• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Do any rangefinders that work with Kestrel 5700 have a magnetic compass built in?

USP45

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 21, 2013
70
22
McKinney, TX
So I have kind of an odd question...

First the scenario. I have a few fields that I hunt on which are for the most part rectangular in shape and will typically set up a blind with a swiveling shooting table inside at one of the four corners with tall trees behind me. One of the fields is approximately 700 yards long and 400 yards wide, another one is a bit larger. I have purchased a 5700 and am planning on using it with something like a Sig Kilo 3000 BDX, or possibly a Leica CRF 3500.com etc.

Due to being backed up in adjoining tree lines I was planning on setting the Kestrel out in the field a little ways on the weathervane mount with a tripod so that it can get a wind reading with direction, and then having it send the computations back to the rangefinder once a target has been ranged. Simple enough as many are designed to do this correct? The issue that I see however is if the rangefinder does not have a compass built in, so say when you range something it sends the magnetic direction back to the Kestrel that the rangefinder was pointing when you take the reading. Without this direction then the data sent back by the Kestrel is partially invalid because it cannot give you a wind hold since it does not know where you are looking? Yes, if you are holding the Kestrel then you can tell it what direction you are facing (i.e. where the target location is) so that it knows, but unless I ask the particular animal to sit still while I un-ass the blind, point the Kestrel in its direction, tell the Kestrel "this is the direction that I am going to shoot", run back to the blind, and range for a shooting solution then the Kestrel does not know the target azimuth...

Maybe I am simply overthinking things, but if there is say a 5mph wind coming from the shorter 400 yard side, but I have a target 600 yards away 90 degrees off then the Kestrel does not have the appropriate information needed to know what direction I need to shoot in and thus cannot give me the corrected windage data. A 150gr .308 with a MV of 2600 FPS would be pushed approximately 20" in a 5mph wind coming from a 90 degree angle, that is a big discrepancy. I know that many people will tell you to learn to read the wind, and I get that, but part of having the Kestrel is to assist in getting accurate met data to include wind speed and direction.

So back to the original question, are there any rangefinders that have a magnetic compass built in that "talk" to the 5700 and give direction information?
 
The 2800.com has a compass and sends DOF to the kestrel. I’m sure the 3500.com will do the same.
 
I've been kicking some people for this feature for quite a while now. I wish it was supported more, as well as the multi-target functionality in the Kestrel.
 
  • Like
Reactions: USP45
I've been kicking some people for this feature for quite a while now. I wish it was supported more, as well as the multi-target functionality in the Kestrel.

You know, the crazy thing is that I have read, and read about the Leica 3500.com, and not once have I read mention of it having an internal compass? Not in product description, owners manual... nowhere. And it is such an important component to accurate predictive shooting. I am Field Artillery in the Army, and the thought of a rangefinder not being equipped and capable of relaying the DOF to a remote/bluetoothed Kestrel just blows my mind. I mean, it is one of the BASE five components of predictive fires.

1. Accurate Target Location and Size
2. Accurate Firing Unit Location (these two give DOF)
3. Accurate Weapon and Ammunition Information
4. Accurate Meteorological Information
5. Accurate Computational Procedures

The other issue that I see with the 3500.com is I have read multiple reviews which state a BT range of 6-10'. What???
 
You know, the crazy thing is that I have read, and read about the Leica 3500.com, and not once have I read mention of it having an internal compass? Not in product description, owners manual... nowhere. And it is such an important component to accurate predictive shooting. I am Field Artillery in the Army, and the thought of a rangefinder not being equipped and capable of relaying the DOF to a remote/bluetoothed Kestrel just blows my mind. I mean, it is one of the BASE five components of predictive fires.

1. Accurate Target Location and Size
2. Accurate Firing Unit Location (these two give DOF)
3. Accurate Weapon and Ammunition Information
4. Accurate Meteorological Information
5. Accurate Computational Procedures

The other issue that I see with the 3500.com is I have read multiple reviews which state a BT range of 6-10'. What???

Can't help you on the Leica, since I don't know anyone over there. But yeah - since the Kestrel supports DOF from your LRF, I don't get why it's so rarely supported in commercial units.
 
I was searching for this very thing yesterday and also couldn’t find any information. 100% agree that the RF should be sending DOF and Inclination to the kestrel.....following.
 
  • Like
Reactions: USP45
I was searching for this very thing yesterday and also couldn’t find any information. 100% agree that the RF should be sending DOF and Inclination to the kestrel.....following.

My 2800.com does this. When using it along with kestrel’s range card I’ll set the kestrel to target A then range it. DOF, range, and inclination transfer for that target. Switching the kestrel to target B and ranging a second target only updates the B target.
 
Yea this is the one piece of the puzzle I feel Sig dropped the ball on with the Kilo 3000 BDX and the 2400 BDX the 2400 ABS does have a built in compass, but it doesn't talk to a Kestrel. I am hoping Sig comes out with a Gen 2 that will have that and the full ABS engine built in.
 
Last edited:
You're going to be limited to an 8-10 foot range on the Bluetooth. I've got the SIG 3k and kestrel and it will drop connection if I set the weather vane up too far away.
 
Also, remember the Kestrel will not update the direction of the wind relative to the new DOF unless you have it set to constant wind capture, usually while mounted in the wind vane.
 
Also if you have both you may not want to store next to each other, I don't know if the Leica is magnetic DOF/compass or a sensor, but the Kestrel compass calibration has a bunch of threads where it gets jammed up by storing near magnets.
 
Anyone know why you have to calibrate the compass on the Kestrel but not on the compatible range finders? I too have had issues with DOF readings on my 5700 and had to re-calibrate the compass. In utilizing the range finder and having it send Range, angle and direction of fire to the Kestrel, there is no calibration required for the range finder. Is there a different way it is getting the compass heading and if so, why doesn’t the Kestrel use the same.
 
  • Like
Reactions: seansmd
Anyone know why you have to calibrate the compass on the Kestrel but not on the compatible range finders? I too have had issues with DOF readings on my 5700 and had to re-calibrate the compass. In utilizing the range finder and having it send Range, angle and direction of fire to the Kestrel, there is no calibration required for the range finder. Is there a different way it is getting the compass heading and if so, why doesn’t the Kestrel use the same.
Great question.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kerjo
Bump. Why can't SIG expand on their old 2400 ABS and ditch the expensive ballistic stuff and use the BDX connections and onboard sensors to pair a solution with the 5700 Elite ? Seems like the only commercial option is the Leica stuff and while the hardware is great, the software seems terrible.
 
Sorry to resurrect an old thread with a noob question. I have a Leica 3500 CRF and Kestrel 5700x. When I laze a target with the Leica it will show a new direction of fire on the Kestrel. For example, I range a tree at 612 yards and it said 1:00 (28 degrees) on the Kestrel. So it must have an internal compass right?
 
Odd that Leica website doesn’t really show the specs very well, and didn’t see an option to download a manual for it, but I don’t see why it would change DOF if it wasn’t getting some directional input.