Weatherflow Weathermeter for Precision Shooting
WHEN USING A ballistic app for longrange shooting it is of utmost importance that all data needed to run the application is correct. Any guesswork, for example muzzle velocity, elevation above sea level or wind speed, will result in misses.
Using a ballistic app alone means you have to get additional data from elsewhere. Weather updates and other atmospheric data can be found online, which is better than guessing, but what if you do not have a cellphone signal? Apart from that, using the precise information recorded at the shooting venue will deliver better results.
To solve the problem you can invest in a Kestrel weather meter; if you want to use the Kestrel alone (without a ballistic app) the model with Applied Ballistics preloaded is about the best long-range solution available at present. However, these tools are rather expensive, and being unable to fork out R18 000 for the top of the range model, I opted for the much more affordable Weatherflow Weathermeter for Precision Shooting. This weather station will set you back about R2 000.
It was designed to work with the Ballisticsarc app, but subsequent upgrades now include Shooter and Strelok Pro. It allows shooters to capture a complete on-site atmospheric profile including wind, temperature, pressure, relative humidity, and density altitude. It integrates seamlessly with the mobile app to provide a complete atmospheric profile through a Bluetooth Smart (BLE) connection. On my phone this was done within seconds.
The device, packed in a sturdy seethrough plastic case for storage, is small enough to fit into the palm of my hand. Included are two adapters that screw into the bottom of the device, one for a lanyard and the other a plastic protrusion that fits into a cell phone or tablet jack port. This adapter is not used to connect with the mobile device, but is simply a means to fix it to the device for one-handed use of both instruments. The Weatherflow is protected against scratches and falls by its rubber ‘skin’. The ‘skin’ must be removed to replace the CR2450 battery, which is claimed to last for about 300 hours.
Operation is very simple (if you already know how your chosen ballistic app works). For the test I used Strelok Pro as I’m familiar with it and, unlike the other apps, it provides me with live wind updates from the Weatherflow as the wind speed changes. To connect the phone and device you turn on the WeatherFlow device by pressing the single button for about half a second. If you’ve already opened the app on your phone, the connection will be automatic. You can now set up the app to download the data provided by the Weatherflow. This includes wind speed, barometric pressure, temperature, wind chill, heat index, dew point, humidity density and altitude. The unit of measure can be changed in the various apps.
IT’S IMPORTANT TO note that the device has no digital compass; the compass in the mobile device should be used for determining azimuth and wind direction. Using Strelok Pro, I had the additional advantage of being able to simply turn the phone into the wind and the app would immediately compensate for the direction change and display the adjusted elevation/ windage values.
I do not want to go into detail on how to work the apps, suffice it to say that if you do not want to buy an app, Ballisticsarc can be downloaded free, and it works well.
I found the Weatherflow definitely helped me to put hits on targets out to 500m, the furthest I could shoot during the test, but I don’t see why it shouldn’t work for extended ranges. The data provided during testing was almost identical to that of a Kestrel 5700. The only negative was that the temperature reading on the Weatherflow was almost always off. I then started using a lanyard to swing the device in a circle (as is suggested with the Kestrel) to allow wind to flow over the sensor and this corrected the temperature reading. The Weatherflow is probably the cheapest way to create an effective integrated long-range ballistic solution. No cell-phone reception is needed to use it on a phone, and it will connect via blue tooth to the phone from up to 30m away. It’s easy to use and seems tough enough to take a fall (mine has been dropped several times).
My only real gripe is that the package came without any instructions. I had to resort to Google to learn how to use it. To change the battery I had to watch a Youtube video! Also, the connection between my phone and the device is sometimes inexplicably lost, but a quick press on the device’s button normally restores this.
I’ve tried unsuccessfully to find the Weatherflow Weathermeter at a retailer and finally resorted to buying one online as several online shops had stock.