KestrelMet 6000 Cellular Weather Station

Text or Email alerts can be sent when a specific parameter is out of range.

If the value exceeds (greater than or less than) the alert amount, a text or email is sent.

Once the value falls within the normal range, the alert is reset, and an alarm can be sent again once outside the range again. This prevents repeated alerts for the same parameter.

The Notification Time Window is the minimum time after an alert can be repeated for the same condition. This is useful for parameters like wind speed, that change often and rapidly.

Here is an example scenario with the Notification Time Window set to 10 minutes.

If Wind Speed is greater than 20, send an alert.

• Time: 2:00 pm. Wind Speed is 24. Alert is sent.
• Time: 2:03 pm. Wind Speed is 12. Alert is reset.
• Time: 2:05 pm. Wind Speed is 26. Alert is not set because 5 minutes ago, the alert was already sent.
• Time: 2:12 pm. Wind Speed is 24. Alert is sent.

More than one alert can be set for the same parameter. Here is an example

Wind Speed > 20 mph

Wind Speed > 30 mph

Wind Speed > 40 mph

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WeatherCam images can be uploaded, viewed, and shared on AmbientWeather.net. This feature is currently available on the website version.

From the devices panel, select Add WeatherCam

Next, choose the format for your camera (FTP or URL):

• FTP: Most network cameras include FTP upload.
• URL: If you are hosting on another website, provide a URL.

FTP: option:

The website automatically generates the servername, username, and password. Enter these credentials into your camera’s ftp network settings.

– Some cameras like Foscam may require you to enter the server header ftp://ftp.kestrelmet.net, rather than ftp.kestrelmet.net.

– Select passive mode (PASV), if available.

– The maximum upload interval is one minute. Program an upload interval of 60 seconds or greater.

Enter the static URL associated with your camera hosting software. An example for the Nest Camera is referenced below.

Once the camera image has successfully uploaded to the server, the image will appear next to the WeatherCam credentials.

To make your WeatherCam public, select the checkbox “Allow others to view your weather cam“. It will take up to 48 hours for approval. Only images that point outside and show a portion of the sky will be approved.

Once your WeatherCam is public, it will be displayed on the WeatherCam map:

The KestrelMet 6000 cellular weather station can ONLY connect to a cellular network (typically Verizon or AT&T according to your station’s SIM card for US customers), and cannot connect to a Wi-Fi network. You can use provider coverage maps, FCC maps (https://fcc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6c1b2e73d9d749cdb7bc88a0d1bdd25b), or third-party tools such as the Open Signal app or RootMetrics app to plan an optimal location for your station. After your station is registered, you can use the signal indicators on the device's screen for live cellular signal readings.

This video demonstrates the installation procedure:

You should choose the mobile carrier that has the best coverage for your area. It does not matter which carrier you personally use as you can see the data without having an AT&T or Verizon account.

The Cellular version uses cellular data. The Wi-Fi version transmits via Wi-Fi up to 1000 ft line of sight.

The cost is $50 per year to continue the coverage which is the lowest plan on the market today.

Sun coverage is important to keep the unit powered. So choosing a place with adequate sunlight will help keep it powered in low sun / cloudy conditions. The other consideration is in a unsheltered area and higher up to help catch the current wind conditions, bearing in mind that you may have to clean the rain gauge occasionally. Lastly, if you mount it next to something that radiates heat (i.e., a black fence), this could slightly raise the temperature readings. If you are using a tripod mount, you may want to secure it to the ground or weigh it down in higher wind areas.

Yes. You can add as many devices as you want to your account and toggle between them.

After entering your location into your account, a Google map lookup is done based on that location and uses the altitude of your location to calculate the barometric pressure.

A clogged rain bucket on your KestrelMet 6000 Cellular Weather Station can prevent accurate rainfall readings. Follow the steps in this video to easily unclog the rain bucket and keep your unit working properly.

KestrelMet Soil Sensor Array Web References

Watermark installation manual

Available Water Conversion Tables for Soil Moisture Monitors

Irrigation Scheduling Strategies When Using Soil Water Data

How to use Watermark sensors for irrigation

Moisture Sensor Agricultural Irrigation Design Manual

Soil water tension irrigation criteria for various crops

Watermark Granular Matrix Sensor to Measure Soil Matric Potential for Irrigation Management

KestrelMet Soil Sensor Array Video References

KestrelMet Soil Sensor Array Installation

KestrelMet Soil Sensor Array Installation from Nielsen Kellerman on Vimeo.

U of Nebraska Watermark probe installation:

MMM consultants Watermark probe installation:

U of Nebraska irrigation scheduling basics:

U of Georgia irrigation scheduling:

Click here for more information

Every KestrelMet weather station is checked against a precision NIST-traceable reference pressure sensor in our manufacturing process at the Boothwyn PA plant, and the pressure sensors that we use in the KestrelMet 6000 exhibit minimal drift over the 2-year warranty period. For these reasons, we have not engineered a pressure calibration interface for the KestrelMet 6000.

To compare pressure conditions from one location to another, meteorologists correct pressure to sea-level conditions. Because the air pressure decreases as you rise in altitude, the sea-level corrected pressure (the pressure your location would be at if located at sea-level) is generally higher than your measured pressure.

Thus, your absolute pressure may read 28.62 inHg (969 mb) at an altitude of 1000 feet (305 m), but the relative pressure is 30.00 inHg (1016 mb).

The standard sea-level pressure is 29.92 inHg (1013 mb). This is the average sea-level pressure around the world. Relative pressure measurements greater than 29.92 inHg (1013 mb) are considered high pressure and relative pressure measurements less than 29.92 inHg are considered low pressure.

The pressure measurement displayed on AWN is relative pressure. To determine the relative pressure for your location, AWN locates an official reporting station near you, and sets your weather station relative pressure calculation parameters to match the official reporting station. Note that absolute pressure and relative pressure are both included when station data is downloaded.

Pressure details for CWOP MADIS L3 spatial failures:

Based on experience, MADIS failures come and go and are not necessarily an indicator that there is anything out of calibration, especially when barometric pressure is the measurement in question. For MADIS L3 spatial failures, it is very unlikely that your pressure sensor is the cause. This forum thread provides some useful perspectives on the L3 spatial failure, including one user who tried recalibrating their pressure sensor seasonally in an attempt to make the L3 error go away:
https://groups.io/g/wxqc/topic/chasing_the_calibration_tail/21375996

If you have already confirmed that you are sending the correct altitude to CWOP, then it may be one of the nearby stations that is causing the L3 error. Alternatively, you could try changing the altitude in the CWOP interface which will effectively adjust the relative pressure calculated by CWOP.