Wndsn Quadrant Telemeters
Wndsn Graphical Telemetry Computers: Low tech, high utility distance & altitude nomographs from the Wndsn applied science lab
Welcome to Wndsn! We are a company that since 2015 designs and manufactures instruments that measure values in astronomical, geographical, and engineering contexts, calculate relevant results from the acquired data, and process the insights to make meaningful decisions.
Here are the latest updates [RSS/Atom]
- 2024-08-14: 4. Tutorials: Training
- 2024-07-18: 7. The Manual: 1. Introduction
- 2024-05-19: 8. Special Telemeters: Recon Dog Tag
- 2024-01-10: 7. The Manual: 6. Available Editions
One of our most popular products is the full custom Latitude Quadrant, an ancient tool that has been used for naked-eye astronomy, navigation, and timekeeping for centuries. The front side of the Quadrant features a horary dial for calculating equal and unequal hours, a calendarium for determining sun altitude and direction, and special lines for determining the azimuth of celestial objects or cardinal directions based on celestial objects. It also has a dot grid for performing graphical calculations, standard scales for sine, cosine, tangent, slope, and inclinometry, and a Telemeter on the back side for accurately determining distances based on angular size.
Our instrument manual for the Quadrant and Telemeter is in its 5th edition and includes over 1000 years of knowledge on nearly 550 pages. It is available in both German and English in our store and at Amazon.
In addition to the full custom model, we also offer a NATO-MIL military non-astronomy version and a simplified Wndsn field manual for easier use in the field.
Thank you for visiting our website and we hope you find our instruments useful in your endeavors.
As seen on Soldier Systems Daily and on Spartanat.
The best tool is the one you have with you, on you. Wndsn Telemeters are wallet-size distance and altitude nomographs developed in the Wndsn applied science lab. Wndsn Telemeters combine a thousand years of civil engineering, surveying, navigation, and astronomy in one durable, low-tech, high utility instrument that can be brought anywhere, is self-containing, and independent of external, modern technologies. Wndsn Telemeters are naked-eye tools that offer various means of measuring angular size, as well as graphical computers providing functions to process or convert the measured values. Their purpose is to help you navigate using known landmarks or astronomical features, to cross-check values obtained with different means, or in emergency situations when other methods fail or are unavailable.
Determining distance is the most common source of error encountered while moving either mounted or dismounted. There may be circumstances where you are unable to determine distance using your map or where you are without a map. It is, therefore, essential to learn methods by which you can accurately pace, measure, use subtense, or estimate distances on the ground.
(U.S. Army field manual FM3 25-26, p. 5.9)
When navigating in adverse conditions, we need more than guesswork to get home safely. The worst case model, based on our high frequency research, is a reality in which electricity and data networks aren't available or accessible.
At Wndsn, we ask ourselves what happens when the lights go out. We ask what we will need which can't be improvised. If electronics stop working, all our usual strategies and technological solutions are unavailable. Rangefinding can be improvised, but with the right tools we can improve the accuracy by one or even two orders of magnitude to make the difference between seeking and finding.
The solution is to go back before the age of electricity and look for tried and true knowledge that was good enough for generations. The answer is obvious: low tech.
Navies around the world still offer sextant training to their midshipmen, knowing that there is always a place for the art and science of low tech (but high utility) navigation. The sextant and its predecessors, traditional celestial navigation, surveying, triangulation, as well as analogue wayfinding techniques form the DNA of our Telemeters.
About Wndsn
Wndsn's Applied Science Lab, based in Berlin, develops and manufactures low-tech, high-utility tools and instruments with the objective of providing or enhancing "that, which can't be improvised" in low-probability, high-impact scenarios where it is most needed, yet usually unavailable or non-permissive. The resulting products are measurement, calculation, and exploration instruments informed by the motto "Ex Mensura, Scientia" -- knowledge from measurement.
Wndsn creates custom-built instruments and multi-purpose tools, measurement & illumination solutions with applications in urban reconnaissance, hostile theaters, disaster areas, and outdoor exploration. Additionally, designing expedition mementos and morale patches to celebrate cross-disciplinary exploration and achievement.
Wndsn produces archival quality products that are designed with intent by combining techniques proven over centuries, bringing together the early history of science with cutting-edge, contemporary methods, resulting in iconic, timeless, high-utility designs. Wndsn morale patches are acutely designed -- no line is left to randomness, no element is mere filler. They serve as infographics, how-tos for the Wndsn tools, magic sigils, as well as functional markers.
Press
[For press enquiries, please see the Press Room.]