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HAND-HELD ANEMOMETER

Know the wind speed in the palm or your hand!  The new Vortex Handheld Anemometer is a versatile, rugged, useful instrument.  The large rotor is virtually indestructible so you can toss the Vortex in your gear bag without worry.  It's drop and abuse- proof, there's nothing fragile about the Vortex.  The Vortex has a unique head tilts flat for storage, has a water resistant display, and a comfortable vinyl handle.

Displays in miles or kilometers per hour.  3-cup rotor can get the wind speed no matter what direction you are facing.  Accuracy within 4% for winds of 10 to over 50 mph, good to over 100 (plus or minus a few tenths from 4 to 10 mph.) The low mass rotor is responsive to gusts.

Getting a measurement with the Vortex is simple:  just tilt the head so it is horizontal, and hold it up in an area of clear wind.  Cateye display reveals average speed, current speed, or maximum speed.

SPECS: 

PORTABLE POLE MOUNT ANEMOMETER

Mount the Vortex head and rotor on top of a pole or tripod, in a field or a building - continuously monitor wind speed, store max & average.  Great for applications where AC power is not available.

 For applications where the display can be mounted indoors.

Mount the Vortex head and rotor to your own pole or roof bracket.  Bring the wire in through a window or some other hole, and stick the display on the glass, a window, or anywhere you want.  Connect the red & black wires and Voila!

Display is a high quality, Sigma Sport BC 1200 bicycle computer.  Speed range is approx. 5 to around 150 mph, although the calibration has only been verified from 5 to 50 - we did not find a wind tunnel with 150 mph calibration facilities!  Check out the specifications for details.  Battery life is around 1,000 hours of continuous use.

Includes Vortex head & rotor, aluminum mounting bracket, 25 feet of wire** [we can do more for $0.10 per foot - tested fine with 450 feet!], self-stick display.  Pole not included.

**If you want to,  you can route and cut the wire where needed, and use your own wire as an extension.  Any 2-conductor cable will work - we use exterior grade signal cable - regular phone wire is cheap and works great too!

VORTEX PLUS FLEX

For those who want a less permanent setup, something you can coil up and put away - we would suggest a VORTEX PLUS FLEX.  This rugged anemometer with dual digital display handles speeds over 125 mph. Comes with 25' (8m) of audio grade wire, with a 1/8" (2.5mm) jack connection to the display. The Vortex Pro-1200 Plus anemometer is great for mobile use where AC power is not available. Pole not included.

NEW - VORTEX STORM CHASER™

Mount the Vortex Storm Chaser™  firmly on your vehicle, run the wire into someplace safe, dry, and warm, stick the display where you can easily see it - and you can get a wind measurement without getting wet or pelted by hail!

Both kits install in seconds - plus you can take them with you and measure wind speed wherever you go!

The Storm Chaser is fully portable, comes with 25 feet of wire and a male/female jack connection, so you can leave the wind speed sensor installed and remove the display when not in use.  Run the wire through the door (just close it on the wire - no problem), through a window or moon roof...

Check out the specifications for details on wind speed measurement accuracy - we think it is as good as anything out there.  The battery should last for months and months. 

MAGNETIC MOUNT

The magnetic mounting kit consists of 2 heavy-duty magnets on an aluminum bracket. This digital storm chaser anemometer with dual display is designed specifically with the storm chaser in mind. Wind sensor registers speeds over 125 mph. The Storm Chaser's magnetic mount lets you monitor the wind from inside your vehicle, not outside! Tested in winds well over 125 mph.

Includes wind sensor, magnetic mount kit, wire, and display with connector.

WINDOW MOUNT

This kit comes with a car window flag mount.  The wind speed sensor is mounted on a pole that is removable with a simple twist.  Mounts in seconds, good to over 125 mph.

Includes wind sensor, window mount kit, wire, and display with connector.

BUT:  if you want to know the real average wind speed - even with spells near zero, do the following:  reset the computer, note the time.  When desired, simply divide the total number of wind "miles" accumulated by the time since reset. 

Performance Specifications

The VORTEX™ is built to be rugged, accurate, and inexpensive - for windsurfers, kiteboarders, sailors, and wind-sport enthusiasts who need to know how hard it's blowing in order to select the right gear to use, to set up, or just to know. Here are the specs:

First, the calibration data, done by a certified laboratory:

Accuracy:
+4% from ~10 to ~50 mph
+ a few tenths of a mph from ~4 to ~10 mph
The accuracy above 50 mph is presumed to be pretty good (based on data from the rotor manufacturer), but no precise laboratory calibration has been obtained. 

NOTE: The Vortex™ is intended for outdoor sporting use and is not recommended for critical, high precision measurements.

The Vortex™ is NOT sensitive to how it is held in the wind, provided the head is held horizontal and the air flow is not obstructed by the user (i.e. you do not have to face into the wind)

Minimum speed approx. 4 mph
Maximum speed: approx. 55 mph for the Cateye and "LC" Pyramid, over 100 mph for the "Pro" Sigma Sport.
We do not expect any significant change in accuracy due to bearing wear.

Display specifications:
Since the Vortex™ is based on a cyclometer, the display options will look familiar to cyclists:
Type: LCD, DUAL Display (i.e. simultaneously shows Max & Current Speed, Average & Current, etc…)
Update rate: approx. 1 Hz (1 second)
Display modes:
- Current & Max wind speed since reset
- Current & Average since reset
- Time since reset
…plus some other displays that are useful to cyclists
- Resolution: depends on the display; typically 1 mph.  For some models 0.1 under 20 mph, 0.5 above 20 mph.
- Units: mph or kph - (can be calibrated to display in knots, but the units display will show mph.)

The display is removable for storage or for use as a cyclometer (additional bicycle mounting bracket required - contact us).

Calibration:
The Vortex™ rotor is used widely on other anemometer products. As such, it has a known rotational function relative to the wind, which translates to a "virtual wheel circumference".  The actual calibration number will vary depending on the cyclometer and the units (mph, kph...).   If the unit should ever lose power, this value must be re-entered in order to ensure accurate readings. (Note that you can make it read out in any units you want by entering the appropriate calibration number. In standard form it reads in mph or kph).

Operation:
Thumb-operated" navigation buttons on the front and pin-press buttons for set-up in the rear
Automatic Power-Save mode
Battery: Enduro & Sigma Sport computers:  CR2032;  "LC" Pyramid.  "Pro" Sigma Sport BC800:  V13 GA
Battery life: not easy to say - at least months of continuous use.  Battery life can be extended by removing the display from the bracket, disconnecting it, or stopping the rotation of the cups. 

Other Specifications:
Tilting head for near-flat storage
Water-resistant (you can use it in the rain momentarily without worry. Not meant to be submerged.)
The Vortex™ does not float
Rotor diameter: 6 inches (152mm)
Length: approx. 11 inches (280 mm) overall, with the head tilted flat
Width: approx. 6 inches (152 mm)
Thickness: approx. 3 inches (76 mm), with the head tilted flat

Service & Parts:
The Vortex™ is built to last in a tough environment - like in a gear bag. It has a stainless steel shaft and brass bearings which should last the life of the unit (3-5 years, more?). If contamination, grime, dirt, sand, or some other obnoxious stuff gets inside, the Vortex™ can be easily disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled by the user without any specialized tools. If it sustains damage for some reason (beach sand gets everywhere), replacement parts are available and a complete replacement of the 4 motion-related parts will cost under ten US dollars. We think you will never need them.