ALL Features
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Kestrel 4000 Pocket Weather Tracker�
Date/Time, Measurements, User Defined Screens
POWER/SETUP BUTTON Hold to turn power on or off.
Press to enter and exit Main Setup Menu.
BACKLIGHT BUTTON Press to activate backlight for 1 minute.
COMMAND BUTTON In Chart Screens, press to view data points. In Setup Menus, press to make selection.
MODE BUTTONS Press to change mode of measurements: Current, Min/Max/Avg, Chart.
BACK PRESSURE SENSOR Monolithic silicon piezoresistive sensor. 3 Kestrel� 4000 Pocket Weather� Tracker
TEMPERATURE SENSOR Hermetically sealed precision thermistor coiled to isolate from case temperature.
HUMIDITY SENSOR Capacitive sensor with secondary thermistor to improve accuracy and response.
IMPELLER Sapphire jewel bearings on a user-replaceable impeller.
IMPELLER COVER Swivel cover protects impeller when not in use.
DATA UPLOAD OPTICAL COUPLER Software and serial port interface sold separately.
BATTERY DOOR Sealed with o-ring to keep product watertight.
SERIAL NUMBER 2 AAA BATTERIES 4
Custom settings and chart data will be saved during a battery change! Only the date/time and MMA values will be lost.
The Kestrel 4000 is set up to display 10 Measurements (some are actually calculations) in 3 Modes. The Measurements are listed on the next page with their corresponding screen icon. Use the and buttons to scroll through the various Measurements. The Modes are: Current - displays the instantaneous reading Min/Max/Avg - displays the Minimum/Maximum/Average readings from stored data Chart - displays a graphical representation of up to 2000 stored data points for each measurement. Examples of each of these screens are shown on the next page. Use the and buttons to scroll through the various Modes. In addition to these Measurements and Modes, there are also 3 User Screens, which simultaneously show 3 current measurements; and the Date & Time Screen, which gives the current date and time.
6 Measurements use Wind Speed, Temperature, Wind Chill, Humidity, Heat Index, Dew Point, Wet Bulb, Altitude, Barometric Pressure, & Density Altitude.
The Kestrel 4000 is capable of storing up to 2000 data points for each measurement. To review the data, press the button while viewing a chart. A cursor will appear on the most recent data point. Press the button to scroll through older data points and the button to scroll through more recent data points. The date and time at which the data was stored will be displayed at the bottom of the screen. The data value will be displayed at the top of the screen. Hold down the or button to scroll quickly through the data points. Press the or button to review the data for the other measurements. Please note that the cursor will remain at the same date and time. If new data is stored while viewing chart data, the entire chart will shift left with the new data point charted on the right. The cursor will not shift with the chart. Press the button to return to the Chart Mode.
The Kestrel 4000 has three User Screens which can be customized to display three current measurements simultaneously. Min/Max/Avg for Wind Speed and Wind Chill The Min/Max/Avg values for Wind Speed and Wind Chill are measured independently from the stored and charted data. While viewing the Min/Max/Avg screen for either Wind Speed or Wind Chill, press the button when the screen displays --average to begin collecting data for both measurements. The Min/Max/Avg for Wind Speed and Wind Chill will not affect any other Min/Max/Avg or stored data.
The Kestrel 4000 is capable of measuring RH to a high accuracy: +/- 3% RH. To ensure the Kestrel 4000�'s ability to operate within these specifications, follow these recommendations:
Avoid taking measurements in direct sunlight, which will heat the air inside the humidity sensor enclosure and cause inaccurate readings.
If your circumstances force you to expose the Kestrel to a large temperature swing prior to taking a relative humidity reading (such as when taking a Kestrel stored inside at 70° F outside to a temperature of 40° F), you will need to take additional steps to ensure that the Kestrel�s external temperature sensor is in thermal equilibrium - Ideally, provide an airflow of at least 1 M/S (2.2 MPH, over the temperature sensor, moving from the back of the unit towards the front. (In other words, point the Kestrel into the airflow.) With airflow over the temperature sensors and humidity chambers, readings within specifications will be provided within two to three minutes, even after a large temperature shift. - If no airflow can be provided, you must allow sufficient time for the RH value to stabilize. This can take as long as 20 minutesthe greater the temperature change, the greater the time. You can use the logging capability of the Kestrel 4000 to confirm that the unit has stabilized to a correct reading: Set the memory options to a relatively short logging interval (20 seconds works well, see page 10 for instructions), select the graphical display of RH, and you can see when the value is no longer changing significantly. At that point, the RH value is stable and can be relied upon to be within the accuracy specifications.
The Kestrel 4000 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 4000 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 4000 needs an accurate reference altitude. Altitude is the height above sea level. In order to correctly calculate altitude, the Kestrel 4000 needs an accurate 7 8 barometric pressure reference, also known as an altimeter setting�. You only need to know ONE of these values (current barometric pressure or current altitude) in order to set your Kestrel up to show accurate readings. - Starting with the known barometric pressure for your location: 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: Press the button to enter the reference setting mode. Press the button to increase the reference pressure or the button to decrease the reference pressure. You will notice that the altitude will change with changes in the reference pressure. Press the button to exit the adjustment mode. Set your Kestrel 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 4000 features rapid altitude response. This is why the altitude readings tend to fluctuate 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.
The Kestrel 4000 has a high-visibility green backlight, which makes the display easily read in low-light conditions. The Kestrel 4000 NV has a visible red backlight which preserves the natural night vision of users such as military personnel and pilots. 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. This units red backlight is also much dimmer than a standard backlight, making it more difficult to detect with the naked eye in night operations.
The Time Formats available are: 12 hour and 24 hour. The Date formats available are day/month/year and month/day/year.
Language - Displayed text can be set in one of five languages: English, French, German, Italian or Spanish.
Weather Monitoring Auto Store - These settings will allow you to track conditions for almost 3 months. When the memory is full, each new measurement will be stored in place of the oldest data point. The charts will provide a quick look at the recent weather conditions. Keep an eye out for falling barometric pressure, which indicates a storm is coming.
Hiking/Camping for the Weekend - These settings will allow you to track the conditions for almost 26 days. Measurements will be stored every 20 minutes, and stop storing when the log is full. This will let you review the trip at your convenience when you return. You can also manually store the conditions, in case you get caught in 40 mile per hour winds or make it to the top of a mountain. For more detailed information on your trip, set the Store Rate to 2 hours overnight, and 10 minutes during the day.
Soaring/Hang Gliding - These settings will allow you to track all conditions for 66 hours. Chart your altitude changes, watch how the temperature and humidity vary with altitude, and log your apparent speed. Data will no longer be stored once the log is full, in order to preserve it until it can be reviewed later. Be sure to clear the data log just before your flight.
Skydiving - These settings will allow you to record a detailed account of your jump. Be sure to clear the data log just before jumping. As you descend toward the ground, you will be tracking the altitude every two seconds, as well as the conditions at that altitude. The chart will clearly show the point at which the parachute opens, as well as the point you get back on the ground.
Units - The units of measure can be adjusted to best suit the application. The following units are available:
Wind Speed
Temperature
Pressure Altitude
m/s meters per second Dewpoint
Wet inHg inches mercury
Density Alt.
km/h kilometers per hour
Bulb Temp,
Wind
hPa hectopascals
Chill & Heat Index
psi pound per square inch ft feet mph miles per hour
�C Celsius
mb millibar ft/m feet per minute
�F Fahrenheit
Bft Beaufort
Highlight the desired measurement by pressing the or button. Press the or button to scroll through the available units. Press the button to return to the Main Setup Menu.
The three User Screens can be reconfigured to display the most appropriate information for the application. Only current measurements can be selected for the User Screens - Min/Max/Avg and Charts are not available.
The display Contrast and Auto Shutdown can be reconfigured as required.
The relative humidity and pressure sensors can also be recalibrated. It is extremely important to know the precise altitude and mean sea level barometric pressure at the time of calibrating the sensor. The humidity sensor can be calibrated by “teaching” it the correct humidity. Some special equipment is required for this calibration, including two hermetically sealed containers and saturated salt solutions. We offers a calibration kit under Kestrel Parts & Accessories.
The Kestrel 4000 calculates altitude based on the measured station pressure and the input barometric pressure - or “reference pressure”. Barometric Pressure: The air pressure of your location reduced to sea level. Pressure will change as weather systems move into your location. Falling pressure indicates the arrival of a low pressure system and expected precipitation or storm conditions. Steady or rising pressure indicates clear weather. A correct altitude must be input for the Kestrel 4000 to display barometric pressure correctly. Density Altitude: The altitude at which you would be, given the current air density. Often used by pilots in order to determine how an aircraft will perform. Also of interest to individuals who tune high performance internal combustion engines, such as race care engines.
Dewpoint is the temperature to which air must be cooled in order for condensation to occur. The difference between dewpoint and temperature is referred to as the temperature/dew point spread. A low dewpoint spread indicates high relative humidity, while a large dewpoint spread indicates dry conditions.
Heat Index is a practical measure of how hot the current combination of relative humidity and temperature feels to a human body. Higher relative humidity makes it seem hotter because our ability to cool ourselves by evaporating perspiration is reduced.
Reference Pressure: The local barometric pressure. Input to the altitude screen to provide correct altitude readings. Also known as the altimeter setting.
Relative Humidity: The amount of water vapor actually in the air divided by the maximum amount of water vapor the air could hold at that temperature, expressed as a percentage.
Station Pressure: The air pressure of your location, NOT reduced to the sea level equivalent.
Temperature: The ambient air temperature.
Wet Bulb Temperature: The lowest temperature to which a thermometer can be cooled by evaporating water into the air at constant pressure. This measurement is a holdover from the use of an instrument called a sling psychrometer. To measure wet bulb temperature with a sling psychrometer, a thermometer with a wet cloth covering over the bulb is spun rapidly through the air. If the relative humidity is high, there will be little evaporative cooling and the wet bulb temperature will be quite close to the ambient temperature. Some exercise physiology guides use wet bulb temperature, rather than heat index, as a measure of the safety of exercise in hot and humid conditions.
Wind Chill: The cooling effect of combining wind and temperature. The wind chill gives a more accurate reading of how cold it really feels to the human body. The Kestrel 4000�s wind chill is based on the National Weather Service standards as of November 1, 2001.
HVAC - These settings will record conditions every five minutes, for a total storage of almost 2 days. You can monitor the conditions in a laboratory or manufacturing plant, both day and night, to determine if the climate control is working properly. Or you can examine the effect on the environment when employees enter and exit the building.
HVAC/R - These settings will require you to press the Manual Store Button in order to store any data at a duct, hood, vent, or other air system. The meter will not store any data automatically. Be sure to record the location and date/time of storage for reference when reviewing the data. After storing the conditions at each location, simply review the data and balance the system.
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