Columbia Weather Systems Orion Vehicle User manual

Orion Vehicle Mount Weather Station 1
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Columbia Weather Systems, Inc.
Orion Vehicle Mount Weather Station™
User Manual
Version 1.02
All specifications subject to change without notice.
Printed in U. S. A.

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© Copyright 2006 Columbia Weather Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Proprietary Notice: Orion, Orion 510, Orion Vehicle Mount, Capricorn
2000, Capricorn 2000MP and Capricorn 2000EX are trademarks of
Columbia Weather Systems, Inc. The information and drawings
contained herein are the sole property of Columbia Weather Systems,
Inc. Use of this publication is reserved exclusively for customers of
Columbia Weather Systems, Inc. and their personnel. Reproduction of
this material is forbidden without the express written consent of Columbia
Weather Systems, Inc.
Parts of the Orion Vehicle Mount Weather Station™ user manual were
adapted from the Weather Transmitter WXT510 User’s Guide with
permission from Vaisala Oyj.
WINDCAP®, RAINCAP®, HUMICAP®, BAROCAP® and
THERMOCAP® are registered trademarks of Vaisala.

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Columbia Weather Systems, Inc.
Welcome!
Welcome to the Columbia Weather Systems family of users and
congratulations on your purchase of the Orion Weather Station.
The Orion Vehicle Mount Weather Station is quite easy to install and you
may be tempted to skip the installation procedure or other portions of this
manual. We recommend that you resist that urge. A thorough knowledge
of these installation and calibration procedures will greatly increase the
usefulness and the accuracy of your instrument. In particular, a proper
installation will help prevent problems with both operation and
maintenance.
Please read this manual completely prior to installation.

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Columbia Weather Systems, Inc.
Important Notice: Shipping
Damage
BEFORE YOU READ ANY FURTHER, please inspect all system
components for obvious shipping damage. The Orion 510 is a high
precision instrument and can be damaged by rough handling. Your unit
was packaged to minimize the possibility of damage in transit. Therefore,
we recommend that you save the shipping container for any future
shipment of your Orion unit.
In the event your order arrives in damaged condition, it is important that
the following steps be taken immediately. The title transfers automatically
to you, the customer, once the material is entrusted to the transport
company.
NOTE: DO NOT RETURN THE INSTRUMENT TO COLUMBIA
WEATHER SYSTEMS until the following steps are completed. Failure to
follow this request will jeopardize your claim.
1. Open the container and inspect the contents. Do not throw away
the container or any damaged parts. Try to keep items in the
same condition as originally received.
2. Notify the transport company immediately in writing, preferably
by facsimile, about the shipping damage.
3. Wait for the transport company’s representative to inspect the
shipment personally.
4. After inspection, request permission from Columbia Weather
Systems for return of the damaged instrument by calling the
Service Department, [phone].
5. Return approved items to us at the following address:
Columbia Weather Systems, Inc.
2240 NE Griffin Oaks Street, Suite 100
Hillsboro, OR 97124
6. After return authorization is issued and we receive the
instrument, an estimate of the cost of repair will be sent to you
for submittal to the transport company as a claim.

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ESD Protection
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) can cause immediate or latent damage to
electronic circuits. Vaisala products are adequately protected against
ESD for their intended use. However, it is possible to damage the
product by delivering electrostatic discharges when touching, removing,
or inserting any objects inside the equipment housing.
To make sure you are not delivering high static voltages yourself:
1. Handle ESD sensitive components on a properly grounded and
protected ESD workbench. When this is not possible, ground
yourself with a wrist strap and a resistive connection cord to the
equipment chassis before touching the boards. When neither of
the above is possible, at least touch a conductive part of the
equipment chassis with your other hand before touching the
boards.
2. Always hold the boards by the edges and avoid touching the
component contacts.

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Columbia Weather Systems, Inc.
Table of Contents
WELCOME! ..................................................................................3
IMPORTANT NOTICE: SHIPPING DAMAGE .......................5
ESD P ROTECTION ............................................................................................. 6
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................11
T HE O RION W EATHER S TATION ..................................................................... 11
Features:.................................................................................................... 11
S PECIFICATIONS .............................................................................................. 12
Temperature............................................................................................... 12
Barometric Pressure .................................................................................. 12
Wind Speed ................................................................................................ 12
Wind Direction........................................................................................... 12
Relative Humidity....................................................................................... 12
Rainfall ...................................................................................................... 13
Input Voltage.............................................................................................. 13
Heating Power Source ............................................................................... 13
P RINCIPLES OF M EASUREMENTS ..................................................................... 14
Wind Measurement .................................................................................... 14
Barometric Pressure, Temperature, and Relative Humidity (PTU) Module
................................................................................................................... 15
Rainfall Measurement................................................................................ 16
SECTION 2: PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION...............................17
O RION 510 S ENSOR T RANSMITTER ................................................................. 17
Sensor Transmitter Components ................................................................ 17
Mounting Adapter ...................................................................................... 19
Internal Terminal Block............................................................................. 19
Heating (Optional)..................................................................................... 21
Orion Interface Module ............................................................................. 22
O RION D ATA M ANAGER S OFTWARE ............................................................... 23
Orion Data Manager Installation and Configuration................................ 23
W EATHER M ASTER 2000 S OFTWARE (O PTIONAL ) ....................................... 25
W EATHER D ISPLAY C ONSOLE (O PTIONAL ) .................................................... 26
SECTION 3: INSTALLATION .................................................27
S YSTEM C ONFIGURATION ............................................................................... 27
I NSTALLATION O VERVIEW .............................................................................. 27
U NPACKING THE U NIT .................................................................................... 28
I NSTALLING THE TELESCOPING MAST AND VEHICLE - MOUNT BRACKETS ......... 29
I NSTALLING THE VEHICLE MOUNT SENSOR CONNECTOR AND ROUTING CABLE 30
I NSTALLING THE I NTERFACE M ODULE ............................................................ 30

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C ONNECTING THE W EATHER D ISPLAY C ONSOLE AND C OMPUTER ................. 31
I NSTALLING THE SENSOR TRANSMITTER AND N ORTH O RIENTATION .............. 32
Installing the Mounting Adapter ................................................................ 32
North Alignment......................................................................................... 33
SECTION 4: OPERATION ........................................................35
C OMMUNICATION S ETTINGS ........................................................................... 35
W EATHER SOFTWARE ..................................................................................... 35
T ERMINAL C OMMANDS .................................................................................. 35
Displaying current sensor readings........................................................... 35
C ONTINUOUS DISPLAY OF WEATHER INFORMATION ........................................ 36
SECTION 5: CALIBRATION....................................................39
C ALIBRATING THE B AROMETRIC P RESSURE S ENSOR ...................................... 39
Altitude Setting........................................................................................... 39
Optional Calibration Procedure ................................................................ 39
C ALIBRATING THE T EMPERATURE S ENSORS ................................................... 40
SECTION 6: MAINTENANCE .................................................41
C LEANING ....................................................................................................... 41
R EPLACING THE PTU M ODULE ....................................................................... 41
F ACTORY C ALIBRATION AND R EPAIR S ERVICE .............................................. 42
SECTION 7: TROUBLESHOOTING.......................................43
SECTION 8: USER SUPPORT INFORMATION ...................45
L IMITED W ARRANTY ...................................................................................... 45
EXCLUSIONS ............................................................................................ 45
R ETURN FOR R EPAIR P ROCEDURE .................................................................. 46
REFERENCE ...............................................................................49
G LOSSARY ...................................................................................................... 49
Aspirating Radiation Shield ....................................................................... 49
Barometric Pressure .................................................................................. 49
Celsius Temperature Scale......................................................................... 49
Dew Point .................................................................................................. 49
Fahrenheit Temperature Scale................................................................... 49
Heat Index.................................................................................................. 49
Relative Humidity....................................................................................... 50
Sea Level Pressure..................................................................................... 50
Wind Chill .................................................................................................. 50
U NIT C ONVERSION ......................................................................................... 51
Speed.......................................................................................................... 51
Temperature............................................................................................... 51
Distance ..................................................................................................... 51

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Columbia Weather Systems, Inc.
Pressure ..................................................................................................... 51
T ABLES AND F ORMULAS ................................................................................. 52
Wind Chill Chart........................................................................................ 52
Wind Chill Equation .................................................................................. 52
Heat Index.................................................................................................. 53
Dew Point .................................................................................................. 54

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Columbia Weather Systems, Inc.
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION
The Orion Weather Station
Utilizing cutting-edged ultrasonic technology at an amazingly affordable
price, the Orion Weather Station is the newest product in our family of
innovative weather monitoring systems.
Orion provides ultrasonic wind direction and speed measurements, a
highly-accurate impact rain sensor, capacitive relative humidity,
temperature and barometric pressure readings – all in a single sensor
module.
High accuracy and fine resolution make this new system ideal for
precision weather monitoring. Orion’s sensors meet FAA and WMO
specifications for aviation operations, as well as EPA requirements for
scientific environmental monitoring applications.
Features:
•Six most essential weather parameters measured in one
instrument
•Accurate and stable measurement
•Ultrasonic wind sensor and impact precipitation sensor
•No moving parts means virtually no maintenance
•Optional LCD touch-screen display console and powerful
software
•Low power consumption improves reliability and longevity
•Compact and lightweight with a single cable for quick
installation
•9-ft telescoping mast with truck mount quick release
hardware

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Specifications
Temperature
Range: -60 to 140°F (-52 to +60°C)
Accuracy: ±-0.5°F (±0.3°C) at 68°F (+20°C)
Resolution: 0.1°F (0.1°C)
Units Available: °F, °C
Barometric Pressure
Range: 17.50 to 32.50 InHg (600 to 1100 mbar)
Accuracy: ±0.015 InHg (0.5 mbar) at +32 to 86°F
(0 to 30°C)
±0.03 InHg (1 mbar) at -60 to 140°F (-52 to 60°C)
Resolution: 0.01 InHg (0.1 mbar)
Units Available: Kpa, mbar, InHg
Wind Speed
Range: 0 - 115 mph (0 - 60 m/s)
Accuracy: ±0.7 mph (±0.3 m/s)
Resolution: 1 mph (1 m/s)
Units Available: knots, mph, km/hr, m/s
Wind Direction
Azimuth: 0 - 360°
Accuracy: ±2°
Resolution: 1°
Relative Humidity
Range: 0 - 100%RH
Accuracy: ±3%RH (0-90%), ±5% (90-100%)
Resolution: 1%RH
Units Available: %RH

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Columbia Weather Systems, Inc.
Rainfall
Range: cumulative
Collection Area: 60 cm2
Accuracy: ±5% (spatial variations may exist)
Resolution 0.01 in. (0.254mm )
Units Available: mm, inches
Input Voltage
The Orion is supplied with a wall mount transformer
Input: 120 VAC, 60 HZ, 16 W
Output: 12 VDC, 800 mA
The Orion can also be powered directly using a DC voltage source
Input: 5 to 30 VDC (60 mA at 12 VDC)
Heating Power Source
Input: 5 to 30 VDC (1.1 A at 12 VDC)

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Principles of Measurements
Wind Measurement
Both wind speed and direction are measured using advanced ultrasonic
technology. The sensor utilizes ultrasound to determine horizontal wind
readings. The array of three equally-spaced ultrasonic transducers on a
horizontal plane is an ideal design that ensures accurate wind
measurement from all directions, without blind angles or corrupted
readings.
The wind sensor has no moving parts, which makes it virtually
maintenance free.
The wind sensor has an array of three equally spaced ultrasonic
transducers on a horizontal plane. Wind speed and wind directions are
determined by measuring the time it takes the ultrasound to travel from
each transducer to the other two.
The wind sensor measures the transit time (in both directions) along the
three paths established by the array of transducers. This transit time
depends on the wind speed along the ultrasonic path. For zero wind
speed, both the forward and reverse transit times are the same. With
wind along the sound path, the up-wind direction transit time increases
and the down-wind transit time decreases.
The wind speed is calculated from the measured transit times using the
following formula:
V
w
= 0.5 x L x (1/ t
f
– 1/tr
where:
V
w
= Wind speed
L = Distance between the two transducers
t
f
= Transit time in forward direction
t
r
= Transit time in reverse direction
Measuring the six transit times allows V
w
to be computed for each of the
three ultrasonic paths. The computed wind speeds are independent of
altitude, temperature and humidity, which are cancelled out when the
transit times are measured in both directions, although the individual
transit times depend on these parameters.
Using V
w
values of two array paths is enough to compute wind speed
and wind direction. A signal processing technique is used so that wind
speed and wind direction are calculated from the two array paths of best
quality.

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Columbia Weather Systems, Inc.
The wind speed is represented as a scalar speed in selected units (m/s,
kt, mph, km/h). The wind direction is expressed in degrees (°). The wind
direction reported indicates the direction that the wind comes from. North
is represented as 0°, east as 90°, south as 180°, and west as 270°.
The wind direction is not calculated when the wind speed drops below
0.05 m/s. In this case, the last calculated direction output remains until
the wind speed increases again to the level of 0.05 m/s.
The average values of wind speed and direction are calculated as a
scalar average of all samples over the selected averaging time (1 ... 900
s). The sample count is based on a 4 Hz sampling rate. The minimum
and maximum values of wind speed and direction represent the
corresponding extremes during the averaging time.
Barometric Pressure, Temperature, and Relative
Humidity (PTU) Module
Barometric pressure, temperature, and humidity measurements are
combined in an advanced sensor module (PTU) utilizing a capacitive
measurement method for each parameter. The PTU module contains
separate sensors for pressure, temperature, and humidity measurement.
The measurement principle of the pressure, temperature, and humidity
sensors is based on an advanced RC oscillator and two reference
capacitors against which the capacitance of the sensors is continuously
measured. The microprocessor of the transmitter performs compensation
for the temperature dependency of the pressure and humidity sensors.
Barometric pressure is measured using a capacitive silicon
BAROCAP® sensor. The sensor has minimal hysteresis and excellent
repeatability, as well as outstanding temperature and long-term stability.
Temperature is measured with a capacitive ceramic THERMOCAP®
sensor.
Relative humidity measurement is based on a capacitive thin film
polymer HUMICAP®180 sensor. The sensor is highly accurate with
negligible hysteresis and excellent long-term stability in a wide range of
environments.
Radiation Shield: This module is mounted in a specially-designed
radiation shield which protects the sensors from both scattered and
direct sunlight and precipitation. The composite material in the plates
offers excellent thermal characteristics and UV stabilized construction.
The white outer surface reflects radiation, while the black inside absorbs
accumulated heat.

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The internal sensor module is easily replaceable and readily available as
a spare component. To order a replacement module, please use catalog
no. 9581.
Rainfall Measurement
Rainfall is measured with an impact sensor, which detects the size and
impact of individual rain drops. The signals resulting from the impacts are
proportional to the volume of the drops. Hence, the signal from each
drop can be converted directly to the accumulated rainfall.
This measurement method eliminates flooding and clogging, as well as
wetting and evaporation losses.
The sensor transmitter uses RAINCAP® sensor 2 technology in
precipitation measurement.
The precipitation sensor comprises of a steel cover and a piezoelectrical
sensor mounted on the bottom surface of the cover.
The precipitation sensor detects the impact of individual raindrops. The
signals from the impact are proportional to the volume of the drops.
Hence, the signal of each drop can be converted directly to accumulated
rainfall. Advanced noise filtering technique is used to filter out signals
originating from other sources than raindrops.
The measured parameter is accumulated rainfall. Detection of each
individual drop enables computing of rain amount with high resolution.

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Columbia Weather Systems, Inc.
SECTION 2: PHYSICAL
DESCRIPTION
Orion 510 Sensor Transmitter
The Orion 510 Sensor Transmitter is an all-in-one sensor unit containing
ultrasonic wind speed and direction sensor, temperature sensor, relative
humidity sensor, barometric pressure sensor and an impact rain sensor.
The temperature, relative humidity and barometric pressure sensors are
combined in a single module housed in a self-aspirating radiation shield.
Sensor Transmitter Components
1: Top of the transmitter
2: Radiation Shield
3: Bottom of the transmitter
4: Screw conver

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Cut Away View
1: Wind Transducers (3 pcs)
2: Precipitation Sensor
3: Pressure sensor inside the Sensor Module
4: Humidity and temperature sensor inside the Sensor Module
Bottom of the Transmitter
1: Alignment direction sign
2: Service port
3: Water tight cable gland
4: Unused cable gland, covered
5: Connector (not available with Orion)

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Columbia Weather Systems, Inc.
Mounting Adapter
To facilitate easy installation and north alignment, the Orion 510 Sensor
Transmitter comes standard with a mounting adapter. The mounting
adapter is easily connected on the end of the mast and the sensor
transmitter simply snaps into it. The north alignment needs to be
performed only once.
Internal Terminal Block
The sensor transmitter is shipped with a one (1) foot cable terminated by
an 8-pin connector half.
This cable is connected to the sensor transmitter via a terminal block.
The Orion sensor transmitter has a standard RS-232 wiring as shown
bellow:

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Terminal
Number
Si
gnal
Color
3 TX- Orange
5 RXD Black
6 SGND Green
19 VIN- White
20 VIN+ Red
For heated sensor transmitters, terminal 17 (HTG-) is connected to the
Blue wire and terminal 18 (HTG+) is connected to the Brown wire.