In this video I test my much improved low profile homemade weather vane and use it to record wind speeds.
This is my second attempt at making an anemometer vane, for lack of a better name, anyone ?
My first attempt (link below) seems a bit crude and as John.H pointed out it looked as though the GoPro camera might produce turbulence being so tall
and sitting so close and he was correct. Turbulence was a polite way of saying partially blocking.
I tested it side by side with another identical handheld wind meter back in February and it gave false readings, back to the drawing board. I bought a
secondhand camera from eBay. It is thin and bullet shaped, so it sits low and far away from the meter so as not to interfere with it.
So what use is it ? Well I was hoping it might come in handy for recording wind speeds such as providing proof of a low wind kite challenge for
example or recording a high wind buggy run. I like to think that the more information you can provide the viewer, the better, particularly visual
info. That's why I decided to make this thing.
I reckon it must be more accurate than holding a wind meter at arms length and kinda guessing the wind direction. The weather vane keeps the meter
precisely pointed into the wind at all times so you can record your activities whilst displaying wind speeds as they happen!
I put it all together with stuff laying around on the garage floor. An old paint roller, plasterers plastic trowel thingy, duck tape, zip tie, long
hollow metal tube and solid metal rod for ground stake + camera & meter.
So, what do you think ? Is the meter blocking most of the action ? Quality not so good ? Is there a better way or just don't bother ? Feed me.
I like it. I think it would be good to work into the videos and it's a bonus that you can see around it enough to see what's going on and which
direction the wind is blowing. Maybe not for an entire video but to switch to occasionally. Plus it's just nice to have video confirmation if the
wind is shifty and gusty. Was the numbers showing kph?
That genetrix looks nice. I don't know much about lei (yet. I will get to it eventually). From what I read and see, they look quick turning and fun
to fly with good depower? Also, what is the normal way of launching one? Is that when you have the kite weighted and into wind and your beside or
downwind and slowly walk around and side launch?
@ssayre. The wind meter is showing MPH, my preferred choice and the flat style LEI's have a lot of depower!!
Yes, the slow walk around slide launch works with most modern LEI's no problem. There are a few other ways to launch an LEI depending on your wind
conditions and surface. If you're kitesurfing then it is a common sight to see people helping each other with launching and landing LEI's.
Another option is to employ the services of a kite launcher. Check out this video. This my dream job.
Of course this still leaves you the problem of landing the kite.
You and I are grass riders and we buggy folk who ride the unclean winds are made of sterner stuff! We need to be self reliant, assisted launching is
for fair weather flyers. :D
I have a very handy kite launch tool that dispenses with the kite launch guy and makes the job of solo launching very easy.
If you want me to go into detail I'll be happy to do so. It is designed for sand but works perfectly well with grass too. A dog screw from the local
pet store doesn't cut it. The kite launch tool temporarily replaces you the guy at the bar end while you change into your shorts and sunglasses,
become the kite launcher guy and start living the dream!
The gusty or low wind launch you've already seen in the video, that's another option.
If you ever decide to buy an LEI and I think you should for our unclean wind, then I'd be glad to help with the finer details.
That genetrix looks nice. I don't know much about lei (yet. I will get to it eventually). From what I read and see, they look quick turning and fun
to fly with good depower?
That's pretty much spot on, most of them are fairly quick compared to foils and all modern LEIs have great depower. They just fly a little different
compared to foil kites, it's hard to describe but I think they have more consistent forward speed when flown around in the window and the turning also
tends to be more "round" rather than "pivoting", but that really just depends on the kite.
![[*]](images/perspective/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
Was the numbers showing kph?
