Comm Port

Archive Archived Weather Display Usage Questions
1

The documentation for Weather Display says that the cable from my ASOS weather station should be a 9 pin, but it is a 25 pin. The documentation also says that it would need to be converted from 9 to 25 pin to connect to the computer, I can only assume that this means it shold be connected to the LPT port. The weather display software does not have LPT ports listed in the com port setup window. I used an adapter cable to convert it to the 9 pin and connect it to my serial port, but no data is coming through. In order to connect it to the LPT 25pin ive had to use a gender changer but thats not really an option anyway because I cannot select LPT ports for the connection.

It is possible that there is no data coming through the line anyway but I don’t even know if I have it connected right.

Any helpfull advise would be appreciated.

2

Hi
there is often a 2nd com port (on older PC’s) that is 25 pin, but the com port 1 is always 9 pin
so you could plug the 25 pin plug into the 2nd com port…or use the 25 to 9pin adaptor.
No, the printer port is not supported…but the latest USB to serial ports now work great
The ASOS station, from my understanding , is outputting a time signal every second, so the data received light should flash alot…but check you have the correct com port set in weather display and you are not running it in client mode (under setup, client/server)

3

I do not see this setup, client/server option.

Also I forgot to mention before but my 25-9 pin converter cable is stolen from an old USR External Modem, could it be that the cable will not work with this system?

Thank you

4

possibley,as it may have the wires swapped (null modem), instead of swapped through, which they need to be
you can purxchase a 9pm to 25 converter plug

5

Ok were starting to get somewhere. We are definately getting data through the cable now. I opened com 1 with the hyperterminal and can see the time events coming in every second. Its very simple, no encoding at all. However the weather display is still not accepting anything.

According to my higherups the ASOS will only send as 19200 baud and we set the hyperterminal to recieve at that speed and it worked. In the wdisplay program I chose the same baud. The instructions document that I got with the program says I should set it at 9600.

Should this speed thing be a problem even though the ASOS and the Wdisplay program are set at the same speed, 19200?

6

hi
good you are getting data now
now, yes, if you have selected that higher speed under weather station setup, then it should work
is the data received light flashing?
if data is being received by WD, then a file called rawasosdata.txt should be being saved, to where you have WD installed

How do you come across to have a ASOS station
(i.e are you with the US Navy?)
:slight_smile:

7

checking your web site, I see you are with the US navy (marine corps)
:slight_smile:
now, once we get this rocking (it does work for others)
then I want to work with you and iron out some data problems with the asos system
if thats OK

here is a web site showing wd working with a asos station
https://www.ncmodwx.npmoc.navy.mil/asos/diegoweather.htm

also, what does it say across the top of WD (i.e the program title bar)

8

No the light is not blinking.

I did find where it is to be setup as a server and did so. But still no data.

Marine Corps, thats 1 up from the Navy!..heres our web page.

http://www.yuma.usmc.mil/weather/weather2.0/yumamain.htm

9

I do not have any administrative privelages with the actual ASOS system to make any configuration changes if that is what you intend. I do with the computer with the weather display though.

10

hi
ok, we need to get the data received light flashing

  • check you have the correct com port number selected
  • check no other programs are using that com port at the same time
  • check (looks like you have ) you dont have , under setup, ftp/internet/ the client switch ON
    nice web page, i like the headings :slight_smile:
11
  • check
  • check
  • I thought that it needed to be set to Server because it IS connected to the asos. I tried client mode anyway and no success, changed it back to server.

Thanks on the webpage…built it myself, with the boss telling me what he wanted of course, hopefully when we get this wd working I will tap it into the webpage.

12

humm
the client/server is only needed to be set if you want to use that feature
now, when you tick/select a com port , does it then say com port OK across the top of the program?

does the file rawasosdata.txt exist with data in it?

13

some more questions:
have you tried restartting wd?
maybe check under view, program error log and let me know what is there?

all else fails, email me your wdisplay.ini file from c:\windows or c:\winnt
and export and email me the wdisplayftp.ini settings from the registry
thanks

14

It says comm error at the top…

the rawasosdata.txt file exists but has nothing in it

yes i restart wd constantly, when i make changes

the program error log says nothing

Check your email for those files. Im sending them.

15

ok, the comport error is the problem…the com port is in use or is not available

try other com port numbers

i.e windows may have them in a different order
a USB to serial com port, which is assigned a higher com port number, might be the way to go…

and check no TSR programs are running , like for a Palm pilot…
and your terminal program is not running or similar

16

The files are on the way.

I tried all the com ports, also, with like i said if i connect hyperterminal to comm 1 the data is coming through, i can see it. WD just isnt accepting it.

Yes i turn off the hyperterminal before opening wd.