How-to configure the Weather Information Centre to display ambient temperature.

[admin]

 

BackyardEOS and BackyardNIKON support 3 providers for displaying the ambient temperature, humidity, and dew point.

 

Follow the instructions below to configure your weather center provider.

 

1) TEMPerHUM

A TEMPerHUM device sells for about $20 on eBay; BackyardEOS supports TEMPerHUM versions 1 and 2.

 

1.    Plug the TEMPerHUM device in a USB port. 

You do not need to install the drivers that came with it.

2.    In BackyardEOS, open the Settings dialog and set the Weather Provider to ‘TEMPerHUM’ or ‘Auto detect’.

3.    Click the Save button to close the settings window.

 

2) Yahoo RSS feed

1.    Open your browser and go to http://weather.yahoo.com.

2.    Enter your location and hit enter.

3.    Look in the URL address bar; the numbers at the end is what yahoo calls a WOEID (Where On Earth ID).

4.    In BackyardEOS, open the Settings dialog and set the Weather Provider to ‘Yahoo’ and enter the WOEID in the Yahoo WOEID field.

5.    Click the Save button to close the settings window.

 

Here is an example (in this case the WOEID is 24002902)

http://weather.yahoo.com/canada/ontario/clarence-creek-24002902

 

NOTICE:  Yahoo has made breaking changes to their API in February 2016.  As a result BYE/BYN is no longer able to provide Yahoo as a weather source.  This feature is be removed in a future release

 

3) Text File Delimited

1.    Open the Settings dialog and set the Weather Provider to ‘Text File Delimited’ or ‘Auto detect’.

2.    Click on ‘Text File Mapping”

3.    Select a text file containing the weather information.  BackyardEOS will read the last line only!  This allows for cumulative weather information in the same file over time.

4.    Enter the start position of each field and the number of characters to read from the start position.  The reading box will show the result instantly.

5.    There is no reading required for dew point.  This is because the dew point is calculated from the temperature and humidity level.

6.    Select the readout unit in the file; Fahrenheit or Celsius.

7.    Click the Save button to close the settings window.

[stevecook70]

After inputting the weather station Yahoo along with WOEID and applying and saving, the details come up in the weather station OK. But after I close the program down, nothing is saved and have to re-input the woeid again. This goes for anything I input to settings such as saving snap images. Using windows 10 64 bit operating system - any ideas ?

[s3igell]

This is usually a sign of lingering issues with Security Permissions on your Win10 Installation (possibly due to something about how your User was configured before the Win10 Upgrade was performed).  

Not wanting to get into any "Big Fixes" such as "Changing overall User Settings" or "Reinstalling Windows", or even "Reinstall BYE into Different Directory":

  Try starting BYE with "Run As Administrator" (Right-click on the BYE Icon before starting up the Program).

  Now try to make your Settings changes.

[admin]

I agree with s3igell.  This looks like a classic case of windows permission, run as admin should resolve this.  However, please keep us posted if it does (or not) work.

[stevecook70]

Running as admin works  - thanks guys

[SUNJiaLin]

Running TRIAL version with Win10 x64 even runin BYEOS as admin, I still not get Yahoo WOEID.

Do you have some others suggestions ?

[admin]

On 4/24/2016 at 4:28 AM, SUNJiaLin said:

Running TRIAL version with Win10 x64 even runin BYEOS as admin, I still not get Yahoo WOEID.

Do you have some others suggestions ?

Please read this thread.

Yahoo made a breaking change in their API recently.  I will have to remove Yahoo Weather from the list of available weather provider.

Thank you

[AaronSmall]

Guylain,

Any options on a replacement in 3.1.7?

Aaron

[admin]

On 5/1/2016 at 8:15 PM, AaronSmall said:

Guylain,

Any options on a replacement in 3.1.7?

Aaron

 

Nope, nothing planned yet.

[AaronSmall]

Guess my father's day gift is going to be a TEMPerHUM.

[s3igell]

Before that, read all the Threads on the Issues with the ongoing challenges that Guylain has gone through trying to support the perpetual changes in TEMperHUM versions.

[admin]

TEMPerHUM changes their API roughly once a year, it is impossible to keep up with them.

[astroman133]

Weather Underground has decent capabilities and pricing. It may be worth investigating as an alternative to Yahoo.

[AaronSmall]

Rick, Guylain, & s3igell,

 

What do you guys use? Yahoo was usually close enough for me but then again I'm not out there as much as you guys.

 

Aaron

[admin]

Rick, Guylain, & s3igell,

 

What do you guys use? Yahoo was usually close enough for me but then again I'm not out there as much as you guys.

 

Aaron

 

I actually do not use anything.  I rely on the in-camera temperature sensor probe.  That data is added to the filename in BYE by default.

 

Regards,

[astroman133]

I have multiple temperature sources that I refer to during an imaging session.

 

1) local thermometer

2) TEMPerHum

3) Moonlite Focuser temperature

4) Weather Underground via Internet

5) Open Weather Map via Internet

 

The last 2 have an API, similar to the way Yahoo! used to work, which is free for individual, low volume use. They each provide temperature plus additional info about sky conditions, barometric pressure, wind direction and speed, etc. I wrote software which reads the current conditions from both of those sites and summarizes the current conditions for my latitude and longitude.

[s3igell]

In addition to using all the resources which Guylain and Rick responded with above, I've always resorted to the following Localized Tools:

"Licked Finger" and "Tossed Sand" (No Grass Blades in the AZ Desert, and Tossing Cactus Blades is Dangerous) and "Weather Rock".

 

But, the one that is of most use is always the Internal Temp / Sensor Temp reported through BYE.

[darkskyfalcon]

I have multiple temperature sources that I refer to during an imaging session.

 

1) local thermometer

2) TEMPerHum

3) Moonlite Focuser temperature

4) Weather Underground via Internet

5) Open Weather Map via Internet

 

The last 2 have an API, similar to the way Yahoo! used to work, which is free for individual, low volume use. They each provide temperature plus additional info about sky conditions, barometric pressure, wind direction and speed, etc. I wrote software which reads the current conditions from both of those sites and summarizes the current conditions for my latitude and longitude.

Hi! I'm assuming that the latter two (WU and OWM) let you create a text file that BYE can read? Can you share your software for those of us less code-savvy? Thanks!

[astroman133]

Sorry for the confusion.

 

I mentioned Weather Underground and Open Weather Map for Guylain to consider as alternatives for Yahoo WOEID which no longer works. AFAIK, neither of those sources are currently compatible with BYE/BYN. Both can provide XML in reply to a query for current conditions. The XML schemas are different, but both are easily parsable.

 

The software that I use is integrated into a CCD camera capture program that I wrote for my own use. I am not really interested in sharing that code or that application, as I want to stay firmly in retirement mode.

[Guest Bulwarker]

On similar topic will this work with BYE?

 

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p9112_MBox-Meteostation---USB-Wetterstation-mit-USB-Kabel.html

[s3igell]

54 minutes ago, Guest Bulwarker said:

On similar topic will this work with BYE?

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p9112_MBox-Meteostation---USB-Wetterstation-mit-USB-Kabel.html

Since Guylain and O'Telescope are a Distributor for the MBox Meteostation (see inventory here), he has integrated support for the device (announced here).

[admin]

Yep, and here is a shameless plug... I have a 6 in stock ready to ship.

 

[gforden]

I just bought Backyard EOS (3.1.16) but it doesnt have the Yahoo option.  What am I doing wrong?

[astroman133]

Many months ago Yahoo dropped support for providing ambient temperature. Please read this thread from the top, particularly Guylain's post from April 24, 2016.

[ilikeit]

Hello, I could use a little help on configuring BYE weather for  Text File Delimited. 

I would have liked to use the M-Box, but alas, I'm out of USB ports! I do have the Pegasus Pocket Power Box installed on my mount. It has a temperature. humidity and dewpoint sensor that is separately attached to the PPPB. It also has an ASCOM driver for the sensor (ASCOM Pegusus UPB Observing Conditions). It works very well with Sequence Generator Pro. However, I like BYE as my main astrophotography app. 

I'm hoping to find a software program that can regularly log the temp rh dp data to a text file so that I can point BYE to it. Any suggestions? What apps work with the Text File Delimited option?

Any help pointing me in the right direction would be appreciated. Thanks!

[astroman133]

Even though it would be a trivial programming task to create a text file from an Observing Conditions device, it would be better if BYE/BYN supported the ASCOM Observing Conditions interface directly without the need for a separate program or the text file.

[admin]

This should actaully by the in the "Feature Suggestion Box" box forum.

Send me sample file of what the Pegasus units write and I'll see if I can help you configure the text file delimiter for it.

Regards,

[admin]

2 hours ago, admin said:

This should actaully by the in the "Feature Suggestion Box" box forum.

Send me sample file of what the Pegasus units write and I'll see if I can help you configure the text file delimiter for it.

Regards,

I got your PM.  In the future post things here in the forum.  PM's not public and provides no continuity for the community as a whole.

Everything you sent me seems related to the actual manufacturer of the sensor... this is not useful as the Pegasus device had complete control over it.  If the Pegasus device does not allow to periodically write the current data to a file there is nothing that can be done.  Can the Pegasus write this to a file periodically?  If yes what is the file format, this is what I need.

[astroman133]

Guylain,

The OP said that there is an ASCOM Observatory Conditions driver for his device. I think that what he needs is an ASCOM client program that polls the device and creates a text file that BYE can read.

[ilikeit]

Yes, that is what I am hoping for; a client program that polls the device and creates a text file that BYE can read. Sorry about sending the PM. Thought that's what you wanted.  And no, the Pegasus does not allow to write or change settings for the sensor. Thanks for spending time for this.

Edited December 6, 2018 by ilikeit
was not complete

[admin]

Oh, I missed that.  Can you please post this a feature request in the Feature Suggestion Box forum.  This is where I go when I some time to spare.  This way it won't get lost in the forum as a regular thread.

I'll read the ASCOM documentation they have.