  The next stage is to buy a high resolution camera to test.

May 12 2005: The VWS software has been installed on the Weather Server, a desktop PC installed at my house, to provide 24 hour out put of the weather readings.

April 22 2005: Web site up and running again.  Weather station seems to be performing well.

April 14 2005: ISP server crash, web site needs reconstructing.  Note to me: - backup WxFlash pages as well as site and forum. Grr! Start again!

April 4 2005: After much tinkering with the parameters of VWS it has been configured to upload relevant information to the web site.  Two “WeatherFlash” pages have also been mounted on the web site to provide live data from the weather instruments in my garden.  Note: obviously not a good place to windsurf based on the current wind stats.

March 22 2005: Received the weather station, an Oregon Scientific WMR928NX, including indoor and outdoor thermometer, hygrometer, and barometer, rain gauge and anemometer.  The various instruments have been assembled and erected in my back garden to test the system before going live at the sailing club. Live data generated by the weather station has been displayed on the web site.

March 17 2005: Placed order for the weather station and licensed versions of the VWS and WxFlash software.  Software has been installed in place of the evaluation versions.

March 12 2005: Transferred the rvsc.co.uk domain name to 1and1.com to enable the name to be redirected to the new web site.

February 28 2005: Registered the domain name www.rvsc.org.uk with 1and1.com. This will be used as the domain for the new web site, which will be developed in parallel with the existing site until it is possible to migrate it from the current ISP to the new one.

February 18 2005: The ADSL service at the club has been activated. We can now go ahead with enabling access to the broadband service. This will be achieved using a Netgear DG384G ADSL wireless modem router, which will serve both the connection for the weather station and provide a wireless hotspot at the club for the use of members.

January 24 2005: Embedded the WxFlash page into a page in my test site. A link to a popup page is also included. The iframe tag enables the pages to link to the external URL on the CGI server.

January 20 2005: Applied for broadband account with PlusNet.

January 19 2005: Installed a version of WxFlash on my PlusNet site at cgi.boothnet.plus.com to test the PHP implementation. The page needs to be installed on the CGI server as this server has PHP enabled.

January 17 2005: Finally obtained working version of WxFlash, and uploaded them to the RVSC Website.  This installation uses ASP to communicate with with the WxFlash software.  The basic script files had to be modified to use absolute addressing for the included files. 

December 24 2004:  Finally obtained guidance from the support forum and obtained the path from the server to the club’s website.  Built a functioning website based using NetObjects Fusion authoring software (you are reading it).

December 20 2004: Obtain final approval from the club to buy equipment.

December 9 2004: Following advice from the support forum.  Enabled streaming image from the webcam onto an internet page. The club needs to obtain a suitable web camera to mount at the clubhouse.  This will be deferred until the weather station is working.

December 8 2004: The final part of the jigsaw is the provision of real time camera images to the website to enable users to view activity on the water. Installed ImageSalsa and attached a  Logitech Messenger WebCam to test system. Followed the user manual and was able to view live images on local computer.  Also able to view web image when viewed across the LAN.  Not able to see image across internet.  Posted query on support forum.

December 2 2004: In order to provide real time data to the site, an always on connection will be required. Investigated possibility of broadband connection at sailing club.  BT confirm that the line can be activated.  However cost of providing connection through current ISP is expensive.  Consider moving the site to Plusnet ISP.  This will make testing the system easier as this ISP is used by the site author.

November 28 2004: Advised by Tim West (WxFlash author) that the club’s server doesn’t support relative addressing, he will advise work around. Tried using alternative servers but same problem encountered.  Advised by Tim West that due to problems with his system he will be unable to advise workaround until these were resolved.

November 24 2004: Downloaded the WeatherFlash evaluation version and uploaded the server side components to the web server.  Linked to it using VWS data updating by ftp but not by ASP.  Browsed to WxFlash on server but was unable to update page layout and save. Query left on support forum.

November 20 2004: Transferred the temporary site to the club web site. Uploading METAR data to the place marked pages in the club website.  Page wx.htm was included in the weather default link and is updating satisfactorily using the ftp facility in VWS.

November 14 2004: Set up “stationless” operation within VWS and established contact with METAR data from Manchester Airport, and the weather dials etc came to life. Set up a basic web site using VWS web site wizard and updated this to a temporary site.  Able to view updating data over the internet.

November 12 2004: Downloaded evaluation version of VWS to a local computer and printed out the 93 page user manual. This proved very useful as it helped us through the set up procedure step by step. Note this was without access to a weather station.

November 2004: Finally found time to investigate issues. Extensive browsing of weather sites indicated that many systems seemed to be based around the Ambient Weather products VWS, WeatherFlash and ImageSalsa. It was decided that a site based on these would provide easier integration and would be easier to construct on an amateur basis.

April 2004: The estimated cost of the system was reported to the club and a financial allocation was made. Time limitation prevented progress until November 2004

January 2004: Initial investigation into the procedure and cost of mounting a weather web site at the club was carried out.  Advice was taken from a local meteorologist.  Club web site was completed and mounted. The site includes general information about the club and a members area which provides a forum for discussion by members.  A placeholder for the future inclusion of the weather station is included.