Just looking for pros or cons vs the Davis weather station vs the altalab weather station. Not really interested in any others. Thanks guys

I don't know anything about the Davis unit, just the Alta Lab trailer station. Great product, very accurate, friendly staff and great service.

The only issue I have had was when we left the track with the mast still in place. It found a low hanging tree which oddly enough did not improve the signal. Alta Lab sent me the new parts immediately and not once did I hear anyone laugh, they were kind enough to wait until I hung the phone up.

If I needed another weather station or if I was to make a recommendation, it would be a Alta Lab.

Bob

I have a Davis, and I got it cause I can use it at home also. Also have the crew chief pro software that works with the Davis. The Davis has a data logging feature that you don't have to have the computer on to log. So I go to the track the Davis is data logging the weather all the time, and when I use the laptop with CREW CHIEF PRO software, it is still datalogging, .

Scott, you know what I have and use with great success. When I was doing my homework, I spoke to and looked around the who's who in NHRA Division 1 and the answer was clear.

We have a long term relationship with AltaLab going back to the mid-90s. Excellent is a good descriptor.

Thanks, I think I know what direction I will go, buy once cry once.

I’ll ask this as well, i would like to plug the trailer station and the laptop charger into an inverter and run them off my interstate group 27 880cca battery that I run everything in the trailer off, it has a 50watt solar pannel hooked to it and I can also use my Honda to charge the battery as well, I don’t want to be tied to running the generator all day if I don’t have to.
In order to run the two systems what size inverter would be recommended and how long of a run time should I expect off of the battery? Any brand recommendations for the inverter?

Scott, call Sal Biondo for your AltaLab weather station, tell him I told you to call him

quote:

Originally posted by NHRA1877:
Thanks, I think I know what direction I will go, buy once cry once.

I’ll ask this as well, i would like to plug the trailer station and the laptop charger into an inverter and run them off my interstate group 27 880cca battery that I run everything in the trailer off, it has a 50watt solar pannel hooked to it and I can also use my Honda to charge the battery as well, I don’t want to be tied to running the generator all day if I don’t have to.
In order to run the two systems what size inverter would be recommended and how long of a run time should I expect off of the battery? Any brand recommendations for the inverter?

In this case you don’t want to use an inverter because of the power loss. The computer and weather station already run on DC, and your battery is DC. You’d be going DC-AC-DC with a loss each time.

I have a 12v “cigarette lighter” plug on the bench in my trailer, along with a couple USB outlets. Get a 12v car charging cable for your laptop and you can run it right off the battery. For the weather station you have to find the right size barrel plug and voltage/amperage rating. Start by asking Altalab about it when you order the weather station, it may already come with a USB to barrel connector (the Davis does) or maybe they can tell you the specs on the connector to make it easy to order. Something like this is what I’m talking about, but again confirm barrel size and specs.

something to consider. If your trailer battery is connected to your tow truck battery the hours of usable power will be very good.

Everyone has a different process of getting weather data so I'm not about to criticize anyone.

Personally I don't need to keep the generator running all weekend (in some cases four or five straight days). I just need to know the weather a few minutes prior to being called to the lanes, that's relevant, that's the information I need to make a prediction. When I first got my weather station I ran the generator all day, then I figured out it was simply a waste of generator fuel, the data meant nothing to me.

I'm not knocking anyone who feels they have to run the generator day and night, this is my method and reason for using a weather station and a Crew Chief Pro prediction program.

Bob

Thanks Ed I’ll give Sal a call.

I will look into the 12v plugs, I thought the Alta lab ran on 120 for some reason.

The main reason for getting the station and the software for me is not really to get a dead accurate prediction and dial what it says, I am a bracket racer, so my dial is based on my opponent and my strategy for that round. I mainly want to be able to leave the software running all day and have the Ifamily software stack the predictions every couple minutes so I can catch a trend in weather that I may have missed by just turning on my handheld when they call me to the lanes. Will this be a game changer for me? Most likely not, but I feel it will give me more accurate information to better know what the weather trends have been doing.

Scotty, I have an Altalab Altacom 2 that was just back at Altalab for an update and repairing/replacing the wind sensor.
I don't have an enclosed trailer any more, which is the only reason why I'm selling it.

PM me for more details if interested. Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by NHRA1877:
I am a bracket racer, so my dial is based on my opponent and my strategy for that round.

I like!

I have sold both systems for over twenty years. The Altalab is the better system because it does not average readings before displaying them. Both are accurate, but the Altalab changes faster when conditions change.

If you don't want the Paging Altalab, then we sell a much less expensive NON Paging trailer station from Altalab called the 4X. It is the same weather station, just does not have a display box. Under $750 base price and has options such as a wind sensor and through trailer connector.

If you want a paging system then the Altalab is your only integrated weather station of the ones you were deciding on. The Davis would require a separate transmitter box, and wiring.

I usually have every weather station in stock as well.

quote:

Originally posted by RPROGAS:
I don't know anything about the Davis unit, just the Alta Lab trailer station. Great product, very accurate, friendly staff and great service.

The only issue I have had was when we left the track with the mast still in place. It found a low hanging tree which oddly enough did not improve the signal. Alta Lab sent me the new parts immediately and not once did I hear anyone laugh, they were kind enough to wait until I hung the phone up.

If I needed another weather station or if I was to make a recommendation, it would be a Alta Lab.

Bob

Once a month I get a call from a racer who did the exact same thing. One guy took the timing system out when leaving the track when the pole caught the wiring and yanked it down.

I stopped a racer on the Kansas Turnpike about five years ago after we left Heartland Park national event. He lost the wind vane, cups, and rotor, but the weather station and pole were still fine.