Leaf Wetness Sensors

WIN Manufactures cylindrical leaf wetness sensors which have proven to simulate total leaf wetness far more accurately than the commercially available flat plate sensors. During testing where leaf wetness was measured at 15 minute intervals, flat plate sensors may read totally wet during one interval and totally dry during the subsequent interval. The cylindrical design much more closely represents the leaf with surfaces that are not exposed to direct sunlight.

Tipping Bucket Rain Gauges

WIN Manufactures a Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge that boasts many advantages over commercially available models, including an insect resistant drainage system, and a built in level for precise calibration. In critical applications, the tipping bucket rain gauge can be installed with a backup accumulator gauge, which is measured routinely and can be used in case the tipping mechanism experiences a malfunction.

Adcon Telemetry

The Adcon Telemetry system, which is totally wireless, scores high in the areas of flexibility, portability and responsiveness. This equipment has the capacity to accumulate data from a wide variety of sensors at frequent intervals. The Adcon station can easily support a standard array of sensors appropriate for collecting the following weather information: wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity, solar radiation, temperature, precipitation, leaf wetness, soil moisture and soil temperature. Additional sensors are added for specific research purposes. Should the need for sensor capacity exceed the number of channels on the main field automated weather station (AWS), substations can easily be added. These substations, which can remotely communicate to the AWS, can be installed within one kilometer to run another set of independently configured sensors. For irrigation management, Adcon supports a new style of soil moisture sensors which is used in Australia, South Africa and California. This system is a very versatile management tool when used both for disease and irrigation monitoring.

Many research applications require near real-time weather data. A sophisticated system of electronic data transfer is required for the large number of weather stations that are needed for agrometeorology. The choice must be made between a fixed line (cable, fiber optics, telephone) or a wireless system(cellular phone, satellite, digital data radio). Any fixed line installation, in an agricultural landscape, severely limits portability and makes it difficult and expensive to get the equipment into a commercial agricultural environment. The Adcon system maintains short term storage of data in each AWS and uses fifteen minute interval radio telemetry for all field units. UHF radio grants the capability to collect data into one location in a functionally and economically efficient manner. Utilizing radio frequencies results in a much more economical system of data communication, especially when data is polled frequently. Satellite communication is an expensive alternative. A cell phone system is also a communication option for an AWS but this system relies on outside service providers. Each station would require a separate account. Polling frequency, dial up times, and transmission speed for a large number of stations make this system expensive as well. Cell phones have the additional disadvantage of requiring enough power that either substantial batteries or electrical power lines must be provided, again limiting portability. The telemetric approach cuts operational expenses and increases responsiveness dramatically.

Campbell Scientific

The Campbell Scientific weather station is an integral piece of equipment in the WIN system. The Campbell logger is very versatile and it is the only brand now approved by Environment Canada (EC) for use in their autostations. Campbell loggers are individually programmed at the logger level. This makes them extremely versatile for customizing output. Calibration factors can be programmed into the loggers to keep the data sets within specifications. Other systems often require that sensors be replaced when they exceed allowable tolerances as no adjustment factors can be programmed into most of the less expensive loggers.

WIN continues to establish working arrangements with owners of Campbell weather station equipment to improve the overall quality and density of weather reporting sites.