FT50/60 - Bad Alti or FNG?

[Wataman 0]

I am a new AFF student. I did a Tandem and ground school and had a two week break and did my first jump course today. During the break I bought a New Viplo FT50 from Chutingstar. On the way up I checked the Alti with my Instructors at 0, 1k, 2.5k, and 13k. All Good. Exit, COA, Practice Touches Etc, pulled at 5,500. Under Canopy I turned into the Pattern at 1k and felt high. Instructor came over radio and said do some turns and burn altitude your too high, then told me to turn base. When I made my base turn my Alti said 300 but I knew I was way higher than that. He told me to turn Final and my Alti said 0. When I landed it was -300.
Now I picked the FT50 because I liked the Dial face and it had good reviews. I do think the under 1k part is hard to read, but it being off this much concerns me as without the instructor on the radio I would have been out of whack and way to high etc. Thoughts?
Again I zeroed on the ground and in Freefall it was on point. I had a stuck slider on deployment but other than that no issues under canopy.

[gunsmokex 1]

Hmm I haven't had any probs with my alti yet and I have a Viplo FT50/FT60 I bought from chutingstar as well. http://www.chutingstar.com/skydive/ft50-ft60-black-glow-altimeter

I'd just grab a second alti for you next jump that way you can compare and if its off that bad again I'd just send it back.

[piisfish 135]

did you change anything at altitude to have your alti match the other altis in the plane ?

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[skez 0]

Altimaster galaxy is the way to go

FTMC

[Wataman 0]

No, didnt touch it after zero on the ground.

[stayhigh 2]

Analog sucks. Just hold on to it until you finish aff and sell that to the next newbie.

Compare every single analog alti on the way up. Everyone's alti shows something different. Not to mention the fact that the needles stick.

Now compare every digital alti on the way up, they are all within 100 ft. All digital audible beeps at almost same altitude on the way up, a proof that they are far more accurate.

I rather go without Analog alti than with it.

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[yoink 321]

Simplest solution - Ask an experienced jumper to make a jump with it and to compare it to theirs.

I had an FT50 which was bulletproof until someone nicked it.

[FrancoR 0]

Mine has worked perfectly in the last 1300 jumps.

If it does not cost anything you are the product.