Home Weather Stations?

[ZooTime]

Hello. Long suffering wife of a weather watching addict (acknowledged, he could have worse habits!). I was wondering if people around these parts have any experience with home weather stations. I'm after a gift for him for Christmas - we've got an old fashioned barometer in the living room and he got himself a small digital weather box a couple of years ago, but I see there are "Professional Weather Stations" (to use Maplin's words - I'm looking in particular at this USB touchscreen machine). I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with this model or something similar? Should I be looking elsewhere? I can probably stretch to about twice this price if I need to.

[in the vale]

This a good (and popular) setup - obviously not the best money can buy, but has served me well for a few years. http://www.weathershop.co.uk/shop/collections/special-offers/technoline-ws2350-weather-station

[Verglas]

similar to mine here I think, (Watson W8681) usb linked into the pc from the lcd panel, although I run the Cumulus program rather than that supplied, and produces a feed to my website page (link in signature below)

only had one problem in that the bearing in the wind vane seized up (got a replacement top) but it's an easy bearing to replace anyway, also was a little like a windmill in light airs and tended so spin about a bit madly so I added a longer tail (made out of thin plastic food box) and a balance weight to the nose (bit of stainless steel rod), a set of alkaline AAs last well over a year.

[Dorsetbred]

This a good (and popular) setup - obviously not the best money can buy, but has served me well for a few years. http://www.weathersh...weather-station

I've been using an earlier version of this since 2006, and since then have replaced the wind sensor (old type, as bearings were worn out, and the rain sensor, as one of the reed switches died).

Only thing it doesn't do well is provide gust readout for winds as it senses on a periodic basis rather than continually. There are mods on the net to fix this.

I replace the batteries with lithium cells each winter and off it goes.

[Hairy Celt]

Just avoid Ore*** Sci****** as they rot from the inside out in our damp climate and spares are like hens' teeth, ie there's no after sales at all.

[ZooTime]

Just avoid Ore*** Sci****** as they rot from the inside out in our damp climate and spares are like hens' teeth, ie there's no after sales at all.

You'd think considering where Oregon is that they'd be built better for our weather!

Thank you all, this has been helpful