Datasheet

Manual

PC208W Datalogger Support Software

Due to the logger’s memory configuration, all four groups of data time series are written to the same storage area

in the system’s RAM in the order of their occurrence (time of recording), and consequently downloaded from the

datalogger directly via short haul modems or storage module to a PC as one single, rather unorganized raw data

file. The role of the Report utility is now to extract, separate and reorganize the scattered recordings into consistent

individual data blocks that can be appended to the existing database without too much further processing.

Report utility performs this operation through use of the so-called parameter files which have to be properly defined

for each group of data – in this particular case for (a) 5-minute rainfall time series data (b) hourly meteorological data

single raw data file by using a specific pre-defined parameter file and stored separately into an individual output file

on the PC hard drive. At the same time the output data is displayed on screen during the programme run-time for

a first visual quality check.

Table 2 presents the various files involved. 0XX stands for the data file’s serial number.

Input File

data0XX.dat

Parameter File

metrain.par

methour.par

metday.par

metperf.par

Function

to extract (5 minutes) rainfall information from data file

to extract 1 hour summary information from data file

to extract 1 day summary information from data file

to extract station performance information from data ﬁle

Output File

metrnXX.txt

methrXX.txt

metdayXX.txt

metprfXX.txt

Table 2: Various files and their function used by Report in the processing of Met Station measurements.

Each of the four file groups given in table 3 is dealt within more detail in the next four sub paragraphs.

5.3.2.2 Five – Minute Rainfall Data

Only in case of a rainfall event, a cumulative 5 minutes rainfall value is stored into the logger’s RAM at the end of the

interval. In contrast, for those 5-minute intervals in which the raingauge sensor has not registered precipitation (i.e.

the rainfall values are equal to zero), the zero rainfall values are not stored to avoid loading the datalogger memory

with meaningless information. Consequently, the 5-minute rainfall data consists of a 5 minutes time series in which

a cumulative non-zero 5-minute rainfall was registered by rain gauge sensor. Consequently, the gaps in the recorded

time series indicate dry periods without rain events at the measurement site.

Procedures for the extraction of 5-minute rainfall time series data from a raw input file and storing the result in

an output file for final processing is described in the following text:

Step C1: Activate Report by clicking the Report tab on the PC208W toolbar. The below screen appears.