[aprssig] Low-cost weather station

[Scott Miller]

It's bothered me for a while that the AAG TAI-8515 station is about the 
only low-cost, low-power station out there for APRS use.  It also gets 
kind of expensive when you start adding more sensors.

I've found a manufacturer in China that produces home weather stations 
(they might make LaCrosse's stations, I'm not sure - the hardware is 
very similar) and I've negotiated a price on just the mechanical parts. 
  That includes wind speed, wind direction, rain gauge, 2-piece metal 
mast, mounting arms, cables, and assorted mounting hardware.

I can produce a small interface circuit that'll output serial data for 
use with a PC weather program, or for direct connection to a TNC.  The 
interface board itself will add at least temperature, and it could 
conceivably have humidity and pressure sensors as well.

I think there's enough market for a display-less weather station that 
doesn't rely on battery-powered wireless links to make it worth doing 
(it'll mean buying a few hundred units), but I'd appreciate feedback.  I 
think it might make a good companion to my integrated 
tracker/transceiver unit, too.

Scott
N1VG