Kestrel 3500 User Manual

3500

Pocket Weather ® Meter

with Backlight

Thank you for purchasing the Kestrel 3500 Pocket Weather Meter. This instrument will measure the following environmental conditions:

• wind speed • heat stress index

• maximum wind gust • dewpoint

• average wind speed • wet bulb temperature

• temperature (air, water, snow) • barometric pressure

• wind chill • altitude

• relative humidity

Plus additional features:

• clock • 3-hour pressure trend

• data hold function • backlight

• automatic power-down function • waterproof and oats

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Revised 07/28/10

Kestrel® 3500 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. Each measurement screen is preceded by a brief hint to clarify which measurement is being displayed. (See Understanding the Measurements section for more information.)

4. Select the unit of measure. While holding measure listed below.

pressure rising quickly (rise more than +0.18 inHg) pressure rising (rise within +0.06 inHg and +0.18 inHg)

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

Temperature dEG C, F

Wind Chill chill

C, F

Mode Hint Icon Units of Measure

Humidity r.h.

Heat Stress Index H.I.

Dewpoint d.P.

Wet Bulb Temp bulb

Barometric Pressure* bAro

Altitude Alt

* Only one of the pressure icons will be displayed, indicating the 3-hour pressure trend.

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)

C, F

hPa, inHg

m, ft

Kestrel® 3500 Pocket Weather® Meter 5

5. Hold mode. While holding The word “HOLD” will blink to indicate the Hold Mode. Press measurements in Hold Mode. While holding mode can be useful for taking measurements when unable to view the display.

6. Turn on the backlight. Press are pressed while the backlight is illuminated, the backlight will remain illuminated for another 10 seconds. Press 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.

for 2 seconds to manually turn o the unit. The unit will automatically

, press

to activate the backlight for 10 seconds. If

while the backlight is illuminated to manually turn o the

to adjust the clock. Hold and

to hold the time and all of the measured values.

, press

and

to exit the clock adjustment.

to adjust the clock. While the clock is

to exit the Hold Mode. This

to adjust the times quickly.

to view the other

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 dened by the US National Weather Service. Wind chill is the eective 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.

Relative Humidity - amount of moisture in the air compared to the amount of moisture the air can hold for the given temperature, represented as a percent. Because relative humidity is also a function of the temperature, the response time will be dependent on the temperature response time (see temperature section above). Readings should be taken in the shade.

Heat Stress – combination of temperature and humidity, as dened by the US National Weather Service. Heat stress is the eective temperature on a human or animal at high temperatures due to humidity. Heat stress readings will be the same as the temperature readings below 70ºF.

Dewpoint – calculated based on temperature and humidity measurements, as a measure of moisture content in the air. If the dewpoint is very close to the temperature, the air is humid. If the temperature and dewpoint are the same, dew will form. If this happens below freezing, frost will form.

Wet Bulb Temperature - calculated based on temperature and humidity measurements, as a measure of evaporation rate. If the wet bulb temperature is very close to the air temperature, the air is humid. Wet bulb temperature is typically measured by swinging a mercury thermometer with a wet sock on its end for several minutes.

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