Pic based Wind Speed meter

[kellyseye]

Commercially available wind speed and direction (WS&D) indicators are common-place onboard sailing craft of all sizes. The wind speed is invariably measured by 'cups' on a rotating shaft passing a magnet across a hall effect sensor. One device I recently repaired had the cup unit changed and the cups were rotating on a radius of some 50mm so if manufacturing one yourself then don't go 'too big'.
Similarly, from what I could gather from the internals of a WS&D I recognised a Bournes 'potentiometer' that (I think) operated using hall effect. I keep meaning to look this device up but I can only assume it outputs a voltage proportional to the angle of the potentiometer shaft (which rotates through 360 degrees) - perhaps a search at the Bournes website might reveal the actual devices used?

edit - a quick search at Bournes reveal rotary (360 degree) position sensors but nothing based on hall effect that I can see immediately. Anyone else seen/heard of devices like this?