Nielsen-Kellerman Kestler 2500 Instruction Manual

Meter. This instrument will measure the following environmental conditions: • wind speed • wind chill • maximum wind gust • barometric pressure • average wind speed • altitude • temperature (air, water, snow) 2500 Pocket Weather ® Meter with Backlight Revised 07/28/10 INSTRUCTION MANUAL Plus additional features: • waterproof and foats • clock • 3-hour pressure trend • data hold function • backlight • automatic power-down function [email protected] 1.800.561.8187 www. .com

3 OPERATION 1. Slide of cover. 2. Turn on. Press the center button ( MAX AVG ) to turn on the unit. 3. Select operating mode. Press the right arrow ( MAX AVG ) to scroll through the measurements listed below. Press the left arrow ( MAX AVG ) to scroll through the measurements in reverse order. The instantaneous measurements will be displayed. (See Understanding the Measurements section for more information.) 4. Select the unit of measure. While holding MAX AVG , press MAX AVG to scroll through the units of measure listed below. Mode Hint Icon Units of Measure Clock --- --- 12-hr, 24-hr Wind Speed SPd m/s, ft/min, km/h, mph, kt, B Max Gust SPd MAX m/s, ft/min, km/h, mph, kt, B Avg Speed SPd AVG m/s, ft/min, km/h, mph, kt, B Temperature dEG C, F Wind Chill chill C, F Mode Hint Icon Units of Measure Barometric Pressure* hPa, inHg Altitude Alt m, ft * Only one of the pressure icons will be displayed, indicating the 3-hour pressure trend. pressure rising quickly (rise more than +0.18 inHg) pressure rising (rise within +0.06 inHg and +0.18 inHg) pressure stable (remain within -0.06 and +0.06 inHg) pressure falling (drop within -0.06 inHg and -0.18 inHg) pressure falling quickly (drop more than -0.18 inHg) 5. Hold mode. While holding MAX AVG , press MAX AVG to hold the time and all of the measured values. The word “HOLD” will blink to indicate the Hold Mode. Press MAX or MAX AVG to view the other measurements in Hold Mode. While holding MAX AVG , press MAX A to exit the Hold Mode. This mode can be useful for taking measurements when unable to view the display. 6. Turn on the backlight. Press MAX AVG to activate the backlight for 10 seconds. If or MAX AVG [email protected] 1.800.561.8187 www. .com

5 are pressed while the backlight is illuminated, the backlight will remain illuminated for another 10 seconds. Press MAX AVG while the backlight is illuminated to manually turn of the backlight. 7. Adjust the clock. Simultaneously press MAX AVG and MAX AVG to adjust the clock. While the clock is blinking, press MAX AVG or MAX to adjust the clock. Hold MAX AVG or MAX AVG to adjust the times quickly. Simultaneously press MAX AVG and MAX AVG to exit the clock adjustment. 8. Turn of. Hold MAX AVG for 2 seconds to manually turn of the unit. The unit will automatically turn of if no buttons have been pressed for 45 minutes. UNDERSTANDING THE MEASUREMENTS Wind Speed - average over the previous three seconds. The measurement will be accurate for air fow through the front or rear of the unit. Maximum Wind Gust - maximum 3 - second wind speed since the unit was turned on. Average Wind Speed - average wind speed since the unit was turned on. Temperature - instantaneous temperature of the thermistor, which is located at the end of the long coiled leads in the open cavity below the impeller. The exposed thermistor will respond quickly to changes in temperature when air fows past it. For fastest response, either hold the unit into the wind or wave the unit side to side for 15 seconds. Readings should be taken in the shade. Water and snow temperatures can be taken by hold the unit in the water or snow. Wind Chill - combination of wind speed and temperature, as defned by the US National Weather Service. Wind chill is the efective temperature on a human or animal at low temperatures due to wind speed. Wind chill readings will be the same as the temperature readings above 45ºF or below 3 mph. Altitude and Barometric Pressure - the Kestrel 2500 will measure station pressure in order to calculate barometric pressure and altitude. Changes in either air pressure or altitude will afect these readings, so it’s important to make adjustments as necessary. ABOUT BAROMETRIC PRESSURE AND ALTITUDE ADJUSTMENTS The Kestrel Meter measures “station” pressure, the actual air pressure in the measurement location, and uses this value to calculate barometric pressure and altitude. Station pressure changes in response to two things—changes in altitude and changes in the atmosphere. Because the Kestrel Meter is constantly changing location and altitude, it is important to enter adjustments or “references” when accurate pressure and altitude readings are needed. Barometric pressure is station pressure corrected to sea level. In order to make the correction, the Kestrel Meter needs an accurate reference altitude. Altitude is the height above sea level. In order to correctly calculate altitude, the unit needs an accurate barometric pressure reference, also known as an “altimeter setting”. Fortunately, you only need to know ONE of these values (current barometric pressure or current altitude) in order to set your Kestrel Meter up to show accurate readings. Starting with the known barometric pressure for your location [email protected] 1.800.561.8187 www. .com

7 You can obtain your current barometric pressure by checking an internet weather site for a nearby location, or contacting a local airport. Set this value as your reference pressure on the ALTITUDE screen to determine your correct altitude: simultaneously press MAX AVG and MAX AVG buttons to adjust the reference pressure. Press MAX AVG or MAX AVG to adjust the reference pressure, or hold MAX AVG or to adjust the value quickly. You will notice that the altitude will change with changes in the reference pressure. Simultaneously press MAX AVG and MAX AVG to exit the reference pressure adjustment. Set your Kestrel Meter down on a table and allow the altitude reading to stabilize. (Note: very small changes in pressure generate noticeable changes in altitude. In order to provide meaningful readings for activities where altitude changes quickly, the Kestrel Meter features rapid altitude response. This is why the altitude readings tend to fuctuate by a few feet.) After obtaining a current altitude from the ALTITUDE screen, move to the BARO screen and enter this value as your reference altitude by following the same procedure. Both readings will now be accurate. Starting with a known altitude for your location You can obtain your altitude from a topographical map or local landmark. Google Earth is an excellent free program that provides the exact altitude for any given address: www.earth.google.com/. Set this value as your reference altitude on the BARO screen to determine your barometric pressure: simultaneously press MAX AVG and MAX AVG buttons to adjust the reference altitude. Press MAX AVG or MAX AVG to adjust the reference altitude, or hold MAX AVG or MAX AVG to adjust the value quickly. You will notice that the barometric pressure will change with changes in the reference altitude. Simultaneously press MAX AVG and MAX AVG to exit the reference altitude adjustment. Again, allow the Kestrel Meter to stabilize, then enter the value from the BARO screen as your reference pressure on the ALTITUDE screen by following the same procedure. Both readings are now accurate. If you are planning a day hike would like to track your altitude, you’ll need to enter the correct reference pressure on the ALTITUDE screen as described above. You can now track the altitude changes as you hike. In this instance, you should ignore the values on the BARO screen, since the pressure changes will be due to changes in elevation far more than to changes in the weather. In general, changes in barometric pressure associated with weather changes are small over the course of one day, but they will afect the accuracy of the altimeter over time. This is why aircraft reset their altimeters at every airfeld by entering the feld’s “altimeter setting” or reference pressure. Accordingly, if accurate altitude readings are your primary interest, you should reset the reference pressure on your Kestrel Meter regularly. If you encounter an elevation landmark, you can adjust the reference pressure until the altitude matches the landmark elevation. This will correct the altitude for any pressure changes due to the weather. (Or, you can obtain an updated reference pressure from the sources described above.) Some fnal notes - If you wish to know the actual or station pressure for your location (such as for engine tuning), simply set the reference altitude on the BARO screen to “0”. In this case, the Kestrel Meter will not make any adjustment and will display the measured value. (Engine tuning and ballistics software sometimes refer to atmospheric or station pressure as “absolute pressure.” These applications are concerned with the actual air density, as opposed to pressure gradients relating to weather, so barometric pressure is less useful.) [email protected] 1.800.561.8187 www. .com

9 Also, the above discussion applies to ALL pressure altimeters, including one you may have in a watch or other device, but not to GPS altimeters, which use satellite triangulation to determine altitude. Note that with present GPS technology, pressure altimeters remain more accurate for measuring altitude change. This is why airplanes still rely on pressure altimeters, not GPS. MAINTENANCE & TROUBLESHOOTING Environmental Every Kestrel Meter is fully waterproof and foats, and has passed mil-spec drop testing. Storing Your Kestrel Avoid storing your Kestrel where it will be exposed to temperatures below -30°C [-22°F] or above 60° C [176° F] for extended periods of time. Doing so may cause permanent damage. (Note that the inside of a car parked in the hot sun can reach very high temperatures.) Use of the Lanyard and Cover The cover can be captured on the lanyard to avoid loss. First, remove the cord poplock. Then feed the lanyard end through the large opening in the over and out the slot. Replace the poplock on the lanyard. Replacing the Battery When your display becomes dim or disappears, replace the battery. Use a large coin to open the battery compartment. Use only new CR2032 coin cell batteries (available where watch batteries are sold). Wipe the battery clean of any fngerprints and insert the positive (+) pole up, angling the battery downward and pressing it frmly into place. When replacing the battery door, be sure to keep the black rubber o-ring seated in the groove on the case back. Why does the Impeller Appear Imbalanced? It is NORMAL for the impeller to oscillate as it comes to a stop. It is NOT imbalanced. Rather, it contains a very small magnet that responds to the earth’s magnetic felds. This does not afect the accuracy of the wind speed readings because the magnetic feld applies both a braking and an accelerating force which cancel each other. The impeller has been calibrated to provide wind speed readings accurate to within at least ± 3%. High Speed Use After numerous hours of sustained operation over 25 M/S (~49 KT, 90 KM/H, 56 MPH or 4,923 FPM), the Kestrel will lose some accuracy due to wear of the pivot and bearings in the impeller. Replacing the Impeller You may recalibrate the wind speed readings by replacing the impeller. Press FIRMLY on the sides of the black impeller housing with your thumbs to remove the entire assembly. When inserting the new impeller, be sure the arrow is facing the display side of the unit, and is aligned with the top of the meter. Press on the sides of the housing rather than the center. Replacing the Battery Replacing the Impeller [email protected] 1.800.561.8187 www. .com

11 About the Backlight The Kestrel 2500 NV has a night-vision preserving backlight which helps users to sustain natural night vision. The NV’s backlight incorporates an optical flter to reduce overall brightness and minimize blue and green spectrum light to preserve night vision. Additionally, the backlight is much dimmer than a standard backlight, making it more difcult to detect with the naked eye in night operations. This backlight appears soft greyish pink (not red) and is still in the visible spectrum, so it is not compatible with night-vision equipment. It takes 30 to 45 minutes for the average eye to adapt to darkness and maximize night vision. Even a short burst of white, yellow, green or blue light “bleaches out” the rod cell photoreceptors in the eye and causes night blindness until the entire adaptation process can take place again. Light in the red spectrum does not cause this “bleaching out”, preventing night blindness and night vision fatigue. Sensor Calibration All the sensors have been factory calibrated to be accurate within specifcations. For recalibration, you may either return it to Nielsen-Kellerman for factory calibration, or contact NK for feld calibration instructions. BEAUFORT SCALE The Beaufort Scale is a system for estimating wind force without the use of instruments based on the visible efects of the wind on the physical environment. The behavior of smoke, waves, trees, etc., is rated on a 13 point scale. The scale was devised in 1805 by the British naval Commander Sir Francis Beaufort (1774-1857) and is still commonly used by mariners. KESTREL POCKET WEATHER METERS 5-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY NK does not believe in “disposable electronics.” We know that Kestrel Meters don’t typically lead pampered lives, and we design them for years of performance in tough conditions. Every Kestrel is designed and manufactured at NK’s facility in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania, to be the accurate, reliable weather instrument you need for your application. If for any reason you are not satisfed with the performance or operation of your Kestrel meter in the frst 30 days, you may return it to your place of purchase for a full refund. We guarantee every Kestrel Pocket Weather Meter to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of FIVE YEARS from their date of frst consumer purchase. NK will repair or replace any defective product or part when notifed within the warranty period, Force Description Kts 0 Calm 0 1 Light Air 1-3 2 Light Breeze 4-6 3 Gentle Breeze 7-10 4 Moderate Breeze 11-16 5 Fresh Breeze 17-21 6 Strong Breeze 22-27 7 Near Gale 28-33 8 Gale 34-40 9 Strong Gale 41-47 10 Storm 48-55 11 Violent Storm 56-63 12+ Hurricane 64+ [email protected] 1.800.561.8187 www. .com

13 and will return the product via domestic ground shipping or NK’s choice of method of inter- national shipping at no charge. The following shall be excluded from warranty coverage: damage due to improper use or neglect (including corrosion); damage caused by severe or excessive impact, crushing or mechanical harm; modifcations or attempted repairs by someone other than an authorized NK/Kestrel repair agent; impeller failure not caused by a manufacturing defect; normal us- age wear; failed batteries; and accuracy issues resolvable by recalibration. Recalibration is provided free of charge within thirty (30) days of purchase if necessary. Except for the warranties set forth herein, NK disclaims all other warranties, expressed, implied or statutory, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchant- ability or ftness for a particular purpose. Any implied warranties that may be imposed by applicable law are limited to the term of this warranty. In no event shall NK be liable for any incidental, special or consequential damages, including, but not limited to, loss of business, loss of profts, loss of data or use, whether in an action in contract or tort or based on a warranty, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of an NK product, even if NK has been advised of the possibility of such damages. You agree that repair, and (upon availability) replacement, as applicable, is your sole and exclusive remedy with respect to any breach of the NK Limited Warranty set forth herein. All product liability and warranty options are governed exclusively by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Your warranty period will be measured from your date of purchase. The best way to ensure full warranty coverage is to REGISTER your NK product promptly on our website: www. kestrelweather.com. We keep your registration information strictly confdential and do not sell it, share it, or use it for anything but product-related information bulletins (which you may decline receiving). If you do not register and cannot provide proof of purchase, your warranty period will be measured from our date of manufacture, determined by serial number. We request that you contact NK if you feel your product is not working properly. We can often solve product issues by phone or e-mail, saving you the time and expense of return- ing the unit. If we require the product to be returned, we will issue a Return Authorization to expedite the handling of your warranty claim. The Kestrel Pocket Weather Meters are covered by the following patents: 5,783,753, 5,939,645, 6,257,074, and 7,059,170. LIFETIME CUSTOMER CARE WARRANTY NK wants you to be an NK customer for life, so we take care of you even beyond the terms of the above warranty with our Customer Care Program. Trade-in any Kestrel Pocket Weather Meter, no matter the age or condition, and receive a generous discount on the replacement product (same model only). Our Customer Care Program applies only as long as we manufacture the product, and does not cover product upgrades. [email protected] 1.800.561.8187 www. .com

15 CALIBRATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND SERVICE Every NK product is tested and calibrated before it leaves our factory. We guarantee that it will perform within specifcations when you receive it. Each Kestrel comes with a Certifcate of Conformity, with the stated specifcations for that product on the back. If you feel an NK product is not meeting specs when you receive it, call us and we’ll make sure you are operating it correctly. If it still appears that it may be out of spec, return it to us within 30 days of purchase and we will test and recalibrate all values at no charge. Beyond 30 days, we ofer reasonably-priced tests, calibration services and N.I.S.T. certifed calibrations as well as Kestrel tune-ups. All of our measurements are traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, ensuring the highest level of accuracy. Our primary Calibration Standards are sent for calibration in accordance with N.I.S.T. requirements and based on a regular schedule. Only approved laboratories and N.I.S.T themselves are used for these calibration services. Incoming and outgoing data is supplied with the certifcate of calibration. We also ofer full factory service on every product we manufacture for as long as we make the product (and as long after as component availability permits). If we can’t repair a product, we will ofer you a brand-new replacement under our Customer Care Program (even for accidental damage and misuse). ADDITIONAL INFORMATION What is a “Kestrel”? The American Kestrel is the smallest North American falcon. Beautiful and highly adaptable, it can be found virtually everywhere in North America. It is unique among falcons for its ability to both hover at very low speeds and dive at very high speeds. Assembled in the USA. The Kestrel 2500 is protected by US Patent 5,783,753, 5,939,645 and 6,257,079. Nielsen-Kellerman reserves the right to change product specifcations. ©2010. Kestrel, the Kestrel logo, Pocket Wind, NK and the NK logo are trademarks of the Nielsen-Kellerman Co. [email protected] 1.800.561.8187 www. .com

NIELSEN-KELLERMAN 21 Creek Circle, Boothwyn, PA 19061 Phone: (610) 447-1555 Fax: (610) 447-1577 Web: www.kestrelweather.com Email: [email protected] Register your Kestrel® Pocket Weather® Meter online at www.kestrelweather.com. [email protected] 1.800.561.8187 www. .com