bwaites Wrote:Thanks guys! I should point out that there is more than one way to skin the cat in this regard. This method was really more estimation and experience on my part until I came across the formula Jeff Hoffman uses a while back. One of the reasons I hadn't finished it was that I wanted a more mathematical approach to it, and Jeff's formula was the final block that let me build my article. He deserves a big part of the credit.
LR1955 teaches a slightly different method that is also effective, and I hope that he will find time to add his method and thoughts.
kamrr4437, that article was written by Jeff Hoffman, and he really is an expert. He's one of the people, along with the ones I mentioned, who have helped shape the way I try to deal with wind.
Bill:
OK, here it is.
I will use bands of distance with one correction in minutes per band. How detailed you want to go depends on how much your can remember and how fast you can do the simple math. This does pretty good in terms of shooting actiities such as High Power, medium and big game hunting, etc where your success criteria is plus or minus one minute.
I normally start people new to wind doping with 1/4 minute per each MPH of full value to 300, 1/2 minute per mph of full value from 300 - 800. Then one minute from 800 - 1000. 1/4, 1/2, and 1 is easy for people to remember and it will hold the two minute standard I defined for success. This can and normally does evolve into shorter range bands with more precise corrections but I have never seen it go past four range bands as people forget if they get past 'three' of anything.
I go with 1/2, full value, and no value winds for the most part. Easy to remember and easy to use.
No one I know of can estimate the angle of a wind flag (for value) to within + - about 20 degrees unless they are standing above the flag, looking down, and without a calculator, they will never be able to add, subtract, multiply or divide by anything other than simple 1/4, 1/2 or 1. Few people can estimate range by eye to within + - 20 percent of the true range and if they come up with some fraction of 100, they will round up or down to the nearest 1/2. So, it is somewhat futile to spend the time trying to estimate an exact distance as the mind will question the result because it isn't sure. When the mind questions the result, its focus is on that step when it should be focused on the next step. So, folks get stuck and by doing so, they forget a step or make a mistake. I accept that folks will be less prone to mistakes if they do not question their decisions.
So, the person has to decide which range band his target lies in, then convert wind direction and speed to a full value equivalent, then go with 1/4, 1/2 or 1 minute per MPH of full value.
Or, someone can run his data out and figure it out for his specific cartridge. The key to success will be keeping factors down to threes. People can remember three things easily but once you start going past three things, they are far more prone to forget when they get put under stress. Keep the steps and variables simple to remember and the people will be able to do them very quickly and with confidence that they do have a solution.
LR1955