>Over here high temperatures not seen for the past decades. All dry, 
lots of
bush fires. Not much honey.30% of expectations  harvested (and sold) at 
the
present moment. We are in a sort of "waiting" mode, expecting the Ulmo 
to
bloom, but who knows ... weather turned wet and cold now.

A couple things vary.
1) Things.
2) How far these things, vary.
 - (Which, + & - swings, change over years, decades, centuries.)

>This have giving me time for thinking on new gadgets and their real
usefullness.

Ahh yes. We humans love our toys...! ;>)

>I have always wanted to put a hive in a scale, but had never done so,
basically for three reason:

a.- I won't be constant enough for taking daily reading (less with a 
higher
frecuency)
b.- One hive is not statistically significant.
c.- How to interpret the data.

Well, it is somewhat statistically significant foir THAT hive, and
THAT area. If you are weighing yourself, you are statistically 
significant
to yourself. others, sure, they form a loose parameter or "too slow"
and "what will kill you in the attempt."

>I am working on a.- and b.- by means of technology and money 
(replication of
that technology)
>So I will like to work with you on c.-
How to use that "instantly gathered data of each hive in the world" for
taking managment desitions?

Instantly? Don't. Maybe graph and project it in Excel or on a
paper graph. take action before, a danger point looms too close.
YOUR hive, area, may be a honey hive, but is... as you are, unique.
You ask for numbers that, if generated, are proprietary at this point.
And maybe full of holes or hot air.  Make your own numbers.
Adjust, Feedback, learn, UnLearn, constantly. Then...
Things will change again, but you will be moving and awake.

>I have no idea what to expect. I haven't find any decent writing on
the use or more basic on description of actual hive weight data.

Yes you do. YOU just wrote it. Expect, part of the expected,
and part, the UnExpected...

>Anyone of you can direct me to some data or analisis of weight data?
>Each time I start thinking on how to use this potential data, it come 
to my
mind the need of other data to be able to really interpret what is 
going on.

You start with the SIMplest of graphs, data bases.
You add columns and rows. You expand. You continue, ad nauseum.
You almost scrap many columns of data/work-collecting-data.
And THAT year, decade, it becomes significant in light of a new 
variable.

>Lets figure out one posible weight reading : "No change of weight over
time". What is going on in the hive? Total Balance? What is coming in 
is the
same as what is going out? What is coming in and what is going out?

Ok........... LOL! Homeostasis? No expansion... But perfect equilibrium?
AKA, "UnProfitable," if projected on a human being, in one light.
"Survivalist," if projected on a bee in adverse times.

>What else we need but weight? Temperature inside and outside the 
cluster?
Relative Humidity on which locations?
Juanse Barros J.
Gorbea - CHILE

Take cars on a drag strip as an example. On one day, you need
not take wind into account, temperature, etc. But if you compare
to a drag strip 200 miles away, it can matter. Do, WILL, you
compete there? Compare to them? Will you compare your dry
powder snow skis to their wet slush ski performances?

It depends if you want more from a "home setting," a test for a
certain variety of bee, a certain hive type, under certain conditions
(even if that is mere most-mass-honey-production...)

You ask a too-openended question... "What will my girlfriend weigh
this week." The variables are not numerous, but very numerous.
YOU must determine what single variabke to test for. THAT is the
"scientific method." It sounds as if you search for a proper control
group basis. It's really your choice. If bees gain 50 lbs per hive,
"usually," and in the year of your test, they do not, it may not
invalidate your collected data for whatever you are searching for,
whatsoever, in comparison.

Even the hive type matters... Open air, HTB, KTB, Lang...
(10 frame; 10 but used as 9 or 8, etc) Warre', Alpine, Other...
So it's a good thing that this is fun and not work... LOL!
;>)

But weight your hives. It's a good start.
Maybe record bloom dates of major food sources each year.
(Use also, news reports of pollen counts for asthmatics, if
applicable plant types.)  Barometric pressure???  Rain?
Sun versus cloudy? It affects me. It might affects bees, also.
Start somewhere. Asking, was a good start. We can be wrong,
but it's food for thought. I leave room for many columns in
my spreadsheets. I may not use them all. I may add more,
also.

Weight? It's basic to value other columns or calculations.
How much you weigh for your size, determines a lot of how
you act, otherwise. Same with a bee hive. If you or a bee
hive has major factors, it's in the top 4 or 5, I'd think.
Fat people may not win a race, but fat bee hives might.
Gout was a disease of the intelligence it was once thought
in early America. Smart folks had money. They seemed
to get a little fatter than others. Some of this was fatty
dairy foods. It caused gout.

Weight is one good data stream. Plotted regularly or irregularly;
the data is good to have. You can plot/infer curve data points
that are missing, adequately, in many cases.

You have to start somewhere... Weight is basic as hive size,
season, bee infusion and type of infusion, type of bee, etc.
Many columns... When it gets to be too much, get a neural
network program to sift the data for hidden gems.

BillSF9c

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