[AllanG]

Hi all. What a great project and community this is!

I've been looking around here for a while now, and would like to get started ordering components for a build.

First question is about the RX unit PCBs. Why is the Pro2 PLUS RX v1.3x (EUR52.90) so much more expensive than a Pro2 RX v5.02 (EUR17.90). My understanding is that in both cases the price is for a PCB with the SMD components soldered on to it, and no other components (like radios, Arduinos) supplied. What has the PLUS got that adds so much to the cost? This is a straight question, not at all a complaint - I would just like to understand.

John

Hello John and welcome the wonderful world of the WeatherDuino.

I'm very glad you've emphasised that your "first question about the [PLUS] rx unit pcb" isn't at all a complaint and I understand that - more about it later though.

To be honest I really don't *know* the answer to the question why the PLUS rx pcb costs quite a bit more than the (ageing - Nov. 2015) v.5.02 and I'm sure Werk_AG will be along soon to give you the facts. I *think* though that factors such as the increased physical dimensions of the board, the added complexity of a different Arduino with considerably more pins, the addition of Wi-Fi capability (not just the cost of the device itself) and quite a few other hardware changes will have had an impact. I have never tried to have a pcb professionally produced so do not know how production costs are calculated, but again guessing, I would imagine the number of through-hole connections, vias, routing and overall complexity would play a large part - if you're interested you may like to look online at one or two producers and see what they say. Having constructed both the v5.02 and only this week the PLUS boards though, I'm very sure the PLUS production costs will be much, much greater. As I said, I'm sure Werk will be along and I'll be interested to see if my thoughts are correct - and what I've *not* thought about!!

I know you said that your question isn't a complaint and I'm very glad because this really is a very versatile, superb project and personally I would have been happy to pay double for the PLUS boards and would still consider it a bargain. I came across the WeatherDuino shortly after its "birth" when I needed to replace a Maplin setup that was rapidly failing. I really wanted to buy a Davis station, but the cost of £600 - £800 for what I wanted was not an option. Thanks to Werk and the WeatherDuino, I have a system (with the addition of Davis wind and rain instruments) that I beleive is equal in performance and accuracy to the Davis station, but at a very small fraction of the cost. Actually, if the air particle "module" which is currently being worked on *is* successfully added, WeatherDuino will be the *only* system I know of with such remarkable capability.

Best regards,

Allan.