Which weather station, Pocket PC, and Balistic Program?

[Dr Trot]

OK, I'm hooked on this long range stuff. I realize I need a weather station, Pocket PC, and a ballistic program, but which ones? I would just as soon buy the good stuff first and be done with it. What to you guys (or gals) recommend?
Is this the right forum for this question?

 

[CatShooter]

Kestrel 4000 Weather station.

 

[Ernie]

I also use the 4000, and I use Exbal loaded on a Dell Axim.

 

[gnettleton]

I have the Krestel 4000 also and I have the Exbal as well. I also have the Nightforce PC version on my Laptop. One question, how do you get update as new ammunition comes out. It could be a problem.

 

[Dr Trot]

With the Exbal program can you set it up to give you clicks up (say for a 1/4 in. click scope ) or does it just give you minute of angle and you have to calculate the clicks yourself? Also does this program account for gryrscopic lateral and vertical movements associated with a right or left twist barrel (Precession, Magnus, Bernoulli's, Coning, Yaw of Repose) or do you have to figure that out on your own?

 

[Ernie]

My pocket PC will allow me to to use MOA, IPHY (inches per hundred yards), MIL , or CPHM (cm/100m) and click increments can be in 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/10, 1/3, and 1/6.

 

[MagMan]

Exactly what Ernie said.

You can use just clicks or you can have your MOA, IPHY, CPHY and MIL's in 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and 1/10 increments.

 

[victor]

I use the Garmin M5 Pocket PC for my Exbal program. I got a refurbished unit on E-bay for about $350. It's overkill for running the simple exbal program but it has GPS so it doubles as my GPS unit. For 3D mapping you need to buy National Geographic maps (others available). $100 clams per state (overpriced). It's a kind of a cool toy I guess. You can view a map of your hunting area, hit a button that says, Show my current position on the map, and a dot shows up on the map so you can tell where you are with relation to other areas on the map. Also it leaves a bread crumb trail showing where you have been. Down side, you can't save the bread crumb trail to a PC and the trail disappears when you turn the unit off. Other negatives are, its not waterproof, more fragile then a Garmin 60csx, and the integral battery runs for 5 hours if on continuously. I have a $9 dollar backup battery unit which is powered by 4 AA's. Also comes with vehicle charger and audio unit for car.
Other pluses, I use it to find addresses on the street. Punch in address and it routes you to your destination, voice comes on and tells you to get ready to turn within the next 100 yards. Kind of like the GM on star units. This mapping software comes with the unit and covers the lower 48 .
Also stores music & plays music (kind of Nice to listen to some Johnny Cash when your going stir crazy in your little spike tent in the middle of nowhere), has word for taking notes, Calendar etc. (all the microsoft stuff & links/updates with your home PC).
The screen is a bit larger then a regular GPS, but its hard to read in glaring sunlight.

It's a lot more than you need for running an Exbal program and may or may not be for you. Check it out. For the price that I got mine for, I'm happy with it.

Regards,
Vic

 

[Mikecr]

Don't forget a Leica 1200 LRF

 

[Ernie]

[ QUOTE ]
Also does this program account for gryrscopic lateral and vertical movements associated with a right or left twist barrel (Precession, Magnus, Bernoulli's, Coning, Yaw of Repose) or do you have to figure that out on your own?

[/ QUOTE ]
Use all of your technology to get it close during field practice or maybe I should say confirm and reconfirm the data with actual shooting at the ranges you consider a possibility. Better yet practice with your field rest(s).
For instance, when I started using the 200 grain Wildcat bullet I placed the BC @ .850 and with the conditions I dialed for 600 yards (repeatability of turrets and if they actually move the amount they say can be another issue) and my shot was on the steel but it was low. I then ran clicks to center me @ 600 and then changed my BC numbers to match the clicks I had run. My next shot was @ 1000 yards and I was pretty much on the money. First shot was a tad low (about 4") but the others were on elevation wise.
Reading wind wrong will likely be your biggest achilles heel.
I don't think Exbal deals with the question above.
If it does, I just have not used it yet.
Now I guess I need to check and see if it does /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[AJ Peacock]

Kestrel 3500

Exbal running on a Palm M130, I found my backup M130 Palm for $24 on eBay.

Don

 

[linksmechanic]

I got the skymaster sm-28 on ebay and it has more features for less money and also was rated the best in a few sailing magazines. Take a look. Also have a dell axim w/ nightforce software(newest version 6.0). Don't forget to get a angle cosine indicator.

 

[Sendero_Man]

can you put NF pc on a palm ?

 

[AJ Peacock]

[ QUOTE ]
can you put NF pc on a palm ?

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought the NF software and exbal are functionally equivalent ? Exbal runs well on the Palm and NF sells the Palm version as well. If you already have the Pc version, you'll need the Palm version for a Palm device.

Don