Kestrel Meters Ballistics Official Thread

[MDof2]

I'm sure this is my poor search-fu or something, but can't seem to find the answer? Apologies for being dumb...

Does the KestrelLiNK Ballistics app back up things like DSF, bullet length (if input via Kestrel), etc? (ie, all of the stuff you can edit in the gun profile on the Kestrel itself that isn't reflected in the profile editor in the app?)

In my experience, yes. Kestrel peeps can probably add to this.
If you have a synched profile (from Kestrel to phone) with DSF inputs and you delete it from the Kestrel then re-sync it to the Kestrel again (phone to Kestrel), the DSF, offsets, etc. are all restored.

 

[Curahee19]

Any chance of adding a third wind value
Min, average, and max?

 

[b6graham]

Any chance of adding a third wind value
Min, average, and max?

what kestrel do you have?

 

[Raffy]

Question. Is there a way to fully erase all previous inputs and all sectors to the target card? I was preparing for a comp the night before by entering in all the ranges to the target card one by one on my phone and pushing each stage to the respective sector. When I got to the competition everything worked great except one stage where it would not show my 3rd target from the main ballistics screen. So I'm thinking "what the crickets?" And I go to make sure I didn't screw it up and see in the sector screen that it's entered correctly. I'm wondering if instead of overwriting the sectors in the target card, if I could completely erase the existing ones if it would fix it? Is there a better way to resolve this glitch?

 

[NiteQwill]

Question. Is there a way to fully erase all previous inputs and all sectors to the target card? I was preparing for a comp the night before by entering in all the ranges to the target card one by one on my phone and pushing each stage to the respective sector. When I got to the competition everything worked great except one stage where it would not show my 3rd target from the main ballistics screen. So I'm thinking "what the crickets?" And I go to make sure I didn't screw it up and see in the sector screen that it's entered correctly. I'm wondering if instead of overwriting the sectors in the target card, if I could completely erase the existing ones if it would fix it? Is there a better way to resolve this glitch?

Under options: CLEAR ALL SECTORS - GO

 

[Raffy]

Under options: CLEAR ALL SECTORS - GO

Thanks I missed that. Has anyone else had that same problem with entered inputs not showing up on the ballistics screen?

 

[aamity]

Just purchased a 5700 Elite with AB to replace my old very basic Kestrel 2000. This thing rocks! First time out with it, in a 12 mph full value wind from 9 o’clock, it was dead on at 600 yards once I trued my velocity. I was shooting my Ruger Hawkeye LR in 300 WM with 220gr SMKs at 2830 fps (MK 248 mod 1 clone). 13 of 20 on the water mark in 1.05 MOA.

 

[JohnTheFisherman]

Question…when using a custom curve with 22lr what distance is recommended for truing velocity? I’ve read that it’s best to true velocity inside 200 and BC past 200 but the custom curve only allows for velocity truing. Is it recommended to true velocity as far as possible or stick with inside 200?

 

[NiteQwill]

Question…when using a custom curve with 22lr what distance is recommended for truing velocity? I’ve read that it’s best to true velocity inside 200 and BC past 200 but the custom curve only allows for velocity truing. Is it recommended to true velocity as far as possible or stick with inside 200?

To true 22LR, use the DSF function.

What I do (after 50yard zero) is shoot a target at 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 yards. This method has allowed me to obtain hits inside and outside of those ranges without any issues.

 

[JohnTheFisherman]

To true 22LR, use the DSF function.

What I do (after 50yard zero) is shoot a target at 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 yards. This method has allowed me to obtain hits inside and outside of those ranges without any issues.

And that is using G1?

 

[NiteQwill]

And that is using G1?

Correct. I just select a bullet in the library. In my case, Center X, Tenex, and SK Match... Which I shoot across various matches.

 

[JohnTheFisherman]

Correct. I just select a bullet in the library. In my case, Center X, Tenex, and SK Match... Which I shoot across various matches.

I had an abbreviated range session a few days ago and tried this, only 100,200&300 yards though. My adjusted velocity was almost 1300 fps when I adjusted my holds. I figured it was so far out of wack because my bc hadn’t been calibrated. I entered 0.132 for my bc as that’s what I was coming up with on Strelok with some success. Is this something that I need to worry about or do you find that your random distances you might be shooting in a match are still accurate?
This is why I was leaning toward a custom curve as it only adjusts velocity and not a combination of velocity and bc.

 

[NiteQwill]

I had an abbreviated range session a few days ago and tried this, only 100,200&300 yards though. My adjusted velocity was almost 1300 fps when I adjusted my holds. I figured it was so far out of wack because my bc hadn’t been calibrated. I entered 0.132 for my bc as that’s what I was coming up with on Strelok with some success. Is this something that I need to worry about or do you find that your random distances you might be shooting in a match are still accurate?
This is why I was leaning toward a custom curve as it only adjusts velocity and not a combination of velocity and bc.

My bad.... I selected the custom curve in the AB library - just looked now. Makes sense.

 

[JohnTheFisherman]

My bad.... I selected the custom curve in the AB library - just looked now. Makes sense.

Ok, so next time I shoot I’ll set up custom curve, use the dsf function, and see where that gets me. Sound about right?
I appreciate you taking the time to help out, sorry about all the questions.

 

[Theoverwatch]

Under Accuracy first, 12” drill it’s says 2.2/9.7 but I can’t figure out it’s use. Any help?

 

[gearguywb]

I could use a bit of help. Broke out the Kestrel today, updated it. Updated the Kestrel Link Ballistic App.

I have one gun profile (from a couple of years ago) on the Kestrel. 4 that I have built in the App on my iPhone. I have tried numerous times but i cannot do anything to delete the profiles, or push the new ones across to the Kestrel. The BT icon on the Kestrel is on. I am showing connected on my phone. The "send profiles" button on the gun profiles stays greyed out no matter what I do.

 

[Sniper1*]

I could use a bit of help. Broke out the Kestrel today, updated it. Updated the Kestrel Link Ballistic App.

I have one gun profile (from a couple of years ago) on the Kestrel. 4 that I have built in the App on my iPhone. I have tried numerous times but i cannot do anything to delete the profiles, or push the new ones across to the Kestrel. The BT icon on the Kestrel is on. I am showing connected on my phone. The "send profiles" button on the gun profiles stays greyed out no matter what I do.

I'm just throwing this out there! When you choose the "Select" button on the upper left of the app in Gun Profile Management and then "click" on each profile on the you want to send from the app to the Kestrel. The small circle is sometimes difficult to see (for my old eyes anyway).

 

[Curahee19]

what kestrel do you have?

5700 x

 

[EKane]

I have been using the Kestrel HUD and a 5700 elite at PRS matches and find the combo helpful. In particular if given a matchbook with target ranges the night before I load the stages in as sectors. During the match I collect azimuth and wind and like magic my firing solutions show up in the HUD. Works great with a few minor complaints.
1 entering the sectors is a real pain in the butt using the kestrel keypad
2 I can only have 30 sectors which means I always have to delete 10 stages from the previous match.
question
Is there a way to input sectors from the kestrel phone app as to make easier data entry?
Is there a way to store sectors on the Kestrel app as to avoid having to delete and then re enter sectors when changing between matches?

 

[MDof2]

I have been using the Kestrel HUD and a 5700 elite at PRS matches and find the combo helpful. In particular if given a matchbook with target ranges the night before I load the stages in as sectors. During the match I collect azimuth and wind and like magic my firing solutions show up in the HUD. Works great with a few minor complaints.
1 entering the sectors is a real pain in the butt using the kestrel keypad
2 I can only have 30 sectors which means I always have to delete 10 stages from the previous match.
question
Is there a way to input sectors from the kestrel phone app as to make easier data entry?
Is there a way to store sectors on the Kestrel app as to avoid having to delete and then re enter sectors when changing between matches?

You and a long list of other people hope that building sectors on the mobile app then syncing to the kestrel is in development and or at least scheduled in the product features roadmap.
Hopefully Kestrel can chime in on the subject.

 

[Kestrel Ballistics]

You and a long list of other people hope that building sectors on the mobile app then syncing to the kestrel is in development and or at least scheduled in the product features roadmap.
Hopefully Kestrel can chime in on the subject.

Beta testing is going on now for this. No timeline from development yet.

Under current conditions here is what our in-house Pro is doing:

#1 I use only my kestrel to input the ranges into each sector. It takes me longer to use the phone. I put all 20 stages into the Kestrel for this weekends match in less than 25min.

#2 I clear the sector when I get home. so that when I go to the next match, all 20 sectors are cleared and the previous match is cleared out. I do not delete sectors because I am only filling in 18 or 20 starting at 1 and working up. I also re-named my sectors S 1 (stage 1) and so on up to 20 (S 20) left the other 10 sectors un-named and untouched.

 

[Ebar48]

@Kestrel Ballistics I have been playing with a new 5700 with AB and I am confused with the station pressure reading I have been receiving. It has been reading between 29.35 and 29.55 consistently while the pressure at my location has been around 29.95-30.00. Why is my station pressure never matching what is being reported at the airport right down the road? And info would be great.

 

[Kestrel Ballistics]

@Kestrel Ballistics I have been playing with a new 5700 with AB and I am confused with the station pressure reading I have been receiving. It has been reading between 29.35 and 29.55 consistently while the pressure at my location has been around 29.95-30.00. Why is my station pressure never matching what is being reported at the airport right down the road? And info would be great.

Station Pressure - The pressure measured at a station, without any adjustment. A “station” can be any location (eg. house, the top of a mountain, or on the shore). Barometric Pressure - The station pressure adjusted to mean sea level. When measuring pressure at sea level, station pressure and barometric pressure are equal.

 

[Ebar48]

I saw that on the website but don’t quite understand how baro and sp are related and if the sp is correct. So if I know altitude is 354 feet, and the local altimeter at the airport is 29.94 (within a couple miles of here) and the kestrel is showing 29.54 right now does that check out?

 

[Kestrel Ballistics]

I saw that on the website but don’t quite understand how baro and sp are related and if the sp is correct. So if I know altitude is 354 feet, and the local altimeter at the airport is 29.94 (within a couple miles of here) and the kestrel is showing 29.54 right now does that check out?

The airport is a different station and will have a different reading. You can get different readings from one side of a building to another side.

 

[Ebar48]

The airport is a different station and will have a different reading. You can get different readings from one side of a building to another side.

Correct however a .50 difference is a drastic difference atmosphericly speaking. I guess to better phrase my question, as you continue to go up in altitude, will SP continue to decrease? Is that the kestrels way of using PX and not altitude as other ballistic solvers do?

 

[_Windrider_]

Correct however a .50 difference is a drastic difference atmosphericly speaking. I guess to better phrase my question, as you continue to go up in altitude, will SP continue to decrease? Is that the kestrels way of using PX and not altitude as other ballistic solvers do?

Standard lapse rate is 1.0” Hg per 1000’ ft increase in altitude/elevation

 

[Ebar48]

Standard lapse rate is 1.0” Hg per 1000’ ft increase in altitude/elevation

Perfect, that is what I was looking for although I wasn’t asking as well as I should have. Thanks man.

 

[davere]

@Kestrel Ballistics - is there a way for a user to submit an enhancement request? Specifically, I'd really love the option to enter wind direction as a compass bearing, rather than a relative angle to target direction - and also to be able to enter/modify wind that way on the target card, as well. I can expand on why, etc, just throwing a feeler out for now?

 

[MDof2]

@Kestrel Ballistics - is there a way for a user to submit an enhancement request? Specifically, I'd really love the option to enter wind direction as a compass bearing, rather than a relative angle to target direction - and also to be able to enter/modify wind that way on the target card, as well. I can expand on why, etc, just throwing a feeler out for now?

I don't have my kestrel in front of me at the moment, but you do have the option of how wind direction is formatted. 1, 2, 3 o'clock or in cardinal degrees.

 

[davere]

I don't have my kestrel in front of me at the moment, but you do have the option of how wind direction is formatted. 1, 2, 3 o'clock or in cardinal degrees.

Yeah, it's not a question of formatting or how to declare wind. I can declare wind in degrees - the problem there is that it's a relative angle. So, if I'm forgoing the Kestrel's internal compass (I know a lot of folks use it without issue - for me, it's been finicky at best, and I've had much more precise wind calls using a magnetic compass to measure wind and target directions), in order to set wind angle correctly, I need to shoot a bearing to the target, and a bearing to the wind, then subtract target bearing from wind bearing (add 360 if result is negative) and then enter *that* as wind angle in degrees. Because, the wind angle is relative to the target angle in the Kestrel. The Kestrel is, in the end, a glorified calculator, right? So, it can do all that math quicker and more accurately than I can.

On the target card, any time I go to adjust the wind for the target card, I first have to take a fake wind measurement, then re-enter my (calculated) relative wind bearing to first target, and then enter my desired wind speeds. Every single time. Again, if I could say "hey, I'm gonna give you a bearing, and I don't want to make a measurement", it would both make that process way easier, and save a lot of time, too.

 

[Kestrel Ballistics]

That is contrary to the design of the Kestrel, so most likely not. Maybe we should deal with the finicky part you are experiencing. Please give us a call and we can look into why your compass is a problem. 800-784-4221

 

[Holliday]

Yeah, it's not a question of formatting or how to declare wind. I can declare wind in degrees - the problem there is that it's a relative angle. So, if I'm forgoing the Kestrel's internal compass (I know a lot of folks use it without issue - for me, it's been finicky at best, and I've had much more precise wind calls using a magnetic compass to measure wind and target directions), in order to set wind angle correctly, I need to shoot a bearing to the target, and a bearing to the wind, then subtract target bearing from wind bearing (add 360 if result is negative) and then enter *that* as wind angle in degrees. Because, the wind angle is relative to the target angle in the Kestrel. The Kestrel is, in the end, a glorified calculator, right? So, it can do all that math quicker and more accurately than I can.

I had an issue with a problematic compass on my 5700x. I was vexed, thinking it was me but I knew I did not have that issue with my first 5700 AB. Finally, I contacted Kestrel support. They swapped it out for a new one. Problem solved.

 

[davere]

That is contrary to the design of the Kestrel, so most likely not. Maybe we should deal with the finicky part you are experiencing. Please give us a call and we can look into why your compass is a problem. 800-784-4221

I'll call - prolly tomorrow, thank you. The "contrary to design" ... I mean, it's just a different way to enter the same number manually. Once you allow manual input of wind direction, it's only a question of how you allow it - but then, I don't have the design specs handy or know the background decisions, so... (software engineer by trade)

 

[drglock]

If I’m using the sectors in the target card and say I have 3 targets with different DOF’s, when I take my wind reading and wind direction do I want wind direction set in manual or set with DOF

 

[MDof2]

If I’m using the sectors in the target card and say I have 3 targets with different DOF’s, when I take my wind reading and wind direction do I want wind direction set in manual or set with DOF

Set with DOF. Capture wind direction once.
Wind then changes based on Target DOF.

Good vid/ref showing the differences in that setting:

 

[drglock]

If I’m using the sectors in the target card and say I have 3 targets with different DOF’s, when I take my wind reading and wind direction do I want wind direction set in manual or set with DOF

Just got an email reply back from Kestrel, when using the sector’s like I described above it doesn’t matter if wind direction is set on Manual or W/DOF.

 

[Boomer8800]

So i just do range plinking and the longest range near me (2hrs) is like 800yrds, I only been using the Hornady 4Dof app, only have one rifle. So can i just get a 2700 to link/supply the environment info into the app via the pair meter ? I cant justify the price for a 5700 for just range use 5-6 times a year

 

[6.5SH]

So i just do range plinking and the longest range near me (2hrs) is like 800yrds, I only been using the Hornady 4Dof app, only have one rifle. So can i just get a 2700 to link/supply the environment info into the app via the pair meter ? I cant justify the price for a 5700 for just range use 5-6 times a year

From the 4DOF app site:

Pair with Weather Meter​

Electronically input weather variables from meters such as Kestrel 5500 or higher or WeatherFlow with Bluetooth.

You could still manually enter environment data from a 2700 or other meter into the app.

ETA:
The only app that a 2700 can connect to is the Kestrel LiNK Ballistics app (and I'd assume the regular Kestrel LiNK app). There is no LRF or other device connectivity for it either.

 

[Boomer8800]

oh I'll check out the weatherflow device, thats like $99

 

[Csafisher]

So I have a gun profile set in my kestrel with 1 muzzle velocity. I also have a couple cal dsf points. I have a couple of extra data points for the muzzle velocity at different temps I would like to add. My question is, can I add those data points with erasing my cal dsf data?

 

[Kestrel Ballistics]

Temp / fps go in the MV Temp Table and if turned on the Kestrel looks to the table for MV Temp not the fps entered in the Gun Profile MV. This does not change DSF.

 

[Csafisher]

can I append the profile from my phone with the new data or does it need to be added using the kestrel itself? Thanks

 

[Kestrel Ballistics]

if you have done dsf already you need to upload the profile to the app, then you can enter the MV temp table and then download to the Kestrel and that will keep all your data.

 

[davere]

That is contrary to the design of the Kestrel, so most likely not. Maybe we should deal with the finicky part you are experiencing. Please give us a call and we can look into why your compass is a problem. 800-784-4221

I haven't blown you guys off - work got nutty the past few weeks and haven't had time to sit down and call. I can't seem to reproduce the compass issue I was having in the past - so for the moment, I'll chalk it up to "Dave is a dumbass", and try to use it as intended? Basically, it was showing me inconsistent/odd bearings, even after calibration. I know for certain I've changed battery and recalibrated the compass again since then, so maybe I either "fixed" something, or learned something in between.

If I hit the same sort of thing again, I'll call straight away and we'll go from there?

 

[Milf Dots]

Mr. Kestreli,
I'm looking at either the 5700 Elite & HUD long Range Shooter Kit, or the 5700X Elite & HUD Long Range Shooter Kit... Do either come with the "remote"? Thanks

 

[Kestrel Ballistics]

Mr. Kestreli,
I'm looking at either the 5700 Elite & HUD long Range Shooter Kit, or the 5700X Elite & HUD Long Range Shooter Kit... Do either come with the "remote"? Thanks

No the remote needs to be purchased separately

 

[stevenc23]

Will Kestrel Store will be available on Expertvoice again? ETA?

 

[Milf Dots]

No the remote needs to be purchased separately

Is there a wireless remote, or just the three button with the 3-4 ft long wire? Also, what functions does the remote have? TYIA

 

[Kestrel Ballistics]

Is there a wireless remote, or just the three button with the 3-4 ft long wire? Also, what functions does the remote have? TYIA

Kestrel HUD Gun Mounted Wireless Ballistics Heads Up Display

View critical target data and information without ever coming out of the scope. The Kestrel HUD is a gun-mounted display that gives you instant access to real-time shooting solutions from your Kestrel 5700. The 2.5” screen puts bold, sunlight-readable numbers right in your line of sight -...

kestrelballistics.com

see Remote as there is no wireless