New Updates for 2012: MOWS 2.0

Well here we are in January of the new year, and I'm already getting the itch for the chase season which is only a few weeks away.  Though I don't have a crystal ball, I'm hoping to score even bigger than last year.  One of the issues I've had in the past is the weather station/security platform I usually place on top of my rig before heading out.  It usually takes about twenty minutes to get the unit secured and running before I can head out.  In 2011, I set it up about 1/2 of my chases heading out, which has lead me to less than useful data to collect in the field.  I set my thoughts to correct this issue for the 2012 season.

In the picture below, is the original setup I had when collecting radar images required use of a satellite dish.  This served me well during my outings in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003.  The rig had to be strong enough to support the dish and the rest of the equiptment.

But as the years have gone, so had the need for collecting data in such a way.  I'm always looking out for the next best thing and with the dish gone, the station's purpose had dwindled to what it has become...a shell of its former glory during the chase seasons 2004, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10 and 2011.

So with the 2012 season just around the corner, it was time to update the rig with a new design.  I'll call it the MOWS 2.0.  Mobile Operating Weather Station.

I decided to loose the extra fog lamps from the rig only because I rarely use them anymore.  It came in handly after a tornado went through my hometown in Michigan in 2000 aiding in searching for survivors and following the debris path and structure damages to the local neighborhoods.  Since then, its been used only at the Storm Chaser Car Show held in Norman, Oklahoma in the fall.   

I started off with the simple triangular design on paper adding in what I though was most important:  The strobe light stayed along with updating the weather station to a wireless setup.  Less is more and I was tired of rigging up the wiring everytime I headed out.  Down to power to the strobe, setting up the station would be a snap.  I headed down to the local Lowes and picked up some 1 1/2 inch PVC piping and connectors.  I used 3 straight pieces of 15" piping, 2- 45 degree connectors, 1- Tee connector and 3- 90 degree connectors. Heres what it looks like.

Next step was to begin connecting the pipes together using piping glue and drilling the holes for the wires to be pulled through.

After the MOWs was coming together, I drilled another hole to allow the anemometer line to be pulled through the vertical pipe and another hole at the bottom where the TEE connector was placed to feed the line to the weather box. In the pics below is the final arrangement of the station.

So there it is, complete and very mobile.  The MOW 2.0 is finished, only took about an hour to put together.  I'll use hose clamps to secure it to the roof lugguge rack and done with only a single connector to be hooked up to the strobe light.  The MOW weighs in at around 2 pounds and can be easily upgraded if I chose in the future to add more items.