Wind Meter

[4x4xFinch]

Just been doing a bit of a net search to get a relatively cheap Windmeter

 

I found this one in loads of places at about the £40 mark :

(They also do a EA3000 with reduced features e.g. no Temp or Beaufort display etc. so make sure you compare like with like)

 

La Crosse Mini Hand Held Thermo Anemometer - EA3010[\B]

Features:

Wind speed measurement

units in: km/h, mph, m/s or knots

Continuous Beaufort wind graph display

Max. wind speed memory

Average wind memory

Wind chill display

Temperature display in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit

LCD back-light

Water Resistant

Auto power off

Dimensions L x W x H = 39 x 17 x 96 mm Weight 50gms

Power source; CR2032 3V Lithium (utility battery fitted)

 

 

GunSails - £39.00 (inc P&P)

http://www.gunsails.co.uk/en/anemometer.htm

 

UK weather Shop - £39.95

http://www.ukweathershop.co.uk/acatalog/lcta_sub.html

 

But also found it for £10 cheaper !

Ricks Windsurfing - £30.00 (+£1 p&p)

http://www.rikswindsurfing.com/weather/meters.htm

 

I've no connection with Riks Windsurfing. I'll report back on delivery when it comes.

 

 

Simon

[noelpilot83]

Only problem with that one is you have to have it exactly into the wind, which can be harder than you think, A very good range is the eole range, Just Kites can do a very robust one, with wind vane free on top so direction does not matter, Is on a couple of web sites too but about £60 Fred@ just kites £50. Guess this might be abit late tho, good luck

[rockhopper]

I've got a Windtronic 2 which cost me about £46.00 and it great ..the triple cups sit on the top and are surrounded by a wire cage ..so you dont have to hold it up and find the wind direction.....you just hold it up ..and that's it..

my only complaint is it's shape...it's kind of eye shaped (upturned) and it does'nt sit in your hand to well it has a large display with a screw mountain on the bottom so you could mount it on any photo type tripod..

it's also realy easy to use..take a reading every 10 mins and you can find out if the wind is picking up or dropping..but I have found that if you have a wind metre you can end up looking at it and saying ...I'ts a bit to windy to fly ! when in the time before you had one you would just judge the wind and fly accordingly..

But I must say it's great when you take a reading after you've just had a flight and see what wind speed you where flying in.you can realy supprize yourself...I'm glad I've got one... it's a good bit of kit to have in your bag...

 

My 2p Worth

 

RoCkHoPpEr

[PyroChris]

I recently picked up the Skywatch Meteos wind meter... this too is omni-directional... (cups on the top), and is a very tidy unit that fits in hand, and pocket easily...

 

Displays wind speed, max speed, average speed, beafort (bar graph thing), temperature and wind chill... all in a variety of units. (knots, meters/sec, mph, km/h, deg C, def F).

 

Skyview have it on special offer at the moment (no Im not a skyview employee... but they did also supply my weather station hardware... )

 

http://www.skyview.co.uk/skybrowse?q=p;p=25

 

Cheers, Chris.

[HD462]

Blimey, that's cheap. People want to snap their hands off. I've got the Skywatch Meteos too (the next one up to the Eole), it's a really good meter, wind speed and temp, max, average etc in each. I sometimes put it on a pole I Araldited a bolt into (tripod thread sizes are 1/4 UNC), to use as a monopod. Handy for leaving it set up on the beach.

 

I paid £55 for mine and thought I had a good price, I've seen it on some kite shops for up to £70. If it includes VAT and postage, it's a......

 

Bargain!!

[4x4xFinch]

Thanks for all the comments on the models available. Though I'd have liked an omni-directional one, I couldn't justify the extra cost in terms of the added value (a lot of grumbling on the domestic front about the cost of gadgets...)

 

So onto the La Crosse Mini Hand Held Thermo Anemometer - EA3010. Ordered Wednesday afternoon, arrived 1st Post Friday. from Riks Windsurfing http://www.rikswindsurfing.com/weather/meters.htm (for £30).

 

Dinky little thing, fits into the palm of your hand. wil lbe trying it out over the weekend...

 

I know wind at 25-30m is much more than at ground level, but until I get my eye in with which branches of a given length of a given species of tree of a given height, bends at what angle in what speed wind I'm going to use the Wind Meter!

 

Doing a bit more research on the net and there's quite a bit of info about how ground of a given surface slows down the wind to what height, so it should be possible to do a rough calculation of the Wind Speed at the height of your kite if you know the wind speed at ground level and the length of your lines and the "roughness" index of where you are flying. Maybe someone with time on their hands will create an Excel Spreadsheet for download - there' a challenge for you!

 

Here's some stuff to start you off if you've nothing better to do on a sunny Friday afternoon... (I've got to stay in and work on my PC...)

 

Turbine Siting - Gives lots of detailed stuff about the effect of land & obstacles on Wind Speed

http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/index.htm

 

Kite Lift & Wind Speed Profiles

http://www.thefoolonthehill.co.uk/tech.html

 

Kite Safe!

 

Simon

[stonemonkey]

I have one of these wind meters , they are very small and fit in your pocket no problem ,

I got mine of ebay for £15 and they are just as accurate as the top vane type even though you have to have it pointing in the right direction - all you need is a bit of lightweight clothe attached to the top to find that 'job done ' :D:D

[Ross1599968583]

good thread chaps, been trying to find a decent anemometer for a while, ordered the one from Pyro's link

 

...there will be so many of them in the park next week noone else will need one!