Minor note - if you have an L&B AltiTrack Altimeter, don’t underestimate how tricky it is to figure out how to turn on/off the backlight function.
the manual was useless to me too. it says "hit right front access" which i couldn't figure out. after trial and error, i finally discovered it means:
press the right front button, let it go when the access light blinks hold the right front button when the access light lights again let go of the right front button
then you can tap the right front button to turn backlighting on / off.
(This post was edited by hermosabeach on Jun 13, 2012, 1:37 PM)
Jun 18, 2012, 1:17 PM
Post #27 of 42
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Re: [AdamWirtz2001] Night Jump Gear - Strobe
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If my memory is good, strobe light should be avoided for night jump to keep night vision. The only lighting necessary is a steady red light which can be seen at 360 degrees at few miles. Airplanes use stobe lights but they generally are several miles away from each other. On a night jump with other skydivers close from each other, blinking light is certainly not the best idea. Have a look at the USPA/CSPA site concerning night jump recommendation.
LouDiamond (D 25931)
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Jun 18, 2012, 4:50 PM
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Re: [erdnarob] Night Jump Gear - Strobe
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If my memory is good, strobe light should be avoided for night jump to keep night vision. The only lighting necessary is a steady red light which can be seen at 360 degrees at few miles. Airplanes use stobe lights but they generally are several miles away from each other. On a night jump with other skydivers close from each other, blinking light is certainly not the best idea. Have a look at the USPA/CSPA site concerning night jump recommendation.
The above post is 100% INACCURATE information. The only good piece of information in the above post is to reference the USPA SIM for information on night jump requirments.
Jun 18, 2012, 5:05 PM
Post #30 of 42
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Re: [LouDiamond] Night Jump Gear - Strobe
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In reply to:
If my memory is good, strobe light should be avoided for night jump to keep night vision. The only lighting necessary is a steady red light which can be seen at 360 degrees at few miles. Airplanes use stobe lights but they generally are several miles away from each other. On a night jump with other skydivers close from each other, blinking light is certainly not the best idea. Have a look at the USPA/CSPA site concerning night jump recommendation.
The above post is 100% INACCURATE information. The only good piece of information in the above post is to reference the USPA SIM for information on night jump requirments.
From the SIM~
D. Special equipment
1. A light visible for at least three statute miles displayed from opening until the jumper is on the ground (an FAA requirement for protection from aircraft)
F. General
1. A jumper making a first night jump should exit solo (no group skydiving).
2. Strobe lights are not recommended for use in freefall, because they can interfere with night vision and cause disorientation.
a. Constant lights are preferable.
b. Flashing lights can be used once the jumper has opened and is in full control under canopy.
LouDiamond (D 25931)
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Jun 18, 2012, 5:35 PM
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Re: [airtwardo] Night Jump Gear - Strobe
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Keep in mind, free fall and once under canopy are two different things. Refer back to my earlier statement in this thread with regard to when strobe lights are used and why chem lights are used. If it were possible for a person to safely jump with a constant light source capable of meeting the FAA distance requirements , it would be so intensely bright that it would be far worse than a strobe light in free fall. Strobe lights are turned on AFTER you are under canopy and must meet the FAA distance requirement to be legal.
Jun 22, 2012, 1:30 PM
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Re: [LouDiamond] Night Jump Gear - Strobe
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Sorry for not being according the norms. It was more a personnal preference and memories from night jumps. I have prepared night jumps carefully by even trying to avoid strong white lighting a couple hours before the jump itself. And that was to keep the night vision. The red color is used in dark room and is known to less affect the night vision. You can test it yourself. Just look at a white lit light bulb and close your eyes. Repeat it with a red light and see the difference on the retina. 100% inaccurate ???? !! Obviously, it takes more than lighting to prepare for a night jump. But the thread was about using a strobe light which again is not a good idea in my opinion.
Jun 23, 2012, 7:22 PM
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Re: [erdnarob] Night Jump Gear - Strobe
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Sorry for not being according the norms. It was more a personnal preference and memories from night jumps. I have prepared night jumps carefully by even trying to avoid strong white lighting a couple hours before the jump itself. And that was to keep the night vision. The red color is used in dark room and is known to less affect the night vision. You can test it yourself. Just look at a white lit light bulb and close your eyes. Repeat it with a red light and see the difference on the retina. 100% inaccurate ???? !! Obviously, it takes more than lighting to prepare for a night jump. But the thread was about using a strobe light which again is not a good idea in my opinion.
Everything you could ever want to know about how your eyes work. Note the part about strobes...
Jun 24, 2012, 1:55 PM
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Re: [dorbie] Night Jump Gear - Strobe
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In my first post, I was limiting my info to the free fall portion of a jump since in case of doing night group jumping (FS), people are meant to stay close from each other and still need a good night vision. When parachutes are open, it is another story since the distance has increased a lot. If I understand, FAA considers open parachutes like flying airplanes.
I still do not understand when people use the expression 100% INACCURATE when I said the red color is the best to keep the night vision when all the cars on earth are equiped with rear red lights on night for the same reason..... Before using extreme expressions, people should use their judgement and try to find out what the person who put a post had in mind. This forum is to help people and exchange info. If an info is not clear or limited, ask the person to clarify.
Jun 26, 2012, 9:10 PM
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Re: [erdnarob] Night Jump Gear - Strobe
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If my memory is good, strobe light should be avoided for THE FREEFALL PART OF night jump to keep night vision. The only lighting necessary is a steady red light which can be seen at 360 degrees at few miles. Airplanes use stobe lights but they generally are several miles away from each other. On a night jump with other skydivers close from each other, blinking light is certainly not the best idea. Have a look at the USPA/CSPA site concerning night jump recommendation.
Fixed it for ya. (makes your post accurate to SIM)
When I nightjumped, I did sort of what you did -- I attached the strobe to top-rear of my helmet where it points at the canopy, so I don't get blinded by it. I only turned it on under canopy.
I used glowsticks for the freefall part, which is the 'steady' light source you describe (and in the SIM)
I agree, blinking lights during the FREEFALL is bad, it's hard for humans to judge distance from a blinking light (according to tests on blinking vs steady bicycle lights) -- important for a long diver diving at night RW. Ideally, steady-light glowsticks on arms and legs, so body size can easily be approximated from quite a distance at night. SIM doesn't say this, but it's highly recommended for night RW, especially night SCR.
(This post was edited by mdrejhon on Jun 26, 2012, 9:12 PM)
Jul 6, 2012, 6:41 AM
Post #42 of 42
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Re: [LouDiamond] Night Jump Gear - Strobe
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I've done the "strobe on a line' (I *knew* that old ROL pocket on my legstrap would come in handy!) before, and it seems to work fairly well.
That is pretty much how the fatality I mentioned above of Brian Daly happened. I cannot stress it enough, do not tie shit to your self and or dangle it below you. Either tape it on so there are no snag points or velcro it on. We use these methods for attaching strobes and chem lights for night jumps in the military for a reason.
Agreed there was a fatality of one jumper that tied a strobe in his pocket so he could mark the DZ when he got down. The idea is he would be the stack the team would get to the right spot. The idea was well thought out and rehearsed. But when the jumped was executed the strobe came out of his pocket during free fall, on opening it wrapped into his lines so he cutaway, however it was an incomplete cutaway because of the strobe that was wrapped into the main and now entangled with the reserve when it deployed.
A long story short velcro the strobe to your helmet, green chemstick on the reserve flap attached with a rubber band and a red attached to the main lift web with a rubber band.
Think of the red like a stop light and turn away from it and green means go. Strobe light is turned on under canopy. Also something you may need to think about is how to light your altimeter if yours is not lighted.
