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Reviews For: Davis Vantage Pro 2

Category: Weather Stations

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Review Summary For : Davis Vantage Pro 2
Reviews: 57MSRP: 595
Description:
Davis Vantage Pro 2
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.davisnet.com/weather/products/vantage2.asp
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00574.8
KE5HFM Rating: 2009-02-26
Well built and accurate, but proprietary Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
As all the other reviews have said, this weather station is reliable, accurate and virtually maintanence free. The display is clear and easy to read. Transmission distances are good.

The only issue I have is that the datalogger cable is proprietary. This doesn't exactly encuorage the tinkering that Amature radio is known for.

In order to interface with your computer (or APRS unit) you have to buy THEIR cable and some pretty cheesy software for a whopping $150 or more! If this software was state-of-the-art, it might - MIGHT - be worth the money, but it's not. the graphics are ugly, and frankly, I don't think it meets current standards for web publishable content (although you can put it out there)

If the weather station was more amature radio friendly, I'd be really happy.
LA5ZO Rating: 2009-02-20
Great WX station - but some noise on HF Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Been using the station (wired version) for a few months. Very reliable and easy to use.
Have it hooked up to the PC via USB interface.
When data is transfered I get some noise on HF, especially on 80 (75) meters. Have tried ferrites but no cure. Use Weatherdisplay and Weatherdisplay Live to show WX at home QTH on the internet.

Geir/LA5ZO in Sirdal, Norway
MM0TFU Rating: 2009-01-05
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had my wireless VP2 since October 2006 and during that time it has proved to be accurate and reliable. I also have the Davis Datalogger and WeatherLink software, for computer data management.

The weather station equipment, known as the Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS)is located in my garden about 60 meters from the house, and transfers its data to the console via a 868 MHz wirless link. It general this link is maintained fairly well, but sometimes in summer I have to prune foliage to keep the signal path clear. I should also mention that my house has 2 foot thick walls, so I may be pushing the limits here. I have had no promblems with RF interference.

I have only had one problem with the unit, and that was a failure of the Temperature/Humidity sensor, which is located on the ISS. I contacted the UK dealer, and a replacement part was sent free of charge. It was a 2 minute job to replace it, and full instructions are available on the Davis website. This sensor is known to fail from time to time, apparently.

I use the Davis datalogger and the WeatherLink software to record my data. It works well, but it does have its limitations. Fortunately there are many other programs available which support the VP2, and many are free to private users.

I have found this product to be reliable and I have found the UK support to be top notch. I would have no difficulty in recommending the VP2 to anyone looking for a top-end amateur weather station
NQ7I Rating: 2009-01-04
Excellent Gear Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased the Pro 2 from Weather Shack for $567 which included shipping. I received the unit with the necessary battaries to make it operate in 3 days as promised. The gear was easy to set up and the instructions were 1st class. I have checked the readings I am getting against the local weather station which is about 2 miles away and they are right on the mark. Probably will grow the system after I get some experience with it. Highly recommend the unit and Weather Shack.
ON4JZ Rating: 2008-12-30
A good product Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have a wired Vantage Pro2 since January 2005.
Over the almost 4 years I've had problems with the SIM board, temp/hum sensor and console.
They all were replaced free of charge. That's what I call great support by the customer service and a good product despite the problems.
It adds a bonus to a ham radio station.
73 de Joe
VE4VID Rating: 2008-12-27
Excellent product Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
With all the rave reviews, they say it all. I have been impressed from day one. I purchased the Pro 2 wireless version from a mom and dad type of store in Nova Scotia (they matched USD prices). No customs etc and they were very helpful. After a few months mine went intermittent and I called support. In just a few days I had a replacement transmitter board, swapped it out and returned the defective one.

I couldn't afford to go with the rain gauge heater so I loose winter water values but have started measuring with a plastic container and stainless steel ruler.

If you can afford one of these units you won't be disappointed.
KD4LEI Rating: 2008-10-07
Outstanding system! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had the wireless unit with the spread spectrum capability since April of 2007. Purchased it off Ambient Weather site for $420 (S&H included into the total).

When I assembled this unit, I found the setup to be very easy and the instructions on assembly are very straightforward. I never felt lost or stumped at any time when I put it together.

You cannot beat the 2.5 second update this system provides. Nothing else within its price range comes close to that frequency in updating of the current conditions. I think the designers were witty in adding some humor into the scrolling ticker on the bottom of the display. Watch the scrolling ticker during a heavy rainfall and it will say "It's raining cat's and dog's." A nice touch of humor in my opinion.

Overall, I loved how my system has operated over the last 1.5 years. Both in the previous winter and two springs/summers this machine has gone through. Based onmy experience with mine, it has performed without a hitch.

For the expense of this system, it's as close as you can get compared to the professional system's that run into the thousands of dollars. A $400 - $500 dollar system versus one that runs anywhere from $5 - $10K is a good value for the money you might consider in spending. Everything with the setup is fantastic and cannot find any flaws with it that I know of.

Finally I recommend periodic cleaning to remove/prevent spiders and other bugs from making their home on/in the setup. It's obviously a place little critters would be attracted to. It's just a part of the reality the sensor's are outside and so during the warmer weather it helps to conduct routine cleanup in order to keep these little guys out and ensure the system is running efficiently.

If you're looking for a weather station that performs superbly and has a good value, the Davis Vantage Pro 2 is the way to go.
W6AAV Rating: 2008-09-06
Outstanding! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have had other weather stations in the past and they all finally died. I decided to go with the Davis VP2 and WOW! What a great station. Easy to assemble and the quality is fantastic. If you are looking for a weather station, this is the one for you. You will not be disappointed.
KE5GZR Rating: 2008-08-29
Outstandng Product Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The agency I work for has installed five (5) Vantage Pro 2 stations at various locations. These are very well made, accurate and durable instruments that appear to be very dependable. The WeatherLinkIP module and software is very easy to install and has worked flawlessly with our initial test station. We are exploring the possiblity of linking all of these stations together on our own agency website to provide weather data to the public. The technical service representative at Davis answered all of our questions and even sent us instructions on how to route our station data to our local network. I have been so impressed with this weather station that I am in the process of purchasing my own personal Vantage Pro 2.

Product Rating: A+
Technical Support: A+
Customer Service: A+
Value: A+
W7KKK Rating: 2008-08-25
Great Product/Service Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I had the wired version (Vantage Pro) for several years. Never a problem with it.
I sold it getting ready to travel in the RV full time.
We missed it and replaced it with the newer Pro 2 in the wireless version.
I have it installed on the RV for travel but we will remove while moving down the road.
Great product, very durable and great service from Davis if you have any questions.