Since 2008, I've been collecting weather observations in my backyard with a Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Wireless Weather Station. Beyond routine maintenance and an occasional replacement or addition of parts, the weather station has been rock solid.
Unlike some government weather stations that only report weather once or twice an hour, you can usually find data from my weather station being uploaded to CWOP and Weather Underground every 5 to 10 minutes. Starting out the new year, I decided to also begin uploading my data to Davis Instrument's own WeatherLink website. I've also setup a domain I owned (metpub.com) to send users to the WeatherLink website for easier access to the data.
How am I doing all this? Currently I'm using a Weatherlink USB Data Logger connected to a Wireless Weather Envoy and a Windows PC. Using software provided by Davis Instruments I'm not only storing and displaying data on my Windows PC but also uploading observations directly to the CWOP, Weather Underground, and WeatherLink websites. But this methodology is cumbersome because because it require all three devices to be functioning well and any break in any one of the devices prevent my data from being uploaded to the sites. A decade and a half ago this was the only solution available to me but since then Davis Instruments has provided a simpler cloud-based solution via an all-in-one WeatherLink device.
When financially feasible I plan to purchase a device called Weatherlink Live (affiliate link). WeatherLink Live as a stand-alone device will allow me to bypass my Windows PC all together as it receives data wirelessly from my weather station then automatically sends the data via WiFi to the WeatherLink Cloud. This cloud solution allows me to not only send data to the WeatherLink's website, but also to CWOP and Weather Underground. I really like this solution as I've never liked the idea of having to continuously run power on my Windows PC to store and send data during thunderstorm activity and when I'm away on long vacations.
My only complaint is the WeatherLink Live solution isn't cheap. I have difficulty justifying spending an additional $200 when my current setup, although messy, is working just fine. In any event, the WeatherLink Live is the solution I'm working toward and will likely implement once I see the product offered at a price point that I'm comfortable with so I can justify the purchase.
Disclosure: My website earns income through affiliate links which in turn is used to financially supports bryanruby.com. I am a participant in the Amazon Services, LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. You will not be charged extra for your purchases by using these affiliate links.