Backyard Stations FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions about WeatherBug Backyard Stations:

My Backyard Station is not showing up on WeatherBug Backyard.

There could be multiple reasons why your Backyard Station is not showing up on WeatherBug Backyard.

1. Check to ensure that the publishing software or hardware appliance you are using to send us your data is properly configured for use on our network. You usually have to check a box in the software to enable WeatherBug Backyard publishing, plus you usually have to enter three values you received during the Backyard Stations registration process:

Publisher ID: This is a set of numbers that begins with a lowercase p.

Station Number: This is another set of random numbers generated by the Backyard Stations registration process. 

Station Password: This is the password that was generated during the Backyard Stations registration process, not the Backyard Community registration process.

2. It usually takes up to three days once your Backyard Station has begun transmitting data to our network for the first time before your Backyard Station appears on our network. Please wait at least three days before contacting Backyard Stations support to see if your Backyard Station begins appearing on our network. The only exception is international stations.

3. If you are an international station, your Backyard Station needs to be manually enabled to appear on our network. Please contact Backyard Stations support and we’ll manually enable your Backyard Station on our network.

4. If you would like to test to ensure we are receiving your Backyard Station data, click on the link below and replace p01234 with your Publisher ID and 5678 with your Station Number in the address bar. When your Backyard Station appears, check in the upper right corner to see if the status shows success or failure. If the status shows failure, post a request in our Backyard Stations support group or contact Backyard Stations support.

http://data.backyard2.weatherbug.com/data/ecv.aspx?ID=p01234&NUM=5678

5. There may also be an issue with your latitude/longitude or time zone causing your Backyard Station data not to appear correctly on WeatherBug Backyard. If you believe this is the case, please contact Backyard Stations support with your latitude/longitude and time zone information, and we will work to update it in our system.

I need to use my Backyard Station with multiple weather applications at once (WeatherLink, Ambient VWS, etc.). How can I do this?
There's a handy application called VirtualVP that allows users with DAVIS stations to accomplish this. It allows users to map their Backyard Station's WeatherLink data logger data to multiple weather station applications at once. It's about $30 for a downloadable license.

Are non-DAVIS stations compatible with WeatherBug Backyard?
Some popular lower-priced weather stations are compatible with WeatherBug Backyard. To see a list of recommended stations, click here. If you are not sure whether or not your Backyard Station will publish to WeatherBug Backyard, feel free to contact Backyard Stations support. If it is compatible with one of the publisher software or hardware appliances listed here, it should work. For the ultimate in quality and reliability, however, we highly recommend a DAVIS station. The new Vantage Vue is affordable yet still offers exceptional quality and reliability.

I don't own any kind of a Backyard Station. Can I still join the Backyard Community?
Absolutely! You can still join the WeatherBug Backyard Community as a member and join in all of our weather discussions and groups. Owning a WeatherBug Backyard Station is optional and is simply a nice addition to have if you want to send us your live weather conditions. It is not required to own a Backyard Station in order to become a member of the WeatherBug Backyard Community.

Where can I get support for WeatherBug Backyard Stations?
For support on DAVIS stations, try accessing the DAVIS Support Site. It is chock full of information that will help you troubleshoot issues with your Backyard Station, as well as provide contact information to DAVIS Support. DAVIS also offers a free monthly eNewsletter that is filled with tips and helpful information for owners of Backyard Stations. For non-DAVIS Backyard Stations and/or third party software or hardware appliances, try accessing the support site of the company who distributes it, or try contacting the company’s support department directly.

Additionally, users can post a message on our Backyard Stations support group, or contact Backyard Stations support directly for assistance with their Backyard Station issues.

I'm a developer. Can I add Backyard Stations publishing features to my weather apps?
Absolutely. Click Here to download a copy of our Backyard Stations publishing API. For assistance with our Backyard Stations publishing API, please checkout the Backyard Developers support group.

I'm a school, business, or with the government, agriculture, or media. How do I join WeatherBug?

If you are a school, business, or with the government, agriculture, or media, click here to check out our professional solutions from Earth Networks. Earth Networks is WeatherBug's parent company and provides all of the solutions for professional users. WeatherBug Backyard is the network of personal weather stations in individual's backyards.