Kestrel 2500 User Manual
2500
Pocket Weather ® Meter
Thank you for purchasing the Kestrel 2500 Pocket Weather
Meter. This instrument will measure the following environmental
conditions:
• wind speed
• wind chill
• maximum wind gust
• barometric pressure
• average wind speed
• altitude
• temperature (air, water, snow)
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Plus additional features:
• waterproof and oats
• clock
• 3-hour pressure trend
• data hold function
• backlight
• automatic power-down
function
with Backlight
Revised 07/28/10
Kestrel® 2500 Pocket Weather® Meter 3
OPERATION
1. Slide o cover.
2. Turn on. Press the center button (
3. Select operating mode. Press the right arrow (
listed below. Press the left arrow (
order. The instantaneous measurements will be displayed. (See Understanding the
Measurements section for more information.)
4. Select the unit of measure. While holding
measure listed below.
Mode Hint Icon Units of Measure
Clock --- --- 12-hr, 24-hr
Wind Speed SPd m/s, ft/min, km/h, mph,
Max Gust SPd
Avg Speed SPd
) to turn on the unit.
) to scroll through the measurements
) to scroll through the measurements in reverse
, press
to scroll through the units of
kt, B
MAX
AVG
m/s, ft/min, km/h, mph,
kt, B
m/s, ft/min, km/h, mph,
kt, B
Temperature dEG C, F
Wind Chill chill
C, F
Mode Hint Icon Units of Measure
Barometric Pressure*
Altitude Alt
* Only one of the pressure icons will be displayed, indicating the 3-hour pressure trend.
pressure rising quickly (rise more than +0.18 inHg)
pressure rising (rise within +0.06 inHg and +0.18 inHg)
pressure stable (remain within -0.06 and +0.06 inHg)
pressure falling (drop within -0.06 inHg and -0.18 inHg)
pressure falling quickly (drop more than -0.18 inHg)
5. Hold mode. While holding
, press
to hold the time and all of the measured values.
The word “HOLD” will blink to indicate the Hold Mode. Press
measurements in Hold Mode. While holding
hPa, inHg
m, ft
, press
or
to view the other
to exit the Hold Mode. This
mode can be useful for taking measurements when unable to view the display.
6. Turn on the backlight. Press
to activate the backlight for 10 seconds. If
or
Kestrel® 2500 Pocket Weather® Meter 5
are pressed while the backlight is illuminated, the backlight will remain illuminated for
another 10 seconds. Press
the backlight.
7. Adjust the clock. Simultaneously press
blinking, press
Simultaneously press
8. Turn o. Hold
turn o if no buttons have been pressed for 45 minutes.
or
for 2 seconds to manually turn o the unit. The unit will automatically
while the backlight is illuminated to manually turn o
and
to adjust the clock. Hold
and
to exit the clock adjustment.
to adjust the clock. While the clock is
or
to adjust the times quickly.
UNDERSTANDING THE MEASUREMENTS
Wind Speed - average over the previous three seconds. The measurement will be accurate
for air ow through the front or rear of the unit.
Maximum Wind Gust - maximum 3 - second wind speed since the unit was turned on.
Average Wind Speed - average wind speed since the unit was turned on.
Temperature - instantaneous temperature of the thermistor, which is located at the end
of the long coiled leads in the open cavity below the impeller. The exposed thermistor will
respond quickly to changes in temperature when air ows past it. For fastest response, either
hold the unit into the wind or wave the unit side to side for 15 seconds. Readings should be
taken in the shade. Water and snow temperatures can be taken by hold the unit in the water
or snow.
Wind Chill - combination of wind speed and temperature, as dened by the US National
Weather Service. Wind chill is the eective temperature on a human or animal at low
temperatures due to wind speed. Wind chill readings will be the same as the temperature
readings above 45ºF or below 3 mph.
Altitude and Barometric Pressure - the Kestrel 2500 will measure station pressure in order
to calculate barometric pressure and altitude. Changes in either air pressure or altitude will
aect these readings, so it’s important to make adjustments as necessary.
ABOUT BAROMETRIC PRESSURE AND ALTITUDE ADJUSTMENTS
The Kestrel Meter 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 Meter 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 Meter needs an accurate reference altitude. Altitude is the height
above sea level. In order to correctly calculate altitude, the unit needs an accurate barometric
pressure reference, also known as an “altimeter setting”. Fortunately, you only need to know
ONE of these values (current barometric pressure or current altitude) in order to set your
Kestrel Meter up to show accurate readings.
Starting with the known barometric pressure for your location
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