<div><strong>About Me and the Met Instruments Project</strong>
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<div>I'm an independent meteorological instrumentation developer based in the St. Louis, Missouri area and the founder of the Met Instruments Project (MIP), an initiative I have been building to develop reliable, cost-efficient observing systems for atmospheric research.
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<div>Over the past several years, I've invested my own time and resources into acquiring scientific instrumentation, developing data acquisition software, and designing observing systems capable of supporting real-world meteorological research.
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<div>One of these systems, the Quickly Deployable Automated Weather Station (QDAWS), is currently operating at Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Missouri, where it is undergoing a long-term performance characterization study.
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<div><strong>Building MIP's First Mobile Mesonet</strong>
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<div>I am now working toward completing MIP's first mobile mesonet, a vehicle-mounted observing system capable of collecting high-resolution atmospheric measurements while in motion. Much of the engineering and software development has already been completed, and I've acquired several of the major instruments needed for its construction.
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<div>Unlike a stationary weather station, a mobile mesonet can collect atmospheric measurements across different locations while traveling. This allows researchers to investigate spatial variations in temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind that would otherwise require multiple fixed observing stations to capture.
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<div><em>MIP's mobile mesonet visualization and data acquisition interface, currently under development.</em>
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<div><strong>How Your Contribution Will Help</strong>
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<div>I'm raising $4,000 to purchase the remaining instrumentation, structural materials, and custom-fabricated components necessary to complete the system.
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<div>If the fundraising goal is not fully reached, contributions will still be directed toward acquiring the remaining equipment and materials as resources permit. Development will continue incrementally, with purchases prioritized according to the system's remaining requirements.
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<div><strong>What Happens After Construction?</strong>
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<div>Once operational, the mobile mesonet will begin its own independent performance characterization program, concurrent with the ongoing QDAWS study. Completing this system will allow MIP to expand beyond fixed observing stations and establish a complementary mobile atmospheric research capability.
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<div><strong>Project Updates and Transparency</strong>
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<div>As development progresses, I intend to share updates documenting equipment acquisition, system assembly, initial testing, and the results of its performance characterization. I want supporters to be able to follow the project's progress and see how their contributions are being put to use.
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<div><strong>Looking Toward the Future</strong>
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<div>My long-term goal is to make reliable, research-grade meteorological observing capabilities more accessible to researchers and collaborative field projects that might otherwise lack the resources to deploy their own instrumentation.
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<div>Any contribution, big or small, would help build upon the work I've already invested and bring MIP's first mobile mesonet into operation.
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<div>To learn more about the Met Instruments Project and its ongoing work, <a href="https://www.met-instruments-project.com/about/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">visit the MIP website</a>.
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Help Build MIP's First Mobile Mesonet

Still $3,370 to go. Help us build momentum.