[aprssig] WX data over Ethernet or Wi-Fi = Possible?

[KF4LVZ]

On 2017-12-13 06:15, Miroslav Skoric wrote:
> On 12/12/2017 09:24 PM, KF4LVZ wrote:
> 
>>
>> I think Miroslav isn't talking about APRS -IS connectivity but actually
>> feeding APRS software with weather data from a device that does not have
>> a serial port.
>>
>> Depending on what software is running and the type of device it's
>> running on this is possible.  There are a number of virtual serial port
>> programs for Windows and Mac that will create a connection to a remote
>> device over the network and present it as a serial port on the local
>> machine.  Linux systems can use a program called socat to accomplish the
>> same thing.
>>
>> If the device running the APRS software can't run these virtual serial
>> port programs for whatever reason the alternative is to use a hardware
>> serial-to-ethernet bridge to establish the connection to the remote
>> weather logger and connect to the local computer via a real serial port.
>>
> 
> Thanks for the comment. That's what I asked for. In fact, I have been
> thinking on using some commercial-grade ('industrial') data loggers &
> sensors built for other purposes, *instead* of established monopolies in
> ham weather station market. My goal: More alternatives, lower price :-)

Makes sense.  That's what I currently do at home as well.  Almost all of
my sensors are Ethernet connected (I have two WiFi).  At one point my
TNC was Ethernet enabled as well with a hardware bridge (I may do that
again) which allowed for shared TNC access with multiple programs on
multiple machines.