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| Reviews Summary for Oregon Scientific WMR-968 Wireless Weather Station |
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Reviews: 17
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Average rating: 2.1/5
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MSRP: $349
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Description: Provides indoor/outdoor humidity, temperature, barometer, windspeed and rainfall. Wireless sensors, solar powered (With battery assist) and computer interface.
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More info: http://www.oregonscientific.com/index_ie.jsp
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write your own review of the Oregon Scientific WMR-968 Wireless Weather Station.
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K4MRR
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Rating: 4/5
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Dec 9, 2007 21:52
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Fairly Good
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've had my WMR-968 for a year and it has done a good job. The accuracy isn't the best, measuring rainfall in .04" increments isn't the best, and the anemometer isn't the best, the console isn't the best, but hey, for under $200, it is a good personal weather station. It took a day to set it up, but it has done fine since then- I've just had to change the batteries in one unit once.
I've bought a Davis Vantage Pro2 recently and have both systems temporarily in operation side by side for comparison. The Davis is much more accurate, measures rain in .01" increments, records wind speed more accurately and quickly, and the console is MUCH better looking and more user-friendly than the WMR-968 console.
The WMR-968 has no memory storage- which would allow it to upload the night's data online when I go online the following day. If you look at personal weather stations on Weather Underground for example, you can see when a computer hooked up to a WMR-968 goes online. The online data tracking suddenly starts at that time. Prior to that time, there is no data shown for that personal weather station.
After purchasing the Weatherlink module for the Davis Vantage Pro2, it stores data (for up to six months depending upon how frequently it takes readings) in the module and uploads it when I go online. The Davis takes readings every five minutes when my computer is off and automatically uploads the data when I go online.
The sturdiness of the WMR-968 outdoor remote solar-power units does concern me. I've had no problems, but I was depending upon three seperate units for data and if one failed, the whole system would not be as useful. The WMR-968 outdoor units do not look very sturdy. The Davis system has one very sturdy remote solar-power unit to measure wind, temp, humidity, and rainfall.
The WMR-968 is a good unit for under $200. But, having used the Davis for a month, would I buy another WMR-968? No. I'd save my Nickels, Dimes, and Quarters for a few months then buy the Davis.
If I was short on cash, though, the WMR-968 is a good, but not great, personal weather station.
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KC7MRQ
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Rating: 2/5
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Sep 24, 2007 13:44
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Wish It Lasted More Than Eight Months!!!
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I received this unit as a Christmas present and was very excited about having a weather station. My first bad experience was when the receiver began receiving faulty data. I narrowed down the problem to inference from one of my other radios.
The anemometer quit registering wind speed one day. I called OS, received a RMA, and mailed them the defective sensor. Now I can not get an update on the RMA status. It has been a month. No one is available or returns my calls each time I call tech support.
I will upgrade to a Davis system if my issues are not resolved in a timely manner.
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KI4NYB
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Rating: 4/5
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Oct 19, 2006 09:08
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Pretty good
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I got mine from Radio Shack a few years ago. I did have some problems with the rain gauge. They had to replece it twice. They let me keep the old ones and it turned out to be a bad connector. So I have back ups! Its been up and working now for about 2 years and I have had no problems. I have a weather website you can check out to see the results from the station: www.paralia.org . A very good deal for the money.
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AB2QB
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Rating: 0/5
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May 15, 2006 09:27
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JUNK HORRIBLE
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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JUNK JUNK JUNK the worst costomer service I have ever seen. Been waiting for a part since DEC-05 and every month they make some new excuse why they dont have it . STAY AWAY spend the money buy a Davis. Really stay away unless you like being screwed over ...
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AA8PP
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Rating: 1/5
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Feb 23, 2006 06:39
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VERY POOR WARRANTY SERVICE !
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Received this station as a gift on 12/23/05. Easy enough to install it and seemed ok at first. Anomometer freezes up quickly if temp is near the freezing mark and any mixed precipitation hits it. Even with steady winds spinning it - it still will freeze up.Seems to be a fair weather anomometer. Had unit up for about 5 weeks and it quit registering the wind speed/direction. E-mailed the company and waited a couple of days for a reply to my questions with no response. I did receive an e mail about a week later apologizing for some type of problem getting emails to the right person and they would be glad to respond if I still had the problem but they didn't answer the question I asked. I, in the meantime, contacted their 800 number and spent roughly 20 minutes on hold before someone answered me. Got some advise on what to try - did that and it still wasn't functioning correctly - no readout. Called customer service back again - another roughly 20 minutes on hold, spoke with the same individual again and he concurred that the transmitter was defective and gave me a return number and address to ship it to. I sent it off on the 10th of Feb and they received it on the 13th. Called customer service again on Tuesday the 21st - another 20 minute wait, spoke again with the same person I had been dealing with. He informed me that the unit was there and there is about 7-10 day processing time and then I should receive the unit within 10-14 days from that time. I informed him that this was totally unacceptable service from his company and I couldn't believe they didn't ship a replacement as soon as they received the bad unit. I then emailed the company on Feb 21st with my complaint on their service expecting some type of reply. What a surprise - nothing yet from them! I know of others that have this unit and having no problem with it other than the freeze up but apparently the company isn't very concerned about those that do have a legitimate problem. Maybe they will get something fixed in their customer service area but for now I wouldn't buy another of their products. If not for being a gift, this thing would have been returned for a full refund!
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Just an update to my last review. I hadn't received the new sensor as of Thursday (2nd). Called customer service anticipating another long delay. Pleasantly surprised by a new automated system for their calls. Pressed the number for customer care and got an immediate response from them without any delay. Was promised the new unit in a few days as they just received a new shipment and were in the process of sending them out. Very happy to find it on the porch Friday (3rd). Climbed the roof and installed it with no problems. Unit found the new sensor and I was up and running within 10 minutes of opening the box. Maybe the company is listening after all!! I also e-mailed them to express my appreciation of their attempts to improve their service. Hope it will continue from now on. I am about 3 city blocks from the local airport with state of the art equipment and all readings are nearly identical to theirs so accuracy not a problem with this one. Bob - AA8PP
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GM6TVR
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Rating: 1/5
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Dec 11, 2005 08:42
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Double trouble
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Bought one of these systems in 1999, it all went pear shaped, gave the product the benefit of the doubt and bought another new setup in 2003, it went the same shape, two stations at £400 each, what a disaster. Now running the Davis Vantage Pro2, now this is the business, wish that I had gone down this road in the first instance, top quality setup, beautiful software included, do not make the same mistakes that I did. So now you know, go for Vantage Pro........
John GM6TVR / GM0FQV
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KF6IIU
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Rating: 2/5
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May 10, 2005 13:09
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You get what you pay for
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I haven't installed a Davis unit, but this product is now selling for less than 1/2 the eprice of a Davis unit. I've had it installed about four months; the wind gauge has failed and I am still waiting for warranty replacement.
Advantages: Inexpensive compared to other full-featured stations, least expensive unit with RS-232 output. Solar panel/power units have both NimH and Alkaline backup batteries and can install up to about 3 m from their sensor. 3 sensors can be deployed in different locations to optimize placement individually. Power units are reasonably well waterproofed with silicone gaskets; nevertheless, my wind unit solar panel leaked almost immediately and I am still awaiting warranty replacement. (Be sure to install cables with drip loops and install the gaskets for the RJ connectors.)
Disadvantages: You may not like the appearance or convenience of having three different outdoor sensors all connected with cables; my wife didn't at first but we came to an agreement :-) Sensors are not particularly sensitive - rainfal gauge cannot resolve rainfall rates less than 1 mm /.04 in, rainfall rate reading is wildly inaccurate but total seems correct, anemometer doesn't "kick in" below about 3 mph (and might be reading low in general), other accuracy is pretty good. Cannot display dew points below 0 C / 32 F, although humidity seems accurate. Outdoor temp/RH sensor seems sensitive to rain and definitely cannot be placed in direct sun. Manual is terrible - as previous posters have pointed out, search for and download the Radio Shack WX200 manual. Oregon Scientific support is a black hole.
In summary this model might give you a good bang for the buck, but the much more expensive Davis models may be better. You get what you pay for.
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W1DY-5
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Rating: 4/5
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Mar 13, 2005 15:22
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Overall a Good Weather Station
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I purchased this unit about a year and a half ago. The first unit I purchased did not work at all and the supplier would not take it back. I had to send the unit back to Oregon Scientific and they made good and sent a brand new station which works fine.
Pros:
Reliable - Once we got the station going data is sent to my computer 99.9% of time unless there is a malfunction (i.e. batteries die).
The Ambient VWS software works great with this station! Make sure to get the most upgraded version since a lot of improvements were made.
Cons:
Wireless units are impossible to get into to change the batteries. I realize they are water resistant, but please...on a ladder at 20 feet trying to unscrew eight very tiny screws in the anemometer...these seem poorly engineered.
The wireless units work fine unless you have things like, er, walls in between the transmitter and receiver. The units do not have much range at all.
The readings are slightly off as compared with other stations in my area. I have had to adjust my station settings to close the deviation between my station and others.
Overall, even though I have had some minor problems with the station, I would still make this purchase over again. I have found the station to be very enjoyable.
Wendy, W1DY/5
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N4GLS
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Rating: 1/5
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Oct 31, 2004 06:50
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Don't Waste Your Money
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I bought one of the units and within 3 months began having problems with it. First off the sensors began to get water in the units, the rain guage would not register the rainfall correctly and the insulation on the cords running rom the units to the solar panel started cracking. Like others have recorded, the insturctions are horrible, and so small you need a magnifier to read them/ The wind vane was constructed out of very cheap material.
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KI6YN
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Rating: 0/5
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Jul 1, 2003 12:31
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A REAL PIECE OF JUNK
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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My YL bought me the 968 about three years ago. It worked well for two years and then went straight down hill. The outside sensors were loaded with water and I called their customer service. I was told the guarantee had expired and she gave me the web site of a company that sells the individual components. It would have cost me two thirds of the original price to restore it to operation. Definitely junk and lousy tech support. I will never buy anything with the name Oregon Scientific on it.
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