By replacing the counter mechanism of a cup anemometer (No 4 by C. F. Casella & Co., Ltd.), with a simple form of make-and-break electric contact, an accurate indication of wind speed in the range 0.3 to 20 m/sec can be obtained with only a 6 V battery and low resistance message register in circuit. The instrument is readily portable and easy to mount, and has maintained its almost linear calibration during several investigations of wind profile over land and sea.