LavenderCAM Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about LavenderCAM.net, the webcam, weather station hardware and related systems.
The site was named after its original location in Leatherhead. It has since moved.
The site and required hardware are privately funded. Advertising helps towards the upkeep and running costs.
LavenderCAM.net has historically been optimised for Google Chrome, which is the primary browser used for testing.
To protect bandwidth and ensure a stable experience for all users, LavenderCAM.net employs dynamic bandwidth throttling during busy periods.
There may be several reasons including high viewer demand, technical issues, direct linking attempts or temporary IP restrictions due to suspected abuse.
LavenderCAM.net runs on a Hikvision DS-2CD2T87G2P-LSU/SL IP network camera uploading an H264 compressed video stream to an external video server. Your browser connects to this server to retrieve the image.
The weather station uses a Davis Vantage Pro2 Plus with a daytime fan aspirated radiation shield connected to Weather Display software for graphing and web publishing.
The rain gauge uses a tipping bucket mechanism. Rainfall below approximately 0.2mm may not register immediately.
Cloud base is estimated using the environmental lapse rate, where air cools by approximately 2°C per 1000ft until temperature and dew point converge.
The lightning detector is a Boltek LD-350. It detects radio static generated by lightning strikes and estimates strike direction and distance using signal processing techniques.