OneTemp
announces the availability of a new range of web-based weather stations from
Onset combining greater measurement flexibility and on-board LCD display in a rugged,
easy-to-deploy package. Onset is a world leader in data loggers and weather
stations, and represented in Australia by OneTemp Pty Ltd.
The
new HOBO RX3000 is Onset’s next-generation data logging weather station that
provides research scientists and meteorologists among others with instant
access to site-specific environmental data anywhere, anytime via the Internet.
Combining the flexibility and sensor quality of more expensive systems with the
convenience of plug-and-play operation, the new weather station is ideal for
agricultural research, ecology studies and climate research.
Jessica
Frackelton, senior manager of product marketing for Onset explains that the HOBO
RX3000 can be used by researchers to quickly and easily deploy an advanced
environmental monitoring station without any need to program it, or spend weeks
of training on operating it. The plug-and-play operation allows any user to simply
plug in Onset’s smart sensors to start receiving measurements from the system. In
addition to Onset’s plug-and-play smart sensors, the station offers the option
for user-installable modules that support even more sensors. Combined with an
LCD display right on the unit, the station facilitates excellent web-based
environmental monitoring for the user.
The HOBO RX3000 weather station allows up to 15 channels
of plug-and-play smart sensors to be configured for measuring a range of
weather parameters including temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, soil
moisture, wind speed and direction, leaf wetness, barometric pressure,
photo-synthetically active radiation (PAR), and solar radiation.
Swap-in
sensor modules allow an additional eight channels of analogue sensors to be
added. With its ability to power external sensors requiring 12-volt excitation
power, the station further extends the range of possible measurements. This
flexibility makes the station ideal for environmental monitoring projects where
measurement needs change over time.
The HOBO RX3000 weather station is also designed for fast,
hassle-free deployment and offers several advantages that save researchers time
and money. An easy-to-view LCD display helps the user visually confirm logger
operation, sensor connections, cellular signal strength, and other system
parameters before leaving the deployment site. Fault codes displayed on the LCD
enable users to diagnose any system issues in the field. A solar panel- or
AC-powered rechargeable battery and a rugged, double-weatherproof enclosure combine
to provide reliable, accurate long-term monitoring even in the harshest outdoor
environments. The station’s alarm capabilities can notify users of sensor or
system failures remotely so they can be fixed before critical data is lost,
eliminating the need to travel out to the field site to check on system
operation.
An
optional relay module will enable the system to remotely control other
equipment in the field. This is particularly useful in irrigation management
applications, wherein the station’s relay can activate irrigation pumps when
soil moisture levels go below the desired minimum threshold, and then turn the
system off once the soil moisture reaches saturation.
The
HOBO RX3000 station is equipped with cellular communications, and transmits
data to Onset’s HOBOlink web-enabled software platform. Users can easily access
current and historical data from the web, manage and control HOBO RX3000
stations remotely, and set alarm notifications. HOBOlink also allows automatic
delivery of data files to be scheduled via email or FTP in CSV or XLSX format. Environmental
data from HOBOlink web servers can be integrated by organisations into their
applications using an API. The HOBO RX3000 can also be equipped with Wi-Fi and
Ethernet communication options.