WX 200 Weather Station Software
(630-1015) Operation Faxback Doc. # 38355
Important:
Before you begin using your AccuWeather for Windows software, be sure
your WX 200 is properly installed and connected to your computer.
OPENING/CLOSING THE SOFTWARE
To get started, double-click on the AccuWeather for Windows icon in the
AccuWX (AccuWeather) Program Manager window.
The AccuWeather for Windows (main program) window appears, then the
Advisor, AccuData Terminal, and the Missing Weather Station Information
windows appear. Click on OK in the Missing Weather Station Information
window. The Setup For Your Weather Station window appears.
The Setup For Your Weather Station window contains boxes for you to enter
information that the software uses to develop the preliminary forecast and
calculate data in the almanac. For complete instructions on using the
Setup For Your Weather Station window, see "Setting the Preferences."
To continue using the software for now without entering information in the
Setup For Your Weather Station window, click on OK in that window. The
AccuWeather for Windows Weather Station window appears.
Notes:
For instructions on using the Advisor and AccuData Terminal windows,
see "Using AccuData," Faxback Doc. # 38360.
If the program does not open properly or an error message appears,
see "Troubleshooting," Faxback Doc. # 38362.
If you continue using the software without entering setup information,
the data in some of the software's other weather station programs will
be incomplete or inaccurate until you do enter that information.
The Missing Weather Station Information window appears each time you
open the software until you enter the required information in that
window.
To close AccuWeather for Windows, click on Exit AccuWeather for
Windows on the button bar (see "Using the Button Bar"), or open the
File menu and select Exit. When the Exit window appears, click on Yes
to close and exit AccuWeather for Windows.
Note:
AccuWeather for Windows records data sent by your WX 200 only when the
program is open.
SETTING THE COM PORTS
Your PC has COM (communication) ports for connecting devices with which it
communicates. The software is preset to use COM1 for AccuData
communications (through your modem) and COM2 for receiving data from the
WX 200. Depending on which COM ports your modem and the WX 200 are
connected to, you might need to change the software's communication
settings.
To change the software's COM port settings, follow these steps.
1. Open the Setup menu on the AccuWeather for Windows main screen and
select Communications. The Communications dialog window appears.
2. To change the port the software is using to communicate with your
modem (to access AccuData), click anywhere on the box next to
Port Number under AccuData Communications to open the dropdown menu.
Then click on the correct COM port setting to select it.
Notes:
If you select a COM port that is being used by another device
(such as your mouse), AccuWeather for Windows will not accept it.
If you do not have as modem, select an unused COM port or the same COM
port you are using for the WX 200 (if all available COM ports are being
used).
To connect to AccuData over the Internet, you must
select the setting TELNET and have installed the software for an
Internet service provider on your computer. If you encounter an
Undefined Dynalink error when you select TELNET, see "Troubleshooting,"
Faxback Doc. # 38362.
3. To change the modem baud rate setting (the speed at which your modem
communicates with AccuData), click anywhere on the box next to Baud
Rate to open the drop-down menu. Then click on the correct baud rate
to select it.
4. To change the port the software is using to receive date from the
WX 200, click anywhere on the box next to Port Number under
Weather Station Communications to open the drop-down menu. Then click
on the correct COM port setting to select it.
5. To close the Communications dialog window and save the selected
settings, click on OK.
To exit without changing the settings, click on Cancel.
USING ON-LINE HELP
AccuWeather for Windows has several on-line help files, which include
instructions on using the main window (functions such as the menu system,
the button bars, the status bar, and so on) and on using AccuData.
To use on-line help, open AccuWeather for Windows, then open the Help menu
on the AccuWeather for Windows main screen. Select Contents for a list of
help topics, Search for Help on... to Search for help on a specific
function, of How to Use Help if you need assistance in using on-line help.
If you are using a window that has a Help button (such as the Preferences
Dialog Box window), you can click on that button for specific assistance
on using that window.
PRINTER SETUP
AccuWeather for Windows Weather Station Software is preset to use the
printer and print setup parameters selected in the Windows Control Panel.
To change the selected printer's settings or select a different printer,
open Control Panel in the Windows Program Manager, double-click on the
Printers icon, then change or select the desired settings in the window
that appears. (For complete instructions on using the Control Panel and
printer selection functions, see your Windows owner's manual.)
USING THE BUTTON BAR
Several windows in your software include a button bar. For example, the
AccuWeather for Windows main window has a button bar across the top of the
screen (below the menu bar). Each button on a button bar acts as a
shortcut for performing a function in that window.
To see a description of a button's function, hold the cursor over that
button for about 2 seconds. To use any button on the bar, simply click on
that button.
Note:
When referring to a button on a button bar, this manual uses the
description that appears when you hold the cursor over the button.
For example, the manual refers to the green phone button on the main
window as Connect to AccuData and the red phone button as Disconnect
from AccuData.
Using the Weather Stations Windows
SETTING THE PREFERENCES
The Setup For Your Weather Station window contains boxes for you to enter
information that the software uses to develop forecasts and calculate
other data.
To open the Setup For Your Weather Station window at any time (if you want
to change a preference information you previously entered, for example),
open the Setup menu and click on Weather Station Setup.
This section describes the information you need to enter in the Setup For
Your Weather Station window about the location where you installed the
WX 200. If you do not enter the information, the data the software
automatically generates in some of its other programs will be incomplete
or inaccurate.
Note:
To move the cursor to the next box in the window, press Tab or click
on that box.
Weather Station Identification
Station Name Type in the name (up to 50 alphanumeric characters)
you want to call your weather station.
Identifier Type in a 4-character code (any combination of four
numbers and/or letters) to identify your weather
station in the AccuData database.
Latitude N/S Type in the geographic latitude coordinate, then click
on N if the latitude is north or S if it is south.
Longitude E/W Type in the geographic longitude coordinate, then
clock on E if the longitude is east or W if it is
west.
Elevation Type in the geographic elevation (optional-helps
(feet) identify your location in the AccuData database).
Notes:
To find the approximate Latitude coordinates for your WX 200's
location, see "Maps and Conversion Tables," Faxback Doc. # 38363. Or,
you can connect to AccuData (seeing station nearest to the WX 200's
location).
To find the approximate elevation for your WX 200's location, you can
contact a nearby airport (as long as there is not a significant
difference in elevation between the airport and WX 200 location), or
you can connect to AccuData and find the elevation of the official
reporting station nearest to the WX 200's location.
Weather Station Location
Address/City/State/Zip/County Type in the address, city, state
city, state
(two letter abbreviation), and zip
code of your WX 200's location.
Time Zone Click anywhere on the box to open the
drop-down menu, then click on the
time zone to select it.
Adjust for Daylight Savings Click on the box so an x
appears/disappears to set/reset the
time for day light savings.
Region Click anywhere on the box to open the
drop-downs menu, then click on the
name of the United States region that
best describes the location where the
WX 200 is installed.
Note:
For help selecting a region, see "Maps and Conversion Tables," Faxback
Doc. # 38363.
Monthly Normals
Month Click anywhere on the box to open the
drop-down menu, then repeatedly press
the up or down arrow key
(if necessary) until the month you
want to use is highlighted, then
click on that month to select it.
Precipitation (inches) Type in the average rainfall for the
selected month.
Snowfall (inches) Type in the average snowfall for the
selected month.
High Temperature (degrees F) Type in the average high temperature
for the selected month.
Low Temperature (degrees F) Type in the average low temperature
for the selected month.
Notes:
For the most accurate almanac records (see "Using the Almanac," Faxback
Doc. # 38358), we recommend you enter the monthly normal information
for all 12 months.
You can connect to AccuData to find monthly normal information for the
official reporting station nearest to the WX 200's location.
As your software accumulates actual monthly normals for your WX 200's
location, you can enter that data in these fields.
Miscellaneous
Update Observation File Type in the interval (1-999 minutes)
Every-Minutes between updates that you want the
software to use when storing weather
conditions on your hard drive.
Show Weather Station To have the software automatically
Display at Startup open the Weather Station window each
time you start AccuWeather for
Windows, click on the box so x
appears.
Notes:
The WX 200 records and displays updated weather data every 5 to 10
seconds. However, you can set the software to record that data on
your hard-drive at intervals of 1-999 minutes. To begin, we suggest
you select an interval of about 15 minutes, then increase or decrease
it later to suit your needs (depending on how often you plan to view
recent data). During a storm, for example, you might want to select a
shorter interval (1-minute, for example) to better track the changing
weather conditions.
If you leave the Show Weather Station Display at Startup box blank,
the Weather Station window does not open automatically. However, you
can open it at any time by clicking on Toggle the Weather Station
Window on the button bar, or by opening the Window menu and selecting
Show Weather Station.
Data VIEWING/PRINTING RECENT WEATHER DATA
Your AccuWeather for Windows Weather Station Software stores all weather
conditions on your hard drive at the interval you selected during setup
(in the Observation File Update field of the Setup For Your Weather
Station window). For example, if you selected an interval of 20 minutes,
the software stores the readings for all weather conditions every
20 minutes.
To view the data stored for up to the last 500 recorded intervals, click
on Data on the Weather Station window. The Recent Observations window
appears.
The data displayed in the Recent Observations window is organized like a
spreadsheet, sorted by the date and time the data was recorded. In
addition to all weather conditions recorded by your WX 200, the Recent
Observations window shows you the wet bulb temperature and heat index
(both are automatically calculated by the software based on other recorded
weather conditions).
Notes:
You cannot edit records in the Recent Observations window.
Observations recorded by the software while the Recent Observations
window is open do not appear until the next time you open it.
To print data displayed in the Recent Observations window, hold down the
left mouse button and drag the cursor over the data you want to print to
highlight and select it. Then click on Print and follow the instructions
in the window that appears.
To close the window when you finish, click on Done.
Forecast VIEWING THE WEATHER FORECAST
Your software includes special algorithms (mathematical programs) that
create a forecast for your WX 200's location, based on the current weather
conditions recorded by your WX 200.
To open the Preliminary Forecast for This Station window and view the
current forecast for the WX-200's location, click on Forecast.
To close the window when you finish, click on No.
To connect to AccuData (see "Using AccuData," Faxback Doc. # 38360) and
obtain a professionally prepared forecast for your area, click on Yes, then
follow the instructions in the windows that appear.
Note:
For the most accurate forecast, be sure you selected the correct
region of the United States in the Setup For Your Weather Station
window (see "Setting the Preferences").
Alarms USING THE SOFTWARE'S WEATHER ALARMS
You can set your AccuWeather for Windows Weather Station Software to sound
an alarm (beep) on your computer when any of these weather conditions
exceed or go below a set level.
Notes:
The alarms on your software are separate from those you can set on the
WX 200's display unit. That means you can set an alarm to sound for
the same weather condition on one or the other, or on both.
All conditions listed in this table are outdoor conditions except for
Inside Temperature and Inside Relative Humidity.
Weather Condition Alarm Parameter(s) You Can Set
Outside Temperature High and low temperatures
Inside Temperature High and low temperatures
Outside Relative Humidity High and low percentages
Inside Relative Humidity High and low percentages
Wind Speed Speed
Dew Point Temperature
Rainfall Rate/Hour Rate per hour
Daily Rainfall Cumulative daily level
Heat Index Temperature
Wind Chill Temperature
Barometer High and low pressure levels
(Barometric) Tendency Pressure level increase (Rising) and
decrease (Falling), and time frame
Wet Bulb Temp Temperature
A Quick Look at the Weather Station Alarm Settings Window
Note: Your software updates Rainfall Rate/Hour data every night at
midnight (if your PC is turned on and the software is open).
Therefore, a set alarm for this condition will sound only at that time
(or immediately after you set the alarm, depending on the current
measurement).
You can set and turn on and off all weather alarms in the Weather Station
Alarm Settings window. To open it, click on Alarms in the Weather Station
window.
Setting/Turning On an Alarm
1. Click on Alarms (if necessary) to open the Weather Station Alarm
Settings window. The current alarm setting(s) for each weather
condition appear in the box(es) below that weather condition's name.
Note:
To turn on an alarm and use that alarm's current setting(s), skip to
Step 4.
2. Click on the digital reading for the alarm setting you want to change
(to highlight it). Arrow buttons appear to the right of that setting.
3. Click and drag the control switch until you see a setting close to the
one you want to use, then repeatedly (if necessary) click the up or
down arrow button (to increase or down arrow button (to increase or
decrease the setting in small increments) until you see the exact
setting you want to use.
4. To turn on that weather condition's alarm, click on the On button
(so On appears as white letters).
5. Repeat Steps 2-4 for each alarm you want to set and turn on.
6. When you finish, click on OK to save your changes and return to the
Weather Station window.
To exit without saving your changes, click on Cancel.
When an Alarm Sounds
When a weather condition exceeds or goes below a set alarm level, your
computer sounds a short beep and the alarm information window shows the
date and time the alarm sounded and the selected weather condition's alarm
level and actual reading.
To close the alarm information window and leave that alarm turned on
(so it sounds again the next time that weather condition exceeds or goes
below the alarm level), click on OK.
To close the alarm information window and turn off that alarm
(so it does not sound again unless you turn it back on), click on Cancel.
Turning Off or Clearing Alarms
To turn off an alarm, open the Weather Station Alarm Settings window and
click on Off below that alarm's settings (so Off appears as white
letters).
To turn off all alarms and reset all alarms to their default settings,
open the Weather Station Alarm Settings window and click on Clear All.
(LB/km-03/12/1997)