Campbell Scientific has introduced a new operating system, OS14 for the SkyVue PRO and CS135 ceilometer. It is fully backwards compatible. OS14 is available free of charge and can be downloaded from the Campbell Scientific website or supplied by email on request.
Upgrade to OS14 is recommended.
Improvements
OS14 has introduced improvements to overlap functions, cloud detection filters and thresholds to reduce false cloud detection at low and medium heights notably to about 1,000m.
OS14 has increased low level vertical visibility performance and stability particularly from the ground to 50m.
An option “cloudMode A“ has been added to only report the highest cloud seen during precipitation events. This has been added to further minimise the reporting of rain as low cloud.
OS14 has a new command “application n”, which allows the user to select the recommended, optimum settings for specific applications, including Aviation, Research, Air Quality and Meteorology. In addition, you can specify you own user defaults or select the original default settings for all settings as defined in earlier operating systems. OS14 is pre-configured for Meteorological use in newly purchased SkyVue PRO sensors or when OS14 is loaded onto a SkyVue PRO or CS135 running earlier operating systems. Individual user settings remain adjustable for further optimisation by the user and for use in other applications.
There is a new option to allow the user to select whether backscatter rolling averages are calculated as mean or median values. The median option is new and is more effective at removing transient signals caused by birds and insects. A new parameter has been added in the BS command to permit users to select either option. Other commands affected include “getuser” and “setuser”.
A “mainsFail” flag has been added to the output messages to indicate failure of mains power whilst operating on the backup battery.
OS14 has introduced a global ID (address) of “99” to permit users to connect to the instrument over a serial connection, if the ID is unknown.
A command “loados” has been added to make it easier to load a full new operating system. The selection of specific individual board operating systems, DSP, TOP and PSU, can still be performed and “loados 4” will continue to function, as in previous OS versions.
OS14 now has a wider range of height offsets to allow greater correction of the height of the sensor than previous OS versions.
Fixes
OS14 includes changes to Sky Condition to improve weighted average cloud heights and prevent the small possibility for arithmetic overflow which may result in a spurious layer being reported.
OS14 also includes improved backscatter filtering to reduce the possibility of noise banding when observed with Viewpoint
OS14 supersedes OS13 which had the above features and includes further optimised control of the dirty windows LED.