8 replies to this topic

[Acrilix]

As I don't have a gadget for telling me the wind speed, I was wondering if there are any tricks to judging this. My LPG 85' lines started whistling when I was flying in the gusty winds yesterday. What wind speed does this normally occur at? Or am I the only flier with musical lines!

[Aerochic]

I don't know if this will help you or not, but there is always the trusty Beaufort Wind Scale:
http://www.spc.noaa....o/beaufort.html

[Sage]

As I don't have a gadget for telling me the wind speed, I was wondering if there are any tricks to judging this. My LPG 85' lines started whistling when I was flying in the gusty winds yesterday. What wind speed does this normally occur at? Or am I the only flier with musical lines!

It is hard to tell wind speed by the sound of the lines. The angle of the attack etc.

I know this wasn't what you asked for but this little anemometer has been great and the price is right. http://www.amazon.co...r/dp/B0002WZRKE I did find one on ebay in England http://cgi.ebay.co.u...id=p3286.c0.m14

Hope that is helpfu.

[Kitelife]

The fuzz on my ears is pretty reliable for guessing wind speed, seems to be getting more accurate as I age.

[Bazzer]

The fuzz on my ears is pretty reliable for guessing wind speed, seems to be getting more accurate as I age.

I was impressed when you could tell that a butterfly had flown by the other day on the line.
Iquads very own fuzzy Ch....ear pet!
LOL.
Bazzer

[Kitelife]

I felt a ripple in the wind force.

Seriously, Beaufort is the best measure without gadgets, second only to experience.

[G-Force]

One of our club members has come to kiting from rc planes. He told me the orange windsocks you see at airfields are calibrated to be fully horizontal at 15mph+. (helps pilots landing in crosswinds) Shoudln't be beyond the wit of a kite sewer to make a set of socks to sit on pole(s) calibrated to 2, 5, 10 , 15 , 20 mph etc. It's already on my (long) project list.

It's easy in the uk this summer though, either 30+ or nothing.

Richard

think you can you might
think you can't you won't

[Kitelife]

Trick will be to make sure they're high enough, and out of the near-ground wind chop.

Also, might be ideal to spread 2-4 of them around your field, different wind sometimes, depending on obstructions.

Nifty idea, for sure.

[jimfielder]

Boomerangers not only have issue with wind speed but also wind directions. They are usually seen picking a couple of fingers full of grass and letting it fall from their hand. However in recent years it is not uncommon to see quarter inch dowels with a streamer attached to the top to aid with wind direction and wind speed.
We could always us an extra spar with a small ribbon of sail cloth and have it calibrated to a windmeter.

I'm a sailor and can usually guess the wind within 2 - 3 knots, errr MPH. I also carry a windmeter.