Barometer Installation
Barometers are instruments used to measure atmospheric pressure. To ensure that yours delivers accurate readings, you must calibrate it against a professionally maintained reference source. If you fail to do so, you cannot be sure if the data you collect is accurate, making it useful only for discovering general trends in atmospheric pressure.
Barometric pressure sensors are usually placed inside the indoor display console of a weather station, making the position of the console itself important as the physical environment it is in will affect the pressure measurements. Ideally, you should install the display console indoors where the temperature is fairly constant.
The elevation of your weather station will also affect the barometer’s measurements and is one of the reasons why the barometer must be calibrated. All its measures of air pressure refer to sea level and calibration against a reference source removes the effect of a different elevation so that it doesn’t matter where the station is placed.
Calibrating the barometer is usually a very simple matter. The Bureau of Meteorology is Australia's national weather, climate and water agency and tests their barometric pressure sensors regularly The BoM is a reliable reference source whose measurements you can safely calibrate your barometer to. Simply go to their website and find the pressure reading that is closest to you.
You should be aware of the fact that barometers are limited in the altitudes at which they can perform. Most manufacturers will tell you how high above sea level they can be placed, with 2,000 meters being a common maximum height. The altitude rating is something that is important to consider if you plan to put your weather station around or above an elevation of 2,000 meters.