Automatic Weather Station Instruments and Sensors

In an effort to standardize the sensors and equipment used in our automatic weather station network the National Meteorological Service of Belize (NMS) uses equipment from Campbell Scientific. We do however have intruments and sensors from a wide range of manufacturers such as:

The main devices used in our automatic weather station network are seen below.

Data Collection Platforms (DCPs) otherwise known as Dataloggers

This is an electronic, computer based device that records data over time from a sensor connected to it. The NMS uses six different types of dataloggers, as listed below, with the most widely used versions being the CR200X and the CR300.

CR1000 | CR800 | CR300 | CR200X | TMF100 | Xlite 9210B

Communication Devices

Our modems allow the data collected by our dataloggers to be transmitted to our office at the Phillip Goldson International Airport. Data is transmitted every 30 minutes using our IP modems and our mobile 3G/4G data modems, while our satellite transmitters send data via NOAA's GOES Satellite every hour. We use the following communication devices within our network:

Sensors

Sensors produce a voltage/current output which is proportional to the change in the quantity that they are measuring. Some sensors are Active which means they need an external power source to operate while others are Passive which do not require external power to operate. Sensors can also be Digital, meaning they produce a discrete output representing a binary number or digit such as a logic level “0” or a logic level “1” while other sensors are Analog because they produce a continuous output signal or voltage which is generally proportional to the quantity being measured. Physical quantities such as Temperature, Wind Speed, and Pressure are all analogue quantities as they tend to be continuous in nature. For example, the temperature of a liquid can be measured using a thermometer or thermocouple which continuously responds to temperature changes as the liquid is heated up or cooled down.

The sensors used at the National Meteorological Service are :

Temperature and RH:
Rotronic HC2S3 | CS215 | 109

Rain Gauge:
Hobo RG-3M | TE525MM | TB4

Wind Speed and Direction:
Wind Sentry 03002 | Wind Sentry 03101 | Windsonic1 | Windsonic4

Barometric Pressure:
CS106/PTB110

Solar Radiation:
CS300 | LP-02