Tired of awful Applied Ballistics products

wake.joe

wake.joe

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    • Feb 8, 2012
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    #1
    I have a Kestral 5700 Elite and now a Garmin 701.

    They are plain awful. Interfacing with a computer, or a phone, are terrible. Nothing ever works like it's supposed to. I am done with these products until AB figures out that we're not in Windows 3.1 anymore.

    What else is out there for a hand-held computer? Am I limited to an app on my phone?
     
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    #4
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    #8
    My kestrel is on v1.4 firmware. If your bluetooth isn’t working, have them fix it. My garmin 750 has a busted screen, I don’t think its a pos, just needs to get fixed.
     
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    #13
    I just bought the HUD...way faster update time from the kestrel to the HUD than the kestrel to the app...stays linked up to about 90’ but needs clear line of sight and is weak....up to 70’ is no issue.

    I will get it out in the field this weekend and run it through it’s paces but pretty happy with it as of now.
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    #14
    47guy said:
    I just bought the HUD...way faster update time from the kestrel to the HUD than the kestrel to the app...stays linked up to about 90’ but needs clear line of sight and is weak....up to 70’ is no issue.

    I will get it out in the field this weekend and run it through it’s paces but pretty happy with it as of now.
    Click to expand...

    Super cool stuff but my 5700 Elite bluetooth is not working anymore so no dice anyway.

    I guess I am just going back to phone apps. Thanks guys
     
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    #15
    Dthomas3523 said:
    5700 elite works great with the app. No computer needed.

    Have run a 5700 elite for almost two years with zero issues.
    Click to expand...
    I will flat out say I’m beyond impressed with how my new 5700 is treating me.
    I resisted getting one thinking apps worked just as well.
    I was a fool.
    Pretty easy to true up and far more durable than a phone.
    I’m a believer now.
     
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    #18
    Travclem said:
    Do you have to re calibrate the compass every time you turn it on?
    Click to expand...

    I don’t know about him but I do, when I drive somewhere. It’s magnetic interference I’m pretty sure. To be fair you have to do the same thing with drones or anything else with similar digital compass. Personally it’s just part of my set up now. Once I go into the field or on the range I just take it out and recalibrate the compass just to be sure anyways. I know amazon prime has everyone wanting perfection for every good in service at a moments notice, but i have no issue with taking the time to set things up properly every trip.
     
    #19
    Matches Malone said:
    I don’t know about him but I do, when I drive somewhere. It’s magnetic interference I’m pretty sure. To be fair you have to do the same thing with drones or anything else with similar digital compass. Personally it’s just part of my set up now. Once I go into the field or on the range I just take it out and recalibrate the compass just to be sure anyways. I know amazon prime has everyone wanting perfection for every good in service at a moments notice, but i have no issue with taking the time to set things up properly every trip.
    Click to expand...
    I don't know anything about amazon prime, but I have a Samsung Galaxy with a compass in it that doesn't have to be re calibrated all the time. Doesn't seem like much to ask for from a $700 instrument.
     
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    #22
    Steel head said:
    I’ve never checked my compass since I first set it up.

    Just fired it up and compared it to phone compass.
    Within 10 degrees.
    Click to expand...
    Mine will only show a few (5 or so) degrees difference when moved 90 degrees until I re calibrate. For example if I turn it on and set the target(12'oclock) and then try to set 1 9'oclock crosswind it will only read 1130 crosswind. Same exact thing for several guys I shoot with.
     
    #23
    Travclem said:
    I don't know anything about amazon prime, but I have a Samsung Galaxy with a compass in it that doesn't have to be re calibrated all the time. Doesn't seem like much to ask for from a $700 instrument.
    Click to expand...

    Your phone also has a GPS radio and accelerometers to work with the calibration process in the background. Not to mention the gobs of code and processes to make it all work.

    The Kestrel is a mission specific piece of equipment with ruggedness in mind.

    Yes, I have to calibrate mine regularly as well.

    Get a base model kestrel that takes atmospherics and run dope cards in the @Jack Master style.

    I have started using my GShock Rangeman for DA and learned to read the wind a bit better.
     
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    #25
    Travclem said:
    I don't know anything about amazon prime, but I have a Samsung Galaxy with a compass in it that doesn't have to be re calibrated all the time. Doesn't seem like much to ask for from a $700 instrument.
    Click to expand...
    Your phone also has gps and knows the magnetic variation of where it is.

    the kestrel works great. I rarely have to recalibrate but I do every time I use it because it’s just good practice to do so.
     
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    #26
    I have to re calibrate it EVERY TIME I use it. I wouldn't even care that the compass wasnt accurate, but it should be able to tell the 90 degree difference between reading 1 and reading 2.
     
    #27
    Travclem said:
    I have to re calibrate it EVERY TIME I use it. I wouldn't even care that the compass wasnt accurate, but it should be able to tell the 90 degree difference between reading 1 and reading 2.
    Click to expand...

    Why “should it” tell the difference between reading one and two?
    As to you other post, how would YOU make a compass that doesn’t need to be calibrated (Ie a non-magnetic digital compass)
     
    #28
    Look man, I'm not an electronics nerd, I just want the shit to work the way it should. I'll leave it to them to figure out the how, and I'll pay for it. Hell put a GPS in it and charge an extra hundred. Having to spend 10 minutes calibrating the POS every time I want to take a shot is a waste of time. I bought a Kestrel to save time over paper charts and data books, but the hard copies are actually faster, so the Kestrel rarely comes out of the pouch. There are multiple people in this thread saying that they never, or rarely ever have to calibrate theirs. Too much inconsistency.
     
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    #29
    Travclem said:
    Look man, I'm not an electronics nerd, I just want the shit to work the way it should. I'll leave it to them to figure out the how, and I'll pay for it. Hell put a GPS in it and charge an extra hundred. Having to spend 10 minutes calibrating the POS every time I want to take a shot is a waste of time. I bought a Kestrel to save time over paper charts and data books, but the hard copies are actually faster, so the Kestrel rarely comes out of the pouch. There are multiple people in this thread saying that they never, or rarely ever have to calibrate theirs. Too much inconsistency.
    Click to expand...
    There are multiple people on this forum that are idiots. I don’t follow the path of the majority and can careless about their opinions. I don’t even care if you do or do not like the product. My questions are rhetorical because I know you don’t know the answer, and that if you want someone to blame, blame yourself for your own ignorance. You don’t seem to even know why you need to calibrate the damn thing in the first place, which is the batteries electromagnetic interference. Even a regular ass compass can have issues. These were made for field use where gps and other signals would typically be lost by the terrain. They weren’t thinking of YOU and you desire to be lazy when it was made. It literally takes 3 minutes.

    I’m not saying you have to like it, or like kestrels, or want a kestrel. I’m not even arguing that they shouldn’t innovate. Just that you bought something, and you didn’t do enough research to make sure it suited your needs. That’s not the products fault. The rest of us, we understand the kestrels and the technologies limitations, applied ballistics software quirks, and we adjust accordingly. It’s a precision tool, but at the end of the day, I don’t need a impact wrench to weld a pipe.
     
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    #30
    Matches Malone said:
    There are multiple people on this forum that are idiots. I don’t follow the path of the majority and can careless about their opinions. I don’t even care if you do or do not like the product. My questions are rhetorical because I know you don’t know the answer, and that if you want someone to blame, blame yourself for your own ignorance. You don’t seem to even know why you need to calibrate the damn thing in the first place, which is the batteries electromagnetic interference. Even a regular ass compass can have issues. These were made for field use where gps and other signals would typically be lost by the terrain. They weren’t thinking of YOU and you desire to be lazy when it was made. It literally takes 3 minutes.

    I’m not saying you have to like it, or like kestrels, or want a kestrel. I’m not even arguing that they shouldn’t innovate. Just that you bought something, and you didn’t do enough research to make sure it suited your needs. That’s not the products fault. The rest of us, we understand the kestrels and the technologies limitations, applied ballistics software quirks, and we adjust accordingly. It’s a precision tool, but at the end of the day, I don’t need a impact wrench to weld a pipe.
    Click to expand...

    You sure have a weird way of flirting.
     
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    #35
    wake.joe said:
    I have a Kestral 5700 Elite and now a Garmin 701.

    They are plain awful. Interfacing with a computer, or a phone, are terrible. Nothing ever works like it's supposed to. I am done with these products until AB figures out that we're not in Windows 3.1 anymore.

    What else is out there for a hand-held computer? Am I limited to an app on my phone?
    Click to expand...
    I will give you $50 for your POS Garmin 701 👍
     
    #38
    Dthomas3523 said:
    I’m not sure. I rarely use mine for wind/shot direction. Wind needs to be pretty gusty or higher than I’m comfortable estimating.
    Click to expand...
    I use wind in two ways on the kestrel
    Directly in winds over winds approximately 15 mph or more, I find it’s quite effective then.

    I also input wind into it to match my holds for notes.
     
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    #39
    Travclem said:
    I have to re calibrate it EVERY TIME I use it. I wouldn't even care that the compass wasnt accurate, but it should be able to tell the 90 degree difference between reading 1 and reading 2.
    Click to expand...


    ive had to reset mine pretty often as well, kestrel told me if its close to large chunks of metal it will cause it to need to reset it.. So like a car or truck hahahah
     
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    #40
    wake.joe said:
    I have a Kestral 5700 Elite and now a Garmin 701.

    They are plain awful. Interfacing with a computer, or a phone, are terrible. Nothing ever works like it's supposed to. I am done with these products until AB figures out that we're not in Windows 3.1 anymore.

    What else is out there for a hand-held computer? Am I limited to an app on my phone?
    Click to expand...


    you need to call kestrel, they will fix it
     
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    #46
    I have occasional problems connecting to my iPhone Xs, to fix it I turn off the Kestrel, reboot the phone, turn the Kestrel back on and then “Elite - and my serial number” shows up again under Connect Device in the Kestrel app on the iPhone.

    The only time I’ve ever had to recalibrate the compass is after I get a Kestrel firmware update. (I have a 5700 Link Applied Ballistics on FW 1.39)
     
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    #48
    natdscott said:
    I can appreciate that everybody has their own way...

    ..but damn. I sometimes wonder if some of you ever HIT WITH the rifle with all the time spent on angst and widgets.
    Click to expand...

    FIFY. I don't think shooting is the problem for most.

    A Kestrel or any ballistic calculator is an excellent tool.

    However, it's important to understand the limitations of your equipment. And if it is an "issue", replace it with an appropriate solution or resolve the issues through training or a manufacturer resolution (when the equipment is at fault).
     
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