La Crosse WS-9075U Wireless Weather Station

The La Crosse WS-9075U Wireless Weather Station with moon phase and atomic clock offers handsome styling plus a generous complement of features. This weather station's large, backlit 5-section LCD panel displays indoor and outdoor temperature and indoor humidity. Recorded minimum and maximum values and the associated times and dates for these measurements are available for display at the push of a button. Over the course of a month, the station also displays 12 different phases of the moon along with a tide indication (high, mid, or low). One of three weather-forecasting icons plus a barometric pressure tendency arrow accurately predict the weather for the next 12 to 24 hours. The integral radio-controlled (atomic) clock has both a time display (12-hour or 24-hour) and a calendar display plus a single daily alarm.

Along with indoor temperature and humidity, the WS-9075U provides an indoor comfort indication based on humidity. The word "comfort" above the indoor humidity display indicates that the relative humidity is between 45% and 65%. The word "wet" or "dry" appears instead if the relative humidity is above or below the comfort range, respectively.

Outdoor temperature is transmitted to the WS-9075U via an included TX6U remote sensor/transmitter. The station can actually receive signals from up to 3 transmitters and from a maximum distance of 330 feet (100 meters). Additional transmitters are optional and sold separately. If additional transmitters are used, a channel display indicates the selected transmitter.

For this station, two different remote transmitters are available. The TX6U (the one included with the station) reports outdoor temperature but has no display of its own. The TX3UP senses temperature via a waterproof probe on a 10-foot (3-meter) wire for use in pools, spas, soil, etc., and has a display. The TX6U can be used in sub-freezing temperatures when equipped with AA lithium batteries instead of alkaline. At the time of this writing, at least one manufacturer is offering AAA lithium batteries, so this is now technically true for the TX3UP as well.

Note: A remote with lithium batteries should operate down to about -40°F (-40°C). However, if that remote has a display, the display will probably fade out at about 0°F (-17.8°C). This is normal behavior for liquid crystals, and the display will reappear when the temperature warms up.

The WS-9075U keeps a record of the minimum and maximum indoor and outdoor temperatures and indoor humidity it has recorded. These, along with the times and dates of recording, are available at the push of a button. When a minimum or maximum temperature or humidity value is displayed, both the value and its time and date (shown in the top line of the display) flash to let you know you have selected a record from memory. After 20 seconds, the displays cease flashing and return to normal. Resetting of the temperature and humidity records is done manually.

The station also has a weather-forecasting feature with three indicator icons: sunny, partly cloudy, and rainy. The weather-forecasting feature senses barometric pressure over time and adjusts the indicator icons to provide accurate forecasts for the next 12 to 24 hours based on pressure trends. Barometric-pressure tendency arrows are displayed along with the forecast icons. The forecast icon can be set for 3 different sensitivity levels, depending on how quickly weather conditions change in your area. The default is 2 (normal sensitivity). If your location normally experiences rapid weather changes, you can select 1 (maximum sensitivity). If weather changes in your area occur slowly, you can select 3 (low sensitivity).

A few words on the WS-9075U's LCD moon phase display are in order. This station's display differs from those of earlier La Crosse Technology time and weather products. For the earlier products, the sections of the moon icon fill in as the moon waxes. As a result, the full moon is represented by a completely black moon icon. Apparently, this has been confusing to some folks. A full moon should be white (well, gray on an LCD panel), right? In response, La Crosse Technology has endowed the WS-9075U with a moon phase icon that is completely black for a new moon (no moon visible). As the moon waxes, fewer and fewer sections of the icon remain filled in until no sections are black and an empty circle represents the full moon.

As the WS-9075U comes from the factory, its Animation option is set to On. This means that portions of the weather icons and also the stars in the moon phase display flash. This adds visual interest and makes the LCD panel fun to view. If desired, however, you can easily set Animation to Off so that the flashing items remain displayed continuously.

An incredibly accurate radio-controlled atomic clock with calendar display and daily alarm rounds out the many features of this station. The clock calibrates itself to the world's most accurate clock every night by receiving WWVB radio transmissions. These transmissions contain time information from the U.S. atomic clock source, operated by the U.S. Commerce Department near Boulder, Colorado. The built-in antenna ensures reliable signal reception up to 2000 miles (3200km) from the WWVB transmitter. The time zone can be set for GMT +/-12 hours and is displayed during setup only. The factory-default time zone is EST, or -5 hours from GMT. A radio tower and waves icon indicates reception of radio-controlled timing signals.

The WS-9075U has a wide array of user-programmable functions. Temperatures can be displayed in °F or °C. The pressure threshold at which the forecasting icons change can be set for any of three sensitivity levels. Time can be displayed as 12-hour or 24-hour, and the clock can be optioned to automatically adjust for daylight saving time. Also, the clock can be optioned for manual setting, in which case radio reception is disabled and the clock functions as an ordinary quartz clock. As mentioned above, the Animation feature can be turned off or on. Even the LCD display contrast can be adjusted for any of 8 different levels.

Size-wise, this station is on the small side of medium at just over 7 inches tall. It is cleanly and simply styled, with a two-tone case in semi-metallic colors. One color is a medium silver, and the other is a champagne gold. These colors look great together, and because they are quite neutral, the station will blend in nicely with almost any decor. The WS-9075U can be mounted on a wall, or you can fold the integral stand out and place the station on a desk, shelf, or table.

The WS-9075U is powered from three AA alkaline batteries, and the TX6U remote transmitter is powered from two AA alkaline batteries. As mentioned above, lithium AA batteries are recommended instead of alkaline for the TX6U remote if it will be used in sub-freezing temperatures. Batteries are not included and must be purchased separately.

Note: On the back of the WS-9075U's package, one of the listed features is "LED Backlight." Since a backlight is not mentioned in the instruction manual, we tested the station in our low-light environmental test lab (the windowless restroom in our warehouse) and found that it has no backlight. We think that the feature in the list should have been "LCD Contrast Setting" instead.

• Clock sets automatically to WWVB 60 kHz radio signal (manual setting is also possible).
• 12-hour or 24-hour time display (hour, minute, second), with am or pm displayed in 12-hour time.
• Calendar display with numeric month and date.
• Single daily alarm.
• Time zone setting (GMT +/-12 hours).
• Daylight saving time ON/OFF option.
• 12 moon phases displayed throughout each month.
• Tide indication (high, mid, or low) displayed along with moon phase.
• Display of current indoor temperature (in either °F or °C) and indoor relative humidity (in %) with minimum and maximum recordings and times and dates of reception.
• Indoor comfort-level indication (comfort, dry, or wet).
• Three weather-forecasting icons.
• Barometric pressure tendency indicator arrows.
• Animation option: when set to On, portions of forecast icons and stars in moon phase display flash.
• Display of current outdoor temperature (in either °F or °C) with minimum and maximum recordings and times and dates of reception.
• Can receive and display information from up to three outdoor transmitters (one TX6U thermo remote is included; additional remotes are optional and sold separately).
• Animation option: when set to On, portions of the forecast icons and the stars in moon phase display flash.
• LCD panel contrast selectable for 8 different levels.
• Low-battery condition indicated by battery icon in indoor area of display.
• Station powered by two AA (1.5V) alkaline batteries (not included).
• Remote transmitter (TX6U) powered by two AA (1.5V) alkaline batteries (not included). For use in sub-freezing temperatures, lithium AA batteries are recommended instead of alkaline.
• Station is designed for either wall mounting or, via integral fold-out stand, desk/shelf/table placement.
• TX6U remote is a wall-mount unit.

WS-9075U Station Specifications:

• Radio-controlled time signal: WWVB, 60kHz
• Recommended operating temperature (station):
  32°F to 122°F (0° to 50°C)
• Indoor temperature measuring range:
  14.1°F to 139.8°F with 0.2°F resolution
  -9.9°C to 59.9°C with 0.1°C resolution
  ("OFL" is displayed if outside this range)
• Outdoor temperature measuring range:
  -21.9°F to 157.8°F with 0.2°F resolution
  -29.9°C to 69.9°C with 0.1°C resolution
  ("OFL" is displayed if outside this range)
• Indoor relative humidity measuring range:
  1% to 99% with 1% resolution
  ("- -" is displayed if outside this range)
• Data checking intervals:
  Indoor temperature: every 15 seconds
  Indoor relative humidity: every 20 seconds
  Outdoor temperature and humidity (by remote sensor): every 1 minute
  Outdoor temperature reception (by main unit): every 5 minutes
• Transmission/reception range: 330 feet (100 meters) maximum in open space with no interference
• Station dimensions:
  3.97 inches (101 mm) wide
  7.04 inches (179 mm) high
  1.22 inches (31 mm) deep with integral stand folded in

• Remote transmission of outdoor temperature to station via 433.92 MHz signals
• Transmission range when used with WS-9075U main station: 330 feet (100 meters) in open space with no interference
• Temperature checking interval: every 1 minute, with reception by station every 5 minutes
• Rainproof case
• Wall mounting
• Power source: two AA (1.5V) alkaline batteries (not included). For use in sub-freezing temperatures, lithium AA batteries are recommended instead of alkaline.
• Remote transmitter dimensions:
  1.57 inches (40 mm) wide
  5.04 inches (128 mm) high
  0.9 inch (23 mm) deep

WWVB (the station’s identification just like any other radio station) continuously broadcasts time and frequency signals at 60 kHz. The carrier frequency provides a stable frequency reference traceable to the national standard. There are no voice announcements on the station, but a time code is synchronized with the 60 kHz carrier and is broadcast continuously at a rate of 1 bit per second using pulse width modulation. The time code contains the year, day of year, hour, minute, second, and flags that indicate the status of daylight saving time, leap years, and leap seconds.

The Integral Atomic Clock:

The atomic clock integral to the WS-9075U maintains its incredible accuracy by automatically tuning into the WWVB radio signal. The built-in antenna ensures reliable signal reception up to 2000 miles (3200 km) from the WWVB transmitter. As a result, the clock will calibrate to the atomic clock not only throughout the mainland U.S. but also in much of Canada. You need only insert the batteries, wait until the signal is received, and program the desired additional settings. In locations outside of WWVB range, the clock can be manually set and will provide the high degree of accuracy of any quality quartz clock.

In a nutshell, here's how the the atomic clock works: The clock's antenna is specifically tuned for optimal reception of the 60 kHz time signal. The time signal received on the antenna is demodulated by an onboard receiver, which sends the information to the clock's CMOS microprocessor for decoding. Once your clock has automatically set its time for the first time, it ensures continuing accuracy by automatically tuning into the WWVB radio signal between midnight and 6:00 a.m. As long as your clock is kept within transmitter range, it will continue to display the absolutely precise time, automatically adjusting for summer time/winter time changeovers if the daylight saving time option is ON. Should you move your clock out of transmitter range for an extended period of time, the clock will continue to operate as a highly accurate quartz-controlled clock. Upon re-entering the transmitter range, your clock will correct itself again to the precise WWVB time signal.