What: Learn to be a technician using Campbell Sciences’ latest monitoring equipment
When: Wednesday 19th March 2025
Where: SAMC 2025 – Champagne Sports Resort, South Africa
Who: Learn from UKZN’s Professor Alistair Clulow and TAHMO Technical Director Gilbert Mwangi

Automatic weather station technologies workshop
This workshop addresses theoretical and practical training on the use and application of measurement equipment in
the environment with a focus on automatic weather stations in mountainous regions of Southern Africa. The training
will include sensor and datalogger technology as well as power systems and direct or remote data retrieval.
Attendees will require a laptop to install free software that will be used to connect to a data logger. They will write a
program, upload the program to the data logger, wire up sensors and collect data, which will be downloaded and
checked.

The expected outcomes of the workshop are:

• an improved awareness of site selection criteria
• an increased knowledge of sensor and datalogger technologies
• the ability to program an automatic weather station and download data
• an understanding of maintenance and calibration of field-equipment

‘Measurements on Mountains’ session at Southern African Mountain Conference SAMC2025

Measurements in mountainous regions provide insight into hydrology, vegetation dynamics, plant physiology,
biodiversity and animal behaviour amongst others. Measurements of climate, and particularly rainfall, support our
need to protect mountainous regions as they provide clean water to rivers and recharge regional groundwater levels,
which support rural communities, commercial farmers and cities lower in the catchments. However, measurements
in mountainous regions can sometimes feel like an uphill struggle. Locations where measurements are required can
be remote and inaccessible. Once installed, equipment is exposed to the extreme and violent weather including high
wind speeds, hail, lightning and freezing conditions. Slopes can be steep and unstable and ridges can form provincial
or international boundaries. Baboons are curious about scientific equipment and damage items left in the field.
Uncontrolled fires can wreak havoc, and the security of batteries and solar panels is a challenge. These challenges and
complexities have resulted in a general dearth of information in mountainous regions. These challenges and cost of
equipment, including the logistics of maintaining the equipment, need to be weighed up against the value derived
from the data. Without data, it is difficult to quantify the effects of climate change and predict how biodiversity,
vegetation, and the water supply is likely to change in the future. This session is dedicated to the value of
measurements in mountainous areas and sharing knowledge around using suitable equipment to gather reliable data.
It may include experience of transboundary measurement systems, data retrieval and dissemination, and maintenance
strategies. Interesting measurements around extreme weather or variations in microclimate would be relevant.

If you are interested in being part of this workshop, please contact the Conference Secretariat (Secretariat@samc.africa) to arrange for your registration. The cost of participation is R1 000 and the number of participants is capped at 30. So don’t miss this great opportunity to learn from and with the best!

Cover image by Tim Johnson on Unsplash.