Building

Consider the following:

• What are your sensor requirements i.e. what do you want to measure?

• Will the sensor be located indoors or outdoors (i.e. will a weather shield and solar power be needed)

• How will data be read from the station:

  • direct connection via 2G,3G,4G or WIFI (FreeStationLive) or 

  • read by tethering to mobile phone 

  • relay of data to Freelay  (FreeStationLocal) 

  • or swap of SDCARD

• Go through the documentation and training materials so that you: 

  • find the right FreeStation for your needs

  • avoid ordering incorrect or insufficient components

  • avoid mistakes in construction

Building your first FreeStation will be time consuming and error prone.  After the first is working, others will be easy.

G3 documentation is in development.  Do not use whilst this notice is in place.  Expected completion Jan 2024.

To build a FreeStation you need to build the relevant sensors, a logger and - if deployed outside - the weatherproof enclosure that brings the components together as a station.  The steps are outlined fully in the links to the build docs below.  Building the FreeStation Live G3 datalogger, building the FreeStation Local G3 datalogger and Building the FreeStation Sensors.

• • Loggers (a logger takes readings from one or more sensors and records them)

    • EduStation classroom demo unit (parts: $43) - a web connected logger for classroom use only 

    • FreeStationLive Data Logger (IoT)  (parts: $84) - a web connected datalogger that can be used with any sensors. 

    • FreeStationLocal Data Logger  (parts: $54) - a datalogger  suitable for remote sites with no mobile signal

  • Stations (a station is a collection of sensors together with a logger in a weatherproof enclosure)

    • FreeStationLive  Automatic Weather Station (temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind speed and direction, solar radiation , soil moisture, IoT connected through GSM)   (parts: $180) - a web connected weather station 

    • FreeStationLocal  Automatic Weather Station (temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind speed and direction, solar radiation , soil moisture, IoT connected through GSM)   (parts: $150) - weather station suitable for remote sites with no mobile signal

  • Individual sensors: climate

    • FreeSensor raingauge (type 2) (parts: $12)

    • FreeSensor temperature/humidity Probe (type 2) (parts: $20)

    • FreeSensor pyranometer (type 2)  (parts: $10)

    • FreeSensor wind array  (parts: $26)

  • Individual sensors: hydrology

    • FreeSensor soil moisture array

    • FreeSensor water level meter (stage meter)

  • Individual sensors: ecology

    • FreeSensor wildlife camera

  • Tools

    • Freelay (field to internet relay).  Allows transfer of data from FreeStationLocal without opening the logger enclosure and where there is no mobile/WIFI signal

To build a FreeStation you need to build the relevant sensors, a logger and - if deployed outside - the weatherproof enclosure that brings the components together as a station.  The steps are outlined fully in the links to the build docs below. These links are split across three documents: Building the FreeStation Live datalogger, building the FreeStation Local datalogger and Building the FreeStation Sensors.

• • Loggers (a logger takes readings from one or more sensors and records them)

    • EduStation classroom demo unit (parts: $43) - a web connected logger for classroom use only 

    • FreeStationLive Data Logger (IoT)  (parts: $84) - a web connected datalogger that can be used with any sensors. 

    • FreeStationLocal Data Logger  (parts: $54) - a datalogger  suitable for remote sites with no mobile signal

  • Stations (a station is a collection of sensors together with a logger in a weatherproof enclosure)

    • FreeStationLive  Automatic Weather Station (temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind speed and direction, solar radiation , soil moisture, IoT connected through GSM)   (parts: $180) - a web connected weather station 

    • FreeStationLocal  Automatic Weather Station (temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind speed and direction, solar radiation , soil moisture, IoT connected through GSM)   (parts: $150) - weather station suitable for remote sites with no mobile signal

  • Individual sensors: climate

    • FreeSensor raingauge (type 2) (parts: $12)

    • FreeSensor temperature/humidity Probe (type 2) (parts: $20)

    • FreeSensor pyranometer (type 2)  (parts: $10)

    • FreeSensor wind array  (parts: $26)

  • Individual sensors: hydrology

    • FreeSensor soil moisture array

    • FreeSensor water level meter (stage meter)

  • Individual sensors: ecology

    • FreeSensor wildlife camera

  • Tools

    • Freelay (field to internet relay).  Allows transfer of data from FreeStationLocal without opening the logger enclosure and where there is no mobile/WIFI signal

    • FreeDAR.  FreeStation LIDAR for measurement of channel profiles and topographic elevation models.

To build a FreeStation you need to build the relevant sensors, a logger and - if deployed outside - the weatherproof enclosure that brings the components together as a station.  The steps are outlined fully in the links to the build docs below.

• • Loggers (a logger takes readings from one or more sensors and records them)

    • FreeStation NanoPro Data Logger  (parts: $28)

    • FreeStation Meso data logger (Pro-mini version)  (parts: $28) [French]

    • FreeStation Meso data logger (Kinguino version)

  • Stations (a station is a collection of sensors together with a logger in a weatherproof enclosure)

    • FreeStation Micro/Meso Automatic Weather Station (temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind speed and direction, solar radiation , soil moisture)   (parts: $150)

  • Individual sensors: climate

    • FreeSensor raingauge (parts: $12)

    • FreeSensor temperature/humidity Probe (parts: $20)

    • FreeSensor pyranometer  (parts: $10)

    • FreeSensor wind array  (parts: $26)

    • FreeSensor fog gauge

    • FreeSensor wind-driven rain gauge

  • Individual sensors: hydrology

    • FreeSensor soil moisture array

  • Individual sensors: ecology

    • FreeSensor wildlife camera

FreeStation uses the Arduino and Particle families of microprocessor development boards to provide cheap, flexible sensor control, datalogging and communications.  All FreeStations can be built with widely available Arduino Pro mini 3.3V clones or  Particle WiFi, cellular or mesh devices.  

With Arduino, FreeStation has worked with Andice Labs to produce an Atmel644 version of the Anduno development board which we call the Kinguino. The Kinguino is a high memory,  ultra-low power version of the Arduino, designed for environmental monitoring applications,  with the following advantages:

• • Ultra low-power

  • The ability to programmatically switch off shields when not in use, for power saving

  • Arduino UNO form factor for compatibility with a range of shields

  • The ATmega 644 processor provides more memory for more sophisticated programming and control

  • The ATmega 644 provides more pins to attach sensors

• FreeStation and FreeSensor designs are made freely available  for non-commercial or commercial use with the following conditions.   Any organisation using, modifying and/ or selling our open source designs, whether for profit or not, must abide by these conditions.

  • Makers must retain the FreeStation/FreeSensor name on the equipment and run the FreeStation/FreeSensor firmware provided so that stations contribute to a global open-source database. 

  • Any third party modifications to our open source designs must also be open sourced and should maintain a high quality and robust build. 

  • FreeStation is not responsible for any loss or injury associated with your making of our stations and use of our designs.  We shall not be made liable for any consequential, incidental, indirect, special, punitive or exemplary damages resulting from the use of this hardware.

  • These materials are provided without warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.