Time To Recalibrate the Berkeley Sensor

WNDZRFR

Hey Mike,

Anyway to recalibrate the new HLS sensor?

As usual it's reading 3-4mph low. 20mph was definitely 23-24mph again today.

Thanks,

Carl

sailtildark · Joined: 22 Mar 2012 Posts: 52

How did you determine it was out of calibration? Did you climb to the roof and hold a calibrated meter right next to it?

kevinkan · Joined: 07 Jun 2001 Posts: 1661 Location: San Francisco

heh, my impression is that the readings from new sensor are more accurate than the old one. the old sensor seriously inflated the wind speed... it would have to be reading in the mid 20s to be actually 5.0 for most people. Now a reading of 22 seems to be nice windy day.

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Been sailing Berkeley for just over 10 years.
The new readings are in line with other spots.
At 150 lbs., I should be fine with a 6 meter sail in 13-19 mph, and before, I needed gusts to 22.
We need to recalibrate out way of thinking for Berkeley, instead of adding another adjustment factor.

windfind · Joined: 18 Mar 1997 Posts: 1901

Hi Gang,

Every time we replace sensor along the coast anywhere in the USA there are complaints that sensor reads different than the old sensor.

Very slowly through the years salt, corrosion, bird shit, spider webs, dust etc. works its way into the bearings. At the same time sand grit works its way into the bearings as the years past making the cups spin more easily.

So it is a race between factors that make a sensor over read and those that make it under read.

In addition we are now using much more accurate anemometers now than years ago. Plus when the crew is on site for a replacement they often notice trees or adjacent structures have changed the wind flow so they make the mast taller or may even move it to make it more accurate.

In short it is unrealistic to expect a new sensor to read exactly the same as an old sensor that has failed.

Just look at the first La Ventana wind sensor below to see what I mean....

Like Zirtaeb suggests watch the new sensor readings, water and your sail size and you will soon be able to use the sensor like the old one.

Mike Godsey
iwindsurf.com/ikitesurf.com
Weatheflow.com

windoggi · Joined: 22 Feb 2002 Posts: 2743

It's just a number. Local knowledge of what number means go is the bottom line. The old sensor at Isabel didn't reflect the wind on the water, but we knew 17 meant it was time to sail. As long as it's consistant all's groovy.

WNDZRFR · Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 11:49 pm Post subject:

Cool by me. It just means there will be less of a crowd at HLS (because it reads lower) and more of a crowd at PI (which now reads higher). I only go to PI if there isn't wind at Berkeley!

So if no change is the case could you please fix the "Configure Wind Alerts" so that I can lower the mph numbers that I have it set at for HLS from last season.

Every time I click on it I get this: Apologies. An Error occured while attempting to process your request.
A full report of this incident has been generated and sent to our technical staff.

Thanks

windmaddness · Joined: 09 Oct 2010 Posts: 41

Now point Isabel reads high and Berkeley reads accurate. Please don't recalibrate Berkeley, it's been years since I sailed berkekey full power on a 4.2/73 and the sensor readings never went over 22mph.
22 at berk use to be 5.0 meh...

tomg · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 294

Kind of got burned out on Berkeley but all the MANY years I launched at HS and Emeryville, the sensor OVER estimated what was going on out there. You would also notice the wind feels stronger standing in the parking lot than on the water. We figured it was a bit of the ol venturi effect: wind getting jammed against the shore and up and over in our faces - and hitting the sensor mounted on the restaurant ( I think that's where it was). Always rigged 1/2 -1 meter higher than the sensor indicated and never regretted it.

WNDZRFR · Posted: Fri May 13, 2016 1:59 am Post subject:

Yeah like Isabel has more wind than Berkeley in the first half of the season - you guys are killing me, dream on. I guess sailing an average of 96 days a year over the last 6 years with an average of 84 days a year at Berkeley I have no idea what to rig to be fully powered. I'm just saying that I use the same size sail at PI reading 20 now that I do at HLS reading 17 (now).

A 4.2? What? When? Berkeley? What size board were you on? Maybe 2 days a year! OMG a 4.8 at Berkeley would be 30+ for me (last years sensor, I weigh 170) so now 27 and it only blows that hard a couple times a year here.

Do you really think that in one off season that all the sudden PI gained 3 mph and at the same time HLS lost 3mph on the same side of the bay only a few miles apart? And of course this has absolutely nothing to do with each site getting completely new re-designed sensors this year.

I was just trying to help get the sensor set correctly but never mind...