Re: Horus Software and Weather Tracker
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RandomShooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Have any of you guys seen or used this:
http://www.amazon.com/Kestrel-Pocket-Weather-Tracker-Ballistics/dp/B005XCTD9Y
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I purchased a 4500NV with the Horus software and bluetooth recently. It took me a few days to get it all working, mostly related to bluetooth issues in my laptops, not a problem with the Kestrel.
The units best points are that it does accurate ballistics calculations in one package and can read all of the information from the meter directly to the ballistics calculaions without manual reentry. Those are temperature, air density, wind vector, and meter orientation (via a magnetic compass corrected to local true north).
You do have to enter the ballistic infomation about you gun and bullet. It can store several combinations of rifle and ammo which can be accessed quickly. At the time of the shot you only need to enter the range and shooting azimuth (needed for the wind calculations) and (if needed) refresh the wind data). The meter has to be held into the wind to take the wind reading but it measures that direction. It calulates head/tail/crosswind from the gun and wind azimuths.
Another feature is a moving target calcuator. Looking at an object moving over the scope's reticle measure the angular movement between the time of two button presses. It then calculates and displays the target motion solution along with with the windage solution.
It also has a stadia rangefinder function so you can measure and calculate distance like a mil dot scope. Accuracy depends on your abilty to estimate the target size but it does the calculatiions. Or use a laser rangefinder and enter the measured distance instead for better precision. The meter has variable step rate relative to the the duration of the button presses which makes setting the range quite fast with only two buttons.
It also calculates up/downhill trajectory with angle or cosine entry. The meter does not measure the inclination angle. The meter does not accept distance and inclination from rangefinders with bluetooth which generate that information, like the meters from Laser Technology. Nor will it accept that information from the PC via bluetooth (or serial/USB). That would be a nice added feature for future models.
The Kestrel appears to be fairly rugged. About like laser rangefinder or cell phone. The wind meter has a cover so the wind vane only needs to be exposed when taking wind readings. It does have temperature and shock limits.
Issues I have is that like any hand held wind meter it reads the wind at the point where the meter is located. If it's held into the wind and a reading is taken it's internal compass allows it to calculate crosswind and head/tail wind relative to the shooting direction you indicate. However, if you're shooting prone the meter will be near the ground and will show reduced velocity compared to the wind over the trajectory. Standing up to take a wind reading will do better. Of course any hand held wind meter has the same problem. I would be happier if the unit could be mounted on a camera tripod with it's wind vane option and operated from a laptop from a distance (bluetooth range). It does do that for it's weather measurements, but cannot do that in the ballistic calulator mode. Maybe with future models.
What the Kester/Horus meter does that's most useful is eliminates a lot of manual data entry transferring weather data from a separate weather meter to a PDA. It can work with mils or MOA, with a mil dot or horus style reticle, or with target knobs. Some functions like the internal range calculator and the moving target indicator require a scope with a calibrated reticle in mils or MOA, though that could be a spotting scope or binocular instead of the riflescope.
It's screen is small compared to a PDA. I'm 66 and need a flip up magnifier on my glasses to read the screen, but with that it's easy to read day or night. I like the fact it only has eight buttons compared to a PDA with a keyboard or stylus. I can operate it by feel without seeing the button markings. It can be operated while wearing typical shooting gloves.
I'd recommend it if the alternative choice is using a separate wind meter and a cellphone or PDA. There is no other instrument i've seen which is a portable and does as much.
It does not replace the art of doping downrange crosswinds. No commercial ballistics meter I'me aware of does.
. Anyway, I've been looking at ballistic calculators for a while now and I think I'm ready to get one. 
