dick smith electronics

i got mine off ebay, as it was only $50 delivered to my door. I had to get it from ebay international, mine came from great britain in 3 days after i send payment! i was impressed!

simple specs:

0-30 m/s max wind reading (bout 100km/h!)
reads in MPH, KMH, M/S, KNTS
resolution is 0.1units (eg 25.4 KNTS)
LED backlight for night use
auto shut down
runs on a small watch battery, included!
water resistant
small and light weight

i must add that mine is a very simple wind speed meter, it has no memory, no temp sensors, ONLY BASIC WIND SPEED! you get what u pay for, so if you want nifty features, pay for it mine is good for letting me know the wind, then if i sit long enuff i get an idea of how strong gusts are, and lulls, then i go back to the car and get the kite, or drive home (sux being a n00b with only a 12m).

Hope this info helps, look on ebay international (ebay.com) and you can find them for cheap.

Every second person has one it seems so the cheapest way is to ask the wind specs from someone there.

check out a beaufort scale, thats goog too.
let some other dummy set up first and watch him, ( even the guys with the meters do this)

the simplest and most effective one I have seen was a tube with a ball in it it had 2 scales 0-10kts and 10-50kts, a finger over a hole at top changed scale.

Or go to fiji and if there's whitecaps go sailing if not snorkel.

best winds
Tony Lorenz

Nothing can beat being able to judge the wind by feel, but I find a wind gauge most usefull when checking if the wind is too strong rather than strong enough.
You should learn to reconize the wind yourself, by feel, by wind meter, by erring on the safe side, by experience. Waiting for someone else to go out may be suitable when your a total novice but I can see kiters nervously fidgiting around waiting for some one to go out while its cranking. A lot of times theres no one out and unless there the same kite , board etc its more like another guide anyway. Learn to make the right decisions, dont learn to be a sheep.
There is nothing wrong with being the first one out, how do ya reckon I got me name.
Mr Ral Inn, dont you mean if theres no whitecaps.

well asking other guys makes sense - if there are others. given that i kite kirra and usually my mate and i are the only once out there that is not an option. of course a wind meter is not a must have but certainly a nice to have. i did some additional research on them and it seems the 'windmaster 2' is the most common one used by kiters all over the world.

- if there's whitecaps go sailing if not go snorkling

should read:- if there's whitecaps go sailing(ie kiting/sailboarding)if not go snorkling(ie anything else that you do when there is no wind).

and it's nice to be called Mister
and nice to mention fiji without being vetoed.[}:)]

best winds
Mr tony Lorenz

the windmaster 2 can't be held improperly.

Mr Holiday,
I just had a look at the windmaster 2 online. Its looks good. One thing, has the turbine a protective cover when its not in use to stop things going in there when its in your pocket or glovebox. Other makes have like a revolving cover.

the translation is actually pretty good - coincidently i am german. but i rather spend $100 and get the windmaster 2 (usually comes with protective cover @winddummy).