Introduction

AAG_WeatherCenter is a module which combines information from AAG_CloudWatcher with information from a standard weather station controlled by either Virtual_Weather_Station or Weather_Display software and so, for AAG_WeatherCenter to be fully operational, one of this packages must installed.

After installing the program, please follow the steps outlined under section Weather Station Setup in order to connect AAG_WeatherCenter with either Virtual_Weather_Station (internet version) or Weather_Display software.

The AAG_WeatherCenter monitors the following weather parameters:

· Cloud coverage;

· Rain presence ;

· Wind speed + direction;

· Gust speed + direction;

· Dewpoint temperature;

· Relative Humidity;

· Brightness level;

Note: The wind speed used by AAG_WeatherCenter corresponds to the value measured by the weather station and not the wind speed measured by the anemometer connected to AAG_CloudWatcher v7.00.

For each of these weather parameters, one may define limits to differentiate three distinct conditions (see Limits TAB) and select which ones are Unsafe (see Unsafe TAB). Sound alarms can also be associated with each condition (see Unsafe TAB). Simplified graphs can be activated for the parameters of the weather station, namely, wind and gust speed, wind direction, dewpoint, humidity and ambient temperature (see Graphs TAB and Graphs / Setup TAB). Note that the graphs of the other weather parameters are generated by AAG_CloudWatcher.

AAG_WeatherCenter also has the capability to upload files to a website via FTP (Web section of the Setup TAB).

The AAG_WeatherCenter can communicate with AAG_CloudWatcher operating in MASTER or REMOTE mode. It is important to note that when AAG_CloudWatcher is in MASTER mode, the switch control is automatically disabled in AAG_CloudWatcher and AAG_WeatherCenter will take control of the switch depending on the Switch Control flag in Device / Setup TAB.

Further, AAG_WeatherCenter is an Active EXE which can supply information to other programs regarding the conditions of the different weather parameters (see Working with other programs).

Upon installation, the emulators (Boltwood and ACP) will connect automatically to AAG_WeatherCenter instead of AAG_CloudWatcher, to provide information to other programs such as ACP, CCDAutopilot3, CCDCommander, etc. This feature can be disabled by de-selecting Emulator flag in General section of Setup TAB forcing the emulators to connect to AAG_CloudWatcher. Not that these emulators are automatically installed with AAG_CloudWatcher and they must correspond to those distributed with version 5.10 and onwards.

Note that CCDAutopilot4 makes use of a separate data file which is defined in General section of Setup TAB. The CCDAutopilot4 recognizes the AAG_WeatherCenter as CloudSensor II.