Sandaysoft

I can't say I've noticed. I do know that birds use the antenna on my VP2 as a perch, because I have it horizontal, and sometimes I notice it is no longer so. And they use the rain gauge as a toilet...

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Steve
Sanday Weather
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You have been unlucky haven't you? I haven't seen a bird on my rain gauge for ages but it is close to fencing so that might explain it.

It's something Alan and Ole might need to bear in mind.

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Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

I've had a big problem with a blackbird this spring perching on my Davis Solar sensor, it is mounted just above my TV aerial and is the highest point on my house. He usually sits on the aerial but this year decided the solar sensor can also be used. My sensor is not mounted on the ISS btw.

A trick often used on the ISS rain gauge is to place tie wraps around the top with the ends sticking up to deter birds.

Stuart

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Yes - I did think about giving this a try.

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Steve
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Blackbirds are OK, it's Magpies I dislike.

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I posted this question in another forum, but it was suggested that I post it here. Please note that I'm not criticizing the excellent effort that produced this apparatus.

The claims for usefulness of the Blake-Larsen Sun Recorder include:

Holiday resorts who wants to prove their claim of sunny days
Agriculture to establish figures for moisture evaporation which are dependent on actual sun shine hours.
Feasibility of establishing solar energy – water heating and/or photovoltaic panels.

I certainly understand and appreciate the first of those. However, I don't see how hours of sunshine directly relates to the other two items in the list.

Hi
Obviously sun intensity as well as duration will affect some uses. Part of the reason for our trials is to accumulate date to correlate our levels with the conventional w/m2. We then expect to be able to produce radiation equivalents on a periodic basis.
We have got initial agreement to carry out comparative trials at a Met Office site, the stumbling block at the moment is the charge that is made for the facility. Way beyond the means of 'two old men in their sheds' !
Regards
Alan

Thanks for the reply.



From reading this topic, it's my understanding that the Blake-Larsen Sun Recorder measures direct solar irradiance. While carefully, by design, ignoring any component that is not direct.

It's my understanding that physical processes like evapotranspiration, water heating, and photovoltaic panels rely on total irradiance. Total irradiance is frequently greater than direct irradiance.

What am I misunderstanding?

Hi

Maybe our use of the word 'direct' has given the wrong impression. The intention was to suggest that it is the visible light component that is measured. As the reflector is seeing virtually the whole sky (or rather more than a fixed solar panel) then diffuse light is also seen. The trick is to be able to see sufficient contrast between sun on and off at all sun altitudes to give good duration figures.
Obviously there are non visible radiation components to be considered. The prime object of the device is to measure sunshine duration and no one device can do all things for all men but we can produce some other useful data at a cost effective price.
Regards
Alan

Oh. Thanks for correcting my misunderstanding. I quite agree that "no one device can do all things for all men" - as witness the limitations of devices like the Davis "solar sensor" and the Campbell-Stokes sunshine recorder.

I'm just trying to understand the characteristics of this particular device.

So, the Blake-Larsen Sun Recorder does not just measure direct solar irradiance. So, therefore, it cannot provide official "sunshine duration" as defined by the WMO? [i.e., hours of bright sunshine]

Would you perhaps say that it measures "perceived sunlight"?

Added footnote: Going back over my posts, they almost sound argumentative. That is not my wish. It is absolutely clear that the Blake-Larsen Sun Recorder is an inexpensive way to produce reliable, repeatable measurements related to sunlight. As indicated in this thread, a tremendous amount of work, thought, and effort (and contributions from many people) have gone into this over 2 years.

I emphasize that the results are clearly reliable and repeatable measurement.

Understanding exactly what is being measured (and how, if at all, it relates to measurements made by other methods) is also of importance.

I have the test unit connected but not yet mounted outside and hope to have that done in a couple days, and hopefull we'll have some sunshine soon - been the lousiest spring here in my memory. I have links on my website http://www.komokaweather.com of some graphs but no sunshine data until final outside install.

Paul

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Hi
I rather like the term perceived sunlight (could we call it the BLS [Blake Larsen Standard] or WWSAF [What We See And Feel]) - it is maybe close to what we have tried to achieve but who has the correct perception ?
We have in the past asked what would be considered to be sunshine. The WMO definition would, to the man in his chair in the sun, appear a rather low level. At the same time a bright sun just over the horizon may be lower then the WMO 120w/m2 threshold for sunshine (and certainly not measurable by Campbell Stokes) yet we can measure that as sun 'on' if that is what is wanted.
Can many devices capture intervals of 1 or 2 seconds of sunshine or cloud ? We can.
There are elements in our system which for obvious reasons we don't want to publish but they can be adjustable and can produce different data sets for different purposes.
So, I suppose, think of our system as a super-accurate automatic Campbell Stokes with other potential benefits. I don't think many amateur weather watchers would go to the length of installing sun tracking pyrheliometers but we believe we can largely fill that gap in the weather data set and judging by 15000 views of the subject others think so too.
Regards
Alan

BLS (bliss) has a nice sound. I'm sincerely pleased to have contributed something to the project.

I am pleased to announce that our web site http://www.sunrecorder.net now includes 'SR Around the World'

In Google Map you will see the present available installations and at a click on one of the sun icons you will able to view the sun shine conditions for the present day, last 30 days and last 12 month for that specific location.

Have fun
Ole

No southern hemi-sphere trialists ?

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......................Imagine, what you will KNOW tomorrow !