Recon MOD feedback wanted

[mariobat 0]

Hello, anybody are used or tested the MOD display from Recon instruments during a Ws jumps?
Any feedback?
Thanks

[ifell 0]

Jeb uses it all the time maybe he will chime in...

All I know is you can't zero he altitude so...

[mariobat 0]

Thanks, but on DZ at sea level or quite it could be ok!

[ifell 0]

Well it would be ok on any DZ as it is not really hard to subtract a few hundred to get your true alt. if you you are aware enough to fly a wingsuit I think it stands to reason you are aware enough to do simple math... Ok maybe not on your FFC but down the line!

Anyway I wouldn't pay that much money on an altimeter that doesn't let me zero it, the other options I get on my GPS and aren't as important to me

[NoValidTitle 0]

I was very interested in these as well. I called the company a few weeks ago to ask a couple questions and one that threw me off was when I asked how frequently the display updates. They told me it was every SIX seconds. To me that seems like way too long to be anything other than a novelty. I'm hoping the person I talked to was wrong.

Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.

[xphilip 0]

Ok, for the sake of keeping this discussion going. . . .
I too am lured by the promise of what this product offers.
Yes I bought one (MODlive). Here is what i have learned so far.

1) Mounting in anything other than goggles is a pain. The display is very close to the main cpu unit due to the nature of ski goggles. The attached picture is my solution for mounting inside my G2. An evening with a bag of GoPro mounts, a craft knife and a tube of 5 min epoxy yielded a workable solution. There is a small issue with reduced peripheral vision on the right side, but with careful positioning and left hand patterns, its impact is negligible.

2) The metrics displayed are primarily intended for skiers and so some stuff is a real pain. Most notably altitude is ASL when what we really care about as wingsuiters/skydivers is AGL. I only have one jump on this thing and my DZ is at 462 feet ASL - that is not easy math to do in flight! Because this is an Android computer (2.3.4) the software can be written to do anything you want. If you are following Jeb's FB page, you know that he is working on an application specific to WS/SD - this should hopefully cure that issue. If it doesnt, there is a business opportunity here for someone.

3) There are still issues that i do not know the answer to. How susceptible to loosing the signal is the unit (do i have to sit in the door)? If i loose the signal, how long to get it back? How accurate is the alti and how quickly does it update? My jump yesterday was in 66 knot winds aloft and 25 knots on the deck. It was the only load of the day and after scattering people over the countryside, the DZ shutdown for the day. I do not like landing backwards and was very much in survival mode (for posterity, it was a stand up in the grass - right before being pulled over backwards!)

When i have more jumps on the thing or if any other group posts some news I will update this.

BSkies

Philip . . .

[ifell 0]

Good work, do you have a flysight to compare data?

[mariobat 0]

Thanks to share with us!

[xphilip 0]

Ifell - i do not have a flysight.
Currently the MODlive only shows absolute and vertical speed. All the information is there to calculate glide slope but it would require a new APP (such as the one Jebs group is working on). The glide slope could be displayed numerically or via a graphic.
I do not know how you would compare the data to that of the flysight other than which gave the quicker response.
I hope to get some more jumps in on Sunday.
Philip . . .

[xphilip 0]

Ok, i was sick this weekend and so didnt get to jump.
On a positive note, i did get some feedback from a Recon employee on their forums.
the entire thread is below (link), but the most recent reply (to the AGL question) was;

Hi xphilip,

Our product has not been configured that way however, we've collaborated with Jeb Corliss and his teams to do some testing to create an "air" solution for their sport.

It's not available yet, but we hope to be able to provide an application which will feature such functionality for the general public in the future. Stay tuned for more details.

http://support.reconinstruments.com/reconinstruments/topics/display_altitude_as_agl_above_ground_level_for_skydiving?utm_content=reply_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=reply_notification#reply_8827735

[platypii 20]

Does anyone know if it's possible to run general android apps on the MOD Live?

BASEline - Wingsuit Flight Computer

[unclecharlie95 3]

I found a Recon MOD on ebay and bought it - overall the current version it is not worth buying for WS. It clearly displays horizontal speed and altitude (ASL).

BUT when I do speed runs it can't keep up, for normal flying it works most of the time. You need to switch on whilst stationary and the antenna needs to be next to the window during the climb. It also has these annoying pop ups for "air" "max speed"..

The good news - there is a new WS friendly version in the pipeline (that Jeb has helped develop) that includes glide ratio too.

The Russians also have something in the works: http://cybereyegps.com/index.php/en/

BASEstore.it

[colossus 0]

Philip,
Do you have any more feedback on your setup of your ModLive in your G2? I know that there is the big order that is being completed with Jeb right now, and I am interested to hear how you like using the ModLive without goggles.

Thanks!