Frequently Asked Questions

Tag KestrelMet

KestrelMet Cellular Weather Station Operating modes:

When the power switch is flipped ON, the station will transmit once every 5 minutes for a period of 30 minutes and then revert to normal operation mode, transmitting every 15 minutes. During that time, the multicolor LED on the PV power panel will indicate the connection status:

  • Blinking blue within 1 minute of powering on: Bluetooth initializing
  • Flashing magenta (every 10 seconds): Attempting to connect to a cellular network
  • Flashing green (every 10 seconds): Cellular network connected, Standard Operation
  • Flashing blue (every 10 seconds): Cellular network connected, Power Saver Mode
  • Flashing red (every 10 seconds): Cellular network connected, Logging Mode
  • Flashing red (every 20 seconds): Hibernation Mode

The KestrelMet 6000 station is shipped with a fully charged battery and the station is designed to maintain Normal Operation in subfreezing weather. If solar charging is insufficient due to extended snow cover or installation in a shaded location, the station will change operating modes to conserve power as detailed in the table below:

Operating Mode Standard Power Saver Logging Hibernation
KestrelMet.net Battery Level Battery Charged Low battery Critically Low Battery Critically Low Battery
Aspirated Sensor Measurement Frequency 1 min 2 min 5 min None
Fan Aspiration Active 24 Hours Active 24 Hours Active 24 Hours Off
Cellular DataTransmission Frequency 15 min 15 min 24 hr None
Blinking LED Green Blue Red Red
LED Frequency 10 sec 10 sec 10 sec 20 sec

IMPORTANT: If the station enters hibernation mode due to a depleted battery, the station must be left turned “on” and placed in direct sunlight to recharge. If the station is in hibernation mode for an extended period of time, the red LED will stop blinking. When the battery is charged sufficiently (typically 1-3 days), the station will switch back to Logging mode, then Normal Operation mode as charging allows. You will receive an email notification when the station returns to Normal Operation mode.

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This video demonstrates the installation procedure:

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KestrelMet Wi-Fi Weather Station Operating modes:

The LED status light on the PV power panel will indicate the connection status and operating mode:

  • Blinking blue within 1 minute of powering on: Bluetooth initializing
  • Flashing magenta (every 10 seconds): Attempting to connect to a Wi-Fi network
  • Flashing green (every 10 seconds): Wi-Fi network connected, Standard Operation
  • Flashing blue (every 10 seconds): Wi-Fi network connected, Power Saver Mode
  • Flashing red (every 10 seconds): Wi-Fi network connected, Logging Mode
  • Flashing red (every 20 seconds): Hibernation Mode

The KestrelMet 6000 station is shipped with a fully charged battery, and the station is designed to maintain Normal Operation in subfreezing weather. If solar charging is insufficient due to extended snow cover or installation in a shaded location, the station will change operating modes to conserve power as detailed in the table below:

Operating Mode Standard Power Saver Logging Hibernation
KestrelMet.net Battery Level Battery Charged Low battery Critically Low Battery Critically Low Battery
Aspirated Sensor Measurement Frequency 1 min 2 min 5 min None
Fan Aspiration Active 24 Hours Active 24 Hours Active 24 Hours Off
Wi-Fi DataTransmission Frequency 1 min 2 min 24 hr None
Blinking LED Green Blue Red Red
LED Frequency 10 sec 10 sec 10 sec 20 sec

 

IMPORTANT: If the station enters hibernation mode due to a depleted battery, the station must be left turned "on" and placed in direct sunlight to recharge. If the station is in hibernation mode for an extended period of time, the red LED will stop blinking. When the battery is charged sufficiently (typically 1-3 days), the station will switch back to Logging mode, then Normal Operation mode as charging allows. You will receive an email notification when the station returns to Normal Operation mode.

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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.

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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.

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Transmission up to 1000 feet line of sight. Obstructions will affect the transmission range.

Recommendations for KestrelMet Wi-Fi Installation:

  • The station should be mounted in a location with strong Wi-Fi signal strength.
  • The KestrelMet 6000 Wi-Fi weather station can ONLY connect to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network.
  • You can use third-party tools such as a Wi-Fi analyzer app to plan an optimal location for your station. After your station is registered, you can use the signal indicators on AmbientWeather.net/Devices for live Wi-Fi signal readings.
  • Avoid obstructions like buildings, trees, and structures in between your router and the KestrelMet Wi-Fi installation site.
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  1. The KestrelMet Wi-Fi weather station will not connect to a guest account.
  2. The KestrelMet Wi-Fi connects to the 2.4 GHz band on your router. Make sure the 2.4 GHz band is operating and connected to the Internet.
  3. If you own a Mesh Network or multiple repeaters, power off all of the secondary nodes and leave the primary node (connected to the Internet) on.
  4. Reboot the router.
  5. Use the Hidden SSID feature to enter your SSID (whether it is hidden or not). Be careful, the SSID and password are both case-sensitive.
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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.

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