The Brookstone Weather Forecaster Has Called it Quits.

UPDATE It still works! Might have just been a network outage of sorts.
• *Update!* Brookstone W...
Some of you may remember I made a video of this device in 2021. Well unfortunately I think it has since stopped working. While I am bummed about it, as it was a really cool device in terms of what and where it would show you, I have had it for 12 years now so it did last a long time.
I'll probably eventually get a new device at some point. Just gotta look around for which would be a good one.

[@Sharkie626]

*UPDATE* The device still works! Turns out it may have just been a network problem. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kIesi6yhiMulj7M

[@annritter7927]

My Brookstone weather station stopped working for a few days but has since starting working again! Yippee!

[@Sharkie626]

Someone else just said something similar! I’ll check mine out once I am home from work

[@allenbrown2030]

My 94-year-old mother, who has the same model as yours, just called me to say that hers is back on-line. She's so happy that she's now sure she'll make it to 95 later this year.

[@Sharkie626]

Good to hear that a lot seem to be saying theirs is working again! I’ll check mine when I get home.

[@danomeara8454]

Same here...This was a great product, no difficult set-up and lasted for many years on our refrigerator with its magnetic backing . Wish Brookstone would reissue!!

[@Sharkie626]

Some have said that it could be a temporary network thing, but it could also be a discontinued service. I guess I can wait a little while to see if something happens.

[@kjmartin10]

Ours just came back up today with the weather and the correct temp

[@Sharkie626]

That’s good! I’ll check mine out when I get home.

[@briancarlin1817]

Mine just came back to life today 9/9/2022. I was about to pitch it as all information was zero's but I gave it one more try after leaving the batteries out for a few days. Put the same ones back in a BOOM it is working once again!

[@pata3267]

I’ve had a Brookstone 5-Day Weather Forecaster for many, many, many, many years. The current one I have is actually my second, as something happened to the first one, and Brookstone replaced it (for free). I LOVE this thing, and rely on looking at it several times a day. I just thought I’d contribute a comment to get down for posterity. I won’t recount the details of the emotional upset I’ve been through since the data stopped updating on September 1, as the little 5-Day Weather Forecaster came back to life when I put the batteries back in it two days ago - truly a happy moment in my life!!! When it stopped updating, how many, like me, went on a FRANTIC search for a replacement, only to find out there is nothing like this that exists (at least nothing acceptable I could find during the many hours of searching I conducted over a two-week period)? What if something eventually happens to our sacred 5-Day Forecaster? This is not good. I fully realize that I can get the same info (and much more) in the weather apps I have on my phone, but it’s not as convenient as just glancing at the device sitting right there - something simple, that looks ahead, AND gives the current “Feels Like” temperature, a real favorite feature of mine. I’m going to read through all the comments here to see if anyone has mentioned finding a suitable replacement, though I hope we never need to replace what we have and love!

[@wu1279]

Hello, our Brookstone weather station, which was made by and sent signals from Ambient, also stopped functioning sometime in the past couple of days. I found many reports of similar pro with Brookstone and Bushnell products. Brookstone support told me this was a product of a former Brookstone that went bankrupt, and that Ambient would no longer send the signals. The today (9/7) I and many others started getting their signal again. So check yours and don’t toss it yet!

[@Sharkie626]

Looks like mine is good again! I'll probably make an update video today.

[@laurah.8382]

Mine started working today also!

[@Sharkie626]

That's great! I'm glad it was something temporary.

[@jimthie2736]

Mine *had* same issue. Just started working again on its own.

[@Sharkie626]

Yeah seems a lot are saying such! I’ll check mine out when I get home later.

[@aissaalexeeva2528]

Mine also stopped working, but one day it came back!

[@jaykay18]

Ah, that sucks. Well, since it has died, and you have nothing to lose, here's something you can try. I know this is going to sound weird, but take the batteries out and install them BACKWARDS for a count of 5. Then take them out and put them back in the normal way. Occasionally it has transient voltage inside, and that may alleviate the problem, and allow the chips to reset. Another thing it could be--since it has all of those cities and the weather forecast, it has to wirelessly download that information. How does it do it wirelessly? Over the cell network, I'd imagine. Since 2010, they've shut off 2G and even 3G. Perhaps is simply cannot download any further information so it just sits there _with a blank look on it's face._ Thank you, I'll be here all the week! As for a replacement, well, although I haven't searched, all of the ones I have use an outdoor sensor. You can easily find a good spot for that; I keep mine in the screen room in the back, so it's covered, yet outdoors. That sensor feeds 3 stations inside the house. However, all it's going to do is show indoor and outdoor humidity, temperature, barometric pressure, and will have a weather forecast strictly based upon barometric trends. None of the ones I have do anything more than that. I can tell you that the one right next to me at this moment is forecasting rain for tomorrow, which is correct. Of course it won't always be, so take that information with a grain of salt. I was also sent a more advanced weather station, which collects all of the previous information but also tells you the rainfall, wind speed and direction, and a few other things. Many of the ones today, the indoor part that you look at, will need to be plugged in, since they use a color LCD that requires a backlight. Most have the option of being plugged in (with adapter), but also take batteries; the caveat is that on batteries, the display will be blank, and you'd have to make some noise such as clapping your hands to cause the display to come on so you can read it. It comes on and goes out maybe 5-10 seconds later to save battery power. For a basic weather station, the Doveet brand is the one I was sent. The more advanced one is by Sainlogic. I like the Doveet brand because it happens to use the same transmitter frequency as 2 other weather stations that I have. A quick search on Amazon reveals these are the types available today; finding a diamond in the rough like what you had, with those features, is going to be an extensive search. A couple of the more expensive ones with the advanced outdoor sensors for rainfall and wind speed also offer wi-fi connections; I'd imagine all that's going to pull in is the time.

[@yalekthelembine0391]

I disagree with what weather stations use afa getting their data. They are using 433 MHz, and perhaps 900 MHz to get their data. 3G existed at 870 MHz and 1800 MHz. The 433 and 900 bands are called ISM bands for that reason. If they were using 2G and 3G there would be no way they could get their data, let alone 4G and 5G. 4G uses 620-630 and 730-770 MHz bands. 5G uses 630-640 and 20000-30000 MHz with it's UFMC so called modulation.

[@jaykay18]

@@yalekthelembine0391 After some research, it appears that a lot of these use FM radio to receive the data. 3 years ago, some later Brookstone weather stations, as well as any manufactured by Ambient, stopped receiving data since the transmitter was turned off. This likely used some other service, probably also over FM radio, that has since been turned off.

[@yalekthelembine0391]

@@jaykay18 any weather station can use any modulation for as long as it can be around. The ISM Ones used AM though, but I never seen them use FM yet. But the service is usually tended for ISM at 433 Mhz and 910-920 Mhz

[@Sharkie626]

This is what happens when things are bought in New York hun! It is possible that some service it used was getting stopped. I did the try the battery trick ya said, but no such results. Seems it's done. I'll check out those suggestions that you mentioned. I did do a short Amazon search earlier so maybe some of the results I saw were one of your suggestions. It's definitely not the end of the world if a sensor or two is needed. If I were to use an outdoor sensor, I think I know of a good spot; the kitchen of the cabana, maybe above or next to the storage room door. It's the best spot where it is still "outside" but covered and out of direct sunlight. Probably the only thing that would throw it off would be when the grill is occasionally used. But that's very temporary, so I think that should be okay. Yeah said kitchen does get covered in the winter, but it's not a 100% sealed environment, so it should still be accurate I think. Extra things like wind speed and rainfall I can easily do without. While kinda cool to be able to see, it's not the most important, at least in my opinion.

[@jaykay18]

@@Sharkie626 In that case, any of them ought to work. As for the sensor, you will have to try different locations and see what works best. I think the cabana is the best spot, though when covered, it may cause signal blockage. I'd place it in there and try it out, then wait until it's closed up. If it still updates, you found a good spot; if not then it's time to find another. As you probably remember, I have mine in the screen room right by the computer, just sitting there. It makes it to the office and the spare bedroom upstairs just fine. I have tried placing it in the garage, and the signal will not make it to the weather stations which are on opposite ends of the house with too many walls to go through.

[@paulpiket5151]

Earlier today, mine suddenly began working also.

[@Sharkie626]

As did mine! Got an update video.

[@jerrykeys3851]

Likewise, mine was inoperable but moments ago became functionable. I'd assume that it was a network problem but would like a definitive explanation.

[@Sharkie626]

Oh okay! I’ll check mine out once I am home from work.

[@joevaschak3073]

I had the exact same issue as your video. It started last week around Aug 29/30 with the current weather temp staying at 80 for a few days. I changed the batteries on Sep 2 and now it’s just been a blank screen everyday.

[@Sharkie626]

Yeah, sounds more like it is some network problem now.

[@paulpiket5151]

Pretty much the same problem as others are describing here, and in the video -- temp stuck at 81 degrees, no readout at all today, changing batteries doesn't help, device says it found a network but does nothing. Oh, well -- I bought mine a few years ago at a thrift store (original box and packaging, looked liked it was never used) for $5, so I'm not crying over it too much. But it was fun little gizmo.

[@Sharkie626]

Yeah it's possible that there was some service that was discontinued, at least that's what some others are saying. Unsure if it is temporary or permanent. I'm willing to wait a little while and see what happens.

[@Krazy_Shorts]

Mine seems to be not working. I have 2 of them and they both don't work., not retrieving data with new batteries. Does this get data via 3g?? Isn't 3G going offline soon, or maybe has already.

[@Sharkie626]

Yeah mine seems to be acting up again as well. It came back, and now is doing this again. Maybe stuff is being updated? Not sure though. Hopefully it comes back.

[@yalekthelembine0391]

It's more or less the transmitter went out. Doesn't that station come with a transmitter at 433 MHz? Almost all weather stations including a vast majority of ISM devices allocate to 433 MHz and can do the same things here.

[@jamielundquist238]

Mine just stopped working a few days ago also. Wondered if Martians had knocked out a satellite or something. Very sad, I used it every day.

[@Sharkie626]

Some seem to be saying their’s is working again. Is yours? I can’t check mine at the moment.

[@laurah.8382]

I’ve had this weather forecaster for YEARS, and it stopped working just a few days ago as well. Sounds like there are theories, but nothing definitive as to why this happened. It sits on my bathroom counter and I look at it everyday. I’m so sad.

[@Sharkie626]

Some seem to be saying their’s is working again. Is yours? I can’t check mine at the moment.

[@christinevalway7157]

Same thing happened to mine. Does anyone know of something similar on the market that operates just like this one - without a sensor? Just pop in batteries and set to the nearest city? I can't find anything on the market...but there must be something!

[@Sharkie626]

Some seem to be saying their’s is working again. Is yours as well? I can’t check mine at the moment.

[@Bluethunderboom]

I'm not sure that FCC changes the regulations for the signal or they are no longer supported to this device due to out-of-date software where it is difficult to maintain the software for security purposes and so forth. Have you ever heard that FCC continues to sell TV spectrum on UHF band to cellphone companies where they are going to expand the network including 5G and 6G?

[@Sharkie626]

Yeah that could be the reason too. I'm gonna wait a couple of weeks and see if anything changes.

[@Bluethunderboom]

Now as for my weather forecast for metro Louisville area, I could not be able to hear the current forecast other than the 7 day forecast and the Hazardous Weather Outlook from NOAA weather radio, and what's weird about is back on August 25 in my own guess, when I was listening to WZ2523 weather station, it keeps repeating the identification of the weather radio and the current time, and for KIH43, I keep hearing the Hazardous Weather Outlook repeatedly and along with the current time, it tells me that their computer data has a technical problem, and I don't know that the troposphere effect really causes computer data to go mind of its own (especially the BMH (Broadcast Message Handler) is what I really despised that technology), and I don't know that they are going to resolve the issue for their computer data, and to have their computer data get back where it was and get it squared away on the regular basis so everyone need to know the weather forecast for the area 24/7. Weather forecast is extremely important to know the weather conditions and the weather predictions.

[@lexlarkin]

I would disable the PLL circuit, then slightly de-tune the SAW resonator to encompass the range from 429.9 to 433.1 MHz. Alternatively you could wipe the EEPROM code, then upload the above-referenced RF code. Probably won't work but all you're out is a few hours of time. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@Sharkie626]

Unfortunately, I don't know how to do any of that. Heh.

[@lexlarkin]

@@Sharkie626 👍

[@dustyclore7406]

Let me let you know, the same thing happened to me and it started Friday. I am not getting any information on mine either even though it says network found. Maybe it’s a problem on there end. I am going to wait a week to see if it eventually picks up a signal as it is a holiday this week and see if it is fixed by then. However you are not the only one with no information coming in, just letting you know.

[@Sharkie626]

Oh yeah? That's interesting. Okay maybe I can wait a while to see if it comes back. Would be cool if it is just a temporary thing.

[@Hyper90992]

Same thing happened to me

[@Sharkie626]

@@Hyper90992 Interesting. So, maybe there is some kind of network outage.

[@dustyclore7406]

@@Hyper90992 no I called the company today, and they discontinued with that product and once you remove the batteries it will no longer pick up the signal. They are not involved with the makers of the ambient weather calendar clock anymore. You can throw it away. They are no longer serving the brookstone design USA ambient clock anymore