The heart of DigiWx is a 15 foot tower which contains instruments which record wind, altimeter, pressure, temperature, and humidity. The weather information is continuously broadcast at 460 MHz and can be received by any pilot who carries a hand-held receiver. The receiver is powered by AAA batteries which supply up to 14 hours of continuous operation. The DigiWx weather tower is powered by 110 volt AC or an optional solar panel. A lead acid battery provides up to 96 hours of backup power.
Installation time is estimated at half a day.
In addition to the meteorological information, the tower transmits the local runway heading and the latitude and longitude of the airport. The 2 watts of transmission power and 464 MHz frequency are designed to prevent interference with normal aircraft radio transmissions. The semi-portable DigiWx system is ideal for temporary airfields, such as a remote construction site, as well as permanent uncontrolled airports. If you are a student pilot who is having trouble learning the intricacies of radio communications, you might be interested in a CD-ROM interactive communications trainer. The VFR CD contains 6 hours of comprehensive radio training.