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Looking for something to get more scientific on documenting the weather conditions when out and about target shooting. Having the rest of the weather station measurements in there (Humidity, Air Temp., etc.) would be nice. Have to save up my pennies to get it probably.
Thanks!
Have you looked at the Kestrel wind meters?
The Kestrels look pricey but good; How well would the DX meter stand up to dust / vibration and so on, I wonder? (In past did everything via brain, but worth seeing what I can gain from better gear. It's not the 1960s still :P)
Do you have a good cell service I use weather bug and I have a station reporting within 2 miles of my house I don't need all that fancy stuff anymore And I used to have a several hundred dollar WeatherStation stuck on the back of the house but I don't even use it anymore And if you turn on location detection it will detect wherever you are and pick up the closest weather bug reporting station to your location
Where I will be wanting to use this is in the scablands of Eastern Washington, I suspect strongly that there is little to no cell service in MOST parts of that area. Haven't been over yet to test it (Recovering from a bad injury, long story.) Last time I was over there all I was using was the Mark II eyeball and Mark I brain guidance system, just curious if higher tech would make things even better :)
Sat phone?
Not really that affordable, those, on my budget.
A guy on Ebay is offering a used Thommen 21000-ft pocket altimeter for $67.95 plus shipping -
https://www.ebay.com/itm/THOMMEN-EVE...YAAOSwxzdaPq3v
I've owned a 15000-ft Thommen for 20+ years, I'm very pleased with it. Do you wish to record absolute Station Pressure, or do you wish to record the Altimeter Setting (which is commonly displayed on TV weather reports)?
If you're only interested in the Altimeter Setting, another cost-effective option might be a used aircraft altimeter.
I'm more looking at "I wonder - If I try having the full Ballistics Software package along with me, if I can learn anything I don't know already?" - Once I get back in practice tho, I may not learn lots from it. But that's a GUESS and I'd rather see what is there to learn. I'll want to get absolute station pressure more than altimeter setting, I'd think - as that's going to tell me more about the air I'm shooting through. Humidity, Air Temps (dry and wet bulb probably) etc. too I'd think? Lots of load workup and shooting more will have to happen before I get to that point, I"ll make it happen though :)
I took another look at my 15k-ft Thommen - it provides a direct read-out of Station Pressure down to 22.5 in-Hg. That would only cover from sea level up to 7650 feet altitude (with a "standard atmosphere"); I believe the 21k-ft model is the same.
National Weather Service provides an online calculator for converting Altimeter Setting to Station Pressure, assuming that you know the station altitude -
https://www.weather.gov/epz/wxcalc_stationpressure
If you follow the "What is the formula for the station pressure script?" link, they also provide a mathematical formula which could be executed with a pocket calculator.
EDIT - Just for fun, here's a 50-year-old photo from an old military publication. The guy in the center, front row, is holding an aircraft altimeter. The guy beside him is holding a sling psychrometer. The one on the far right appears to be brandishing a Brunton Transit -
https://i.imgur.com/bdzZpji.png
Area I'll likely be at is more like 1620.0 ft altitude, though parts of this state do get a little higher than that.
I use a Kestrel at the race track. IT can be purchased at Summit Racing for about $250. It is very accurate and gives you barometric pressure, relative density, wind speed, dew point, moisture content,etc. It is smaal and can be carried in a shirt pocket or hung from a supplied lanyard around your neck. Kestrel also makes other versions, but the one for racing is the one that I use.
Sheesh - Leave both the Kestrel @ $309 and the Direct Deal one @ $15 out in the rain or snow and they both will become useless. If you have to wonder - DON'T BUY IT, Spend the $309 and be sure to check it against the NOAA weather at https://www.wunderground.com/Quote:
The Kestrels look pricey but good; How well would the DX meter stand up to dust / vibration and so on, I wonder?
The DX one has been in my range bag for close to 10 years and it hasn't failed me when I am shooting 1000yds at 1460' elevation.
BTW, Do you plan to bring your laptop to the range to input the 'exact' weather variables into a trajectory table every time you go to the range? I doubt it and if you do, the variables will be minimal for any given day at a specific range except for the wind
I have a variety of laptops including a few Toughbooks, since I'm used to just using my "space filler between my ears" computer I'll probably take notes & do computer stuff later though. Otherwise too many things to handle at once. Just curious. Pretty much can memorize a trajectory table for each of a few rifles...