Weather Station Recommendations?
 

Looking to buy a handheld weather station with ET prediction software before next racing season. Any suggestions or experiences to share? Thanks.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

I've been using a Computech handheld for years. Found it to be user friendly and quite accurate.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

Computech customer since 2007....very dependable.:)

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

I've had good luck with my Kestrel.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

The Kestrel is hard to beat and the price is right. Fletcher and the Biondos put me onto it when we raced Jr,s. Got mine from Biondos as it is nice to support our own.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

There are Kestrels with prediction?

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

Curtis, I never found a hand held that predicted my car nearly as well as Crew Chief Pro software in my laptop. Type in data from my weather station into Crew Chief Pro, and use it’s prediction. Make Edwards put me into Crew Chief Pro a long time ago. He used it to know what to expect from his Pro Stock car. As always, Mike was correct.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

Crew Chief Pro is the best I've ever used.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

Crew Chief Pro a handheld ?

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

No sir. I thought I said “software in my laptop”. Type weather data from your weather station & run data from your time sips into Crew Chief Pro software in your laptop. Sorry it I was not clear. I’m old.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

I have an Altronics PerformAire weather station. It has ET prediction, but I don't use it much.

I get my weather data online here
https://airdensityonline.com/tracks/
It closely matches data from the Altronics.

I then use ET Predictor Pro 9 software on my laptop to predict my ET.
http://www.ifamilysoftware.com/Software.html

This is somewhat less costly than Crew Chief Pro. I went this route originally when index racing in NSS. The software gives HP corrected weight which is more useful for index racing.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

I'm with Ed. I hate hauling a laptop to the track when I'm a "flatbed and tent" racer, but my Altronics was always way off while the same data through Crew Chief Pro was dead on. I just gave the laptop a new SSD so it will start up faster and have better battery life. Hoping for better driving skills this year...

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

I am using the Altronics PC trailer based system and have been happy with it. it took a bit to get used to it as I am not real computer savvy. I like the log book feature and the ability to choose the runs I want as the basis for the predictions. I also like the feature to get the weather conditions from your run and automatically up load that to the log book. No need to run in to the trailer after the run to log the weather. I don't have the paging feature but could add it if I choose. All in all I would recommend it. Good value for the cost if you already have a laptop.

One thing about weather stations is good info in and good info out. You have to know how to read the info and interpret how it will effect the cars performance.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

http://www.altronicsinc.com/media/pr...images/pae.jpg

The PerformAIRE Eclipse is the only hand held that will work in direct sunlight.

Built in fan control allows unit to quickly auto stabilize weather readings and generate accurate predictions at you trailer or near the track.

Click on our banner for classracer discount!

Check it out on our website or give us a call for more info.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

Thanks to all for the feedback; it's all very helpful.

I don't have a data logger at present and won't be taking a laptop to the track with me until I do, so the Crew Chief Pro option is out for now. A trailer mounted weather station is not in the budget for the time being. I've heard a lot of good feedback on the Computech RaceAir Pro 1000, and it's on my short list for consideration.

Has anybody had any experience with the Performaire PA-2? It seems to have pretty much the same options as the Computech 1000 but how does it compare in quality, accuracy, and user friendliness?

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

One thing to keep in mind is that any weather station needs to build a database of your runs before it becomes truly accurate. The atmospheric data will be accurate, but each engine/car combo is going to respond to changes differently. So the machine needs use to learn your setup. It may also give consistent variations to your actual ET and you need to learn to adjust the ET that comes "out of the box". Using a hand-held and Crew Chief helps. Enter the data by hand and it gives a second opinion for a better idea as to an accurate dial-in. There are hand-helds that link to a laptop but it's not necessary. CCPro can be used stand alone with hand held weather data. There are hand held weather data devices that don't predict ET but still could be used for the atmosphere data CCPro wants. The rest is off your time slip.


I just pulled an app for my phone called AirLab that gives weather info including DA using my iPhone sensors. Lots of options for weather.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

That Raceair Pro weather station is what I have. I write everything into my Jegs Logbook.
My car is fuel injected. My FAST XFI ECU has a built in data logger. I realize I don’t know anywhere near everything, but the data I get from that, entered into Crew Chief Pro predicts my car much closer (usually dead on) than other weather stations myself & my friends have. Due to my wife’s illness I have not raced since late 2017. I hope it all still works if I get to go again.
I hope everybody has a great race season.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

Download HumidCalc app on your phone it will give you all weather info you need free ... just need to manual record / predict 😳👍

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

This is not true. I believe it is true of handheld prediction units. Crew Chief Pro uses its formulas to predict off a single run of your choosing. I like to flip through different 'base runs' and really feel good if the predictions stay consistent.

Once you get a bunch of runs in it, you can try to have the program alter the 'factors' to better suit your car based on the history, but I don't really trust it. I've had the best luck going back to the defaults.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

I have the Altronics Performaire PC trailer based system without paging. Just a bracket racer. I think it is a great value if you want trailer based. The only thing I have found that I wish were different is that I would like to toggle of and on the rows of information that I don't use such as the tire temp, track temp, delay box, timer/stop. It will cramp the data vertically on a 15" or smaller monitor.



I used a hand held Computech Raceair Pro before that. It worked great for years but when I am using the AC in the trailer I prefer not having to bring it in to read the data and the trailer based will auto fill the weather.


Curtis

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

http://www.altronicsinc.com/media/pr...-line-2020.jpg

All PerformAIRE systems allow for Multi-Run and Single Run prediction capability.

Multi-Run - Requires data base of runs to establish a prediction algorithm between weather variables and your vehicles performance.

Single Run - Uses last "Good" run or time run and standard factors to calculate performance based on weather. Also allows user to enter custom factors for their vehicle.


Using local or phone weather:
Generally local weather is provided by the nearest weather collection station from you current location (Schools, municipalities, airports). This can vary from a few miles to 10's of miles depending on your location. These systems typically update the weather a few times per hour. Although this data can be helpful, it is not as accurate as readings at the track using the SAME equipment. This can definitely add some confusion to your prediction if one reference station is calibrated to a different barometric reference than another!
So maybe if it is mid day and the temperature is stable, getting a local reading twice an hour may work OK, but racing in the morning or late afternoon to evening when the DA is changing 100' every 10-15 minutes if going to prove difficult if you don't have current accurate readings.


WIND Data:
Another important factor when trying to predict ET or Throttle Stop settings regarding weather stations is the use of a Wind Sensor. 50% of your weather prediction can come from the effect of the wind. Neglecting or disregarding what the wind is doing is going to make it difficult to predict your car accurately. Wind is one of the hardest weather parameters to measure because it is inconsistent, but it still effects the performance. Using a laptop based system with streaming graphical weather and wind info and watching the average and gust wind speed is critical to determine what may happen going down the race track. Even having a pager with the last half hour of wind data can help you know what the best and worst case effect the wind will have on your run and your ET.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

I was referring to hand-held devices. I don't consider CCPro a weather station. It's a (very good) calculation system that relies on data from an outside source. They do have an integrated system of weather station and computer software, but it's trailer based and around 1700. But then I have around 1000 in my PerformAir and CCPro.....laptop not included...and I could use a new one...

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

I never try to predict off a single run. I try to have at least three qualifying passes, with no changes to the car. With my car, Crew Chief Pro is deadly. I bought an update that uses an interface cable hooking my weather station to my laptop, so weather data Ypres automatically. I can see weather data on my laptop screen, in CCP, but it does not update the ET predictions. Evidently I am not bright enough to make it work. I had to go back to typing data in. Works great like that.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

If you are using Crew Chief Pro, I can assure you that it is predicting based on a single run.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

Lenny, I never have only one pass entered in Crew Chief Pro when I try to predict an ET.
I am not going to argue with you. It appears it knows which one to use. Has worked very well for me.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

It doesn't matter how many runs are entered. The formulas don't automatically change or learn your car as more runs are entered.

On the Prediction screen, there is a "base run" down the left side along with its weather. To the right of that is the current weather and the effect that each weather element will have compared to the base run. The predictions are all based on that one base run that you are using. I feel most confident when I can flip through different base runs and still get the same predictions.

There's nothing to argue about; I'm clearing up your misunderstanding of how it works. I'm glad it works well for you. I've been happy with it too.

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

"......."................good luck !!!!! .................

Re: Weather Station Recommendations?
 

Thanks again everyone for the responses. Lots of info to mull over to help me make a selection.