Great multi use altimeter for Noob?

[sharris595 0]

Hi!

I just got my B license (yay!) and I will be doing a night jump soon. Since I need a new altimeter anyway, I'm looking for a digital one that has the following characteristics:

- Can use it at night
- Records jumps so I can upload to PC
- Can see fall rate while in free fall (I'm trying different positions in free fall to slow my rate with my new jumpsuit)
- Optional but desirable: Do audible warnings
- Optional but desirable: Really sturdy case (like aluminum or some such).

I've been reading reviews etc. but I can't distinguish between the various models in terms of the features I'm looking for. Any thoughts?

Thanks and Blue Skies!

Best,

Steve

[NWFlyer 2]

Audible & visual are mutually exclusive. Not that you can't get both in the same instrument, it's just that you'll have to choose which way you want to use it on any given jump. To reliably hear audible alarms, the altimeter will need to be mounted in your helmet, up next to your ear, not on your wrist or hand.

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- Can see fall rate while in free fall

I may be wrong, but I don't think there's any altimeter out there that will show you this information while in freefall, and I'd argue that even if you could, staring at an altimeter to gauge your fall rate is probably not the most effective way to work on fall rate. Instead, go do two-way jumps with someone and work on flying relative to that person. Ask them to fall at a steady rate, and work on slow/fast techniques to see where you end up relative. Or ask them to fall slower, and work to get up to them (or faster, and work to get down).

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[kentAllan 0]

Get yourself an N3 for visual. It logs your jumps,has a backlight for night jumps,you can configure drop zones,aircrafts and so on using your computer. You can upload all the data it collets from your jumps to your computer as well. No battery changes needed. just charge it with a mini usb. It holds power for well over a week of jumping if its not to cold. Then get an audible like a optima,solo or whatever for your helmet.

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

Real time fall rate feedback:

http://www.flysight.ca/

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[dthames 0]

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Real time fall rate feedback:

http://www.flysight.ca/

I have used my Flysight for fall rate training. I have a less than good arch and to be able to listen to the tone and work to go faster was almost a natural thing.

Great for tracking as well. No, they are not paying me.

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

[nigel99 143]

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Audible & visual are mutually exclusive. Not that you can't get both in the same instrument, it's just that you'll have to choose which way you want to use it on any given jump. To reliably hear audible alarms, the altimeter will need to be mounted in your helmet, up next to your ear, not on your wrist or hand.

Quote

- Can see fall rate while in free fall

U
I may be wrong, but I don't think there's any altimeter out there that will show you this information while in freefall, and I'd argue that even if you could, staring at an altimeter to gauge your fall rate is probably not the most effective way to work on fall rate. Instead, go do two-way jumps with someone and work on flying relative to that person. Ask them to fall at a steady rate, and work on slow/fast techniques to see where you end up relative. Or ask them to fall slower, and work to get up to them (or faster, and work to get down).

The Viso has a light, logs jumps that CAN'T be uploaded to a pc. It does have a speed mode that provides realtime indication of fallrate, but in that mode you don't have altitude indication.

It doesn't tick all the boxes, but is a good alti.

Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

[Scrumpot 1]

http://www.l-and-b.dk/products/visual/altitrack

Audible, to me - is a separate item/functionality consideration, and therefore - unit.

JMO

coitus non circum - Moab Stone

[j5okeefe 0]

Without commenting on the merits of having a live fall rate readout, I can tell you that the Viso (and presumably Viso II) will give such info. In a case of not FULLY understanding my gear I accidentally set the altimeter to read the vertical speed in freefall when I thought I was switching another function. If an altimeter is going to be used that way, be sure you know how to switch between readouts correctly.

I'll be whatever I want to do!

[NWFlyer 2]

Learned something new today; I didn't realize the Viso had that capability. (And I was aware of the Flysight, but wasn't really thinking of it in this category of instruments).

Still stand by my point about better ways to learn fall rate control, though.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Ron 7]

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Learned something new today; I didn't realize the Viso had that capability. (And I was aware of the Flysight, but wasn't really thinking of it in this category of instruments).

Still stand by my point about better ways to learn fall rate control, though.

Yeah, unless you are wingsuiting it is best to learn to adjust based off of others not some number.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334