This solar powered solution provides an integrated sensor suite including a rain collector, temperature/humidity sensors, anemometer providing wind speed and wind direction, solar radiation and barometric pressure.
“Combining the data gained from our Weather Sensor Suite and the eKo system’s fundamental features provides growers with easy access to information related to irrigation control, frost protection, evapotranspiration, and plant disease conditions,” said Russ Heilig, vice president of business development at Davis Instruments who collaborated with Crossbow on the development and integration of the Weather Station Sensor Suite. “The solar powered eKo node has enhanced the wireless telemetry potential of the standard weather station permitting growers to access data from remote locations within their field from anywhere in the world.”
Using only a single port on the eKo Node, users can maximize their sensor data collection by adding additional sensors such as soil moisture, leaf wetness, etc. to gain knowledge about their environment’s conditions. The eKo system provides users with the ability to collect data from multiple points through their entire site providing a micro level of detail regarding various critical parameters instead of relying on information from a single point.
“Water is today’s critical issue. Having the ability to measure ET (evapotranspiration) with the ES2000, collect soil moisture data and understand the soil’s water content through a single system like the eKo Pro Series allows users to make intelligent decisions about their water and how it should be distributed,” stated Lowell Zelinski, vineyard consultant and owner of Precision Ag, Crossbow’s distributor in Paso Robles, California. Zelinski continued, “Having access to this type of data removes some of the guesswork related to irrigation management and frost protection. Growers are able to combine data from their weather station and other sensors, track the historical data and make informed predictions about emerging conditions.”
