Customer Reviews

Oregon Scientific WMR200 Professional Weather Center

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

Pro's: Nice looking display unit (at first glance, read further).

Con's: Outdoor sensor quality chintzy, accuracy, customer service, limited history data without hooking up to a computer, set up time, no energy storage for solar, update frequency.

I purchased this weather station to replace 3 separate aging weather units to enable all weather data on a single unit.

Upon unpacking the 200WMRa I noticed all of the outdoor sensor units feel like they could break just handling them. After setting everything up indoors to test connectivity, I could not get a reading from the outside temp/humidity. The first time I called customer service they had me run through a battery of tests and instead of sending me just the one sensor (none available), I had to pack up the entire unit and send it back. Two weeks later, I again have everything set up indoors as a test; again no outdoor temp or humidity. This time I order a second unit online so that I can have it quicker and the third sensor was bad as well. Second call to customer service "please send back the entire unit...". I waited an hour and called again and luckily got someone on the phone who let me know that they did have a problem with the sensor (now discontinued) and that they could send me the redesigned sensor. This replacement sensor worked fine, but didn't have solar hookup which defeats one of the advantages of this system.

A note on the solar power on this system; it doesn't have any means of storage, so any time it's cloudy or at night you are running on batteries.

The main console unit looks nice at first glance, but really gives very little data without hooking to a computer via some VERY outdated and glitchy software. The unit's graph is only usable for pressure, rain and wind history. For instance, you cannot see the temp trend for the last few days, only highs or lows from when you first powered up the unit.

Accuracy: At one point I had purchased two systems and had them both set up indoors at the same time trying to work the bugs out of the sensors. Every bit of data was different from both units and not by just 1 degree or 1 percent, it was off by as much as 5 degrees/percent in each field. Sure enough if you read the published specifications, it states about that much as far as accuracy. To me, if you are going to spend this much money on knowing whats happening outside, you might as well have REAL DATA to go by.

Update frequency: If you hear a really big wind gust outside, you may be standing there a minute or two before seeing how high it actually was.

I didn't initially want to spend another hundred on the Davis unit; after my experience thus far I figured I could sell this on ebay and put the extra toward the Davis.

BY CONTRAST: The biggest differences on the Davis unit is that all the outdoor sensors are mounted in one reasonably sized very sturdy unit; that utilizes true solar with storage that only resorts to batteries if it hasn't seen light in 3-4 days. The main display is built like a tank in comparison; the graph can be used to watch any data you choose over whatever time period you choose, such as: last 24 hours, 24 days, 24 minutes (rain) or even 24 years. Highs and lows can also be seen for ALL DATA for any time you choose: Daily, hourly, monthly or even yearly. Now you can see at a glance "What was the coldest day last year?" or "What was the highest wind gust last year?", etc.

The Davis units update every 2-10 seconds depending on data; basically real time. Published accuracy is 0.6 of a degree!!

I went with the Davis ISS (integrated sensors) with the ProVantage 2 console/display. These together cost $360.

Save the time & frustration and buy any one of the Davis units the first time, it is money well spent.

A little careful pre-planing and reading these reviews can help avoid many of the disasters that probably happen with something so economical but so sophisticated. I picked the WMR200 because it seemed the more modern of all the brands out there that was present early Aug 2009. I has a really cool touch screen display,and back-lighting/lit buttons, and I also liked the fact that it came with a consolidated mast design.

I figured that by going with the best dealer, it could head off some of the problems other viewers had, and I think I was right. Ambient Weather has chat service, and even 800 phone support: this seems to be a new thing as I couldn't find it before, but their 800 phone support menu has changed.

For someone who has computer and gizmo interest this was a piece of cake to set up; just a few hangups. The rain gauge came in inop. It is a good idea to set everything up on the kitchen table so everything is definitely in range of each other to confirm interoperability. Even the rain gauge reported the water test we performed accurately, but later became totally inoperative. The base station wouldn't even count it as a device on the console. We sent it in for RMA, and another is coming. I checked to make sure replacement parts would be available, but the folks over there panicked at first and said it would be months to get them from the factory. However this was in error.

I like the setup so well I order a whole other older station just so the signals wouldn't get crossed and so I could get a rain gauge with solar charging.

The newer one went together real well, but don't waste time with any of the mounting schemes except the EZ-30-12 pole mount. That one worked very well despite the salesman's trepidation. It looks really good on the telephone pole and is solid as a rock. Do not get the rain gauge shelf for this model line as it is so frail I feel it is responsible for knocking out the rain gauge from rattling in the wind; it was so flimsy that it couldn't even hold the rain gauge steady, and level! You'd be better off with a wooden board.

We did use the SRS100 sun shade however, as I had learned in research you have to put these things out in the open to get accurate measurements and the instruments shield that is sold with it is more for shady yards than serious science. We mounted it with the all-in-one mast with rubber bands and zip-ties to hold the temp/hygrometers in place under the shade. It all looks very professional, and my buddy's back yard looks like a government installation now! I will post pictures later.

I tried everything in the book at my long history as a gadget tech to solve the inop condition of the rain gauge but after talking to Ambient Weather, it was obviously not going to work. So hopefully the new one will be fine. Don't forget it does not have solar charging, so battery replacement will be in force. I've used Oregon wireless outdoor sensors for years and they are very tough, and don't plow through batteries very often. In fact, for the first time, I just changed the batteries in a temp sender I bought back in 2003!!

(Update 9/22/09): RMA was successful on the rain gauge and the new one is working fine! The data between it and the one on the WMR968 match perfectly, a big thanks to Ambient Weather on that one!

Now here is the really cool part(to me); with the Virtual Station(internet capable version) you can send station information to a web page at Weather Underground and view your stats at any time off the internet anywhere, they automatically assign you a station number for your area. Be prepared to have your GPS coordinates and elevation from sea level for this. Even cooler, I found a 'gadget' at that site that dislays wind direction/speed, temperature, barometric pressure, and humidity, all from your own personal weather station!! I put this and the main Windows Weather Underground gadget on my desktop sidebar to complete a real time watch of all the weather data I would need except precipitation(which I can get from my web-page link). It even has better radar!!

With all this info, who needs WeatherBug? HA! I am very happy with this arrangement, and will report on the WMR968 solar assisted weather station, that I purchased with this, to complement it. I did this originally because I wanted a functional rain gauge now, but I'm glad we have two consoles. One for the living room and the other for the computer. You will like the convenience of the USB connection for this console.

I have checked the accuracy with other NOAA stations in my area and I don't know what people are talking about on the accuracy of these cheaper instruments; they concur with MUCH more expensive devices used by the weather service in my area. The only difference in data is the fact that the NOAA devices are mounted in areas that are known to be cooler and out of the wind. But most of them that are out in the open completely agree with my data, off BOTH stations.

I have no reasonable cons to this system as of this time; I did get confused about which software was what, as we got the CDs mixed up upon shipment. But make sure you enter the paid version key into the virtual weather station software, if you want to use internet connectivity.

I'm hoping I can find a way, of getting the console to run in the background as a service, but for now I just minimize it to the task-bar and it doesn't conflict with anything we do on the computer PC in anyway. Uses almost no bandwidth or resources. BTW - You can turn off you PC and the WMR200 will cache your data and add it to the internet after turning you PC back on! No previous model did this.

I hope I have covered all possibilities, but I will revisit this review and add more data later. Thanks for your patience, and hope you have good experience no matter which brand or model you pick here at Amazon!

(Update 9/22/09): We now seem to be getting high battery usage on the anemometer, and you guessed it, Oregon Scientific is giving me the same run around everyone else is reporting. I plan to contact them, and simply order the part, as it isn't worth the hassle of trying to get an RMA or warranty, I can always place a complaint with the Better Business Bureau later. The only product out there as modern as this one, may be the Davis Vantage Vue(wireless):

Davis Vantage Vue Professional Weather Station, Model #6250

You may like the fact that Davis brags that their product is US made, and this might be considered - what with the total unreliability of Chinese(foreign) made instruments now days. But - you'd end up spending a lot of money by the time you buy their data logger program. So even with replacement parts costs, the Oregon Scientific is still way cheaper to operate. I still prefer this design over the La Crosse series; probably the only serious next contender.

(update) Sorry for taking so long to report that the battery problem was solved! Oregon Scientific sent a WHOLE NEW STATION KIT! I couldn't believe it when it arrived! We haven't had one problem on it(WMR 200), or the older model since! Now I have a second viewing console!! Needless to say, I am absolutely gob smacked and relieved that this company has seen fit to fix the problem this way. Today's date is 11/8/2010 and still running strong!

I purchased the WMR200A to replace my La Crosse Professional wireless weather station. The La Crosse had worked well, but the sensors use solar cells to keep the internal batteries charged. Unfortunately after about 5 years of satisfactory service, the sensors' batteries began dying. Since the batteries are SOLDERED into each sensor's motherboard, they cannot be easily replaced. The rain gauge went first. Unable to find someone to replace the battery, I actually purchased another one - but it sent signals exactly once and died. When the temp/hum sensor quit sending, I decided to find a battery operated wireless system and after reading a lot of user reviews, selected the WMR200.

THE GOOD:

1. Setup - the instructions are fairly good and the order is easy to follow. It took only 90 minutes. Following the suggestions of a reviewer of another product, I first activated all the sensors on my kitchen table. Initially, the outside temperature/humidity sensor did not link to the base station. The trouble-shooting instruction said to replace the batteries - I did and the sensor linked immediately.
2. Sensor Installation - Very easy. I particularly like the alternate location of the temp/hum sensor - this allows it to be placed in a shady location so it will show air temperature without solar heating. The temp/hum sensor is on a post of a north-facing porch (on the house where it would pick up some heat) and the other sensors are in the open at the end of 100' dock.
3. Base Station Battery Back-up - I thought this was only a nice touch, but it allows me to move the base station without losing my settings.
4. Base Station Location- I have been able to move the base station to several location inside the house with no loss of sensor signals. We'll see how sensitive the location may be when the batteries weaken - especially the temp/hum sensor since it isn't plugged into the solar unit.
5. Base Station Lighting - I really like touching the screen causes the display to light up.
6. Base Station Auto-Clock - nice touch.

THE BAD:

1. Installing batteries in the rain gauge sensor - there are too many screws. FIRST two screws holding the base to the cover have to be removed. Fine but once the base is set and leveled, those screws will be easily lost. THEN there are eight (8)! more screws for the battery compartment - and the unit is still attached to the base! FINALLY, the instructions did not mention the 8 screws - where the batteries go is obvious, but how to open the case is not. All this means the only intelligent way to replace the rain gauge batteries will be to remove the sensor from its location and take it inside. I STRONGLY recommend using NEW batteries (not the supplied ones) because they are so hard to change.
2. The sensor poles - these are heavy plastic. How long will they last in a hot, sunny, UV-intense location. And I can sense some minor fluttering of the top even in light winds, despite being firmly screwed to a piling in three places for about 2/3 the pole's length.
3. Instructions - Much is lacking, especially for those new to weather stations or who are mechanically challenged.
a. Did not mention the 8 screws for the rain gauge battery compartment.
b. Did not mention that placing the temp/hum sensor in direct sunlight will make the sensed temperature be too high. The design of the system encourages placement of the temp/hum sensor with the other sensors so the solar panel can be connected.
c. The instructions to point the wind vane to North does not clearly show that the bent stem of the wind vane `aluminum pole' is what needs to be pointed North.
d. Setting the date/time manually is less than straightforward, as is explanation of setting/resetting date/time for accumulated rain,
4. Data Logger- when the data logger is full, it apparently does not overwrite earlier values (need to evaluate after use).
5. Computer Connection - no CD, just a note saying that you need to download the latest PC weather program. It's 50MB and the download is VERY slow. There only information on the PC program comes from downloading the users guides and other info from the same site. No mention of passing data to services like Weather Underground.
6. Base Station Backlight - Stays on too short a time. It's about 5 seconds, not enough time to check out more than a single reading. Should be able to set the ON time or give at least 30 seconds.

INITIAL ASSESSMENT - Setup went well and quickly. All sensors linked in. Physical installation was easy. Readings are consistent with other sensors. Like the display. Wait and see about battery life. Would recommend for a mid-price range station but jury is out about PC connection. Will update in Nov, 2009.

We purchased the WMR200A last holiday season and have been disappointed with the system ever since. I put much of the instrumetation on the roof of my house about 30 feet from the console in my study. The reception was poor and the signal frequently dropped. At great effort, I had to move the instruments so that they were now right above the study, not more than 10 ft. Within 3 months the temperature / humidity sensor started to fail. I requested a replacement from Oregon Scientific. It took them over 2 months to finally get me a replacement. When they did, they sent me a full set of instruments and not just the sensor. Seems they are always out of stock of the replacement part because it fails so often. The gauge has failed again. I have it sitting right next to the console and nothing, notta and I cannot buy a replacement as it is out of stock. Oh and by the way, the rain guage doesn't work anymore either. I replaced the batteries twice.

The software is also not that great and it I think it's a wizard behind the curtain writing it. There are fixes being released for it weekly. No QA process exists for regression testing. Something always breaks with each release.

Look for a better system. This isn't it.

I purchased this system as gift for my father. I was unable to get one of the temperature/humidity sensors to operate properly. I phoned customer service and after being left on hold for nearly one hour I was given instructions to email a pdf copy of my receipt. I waited for 10 days and received no response so I called customer service one more time. After another 30 minutes on hold I was told that email processing for warranty requests takes much longer than a fax copy. I understand that electronic devices can sometimes have issues. The fact I needed a new sensor was frustrating but I understand that these problems sometimes occur. I would have been more than happy had I received decent customer service and a timely replacement. As I write this I still have not received a replacement or even acknowledgment that my request has been received.

I will strictly avoid all OREGON SCIENTIFIC products in the future.

The weather system (so far) has been great. Installed about three weeks ago. Naturally, the "forecasts" it provides are unreliable, as they are limited to what the system senses, but the readings are pretty accurate. All the sensors appear to operate well, although the anemometer is not yet reading accurately (I knew it wasn't in the best spot on the roof when I installed it, and I haven't yet had the time to get up on the roof and check it out). The majority of the sensors are on the roof, and the main panel is in the kitchen, with about 40 linear feet, including the roof and a ceiling, between them, with no wireless connectivity issues. Also installed the optional UV sensor, which is working well, too.

Easy to install, instructions were very clear, as long as you have at least a smidgeon of mechanical aptitude. I had the whole thing in place in a matter of 1-1/2 hours. That is AFTER carefully reading the instructions and identifying all the parts, as you should always do.

I'd recommend it to any homeowner looking for a good quality, easy to install, wireless home system.

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1-Year Update (February 25, 2011)

After having this for over 1 year now, I must say I have been VERY pleased with this weather station, and have changed my rating from 4 stars to 5 stars. I still have not had to change the batteries on any of the external sensors. Connectivity has not been an issue, though getting everything set was time consuming, once it was set up, there have been no problems. It really is an excellent weather station, is durable and is very accurate. I highly recommend this, and am glad that I did buy it.

(The only thing I really don't like is the display on the command unit. It is very reflective, and depending on the lighting conditions, can be hard to read from more than a few feet away. I was never able to fix this issue.)
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I spent a lot of time debating about purchasing this system. After having the station for almost weeks now, I am glad I bought it. As I'll outline below, I would recommend this system with a few warnings.

First off, using Amazon Prime, the package arrived via FedEx in two days, and was shipped very appropriately from Oregon. Included in the box were:
1. Main Unit - compatible with sensors bearing 3.0 logo. Supports 1 indoor and 10 wireless outdoor temperature and humidity sensors, though due to the limited range I can't imagine anyone using more than 2 outdoor sensors. Measurements on the main unit include temperature, heat index, humidity, dew point, wind speed, wind direction, wind chill, UV index (UV sensor not included), barometric pressure and rainfall. Also included are the date and atomic time, as well as moon phases.
2. Remote Wind Sensor WGR800. The wind sensor can connect to the solar panel. RF transmission for all of the sensors is 433MHz. Requires 2 AA batteries.
3. Remote Rain Sensor PCR 800, self emptying rain collector. The rain sensor can NOT connect to the solar panel. Requires 2 AA batteries.
4. Remote Temperature/Humidity Sensor THGN801. Can connect to the solar panel. Requires 2 AAA batteries.
5. Solar Panel - can connect to a maximum of two items. Will not connect to the rain sensor.
6. Miscellaneous parts, include 6 foot pole that comes in three parts, lanyards to ground mount the station, wall plate, 2 software CD's that included the Weather OS software and Weather Display V10.37i Basic software, AA and AAA batteries for all sensors and the main unit, USB cable, and AC power cord.

I took another reviewers advice and set up all sensors at my dining room table following the directions. Really, it was quite easy, and the directions for setup were clear and concise. So, after two weeks, here is WHAT I LIKE about the WMR200:

1. All in one - Everything in one package. I love getting all of the information from the main unit. Previously I only had an accu-rite temperature sensor. Now I have access to a lot more weather information from my own station!
2. Mounting - Almost everything was included for mounting. I decided to mount the temperature and wind gauge on my roof. I used the included pole, but had to buy some brackets to attach to the roof. If you want to just plant it in the yard, you wouldn't need to buy anything. But for less than four dollars, I bought the extra hardware I needed. We have high winds at my house, and I think the pole and kit will stand up well to our 70mph+ wind speeds we see in front of thunderstorms.
3. Dew Point - I like having the dew point, and didn't realize this was included.
4. Touch screen - works well, and gives a number of different information options for each sensor.
5. The atomic time - works perfectly, and will be nice, especially on March 15th.
6. The main unit is both attractive and very functional. (See my one note below about dimness of the display). It is just the right size. There are also small "feet" on the back of the main unit, similar to those on a keyboard so that you can place it on the desktop, and have it at up at an angle.
7. Included software - there are two different programs included. The oregon scientific "weather os" is fairly basic, but graphically pleasing. I have really gotten to like the "weather display" program that was included.
8. Accuracy - So far it has been very accurate. I compared to another rain gauge, and it was very accurate, as well as correlating well in both temperature and humidity. The dew point has been off by a few degrees compared to the local tv station, but I am unsure if this is a problem, or just the difference in 10 miles.

Ok, so here are a few things I DON'T LIKE about it:
1. Price. Two hundred and thirty dollars is expensive.
2. Wireless range. It is not 300 feet as claimed. Try 50 feet or so. It might be 300' from one hilltop to another with no walls or obstructions in between. I had the rain gauge mounted on a fence about 50 feet from the main unit, and kept losing signal. The main unit had only one wall between it and the rain sensor, but couldn't maintain the signal. I wound up placing it on my roof, about 15 feet from the main unit, and that solved the problem, and now I haven't lost the signal in over 3 days.
3. Rain gauge. Ok, I thought some previous reviewers were whining quite a bit about all of the screws. It can't be that bad I thought. Well, it is that bad. Come on OS, do better than that. Also, when I needed to reset the rain gauge, guess where the reset button is? That's right, behind the battery door with the 10 tiny screws. I guess I am whining now, so I better quit it.
4. Display on the main unit - and this is my biggest complaint and disappointment. As one review stated, it seems dim. But after looking at it more, it seems that the face of the display is very reflective. Depending on the viewing angle, it will look darker or lighter. This is not a problem at all if you are close to the unit. But don't plan on reading it from more than 5 feet away, as the display washes out, and it just looks gray. I have few ideas on how to fix this problem, and will update if it is correctable.
5. Noise Factor - the beep can't be disabled on the main unit. Every time you touch the screen, you get a beep, and it gets a bit annoying after a while.

Overall, I am glad I purchased this unit. Just be prepared to spend time getting it initially set up, and also spending time adjusting positions of the sensors if there are any reception issues. If this station lasts for a few years, it will be worth the money.

With 35 years of Electrical/Electroinic background, I had problems getting everything to work.. Temp/Humd unit would not function.. Had to replace all furnished batteries.. Tech dept. slow to respond to emails, was no help.. When unit started working, it functions as advertised, this being my first weather sta., I'd looking at another company product..

Updating previous 12/2009 Review:
Bottom line:the system is an expensive toy that is not completely accurate or easy to calibrate in some areas. But once configured, it can be a fun way to monitor weather conditions with nice computer graphics. Consider cost and quality before you buy.

In Dec of 09 and just prior I had some recurring problems after 7 months of use. A few times the console touch screen acted weird and locked up requiring a reset which erased all my accumulated data. The mfg was not helpful when finally reached; but the problems went away on its own in January or so. I haven't had the problem since (this is Oct 2010)
In general, the unit communicates well with the remote devices and the computer. The accuracy on the wind measurement is not right; the upper limit is way off, but the WMR968 (my previous model) was bad in that area as well. The calibration of the outside thermometer is not easy to make either; it is off on the high temps by 5 degrees or so. If you adjust, then the low temps are off by the adjusted amount. The rain gauge seems accurate.
I collect daily data and save on the computer. If your accumulated totals (like rain amts) get off, then it is very difficult to adjust for correction. There may be a way, but the documention is not helpful in this area.
The software that lets you view your totals is outstanding. Weather Underground has several sites where users have posted their weather station data online using this software (probably the upgraded version).
In summary: it a toy not a scientific device that takes more research and effort to make it perform accurately than a part timer like me can handle. But with the computer connection and the software to monitor your weather, it's fun to enjoy what it does do well. Only 3 stars due to cost/value gaps, poor customer service, documentation, and ease of use in calibrations.

This is my third in series of Oregon Scientific weather stations.
The first was wired and probably the best except display. The second, WMR968, had good solar backup but the anemometer bearings froze up and I went for the WMR200, which has a better display than the others but the solar is a joke - it doesn't store.