Installation
First, download the FreeWX
web client and save it in an easy to find location. If you haven't
downloaded the client already, you can download it here. This client was
written with Microsoft Visual basic 6.0 and requires the runtime files
for it to operate correctly. Most operating systems have the Microsoft
visual basic runtime files but if you incur error messages while trying
to run FreeWX you will need the runtime files. You can download them
from the Microsoft website or from here. Once the file is
downloaded, locate the Setup file and run it. It will go into a typical
installation program and instal the program. Select Yes and Next for
every prompt that comes up until the software is installed. Once you
have the program installed, you will have something that looks like the
image below.
Setting Up The Program
Setting Up The Program
Now that the program is installed,
the first time that you run it, the program will prompt you to enter
the url and a description for the station you are connecting to. It is
important that the correct information is entered or the program will
not collect weather data. For the "Remote URL" enter
http://jimselectronics.dyndns.org:8085/weather Then enter a discription
of the station you are connecting to. This is required or you
will not be able to add the new remote URL. Something like Jim's
Weather or anything else will work. See the screenshot
below to see how the information should be filled out.
The next step in setting up the program is
to add the URL to your connection list. To do this, simply click on the
"Add to list" button and it will be added to the "Select an existing
remote URL to monitor" menu. See below more detail.
Now
that the URL has been added, the last step is to click on the "Done"
button. Doing this will bring up the FreeWX program and connect it to
the station to obtain the most current set of weather data. If you
desire to change the units or other information you see, please read on
in the Configuration section.
Configuration
The first thing that
users may want to change is the units that are used for the readout of
the data from the weatherstation. This is done by going to Settings and
selecting Units. See below.
Once you are in
that menu, you will be able to change the way all the temperature,
windspeed, rain measure, and barometric pressure are displayed. Feel
free to change these to your most common measure of units.
When you are satisfied with your settings, click "Done" to close out of the Units Setup window and apply the settings.
Some other features of the FreeWX program is that it allows you to view a large screen format of the most important data. Note that the user can not select which data they want displayed. To go to this large screen format, select the "View" menu and then click on "Show Large Display"
By clicking on this it will bring up a full screen window of all the more important data points recorded by the weatherstation. Look below to see the a screenshot of the large screen format.
Finally, the last feature that should be pointed out about FreeWX is that when the program is minimized it will display the current temperature and relative humidity in the taskbar. Below is an image of what will be shown.
When you are satisfied with your settings, click "Done" to close out of the Units Setup window and apply the settings.
Some other features of the FreeWX program is that it allows you to view a large screen format of the most important data. Note that the user can not select which data they want displayed. To go to this large screen format, select the "View" menu and then click on "Show Large Display"
By clicking on this it will bring up a full screen window of all the more important data points recorded by the weatherstation. Look below to see the a screenshot of the large screen format.
Finally, the last feature that should be pointed out about FreeWX is that when the program is minimized it will display the current temperature and relative humidity in the taskbar. Below is an image of what will be shown.