Please select your home edition
Edition
2024 fill-in (top)

Calypso Portable Wind Instruments - New to Upffront.com

by Calanach Finlayson 23 Jun 2023 17:00 BST
Wind instruments new to upffront.com © Calypso

Calypso Instruments are a manufacturer of portable and small-scale installation wind meters. Based in Spain, the company provides anemometers to a range of industries where wind data is important, including marine, agriculture and renewable energy.

In the world of sailing, Calypso Instruments offers the possibility to have a low cost, low impact wind meter for small sports boats and day sailors where a full-blown marine electronics package isn't practical. In this article we highlight the key features of the portable wind meter range which is now available at Upffront.com.

Ultrasonic anemometers

Calypso Instruments portable wind meters are based on the same core technology, featuring an ultrasonic anemometer encased in a lightweight, compact housing. With no moving parts, these units are durable and maintenance free.

The basic principle of ultrasonic anemometers is to measure the signal time difference across two pairs of transducers. In basic terms: where the ultrasonic wave is travelling in the same direction as the wind, its speed is increased; conversely if the wave is travelling against the wind, its speed is decreased. Think of it like a boat sailing in tide!

By using four ultrasonic transducers, the wind speed and direction can be calculated. For a sailing vessel this translates to apparent wind speed and apparent wind angle. Values for true wind can be estimated by an external device as we will see later.

Connectivity

A key feature of the portable range is their wireless Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity. This allows the anemometer to send data directly to a smartphone or other display device up to a range of approx 30m without routing any wires. An optional NMEA gateway can be added to integrate with an existing electronics installation onboard.

The app - Anemotracker

Anemotracker is Calypso's own free app for iOS and Android. While the name hardly flows off the tongue, this app gives instant access to live data readings along with a few additional features including:

  • True wind speed and angle (this is calculated using the phone's inbuilt GPS so cannot compensate for tidal effects)
  • Logging of wind data
  • VMG calculations
  • Firmware upgrades

Calypso's open-source approach allows other developers to build integrations for the anemometers. Compatible apps include: Weather 4D, Sentinel Marine Solutions, iRegatta, eStela, Sail Racer, EDO Sailing Instruments, Sailgrib, qtVLm Navigation and Routing or Tactiqs among others.

Compatible devices

In addition to smartphone connectivity the anemometer can also be paired with existing portable race computers from a range of manufacturers including:

  • Sailmon MAX
  • Novasail Instruments
  • Vakaros ATLAS 2

Mounting

Calypso provides a range of standard brackets including a mast mount and pole mounts in carbon and aluminium.

The number of installation options becomes virtually limitless thanks to tripod and GoPro adapters allowing you to use off the shelf brackets from other manufacturers.

Like any wind instrument, the ultrasonic anemometer should be mounted in undisturbed airflow, for example at the top of the mast. An indicator mark on the side of the device provides the bow orientation.

Ultrasonic Portable Solar

The Ultrasonic Portable Solar is self-powered via an inbuilt solar panel. This makes it an ideal option for masthead mounting on small keelboats where the rig is not regularly lowered.

Measuring 70mm diameter x 67mm height and weighing 145g this anemometer is still small enough for most dinghies. With 30m Bluetooth range, connectivity shouldn't be an issue. This is also the best option for sailing clubs, dinghies and commercial craft.

Ultrasonic Portable Mini

If size and weight are critical, the Ultrasonic Portable Mini provides the same features in an even more compact unit measuring just 43mm diameter x 47mm height and an impressive 78g. The Mini does not have inbuilt solar but boasts 150hrs of runtime and wireless charging to maintain watertightness.

The Mini is the go-to option for small / performance dinghies, race coaches, judges and race committees.

Summary

The Calypso wireless anemometers offer a pocket-portable or minimal installation wind instrument system ideal for race committees, coaches and sailors. When combined with a GPS race computer such as Novasail, or Sailmon MAX you instantly have a feature rich electronics setup without the fuss of a full installation.

Shop Calypso

Related Articles

Soft shackles are a win-win solution
Upffront look at their use across multiple applications Soft shackles have surely penetrated the mainstream sailing in recent years. They are a popular alternative to traditional metal shackles. Made from single braid Dyneema® soft shackles offer several advantages over their metal counterparts. Posted on 8 Feb
Vakaros Atlas 2 - sailing with ultimate precision
A careful review by the experts at upffront.com Recently upffront.com have introduced the latest Vakaros Atlas 2 sailing instrument to the shop and compared it in a review of other top sailing instruments. Posted on 25 Jan
Sailing instruments from Velocitek/Sailmon/Vakaros
An introduction and comparison from Upffront.com The term 'sailing instrument' is broadly applicable to just about any onboard system with a sensor and a readout. While wired instrument systems are common, in this blog we discuss portable GPS sailing instruments from Velocitek, Sailmon and Vakaros. Posted on 11 Jan
Standing Rigging
Why your standing rigging will benefit from replacing steel wire with composite fibre Why will your standing rigging benefit greatly from replacing the steel wire with composite fibre stays? I have been thinking of the advantages of composite rigging while following the different races and yachts challenges circumnavigating the world. Posted on 14 Dec 2023
Block and tackle
Understanding mechanical advantage on sailing boats A rough guide to mainsheet purchase systems by Upffront.com. A block and tackle or 'purchase' system is a form of mechanical advantage, where the input force is multiplied through a series of pulleys or blocks to create a much larger output force. Posted on 23 Nov 2023
Winterising a boat - useful tips from Upffront.com
Dave Proctor explains how to avoid some unpleasant surprises next spring Winterising the boat is a common task for many boat owners, regardless of where your boat is located. For some, in milder conditions, it means keeping everything dry and tidy, but for many the need for packing up the boat for winter is a necessity. Posted on 1 Nov 2023
Winning deck hardware of a Star World Champion
Max Kohlhoff Today we are speaking about deck hardware and rig setup with Max Kohlhoff, the winning helmsman of the 2023 Star Worlds. With Ole Burzinski from Flensburg Yacht Club, onboard Playmate, they recently scored two bullets out of six races in Scarlino. Posted on 26 Oct 2023
Polyform AS and Polyform US fenders
Exporting quality and performance from Norway to the U.S One of latest additions to the upffront.com sailing hardware line-up are the Polyform fenders from the original Norwegian manufacturer - Polyform AS. Established over 60 years ago, Polyform AS is renowned for inventing the modern plastic buoy. Posted on 18 Oct 2023
Electric Furler from Facnor
Latching on the trend of boat electrification The sailing world is undergoing a sea change, embracing the power of electrification for unparalleled ease and convenience, especially for older crews and solo sailors. Electric systems are revolutionising boats. Posted on 11 Oct 2023
Best bottom up furlers
Top five as rated by Upffront.com In this article we round up five of the best bottom up furlers on the market. Choosing the right furler is a question of boat size and SWL (safe working load), sail area, performance level and budget. Posted on 5 Oct 2023