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highonlife4

Altitron Digital Altimeter?

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Hello everyone :)
I'm getting my A license soon so I'm looking at buying my first altimeter. I was looking at the paragear website and came across the Altitron Digital Altimeter. Based on the description, it seems like it would be an awesome altimeter. I especially like the display, price, highest freefall speed, and the claimed battery life. I know people would probably recommend the Altimaster III but I also heard that a digital altimeter is a quicker and more convenient way of determining your altitude.
(I also like digital stuff)

Here's the description for it (second from top product):

http://www.paragear.com/templates/parachutes.asp?group=5&level=1

Has anyone purchased this altimeter/tried it out yet? What are your thoughts on it?

Thanks!
Don't knock on death's door. Ring the bell and run away! (Death really hates that)

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Try a search for Parasport Italia customer service. Hint: it's non-existant. B|

If you're really set on buying a digital alti as a newbie, better get a L&B or Alti2 one. Really.
Other course of action might be to buy a analog alti of choice as these are generally more reliable, are much cheaper and will generally last you forever, and buy a audible alti with logbook function later or now. You'll want a beeper later on anyway. And if you buy a Neptune or N3 you can use it as either. If you do buy an audible at a low number of jumps, be sure to set it at 500ft LOWER than your planned break-off and opening altitudes, so as not to screw up your altitude awareness (if you hear it go off and you weren't already done or doing what you should have been doing, give yourself a mental whack on the head and pay more attention next jump).


ciel bleu,
Saskia

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L&B and Alti both provide outstanding customer service, and with a critical component like an altimeter, you want a manufacturer standing solidly behind you.

I've got several L&B devices, and love them and their service. I'd like an N3, but given L&B's service...it's tough to switch.

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Says the guy that cracked my L&B Viso. >:(:D

I really don't like digital faces. The analog face coupled with the digital bennies of the Altitrack are the other thing that keep me staying.
If I have ONE complaint about L&B it's that the JumpTrack software desperately needs an update to include GPS.

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Hello everyone :)
I'm getting my A license soon so I'm looking at buying my first altimeter. I was looking at the paragear website and came across the Altitron Digital Altimeter. Based on the description, it seems like it would be an awesome altimeter. I especially like the display, price, highest freefall speed, and the claimed battery life. I know people would probably recommend the Altimaster III but I also heard that a digital altimeter is a quicker and more convenient way of determining your altitude.
(I also like digital stuff)

Here's the description for it (second from top product):

http://www.paragear.com/templates/parachutes.asp?group=5&level=1

Has anyone purchased this altimeter/tried it out yet? What are your thoughts on it?

Thanks!



Ok..... so what everyone else said is great advice but I have an Altitron and it is my primary altimeter. The fact is that I love it! It is very easy to read and has been very reliable. I have used it for a year and a half now. I like my altimeter on the underside of my wrist while freeflying (just a preference) so it works out well for this. The display is huge and easy to read as well. That's my .02
Life is all about ass....either you're kicking it, kissing it, working it off, or trying to get a piece of it.
Muff Brother #4382 Dudeist Skydiver #000
www.fundraiseadventure.com

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Ok..... so what everyone else said is great advice but I have an Altitron and it is my primary altimeter. The fact is that I love it! It is very easy to read and has been very reliable. I have used it for a year and a half now. I like my altimeter on the underside of my wrist while freeflying (just a preference) so it works out well for this. The display is huge and easy to read as well. That's my .02



I don't own one, but I did borrow one while L&B was replacing my broken VISO with a new FREE one. I really like it, maybe moreso than my VISO because of the large screen. I would not hesitate to jump one. I've never dealt with their customer service so I can't comment on that.

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I also prefer a digital altimeter, so when I had to replace my aging Digitude I purchased an Altitron this spring. Based on my experience I would NOT recommend this product. Specifically:

1. The ONLY thing I want an altimeter for is to accurately display how high above the ground I am – I don’t care about data logging features. But as the Altitron has these I decided to look at the data it was capturing, just out of curiosity. Guess what? The data is out to lunch, typically recording values such as: exit: 16,987 feet, average speed: 297 MPH, top speed: 157, pull altitude: 66 feet. As the data on the main display seems OK in the air, I suspect the data logging errors are a result of not averaging out transient data spikes. I tried another unit, same deal, and my gear store folks spoke to the Altitron USA rep: the answer: “We’ve never heard of that.” No follow up. Makes me wonder: if the manufacturer missed this little issue what else did they miss??

2. When riding to altitude, the Altitron is plus or minus 80 feet to my ditter chimes that go of at 1,000 feet AGL. The Digitude, by comparison, was almost exactly in sync with my ditter, on every jump. Also makes me wonder.

3. But here’s the big one: although the Altitron’s display has larger numbers than a Digitude, it has less contrast, so it’s actually harder to read in freefall!

In summary, I do not recommend you purchase one of these.
www.wci.nyc

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I also prefer a digital altimeter, so when I had to replace my aging Digitude I purchased an Altitron this spring. Based on my experience I would NOT recommend this product. Specifically:

1. The ONLY thing I want an altimeter for is to accurately display how high above the ground I am – I don’t care about data logging features. But as the Altitron has these I decided to look at the data it was capturing, just out of curiosity. Guess what? The data is out to lunch, typically recording values such as: exit: 16,987 feet, average speed: 297 MPH, top speed: 157, pull altitude: 66 feet. As the data on the main display seems OK in the air, I suspect the data logging errors are a result of not averaging out transient data spikes. I tried another unit, same deal, and my gear store folks spoke to the Altitron USA rep: the answer: “We’ve never heard of that.” No follow up. Makes me wonder: if the manufacturer missed this little issue what else did they miss??

2. When riding to altitude, the Altitron is plus or minus 80 feet to my ditter chimes that go of at 1,000 feet AGL. The Digitude, by comparison, was almost exactly in sync with my ditter, on every jump. Also makes me wonder.

3. But here’s the big one: although the Altitron’s display has larger numbers than a Digitude, it has less contrast, so it’s actually harder to read in freefall!

In summary, I do not recommend you purchase one of these.

.3

Wow..... I do not have a single one of these problems? As far as the contrast..... I think it is really easy to read in freefall.
My audibles beep as my Altitron displays 1000 ft (+/- 20 ft) which is pretty damn acurate considering how crude altimeters as a whole are.

It just goes to show you.... take a crap product and you will always be able to find someone happy, find a great product and you will always be able to find someone unhappy.

Well .... now at least you have data from two sides.
Life is all about ass....either you're kicking it, kissing it, working it off, or trying to get a piece of it.
Muff Brother #4382 Dudeist Skydiver #000
www.fundraiseadventure.com

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2 more stories on the negative side:

The one I jumped (borrowed) had weird ideas about altitude also: in the plane it was already 800ft off so I decided to forget about it in freefall. Under canopy when I was just entering my circuit, the thing read 4k. Yeah, right :S
Another jumper ended up under cypres because his altitron read plenty of altitude still, not that that is much of an excuse... :S Especially since he too noticed the thing being a bit off in the plane. Hmz....


ciel bleu,
Saskia

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2 more stories on the negative side:

The one I jumped (borrowed) had weird ideas about altitude also: in the plane it was already 800ft off so I decided to forget about it in freefall. Under canopy when I was just entering my circuit, the thing read 4k. Yeah, right :S
Another jumper ended up under cypres because his altitron read plenty of altitude still, not that that is much of an excuse... :S Especially since he too noticed the thing being a bit off in the plane. Hmz....



Wow.... I am glad I don't have these issues!
Life is all about ass....either you're kicking it, kissing it, working it off, or trying to get a piece of it.
Muff Brother #4382 Dudeist Skydiver #000
www.fundraiseadventure.com

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