Weather Instruments and Timing Equipment - Rowing Equipment, Wind and Weather Meters

NK ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF THE NEW KESTREL 4500 POCKET WEATHER TRACKER AND KESTREL PORTABLE VANE MOUNT

Hand-held weather instrument incorporates a digital compass to calculate crosswind.

Vane Mount accessory turns instrument into a complete, deployable weather station.

FEBRUARY 2007, BOOTHWYN, PA… NK announces the addition of the latest Kestrel Pocket Weather Meter to its line of precision weather instruments. The Kestrel 4500 features a digital compass, adding heading, wind direction, headwind, tailwind and crosswind readings to its list of features. The 3.6 ounce instrument measures: wind speed, wind direction, crosswind, headwind/tailwind, temperature, wind chill, relative humidity, dewpoint, heat stress index, barometric pressure, altitude, density altitude and wet bulb temperature.

“For years customers have been asking for a Kestrel with an integrated digital compass so they can measure the wind speed and direction. With that information, Kestrel can offer a single unit that measures every single environmental condition, and the vast logging capabilities allow users to store weeks, months, or even years’ worth of data. Adding in the crosswind calculator feature was the icing on the cake!” says Sales Manager Katie Horn.

The Kestrel 4500’s new wind direction functions are of particular interests for two market segments – pilots and shooters. Especially with small planes, crosswind is a crucial piece of information while landing and taking off. Pilots can manually enter their known runway heading and then measure the wind, and the Kestrel calculates the crosswind component. Crosswind also greatly affects a bullet’s trajectory. Sophisticated ballistics software takes this information into account, along with relative humidity, altitude, dewpoint and temperature. Now shooters can simply line up the Kestrel with the target to automatically set the heading, and this vital environmental condition is provided.

Though the Kestrel 4500 is more than just a weather meter for checking the current conditions, it’s a tracking device that allows the user to log the environmental data for extended periods of time. The 2000-data point log is customizable, allowing users to determine automatic storage intervals as well as store information manually with a single button press. Once programmed, the unit “wakes up” at the programmed interval to measure and store all the readings. The data can then be reviewed in graphical form with a scrolling cursor that tells the date, time and value for each reading. It can also be uploaded to a computer using the optional Kestrel Interface.

To compliment the data storage capabilities of the 4500, NK engineered the custom Kestrel Portable Vane Mount, which allows users to set their 4500 up on location to log data. The lightweight vane mount swivels on a precision pivot, allowing it to turn in the slightest of breezes and ensures that the Kestrel will always be pointed into the wind. It assembles in seconds, and the cup bracket features a level, designed to help users set up the Kestrel correctly for accurate compass readings.

The ability to deploy a Kestrel on-site makes it an ideal solution for First Responders, Special Operations and HAZMAT professionals. Before the Kestrel 4500, the need for an accurate portable weather station was met only by systems costing thousands of dollars. “The Kestrel 4500 with Portable Vane Mount is an excellent, user-friendly device that provides instant weather data to guide our Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD), HAZMAT, and crisis management teams rehabilitation efforts at various types of incidents. It is a ‘must-have’ for determining weather trends at long incidents,” says M/Cpl. Adam Ringle of the Wilmington Police Department’s Special Operations Division.

Additional features that set the Kestrel 4500 Pocket Weather Tracker apart from other weather instruments available today are:

Full portability: the Kestrel 4500 measures 2 x 5 inches and 3.6 ounces. The Portable Vane Mount packs into a carry case that is 7.5 x 2.75 x 2.5 inches and 5 ounces.
Individual NIST calibration and guaranteed accuracy specifications that ensure precise and reliable readings on every single Kestrel manufactured.
Patented, fast-response humidity sensor that yields ±3% accuracy, and offers greater stability in extreme, low humidity conditions.
Patented user-replaceable impeller, in case of damage or wear.
Optional computer interface allows users to upload the stored data for in-depth analysis and long-term storage.
Clock and calendar to give day, date and time of every reading.
Rugged, durable construction that is completely waterproof and floats.
A large, backlit display that allows easy use in any conditions, day or night.
Multiple language capabilities- English, Spanish, French, German, Italian.
Operates on two AAA batteries for at least 400 hours (included).
Made in the USA with a 30-day money back guarantee and a 2-year warranty.

The Kestrel 4500 is available in a yellow-colored case (MSRP $399) or in the NV configuration with olive drab case and tactical red backlight (MSRP $419). The Kestrel Portable Vane Mount comes with a padded nylon carry case that also fits a Kestrel 4500. (MSRP $59).

Nielsen-Kellerman’s Kestrel Weather division has been researching, developing and manufacturing technically advanced portable weather instruments since 1995 and owns multiple patents on their unique features. Kestrel Pocket Weather Meters are employed by thousands of users in hundreds of different activities around the world. For over twenty-five years, Nielsen-Kellerman has been known worldwide for its waterproof speed measurement, timing and audio systems for competitive rowers. Virtually every shell at the 2004 Athens Olympic games carried NK equipment.

-Know Your Conditions-

For more information, contact Amy Winner at
610.447.1555 x219, awinner@nkhome.com or visit
www.nkhome.com

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