Delta-T Devices - Model WS-GP2 - Advanced Automatic Weather Station System
From Meteorology - Weather Stations
The advanced WS-GP2 Automatic Weather Station is based on the powerful GP2 Data Logger. It is an ideal solution for research and environmental monitoring applications at remote and exposed sites. The WS-GP2 provides a highly rugged and flexible system – users can select the optimal combination of sensors, logger, power and communications.
Features
- Powerful, rugged and highly flexible weather station
- Designed for use in severe weather conditions
- Wide choice of sensors, including soil moisture
- Cellular modem communications
- Compatible with DeltaLINK-Cloud online data sharing platform
- Calculation of full Penman-Monteith evapotranspiration equation
Sensors
The standard WS-GP2 includes sensors to measure rain, solar radiation, soil temperature, wind speed and direction, relative humidity and air temperature.
Flexiblity
The GP2 Data Logger has the power and flexibility to handle almost any environmental sensor, which means the WS-GP2 Weather Station can be as simple or as complex as your application requires. Even after installation, it’s easy to adapt the system to your specific needs. Optional sensors include barometric pressure, soil moisture, soil EC, UV, PAR, albedo, net radiation, total and diffuse radiation, evaporation and surface wetness.
Data Handling
Data can be easily collected by laptop via USB, or remotely using the cellular modem options. DeltaLINK Software makes it easy to set up recording intervals and to view and download stored data.
Data presentation options include wind rose, gusts and average (including direction and vector average).
SDI-12 Enabled
The GP2 Data Logger has been upgraded to support SDI-12 inputs. From December 2015 all new GP2s come with SDI-12 as standard and earlier GP2s can be easily updated via a software download.
Key features:
- Huge additional input capacity for SDI-12 sensors
- Existing analogue and digital channels fully available
- Highly flexible logger + sensor networks
Advanced Features for Meteorology
For researchers interested in evapotranspiration, degree days, disease prediction, wind chill factor, dew point, PID control, etc. the GP2’s advanced features will open up exciting possibilities.
Calculation of full ASCE/FAO 56 Penman-Monteith evapotranspiration equation
The WS-GP2 Weather Station and DeltaLINK Software (versions 3.7 and later) enables the full ASCE/FAO-56 Penman-Monteith equation for calculating reference evapotranspiration (ETo).
ETo is calculated by the WS-GP2 Weather Station using the available measurements of relative humidity, wind speed, solar radiation, and air temperature. This ET implementation includes the ability to vary crop albedo/LAI, canopy resistances, crop height and sensor heights.
The functionality can be easily accessed by users as a selectable recording option within DeltaLINK. Calculated ET can be recorded as hourly and daily values – and may be used in further bespoke calculations or to guide field irrigation decisions.
Customisation
The GP2’s analog inputs can be fully customised. Each channel can have its own input type and recording parameters. DeltaLINK software gives the user control over reading frequency, thresholds and units, and provides recording options for average, min and max, plus specialised wind options – including wind rose, gusts and wind averaging
Users can add their own custom sensor types to the sensor library, exploiting the GP2’s detailed configuration options. The GP2 provides 4 input ranges down to microvolt resolution with adaptive auto-ranging, excellent analog accuracy, and configurable sensor excitation – enabling it to support nearly all analog sensors.
Calculations based on the measurements from several input channels can be recorded and displayed as additional virtual channels (calculated measurements).
Script Editor
This powerful software feature creates step by step operations to control simple or complex processes or recording requirements. The degree of sophistication it offers means the potential applications are numerous and varied. The editor interface is easy to use, no programming language is involved.
- Creates sequences of operations to implement models
- Advanced control and recording capabilities
- Easy user interface: no typing out of commands; no programming language
- Implement simple or complex conditions, algebraic expressions and record result values
Simulator
This unique software feature allows logging programs to be tested before real-world activation. For applications involving weather data, irrigation or soil moisture recording, the environmental variables can be changed to test how the program responds. Years of logging time can be simulated in just a few minutes.
- Implement simple or complex conditions, algebraic expressions and record result values
- Create and manipulate variables e.g. for disease risk factor
Technical Specifications
- Input connections:
- 12 differential (or 24 single-ended) analog inputs configurable as: Voltage, Resistance (12 3-wire or 24 2-wire), Bridge (12), Potentiometer (12)
- 4 digital inputs as: Counters, (2 fast + 2 slow), Frequency, Digital state
- 1 Delta-T WET sensor channel
- Unlimited virtual channels
- Serial input channel: 62 SDI-12 sensors or a single WET Sensor
- Control outputs: 2 relay outputs expandable to 6 (1 A)
- Readings stored: 2.5 Million
- Recording rate: 1 second to 24 hours
- Configuration: DeltaLINK
- Communication options: USB, RS232, ethernet or modem
- Sensor excitation: Calibrated 3V reference, +5 V and +12 V regulated, or 5 to 10.5 V (battery or external power), user selectable
- Power: 6 AA alkaline batteries or external power 10-15 V DC
- Battery life (dependent on usage): >310K readings, lasting 530 days
- Enclosure rating: IP65
- Temperature range: -20 to +60°C
- Display: –
- Size: 225 x 185 x 75 mm
- Typical applications:
- Demanding research projects
- Environmental monitoring
- Varied control applications