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| Reviews Summary for Oregon Scientific WMR-968 Wireless Weather Station |
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Reviews: 18
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Average rating: 2.2/5
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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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Product is in production.
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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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VA3MW
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Rating: 1/5
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Jul 26, 2011 13:48
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I would look for another product
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Out of the box, these work great. After about 2 years, they just die. I have 2 that died the same way and that is due to the RF receive unit drifting off frequency.
There is a trimmer on the RX unit that you can tweak, but it is hit and miss. I've tried and got one sort of back online.
I emailed Oregan Scintific asking for details on how to align their receiver. I got the classic 'go away' email.
Immediately upon providing me email address to them for my support call, I started to get emails advertising new units.
So, it is very clear they use their support system as a system to harvest email addresses.
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W4HH
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Rating: 4/5
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Jan 3, 2010 16:02
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Mostly satisfied
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've had my WMR-968 in service for 18 months and have had few problems with it. I live in on the Potomac River where it joins the Chesapeake Bay and we have near-constant winds; 30-35 MPH winds are not unusual, thus, the anemometer spins almost constantly.
I have the indoor temp/.humidity sensor; outdoor temp/humidty; rain gauge; and, anemometer.
I run FreeWx-Wi software on an old laptop that is connected to the WMR-968 console with a serial cable. The software uploads the weather data to www.wunderground.com.
I replaced the anemometer after one year. It was out of warranty so I had to buy a new one.
Except for replacing the anemometer, I have had no problems with the WMR-968 until a month ago. Now, my console displays the wind direction but does not show the wind speed. However, when I check my data on www.wunderground.com, I see the wind speed. I have not investigated this situation so really can't comment on it.
The manual is minimal. However, Radio Shack sold the WMR-968 under their label and you can download a detailed manual from the Radio Shack website
The manual says the batteries in the outside units should last about one year -- I replaced the batteries in the rain gauge after 14 months but the other sensors' batteries are still working after 18 months.
Overall, I am very pleased with the WMR-968.
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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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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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