Suunto Observer - Setting to AGL

[neiliss 0]

Hi all, a friend of mine just purchased a Suunto Observer. He cannot seem to set it to 0ft or AGL. It is always in MSL mode it seems. As we jump at around 4100 feet above sea level this poses a problem. We looked at another jumper who has a Vector and he can set his to 0ft with no issues. Does anyone have any experience with this watch and how to set it to 0ft.

Blue Skies
Neil

[GeordieSkydiver 0]

I have a Suunto Advisor, and it can't be that different.

I get the watch into Altimeter mode, then press and hold the top left button, when the figures start flashing I release that button and use the bottom two to add or subtract height until its at zero feet/metres.

If this doesn't work for you, go Suunto manuals

Hope this helps.

*edited because I suck at spelin.

Lee _______________________________

In a world full of people, only some want to fly, is that not crazy?
http://www.ukskydiver.co.uk

[neiliss 0]

Hi Lee, we have tried this numerous times as per the manual but it stops at around 1700ft and then just say "Def" which we assume is for default and when you look it is at some altitude like 4600ft or whatever which is possibly our actual altitude. I think that it is taking a baromteric pressure reading ASL and using that to calculate tha actual altitude above sea level. We cannot ever get it to go down to zero which is what we want of course.

Regards
Neil

[GeordieSkydiver 0]

Mine sometimes does that.

I release the button and press it again. It continues to count down/up.

Try that.

Lee _______________________________

In a world full of people, only some want to fly, is that not crazy?
http://www.ukskydiver.co.uk

[mjosparky 3]

Buy an altimeter that was designed for skydiving. Easier to see and always in the right mode. Suunto may be “Cool” but it is just a fancy watch.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[GeordieSkydiver 0]

Before I bought my Neptune, I would use my normal alti in freefall, then the Suunto under canopy.

It may be a fancy watch, but its very accurate at measuring altitude lost in turns etc.

It also saved my bacon when my normal alti stuck at 7000ft one jump.

I would never reccomend using one as your main alti, but its a useful tool.

This is all just my opinion of course, I'm so new I still squeak.

Lee _______________________________

In a world full of people, only some want to fly, is that not crazy?
http://www.ukskydiver.co.uk

[mjosparky 3]

Quote

Before I bought my Neptune, I would use my normal alti in freefall, then the Suunto under canopy.

It may be a fancy watch, but its very accurate at measuring altitude lost in turns etc.

It also saved my bacon when my normal alti stuck at 7000ft one jump.

I would never reccomend using one as your main alti, but its a useful tool.

This is all just my opinion of course, I'm so new I still squeak.

Being new does not mean you can't have opinions that are valid. But always remember that all the little gadgets that we jump with can get "stuck". Learn to depend on no one or nothing but yourself.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[mr2mk1g 10]

I can't reconcile your friend’s observations with what I get from my Observer. As far as I was aware there was no such thing as an MSL setting. They don't have it set to barometer mode do they?

I simply zero my watch before getting on the plane so it calls the altitude at which I will be landing "0". It doesn't know or care how high I am relative to the sea... it just knows to call that pressure reading "0". I was not aware of any other settings for the alti mode other than having it set to barometer instead.

I set mine by going into the alti screen by pressing "mode" once. Then press and hold select until the half moon shape under "alti" flashes. (Pressing "quick" or "on/off" now will switch between alti and barometer mode).

If you don't want to change between alti and baro mode press "select" once more and the altimeter readout itself will flash. Now use the "quick" and "on/off" buttons to adjust the altitude to "0" (or I set it to "3ft" as I'm generally holding the watch a couple of feet up... as if that actually matters).

Then press "Mode" again. You might have to do all that twice to get it to read "0", especially if you've made a big adjustment.

This is the manual I use:http://www.tramsoft.ch/downloads/suunto/manual_observer_en.pdf

I wouldn't use this in FF though... I make use of it under canopy a bit and use a regular analogue alti in freefall... the watch is simply too sensitive to pressure changes so you get an instant thousand foot change with a mere roll of the wrist... plus it's too small to read and I've more than once found it telling me what compass direction I was flying in as opposed to how high I was simply because I caught a button at some point. Under canopy though it can be useful.

[gus 1]

I get the "Def" thing too on my x-lander but if I release the +/- buttons then press them again it'll let me carry on to zero.

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[neiliss 0]

This is what I was expecting to happen but it doesn't. The manual is the same as the one that we have and the watch does not seem to be in barometer mode. I will pass on this info though and tell him to give it a try again and see what happens.

Thanks for the help.

Cheers
Neil

[Balls 0]

I've got an observer too. Just hold it down longer or push it again and it will pass "def".

----------------------------------------
....so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."