Procedure for Collecting Weather Station Data

Materials:

• Hobo Data Shuttle
• Hobo Data Logger cables
• Field Book
• Pen
• Laptop Computer *

Procedures:

In the lab:

• It would be easiest to follow these procedures on the computer on Room 205
• Open up the UTC website on the computer by going into the bookmarks option and clicking on "Time"
• Set the computers time to the UTC time (Make sure you are as accurate as possible)
• Open the program "Boxcar"
• Plug in the shuttle. There is an adaptor (COM 1 port) in the back of the computer where the shuttle’s cable fits.
• In Boxcar, go to "logger" on the tool bar.
• Select launch from the scroll down menu
• The computer will automatically launch the shuttle
• Exit Boxcar and Unplug the shuttle

In the Field:

• The two weather stations you will be collecting data from are the Jones and Godshalk weather stations. Each weather station has a two data collection ports: one for rainfall and the other for temperature and relative humidity.
• At each weather station open the rainfall collector by taking off the black lid.
• Inside the collector you will find a black shuttle that looks like the Hobo shuttle.
• Open the black shuttle and connect the black shuttle to the Hobo Shuttle using the data logger cable.
• Hit the button on the Hobo shuttle and the Hobo shuttle should offload the information. You can see the status of the shuttle by the blinking lights on the shuttle.
• After the shuttle has finished offloading the light next to testing will start to blink.
• Press the button again
• The next to successful will begin to blink
• Press the button once again. This completes the rainfall data collection
• .Unplug the shuttles and make sure the light is blinking again in the black shuttle. This light indicates that the shuttle is collecting data again.
• Close the black shuttle and place it into the collector and place the lid back onto the collector.ð At the weather collector,
• Unscrew three wing nuts from the bottom of the collector and take off the two lids.
• Unscrew the white dime-size cap from the port.
• Plug in the Hobo shuttle into this port.
• Press the button on the shuttle.
• The shuttle will offload the data and automatically go to successful.
• Press the button again.
• Unplug the shuttle.
• Make sure the red light is blinking on the weather collector by looking up inside the port.
• Screw the white cap back on.
• Screw back on the lid and the wing nuts.
  * You will only need the laptop computer if you need to rename the weather stations. Consult George Yasko before doing this.
  If you are at the Godshalk weather station, make sure to say hello to Hazel, she may have cookies and lemonade for you!!!