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Wind Meter


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Im new to the rev flying thing

where do you guys get your wind meters?

who has the best prices all i want is the wind speen thats it nothing fancy

A wind meter was a must have for me too. It is now the most unused thing in my bag. I never, ever use it. Think twice there is plenty to spend your money on now that you are into the rev flying thing.

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A wind meter was a must have for me too. It is now the most unused thing in my bag. I never, ever use it. Think twice there is plenty to spend your money on now that you are into the rev flying thing.

Great Minds Mr Denny.I have sent PM saying just what youve just said.I also sent some info on the Dusty one i have.

Be The Kite.Feel The Wind.Save Cash.Buy More Revs

BRIAN... ;)

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I LOVE gadgets, and if I found one really cheap I might get one just because, well... I love gadgets.

When I first started in this sport, I thought it would be a really useful device. But after some time, I realized that I don't need one, and if I had one, I probably wouldn't use it anyway.

So take that for what it's worth. If you just like to know the numbers, that's fine, but I don't think it will give you any more useful information than feeling the wind on your face, or seeing branches moving in the breeze.

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I have this one: http://www.amazon.com/LaCrosse-EA-3010U-Ha...3642&sr=8-1

I like it and used it alot when I first got it—just to calibrate my sense of wind speed, basically.

Don't use it much anymore, because now I can just tell by feel which kite/frame to use.

But it's still fun sometimes to be able to take a wind reading.

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This might be a simplistic approach, but ...

An electronic wind speed meter will yield a numerical indication of the wind speed. Then you have to go to a chart to translate that wind speed into a probable kite to use. What many folks are telling you is to skip the numerical wind speed and go straight to a "kite scale." Translate the Beaufort scale into a readout of which kite to use. Can't feel the wind on your face ... go home. Can feel the wind lightly on your face ... SUL. Leaves and twigs in constant motion ... SLE (of course with a 1/4inch frame). Small branches start moving ... mid-vent. Larger branches and small trees sway ... full-vent. Neighbor's cat blows by ... go home.

Again, it might sound simplistic, but simply skip trying to figure out what the actual wind speed is. Most people guess too low when the wind is low and too high when the wind is high. But, somehow they seem to grab the correct kite.

So, guess at the correct kite and go for it. If you're wrong, no problem, simply change kites. Plus, realize that you've added a calibration point to your memory bank on the "kite scale." That's really what most Rev fliers are doing.

Disclaimer ... I own an inexpensive wind meter that was purchased when I first started flying. I used it to validate my guess of which kite to use ... got out of the car, guessed which kite to use, verified it with the wind meter and started flying. Then I realized that the wind meter never changed my mind ... so, I stopped using it.

Cheers,

Tom

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Let me just fix your reply there...

This might be a simplistic approach, but ...

An electronic wind speed meter will yield a numerical indication of the wind speed. Then you have to go to a chart to translate that wind speed into a probable kite to use. What many folks are telling you is to skip the numerical wind speed and go straight to a "kite scale." Translate the Beaufort scale into a readout of which kite to use. Can't feel the wind on your face ... go home fly a Zen. Can feel the wind lightly on your face ... SUL. Leaves and twigs in constant motion ... SLE (of course with a 1/4inch frame). Small branches start moving ... mid-vent. Larger branches and small trees sway ... full-vent. Neighbor's cat blows by ... go home mega-vent half-pint.

;)

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I got a meter and really used it every trip out. :blushing:

After the first year I only use it to confirm what I thought. :)

I do like it to see what winds are between 25 & 55 MPH because I'm not usually in the air then :wacko: but just like the numbers :wacko:

So I guess I do like numbers, buy a cheap meter. :devil:

RX See you in two weeks in Crescent City :P :P

Edited by sirrom2000
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Our meter is somewhere in the bottom of a bag in the bottom of the kite stuff, in the bottom of our truck.

Put up what you think may fly. If the wind is too light, go to an SUL. If the wind is too heavy, go to a vented.

If the sand is blowing across the sand, it's time for fish and chips, or pizza and beer.

This system works. It is fool proof. No meter needed.

Especially the last part.

Really,,,,,,,worry about how your kite is flying. Don't make yourself crazy with knowing the exact wind speed.

Edited by Jim Foster
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A standard sail will usually fly between 5 and 15 mph winds - regardless of what frame is in (unless you have the SUL frame, then 15 is to strong). If the kite will fly in those winds, why bother knowing exactly what the wind is anyways. The problem is that the wind meter will tell you the wind speed where you are at, not 50 feet up where the kite is which is usually different anyways.

We all have wind meters in our group. The ONLY time they are pulled out is when there is an argument on whether it is blowing 12 mph or 15 mph (usually ends up being somewhere around 8 to 10). A wind meter has never effected which kites we are pulling out to fly.

My flying time on the field is way to valuable to waste seeing if the wind is 8, 10 or 15 mph.

Save your money from buying an 80.00 or 120.00 wind meter and use it to purchase another kite or accessories that you will actually use. If you really need to know what the EXACT wind speed is at that time, ask one of your buddies and see if they can dig their old unused wind meter out and tell you. :) :) :)

Just my opinion anyways.

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I LOVE gadgets, and if I found one really cheap I might get one just because, well... I love gadgets.

When I first started in this sport, I thought it would be a really useful device. But after some time, I realized that I don't need one, and if I had one, I probably wouldn't use it anyway.

So take that for what it's worth. If you just like to know the numbers, that's fine, but I don't think it will give you any more useful information than feeling the wind on your face, or seeing branches moving in the breeze.

Hi Jeff-

How's everything?

I'm into gadgets, too. :blushing: I do own one, but have never used it to figure out which kite to use. I'm into the whole weather thing, so when there's a good storm blowing, I want to know what the peak wind gust was. :blink: .

One evening, I stood outside my place, maybe 10 pm, with my hand up high, in a good mist, trying to get the biggest gust. Turns out the guys across the street (in the first aid building) were watching me (I looked like Lady Liberty holding the torch), but they couldn't see the meter, so they thought I was nuts!!!!!!! :lol: I still laugh about it!

Take care.

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I have my own weather station at my home, a Davis Vantage Pro2. My data is uploaded to CWOP/NOAH and to Weather Underground. If you want to see the current conditions:

http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation...p?ID=KWASPANA10

-OR-

http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/wxpage.cgi?call=CW7454

My weatherstation has been recording data since late January 2007.

For kite flying, my short hairs are the best meter........;)

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I have my own weather station at my home, a Davis Vantage Pro2. My data is uploaded to CWOP/NOAH and to Weather Underground. If you want to see the current conditions:

For kite flying, my short hairs are the best meter........ ;)

Hi Walt-

I didnt' know that you fly naked! Is it legal by you ;):lol: !

Great meeting you.... I had a wonderful time out there!

Take care.

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I have a $50 digital meter. I have found it valuable for developing my own feel for wind speed. It also records maximum wind speed (i.e. gusts). This helped me develop a feel for dangerous gusts. Now I can guess the wind speed within about 2 mph almost always.

I have never found on-line sources for wind speeds that are useful. They never are where I am going to fly, and rarely record gusts well. Other than on the beach, most winds are very local in force, direction, and smoothness.

On the beach, watch the grass and the sand. If the grass is still, get out the fishing gear or the indoor kite. If the grass waves gently, and the sand is still - you are in the UL to STD range. If a little sand is moving over the surface, figure upper STD and lower Vented range. If the entire surface is moving, STD kites are probably going to have problems, maybe even damage. That is my experience with Duallies - I'm still new to Revs, but in general the ranges are similar.

If you have lots of money, a wind meter is a good buy. But it is far from necessary. If your budget is tight, go with the advice to spend it on the important stuff - KITES.

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