In the past, TV was the only source for getting weather updates. And before that on the radio when televisions were uncommon. But technology has become much more advanced than it used to be before. You can get weather updates on your smartphone these days with various apps. But they are not as accurate, besides they show weather from a whole region, not the immediate vicinity. It is unwise to rely on these apps if the weather is an important factor in your profession. For that something like the Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue is perfect.
The best part about technology is, that when it evolves it becomes easily accessible for the masses. A while back, computers were not available commercially. But now, you could say that everyone is carrying a computer in their pocket. Similarly, you can buy and install weather stations at your home now. Anyone can buy these weather instruments now, not just the meteorologists.
A lot of these weather stations available in the market are pretty much accurate. Some have more accuracy than others like the Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue has really accurate sensors.
Pros
- Highly durable design, made to last.
- Detailed insights on regular weather data.
- Easily handles extreme weather conditions.
- Simple and intuitive UI.
- Radiation shield to protect from humidity and temperature.
Cons
- The weather readings might be slightly inaccurate.
- Rain gauge may start to show problems.
- Confusing design for first-time users.
- No internet connectivity.
What Is a Weather Station and How Is It Useful
There are some professions that require you to stay updated with the weather conditions. The biggest problem with keeping up with the weather is, the forecast you listen to on the TV or radio covers a bigger radius. It is not pertaining to your exact area or location. And as accurate as it is, the problem is weather is very unpredictable. Another problem is that since it covers a much larger region, you might get different weather conditions than the rest of the city.
It might forecast rain on your smartphone application or your TV. But if you live in the outskirts of the city, you might not get the same amount of rain, more rain than the rest of the city, or none at all. This is quite common since rain clouds can pour over the rest of the city and by the time they reach you they are already empty. Or they might not have poured enough but by the time they reach you, they pour all in and drown your lands.
If you are highly dependent on the weather for your living, for instance, you own a farm, then you might want to invest in a weather station. It will be highly beneficial for you to stay updated with the weather and prepare for it in advance. Now, most weather stations are pretty accurate but they are not the most accurate due to not having highly advanced sensors. Usually, professional meteorologist equipment has highly advanced sensors.
But the Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue, regardless of being a commercially sold weather station, has high accuracy.
The Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue
The Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue is a weather station that you can buy to keep an eye out for weather conditions in your immediate vicinity. Compared to other weather stations in the market, this one is a tad bit expensive. But it is aptly priced because this weather station brings tons of features to the table. The console is very simple to operate and understand. Furthermore, there are tons of sensors packed inside the sensor suite. Which justifies the weather station’s high price tag compared to others in the market.
Let us talk about some more specifics about the Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue below:
Design
The design of the weather station might confuse you a bit at first. When you look at the console you will feel that you might be shipped something old and outdated. Someone described the weather station’s console as a relic of the past. But in reality, the company focuses on functionality over aesthetics or looks.
So do not be fooled by its ancient-looking appearance since the only thing outdated about the device is the look itself. The console is bulky, it has an LCD that previews the weather measurements in a rather simple manner. The LCD is illuminated with an orange backlight further solidifying the retro feel. The console has a grey color, further solidifying its older looks.
The whole thing is really durable though, it has a rock-solid construction. The reason behind its durable construction is pretty apparent though. The David Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue is made to bear the harshness of rough weather. The console and sensor suite both are tough enough to last you for quite a long time.
The sensor-suite feels a bit more modern though sporting white and black. It is not ready to be installed right out of the box though. It requires a bit of assembly which is quite easy though, not a very complex task in the least. Constructed out of mostly plastic, it also feels pretty sturdy. It can bear harsh winds and rains without as much as a scratch on it.
On the top of the sensor-suite is the cup-style wind meter, which of course measures the wind speed. Then there is a wind vane on the bottom which shows the wind direction. Right on the top is also a solar panel as well along. And lastly, there is a radiation shield on the bottom that protects the humidity and temperature sensors from direct sunlight. The rain meter is hidden inside the integrated sensor suite.
Setting Up
As we said before, if the device is not ready out of the box, assembly is required. The assembly is a bit time-consuming and takes a fair amount of time compared to less complex weather stations which are ready out of the box. It will take about an hour or so, give or take, to set up the console, assemble the ISS or integrated sensor-suite, and mount it. It can take less depending on where you have to mount it and whether you are able to understand the assembly, which was fairly easy in our case.
The sensor-suite requires you to install the wind vane, the cups, and the tipping spoon. The wind vane and the cups are going to make up the anemometer while the tipping spoon is for the rain meter. You also need to remove the tab from the battery pack so the unit can power up. After that, you can mount the device at your preferred location. But before that make sure you connect the sensor-suite to the console so it can start receiving the weather updates.
Setting up the console is a tricky bit since it requires you to input some information in the beginning. The first thing you have to do is Google your latitude and longitude since the device will ask for it. When you power on the console, it will ask for the time and date. Once you are done inputting that, it will ask you for the time zone you are in. Lastly, you will have to input the latitude and longitude that we told you to Google.
With these steps, the console has been set up, it is time to connect the console with the sensor-suite. Place the sensor-suite and the console 10 feet apart and wait for them to pair. You cannot place these too far apart, or they might not be able to establish a connection properly. When both of these are connected, you can safely mount your sensor-suite on a mounting pole, bought separately, or at the place of your choice.
And there you have it, your Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue is ready to start receiving weather updates.
Connectivity
If we were to point out a huge flaw in the Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue other than its outdated look, it would be that it does not have any connectivity options whatsoever out of the box. In fact, you have to buy a proprietary cable for you to establish an internet connection to the device. This is a major issue if you wanted to connect the device to the internet or a computer.
We are not a huge fan of this, since in today’s age and day most hobbyists would expect a USB connection or WiFi. But for the Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue, you will need proprietary hardware for connection. If you do end up purchasing it, which is pretty expensive, keeping in mind that the whole thing already costs a lot, you can use it to attach your weather station to a PC. Just pop off the battery compartment on the console which will reveal a small slot to insert the cable.
Sensors
Console
The sensors are divided between the console and the ISS. Most of the sensors are packed inside the ISS, which is going to be mounted somewhere outside. The console itself contains a humidity and temperature sensor inside. This sensor measures the humidity and temperature inside the house. Which gives you an idea of what kind of weather is inside the house at the moment. So if you think the house is much warmer than the outside, the sensor will accurately tell you how warm it actually is.
ISS or Integrated Sensor Suite
The ISS or the integrated sensor-suite contains a temperature and humidity sensor encased inside a radiation shield. This records the temperature and the humidity outside the house. You get two readings for temperature and humidity, one for the inside and the other for the outside. Now you can compare both the temperatures and tell the actual difference between the inside and outside.
Other than that the integrated sensor-suite also has an anemometer. The wind vane and the cups provide you with measurements for wind speed and direction. And lastly, we have a tipping spoon for measuring the amount of rain that has fallen. The rain meter is hidden inside the device itself and it accurately measures the amount of rain.
Overall, when tested under various weather conditions and then compared with professional meteorologist equipment, the results were highly accurate. All of the sensors provided highly accurate information compared to other less complex weather stations.
Functionality
When it comes to functionality, the sensors update the measurements and forecast every minute. The wind directions are reported on the console every 2.5 seconds, while the outdoor temperatures are shown at intervals of 10 seconds. The humidity is reported for 50 seconds outdoors and the rate at which rain is falling is reported at 20 seconds.
The indoor temperature and humidity are reported after intervals of every minute. The barometer shows whether the air pressure is falling, increasing, or is stable. These are highly accurate figures we are talking about, and all of these are shown in the US standard units for easy interpretation.
Pricing
When it comes to pricing, the Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue is way too high priced compared to other options in the market. But no other weather station has sensors as accurate as this one. While the price may seem high to many people, specifically hobbyists and enthusiasts, but it is aptly priced due to the highly advanced sensors installed in the weather station.
Even with competition rising from brands like AcuRite and Ambient Weather. AcuRite is gaining a lot of popularity these days, but the weather station is not exactly accurate compared to the Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue. For less enthusiastic hobbyists, the AcuRite weather stations might be good enough. But if you really need that accuracy, we would suggest you buy this sensor instead.
The Downsides
There are not many downsides that you can point at in this impeccable weather station. The readings are super accurate and it does what it is designed for flawlessly. But nothing is perfect in this world. So before you get your hands on the Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue, you might want to know these things in advance.
The console looks ancient, it looks pretty outdated, so aesthetically it is not pleasing to look at. However, we can overlook that flaw since it is not concerned with functionality.
The biggest concern is the outdoor temperature and wind speed measurement. It is important to measure the temperature at eye level whenever you are doing so. But if you want accurate wind speed measurements, you need to make sure that the weather station is unobstructed and at a height. That is why you install the sensor-suite on a pole or perch it atop at a height.
This will give you perfectly good wind readings, but these will not be the accurate temperature readings for eye level. Most weather instruments have sensors that you can install in separate places, so this does not come as a problem. But in the Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue, it is not possible since all of the sensors are packed in one sensor suite.
But the temperature readings are not that off in all honesty, they were pretty accurate if you think about the difference in height.
Lastly, we are disappointed about the PC or WiFi connectivity of the weather station. It requires proprietary hardware which is expensive. So that was also a letdown for us. Otherwise, you will not find a better deal than this.
Verdict
For passionate hobbyists and enthusiasts, for whom money is not an issue, there is no better weather station than this. This weather station will specifically benefit those who require accurate forecasts, like farmers, since it affects their produce and cattle.
Even with that expensive price tag, there is no denying the results of the Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue. We believe this is the perfect weather station for hobbyists. If you can overlook a few minor flaws, there isn’t a better commercial weather station in the market at the moment, at least.