Uploading data

The inside unit that comes with the WS-5500 can be configured using the WS View Android application. It's able to upload data to a custom HTTP endpoint, provided that you use the same protocol used by either Weather Underground or Ecowitt.net.

Weather Underground uses a HTTP GET request. This makes for rather long URLs since we have to put all the data into query parameters. In addition, the configured password is also visible in the URL and thus saved in my access logs. I didn't want to go down this path.

Ecowitt uses POST requests which seems more sane.

The Ecowitt protocol

Data is sent through a POST request in standard application/x-www-form-urlencoded encoding. Looks like the contents depends on what sensors are connected to your weather station. I've found examples that contained other fields than I found in the data sent by the WS-5500.

For anyone else that wants to write a script to capture data from the all-in-one Alecto WS-5500 or Fine Offset WH2900, the fields below are sent in the POST request when Ecowitt protocol is selected:

stationtype=EasyWeatherV1.5.9
model=WS2900_V2.01.12
freq=868M

wh65batt=0

dateutc=2021-06-21 20:16:45

tempinf=70.9
humidityin=59
baromrelin=29.944
baromabsin=29.841
tempf=59.2
humidity=86
winddir=355
windspeedmph=2.9
windgustmph=4.5
maxdailygust=12.5
rainratein=0.000
eventrainin=0.000
hourlyrainin=0.000
dailyrainin=0.000
weeklyrainin=0.000
monthlyrainin=0.000
totalrainin=0.000
solarradiation=0.00
uv=0

Converting units

As we use different units in Belgium, I used these conversions:

• Temperature in °C: (fahrenheit - 32.0) * (5.0 / 9.0)
• Pressure in hPa: inches * 33.6585
• Speed in km/h: mph * 1.60934
• Rain in mm (or l/m^2): inches * 25.4