Yes. All three consoles – HP2551CA, WS6006CE and HP2553CA – share the same 433MHz Ecowitt sensor network, so you can add a WH51 wireless soil moisture probe, or several on separate channels, and read live root-zone moisture on the same display alongside your weather data.

The HP2551CA is a Wi-Fi station: it needs a farm office or home network and pushes data to the internet over Wi-Fi. The WS6006CE is built for sites with no Wi-Fi at all. It uses a 4G SIM card to log data and can text weather alerts and readings to up to three phones, running entirely on solar and battery power.

The HP2551CA and HP2553CA need a Wi-Fi network with internet access to push live data online, though the console still works locally without it. The WS6006CE only needs cellular signal and a data and SMS enabled SIM card, with no Wi-Fi or fixed internet line required.

The cup-and-vane sensor arrays on the HP2551CA and WS6006CE transmit up to 100 metres line of sight. The HP2553CA's ultrasonic anemometer and separate rain gauge extend that to roughly 200 metres line of sight.

The ultrasonic anemometer on the HP2553CA has no spinning cups or vane bearings to wear out, seize with dust, or need re-greasing, and it updates wind readings roughly every 4.8 seconds versus 16 seconds on the standard sensor. It suits dusty, salty or very windy sites, such as coastal or high-altitude farms, where moving parts fail faster.

No. Each kit needs its own pole of 40 to 50mm diameter for the outdoor sensor array and rain gauge. Mounting poles are not supplied with any of the three kits.

Yes. The HP2551CA, WS6006CE and HP2553CA carry ICASA type-approval certification for their 433MHz radio sensors, so they are cleared for use on South African farms and properties.

Yes. All three consoles let you set high and low alarm thresholds for temperature, wind, rain and pressure. The WS6006CE can also push those alerts as SMS messages to up to three phones, and the Wi-Fi models can forward alerts through the Ecowitt app once linked to a web server.