How accurate is your Kestrel?

[NETim]

I recently picked up a 2700 and naturally have playing with it. Occasionally (ahem) we get wind out here on the prairie.

I realize in town around buildings and other structures the wind speed will be influenced and moderated to a degree. It seems to read low to me though, even when I feel I'm out in what I consider a good breeze. Today for example, my smart phone was telling me we were getting 30MPH wind gusts with a 14MPH steady wind. The Kestrel reported 9MPH tops. I did as their site suggests and turned it so the wind speed appeared to be minimized, then turned it into the wind.

I haven't had the Kestrel out in the wild to test it out yet.

Just curious what everyone else's experience has been with them.

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

I don’t know what altitude they use for weather station numbers, but there could be a significant difference between a reading 12-15 feet above the ground vs a reading down around 6-8 ft.

 

[tsyarnall]

I’m taking a “leap” but guessing you’re using something like the local weather station information from your phone. The location may be many miles from you. Even down the road you might have totally different readings. My experience has been that if you get your kestrel pointed correctly, you’ll get a very good reading for your location.

 

[Uthink Uknow]

As long as the Kestrel reads as well in all conditions, who cares? It’s just numbers and as long as your bullet performance at a given number is determined and you take note of that number and hold accordingly, you should be fine.

 

[Big Mc]

I recently picked up a 2700 and naturally have playing with it. Occasionally (ahem) we get wind out here on the prairie.

I realize in town around buildings and other structures the wind speed will be influenced and moderated to a degree. It seems to read low to me though, even when I feel I'm out in what I consider a good breeze. Today for example, my smart phone was telling me we were getting 30MPH wind gusts with a 14MPH steady wind. The Kestrel reported 9MPH tops. I did as their site suggests and turned it so the wind speed appeared to be minimized, then turned it into the wind.

I haven't had the Kestrel out in the wild to test it out yet.

Just curious what everyone else's experience has been with them.

What Unthink said Tommy Mc

 

[dave@aDave]

Is it possible to compare it with at least three other Kestrels at the same time?

 

[Uthink Uknow]

Sure. Buy four of them.

 

[Hudge76]

I was AD Air Force as a weather forecaster and we used Kestrels for our tactical weather observations for years. I never had a problem with one and the winds were always within 1-2 knots from our actual calibrated weather equipment. I remember have to do monthly barometer comparisons and printing out a label to put on the Kestrel for any corrections that may be needed . As far as the differences you are seeing, most weather observations come from local airports. While the average weather equipment is supposed to be 6 feet off the ground, I’ve seen it as high as 12 feet due to local restrictions.

 

[CharlieNC]

When my buddy and I shoot long range our Kestrels agree when the gusts settle and the wind is stable. But the downrange direction and magnitude differ. In other words the volatility of the wind is a much greater factor than minor measurement differences at a point location and time.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I have a Kestrel BECAUSE the wind will be different where I am at as compared to my NOAA weather phone app.

 

[FeMan]

I shoot all over the west with my Kestrel 5700 at matches from 1k to 2k and mine is spot-on. In real wind at that range, you cant just capture a reading and expect to hit center though. You need to take the reading, consider ground wind vs winds aloft, read the topography and consider its effects, and consider wind angle vectors. But as far as getting accurate data to start from, I have found mine to be perfect.

 

[K9TXS]

I only use a sail tail when shooting rats or PD. I put one tail out about 15 to 25 yards on a post. You get the hang of it pretty quickly. I don't care how fast the wind is blowing. I just want to know the direction. By watching the sail tail, you can judge the wind speed close enough to make a decent shot. By watching the tail and feeling the wind, I know when to switch over to a heavier bullet. I don't shoot competition, just rats and PD's.

Other types of wind flags work just as well. A buddy gave me a sail tail and I've stayed with that type of tail. Surveyors tape or other material react differently in the wind. Whichever one you go with, stay with it and don't change back and forth.

I leave a sail tail in my backyard and watch it different times during the day. Some days it makes me wish I was on the prairie and other days I'm glad I'm home.

 

[Trophied]

When I had a Davis Instruments weather station the literature with it instructed the positioning to be 6 ft above the ground for agricultural use and 33 ft above ground for meteorological use. 33 ft above ground wouldn't be much use other than possibly extreme range target use. The Davis unit could be added to the NOAA data collection system if it was mounted at the proper height.

 

[Hudge76]

When I had a Davis Instruments weather station the literature with it instructed the positioning to be 6 ft above the ground for agricultural use and 33 ft above ground for meteorological use. 33 ft above ground wouldn't be much use other than possibly extreme range target use. The Davis unit could be added to the NOAA data collection system if it was mounted at the proper height.

33ft? Six foot is standard in meteorological world. I remember having to get a waiver to put a TMQ-53 on top of a bunker in Iraq, as it was the only place we had that didn’t have interference from buildings.

 

[Ray123]

I recently picked up a 2700 and naturally have playing with it. Occasionally (ahem) we get wind out here on the prairie.

I realize in town around buildings and other structures the wind speed will be influenced and moderated to a degree. It seems to read low to me though, even when I feel I'm out in what I consider a good breeze. Today for example, my smart phone was telling me we were getting 30MPH wind gusts with a 14MPH steady wind. The Kestrel reported 9MPH tops. I did as their site suggests and turned it so the wind speed appeared to be minimized, then turned it into the wind.

I haven't had the Kestrel out in the wild to test it out yet.

Just curious what everyone else's experience has been with them.

I decided to buy one... got the most expensive model with applied ballistics. Set it up according to instructions at 650 yards chronographed and bullet G7 BC corrected. Entered load#1 rifle #1. Then took it across a mountain side and ranged a stump at 1010 yds . Dialed the exact wind (light wind that day) and elevation recommend by the Kestrel Elete. Fired two 308 200 gr Sierra MK CN at 2856 fps rds at the center of the stump...didn't see anything. Drove over and walked down to the stump 2 bullet holes 2" apart. Hum I guess it works...put it away and never used it since. I don't shoot completion these days, but got bored with long range shooting after 25 years...been there...thought this new toy would peak my interest. These weren't available back in the day. And I always forget the Kestrel at home, but always take the laser range finder. I shoot in the mountains with deep canyons, steep rocky mountains sides. One shot on a distant rock and the impact gives me everything I need to know. That's the way I've been doing it long before it was popular. Up here the wind reading is useless, tried 3 different wind meters. But thats not what the wind is up where the bullet is going and often times it's going in tbe opposite direction across a deep canyon. I call wind velocity in mils, observe and declare a 2 mil wind from a dominant direction.Sometimes the wind will push you a Cadillac length or two off...I Shoot fast when I'm on, 5 seconds between shots, as the wind speeds up and drops off suddenly...and the other reason..I can smell the barrel steel burning, and these hot loads might blow a primer on a very hot barrel. Steady wind velocity? Not where I shoot. Kestrel seems to be a good product, but I don't use mine, but it was right on the time I used it in very light wind.

 

[Trophied]

Correction:
Davis Instruments website instructs that for temperature measurement the sensor be 4-6 ft above ground preferably not over a black asphalt parking lot, and for wind measuremnt at 30 ft. Of course anemometers are affected by any nearby obstructions, so that's a consideration.