noaa National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

U.S. Department of Commerce 

NOAA’s National Ocean Service 

Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services 

Wind Sensor Alignment Procedure for the 

R. M. Young Wind Monitor 

Darren Wright 

James Sprenke 

Charles Payton 

Silver Spring, Maryland

October 2005 

First Draft
Wind Sensor Alignment Procedure for the 

R. M. Young 5103 Wind Monitor 

Equipment 

1. Handheld GPS (Garmin 76S or Garmin Rino 130) 

2. Vertical level (small) 

3. String (optional) 

GPS Setup 

1. Set GPS to display true north. 

2. Disable the Electronic Compass. 

3. On the compass page of the GPS, set one of the fields for heading. 

4. Set the heading for a digital readout. The digital GPS heading is the information 

that we need for this procedure. 

See Appendix A for Garmin 76S and Appendix B for Garmin Rino 130 for above 

procedures. 

Alignment Procedure for Towers with Hinges 

1. Loosen bolts to base and lower the wind sensor tower. 

2. Cut a piece of string the length of the tower and lay it down parallel to the tower as 

close as possible. (optional) 

3. Using the handheld GPS, walk alongside the tower FROM the BASE of the tower 

TO the SENSOR (very important) along the string several times until a consistent 

heading (within a few degrees) from the GPS is achieved. See Appendix C, figure 1. 

4. Write down the heading. 

5. Point the wind sensor with the propeller towards the ground and fin up toward the 

sky. 

6. Apply a vertical level so the wind sensor fin is exactly perpendicular to the ground. 

7. Check the direction of the wind sensor at the DCP and write it down. Make note of 

the difference between the wind sensor direction and the heading of the GPS in the 

visit report. 

8. If heading of GPS and wind sensor direction differ by more than 2 degrees, loosen 

clamp on the wind sensor junction box as well as the orientation ring just enough to 

be able to move them. See Appendix C, figure 2. 

9. Adjust the wind sensor junction box until the wind sensor direction reading at the 

DCP matches the heading determined on the GPS. 

10. When the two match, tighten the clamps of the wind sensor junction box and 

orientation ring. 

11. Procedure is complete. Raise the tower and secure. 

See Appendix C for alignment photographs. 

Alternate Alignment Method for Towers without Hinges 

1. Mark a starting point 20 to 30 feet from the tower in which you can walk in a 

straight line toward the tower. 
2. Cut a piece of string 20 to 30 feet and lay it down from the starting point to the 

tower. (optional) 

3. Using the handheld GPS, walk FROM the starting point TOWARDS the tower 

(very important) in a straight line (walk along string if used). Repeat several times, 

from the starting point toward the tower until a consistent heading (within a few 

degrees) from the GPS is achieved. 

4. Write down the heading. 

5. Climb the tower. 

6. Point the wind sensor with the propeller pointing in the same direction that was 

walked from the starting point to the tower (very important) and hold steady. The 

wind sensor needs to be parallel to the path walked, pointing in the same direction 

as was walked. 

7. Check the direction of the wind sensor at the DCP and write it down. Make note of 

the difference between the wind sensor direction and the heading of the GPS in the 

visit report. 

8. If heading of GPS and wind sensor direction differ by more than 2 degrees, loosen 

clamp on the wind sensor junction box as well as the orientation ring just enough to 

be able to move them. 

9. While holding the wind sensor parallel to the path walked, adjust the wind sensor 

junction box until the wind sensor direction reading at the DCP matches the heading 

determined on the GPS. 

10. When the two match, tighten the clamps of the wind sensor junction box and 

orientation ring. 

11. Procedure is complete. 

Visual Verification Check 

Since the GPS is set to true north, by aligning the wind sensor to match the GPS the wind 

sensor is now aligned to true north. When the wind sensor is aligned to true north, the 

wind sensor junction box should point in the true south direction. Using the GPS 

compass display, visually compare the direction of the wind sensor junction box and see 

that it is pointing in the south direction. 
Appendix A – Garmin 76S 

Setting Handheld GPS to True North

1. From any page press the “Menu” key twice. 

2. Highlight “Setup” from the list of choices and hit the “Enter” key. 

3. Press the right side of the “Rocker Key” to select the “Location” tab. 

4. Press the bottom of the “Rocker Key” to move the cursor down to the “North 

Reference” option. 

5. Hit the “Enter” key to display the “North Reference” options and using “Rocker 

Key” select “True” and hit the “Enter” key. 

6. Press the “Quit” key twice to return to starting page. 

Disable Electronic Compass

1. From any page press the “Menu” key twice. 

2. Highlight “Setup” from the list of choices and hit the “Enter” key. 

3. Press the right side of the “Rocker Key” to select the “Compass” tab. 

4. Press the bottom of the “Rocker Key” to move the cursor down to the Compass 

“On/Off” option. 

5. Hit the “Enter” key to display the On/Off option and using “Rocker Key” select 

“Off” and hit the “Enter” key. 

6. Press the “Quit” key twice to return to starting page. 

Set up a field for Heading on Compass page

1. Use “Page” button to find “Compass” page. 

2. If “Heading” is already one of the fields, this procedure is not necessary, else go 

to step 3. 

3. Press “Menu” key, user “Rocker Key” to select “Change Data Fields” and press 

the “Enter” key. 

4. Use “Rocker Key” to highlight the desired field to change and press “Enter” key. 

5. User “Rocker Key” to move up or down the list and select “Heading” and press 

“Enter” key. 

6. Press “Quit” key to get out of setup. 

7. “Heading” is now one of the data fields. 

Set up Heading for Digital Readout

1. From any page press the “Menu” key twice. 

2. Highlight “Setup” from the list of choices and hit the “Enter” key. 

3. Press the right side of the “Rocker Key” to select the “Units” tab. 

4. Press the bottom of the “Rocker Key” to move the cursor down to the “Direction 

Display” options. 
5. Hit the “Enter” key to display the “Direction Display” options and using “Rocker 

Key” select “Numeric Degrees” and hit the “Enter” key. 

6. Press the “Quit” key twice to return to starting page. 
Appendix B – Garmin Rino 130

Setting Handheld GPS to True North

1. From any page press the “Thumb Stick” in to get the menu. 

2. Press the “Thumb Stick” in the down direction and highlight “Main Menu” and 

press the “Thumb Stick” in. 

3. Press the “Thumb Stick” down and highlight “Setup” and press the “Thumb 

Stick” in. 

4. Use “Thumb Stick” to highlight “Heading” and press in. 

5. Use “Thumb Stick” to move cursor to “North Reference” option and press in. 

6. Highlight “True” and press “Thumb Stick” in. 

7. Press “Page/Quit” button two times to return to starting page. 

Disable Electronic Compass

1. From any page press the “Thumb Stick” in to get the menu. 

2. Press the “Thumb Stick” in the down direction and highlight “Main Menu” and 

press the “Thumb Stick” in. 

3. Press the “Thumb Stick” down and highlight “Setup” and press the “Thumb 

Stick” in. 

4. Use “Thumb Stick” to highlight “System” and press in. 

5. Use “Thumb Stick” to move cursor to “Compass” option and press in to get 

“On/Off“ options. 

6. Highlight “Off” and press “Thumb Stick” in. 

7. Press “Page/Quit” button two times to return to starting page. 

Set up a field for Heading on Navigation page

1. From any page press the “Thumb Stick” in to get the menu. 

2. Press the “Thumb Stick” in the down direction and highlight “Navigation” and 

press the “Thumb Stick” in. 

3. Use the “Thumb Stick” to move cursor to the field you want to change and press 

“Thumb Stick” in. 

4. Use the “Thumb Stick” to scroll to the “Heading” option and press in to select. 

Set up Heading for Digital Readout

8. From any page press the “Thumb Stick” in to get the menu. 

9. Press the “Thumb Stick” in the down direction and highlight “Main Menu” and 

press the “Thumb Stick” in. 

10. Press the “Thumb Stick” down and highlight “Setup” and press the “Thumb 

Stick” in. 

11. Use “Thumb Stick” to highlight “Heading” and press in. 
12. Use “Thumb Stick” to move cursor to “Display” option and press in. 

13. Highlight “Degrees” and press “Thumb Stick” in. 

14. Press “Page/Quit” button two times to return to starting page. 
Appendix C – Alignment Procedure Photographs 

Figure 1. – Obtain a GPS heading by walking parallel to the sensor tower (using optional 

string) from the base towards the sensor. 

Figure 2. – Make sure wind sensor is vertical and adjust wind sensor junction box until 

the directional reading at the DCP matches the GPS heading.