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Vallerina

Altitude Awareness

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I've crossed over to the dark side just a couple of times, and I'm curious about how to check your altimeter. I've tried just glancing over at my altimeter, but then I start spinning. I've tried bringing my arms in to look at it, but that's just not happening either. It's easier in rw dives just to glance at other people's altimeters, but since I rarely see anyone in my sitfly jumps, I can't do that either. Any suggestions?
"...and all you touch and all you see, is all your life will ever be..." Pink Floyd

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I put my altimeter on the side of my wrist. More like on top of my thumb. (I have three fingers thru the little circle thingy.)Then its barely a glance and quickly to avoid the spin cycle. But, go ahead and learn how to counteract a spin or counteract anything. You will need this information later.
http://www.AirAnn.com
Sports don't build character.... they reveal it. -unknown

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I see a lot of the really experienced people mounting them on a wedge at the mud flap. I still have mine on a standard wrist mount. Just practice looking at it until you can do it without spinning in your sit. OK.....now figure out how to look at it while Head Down. I remember the first time I managed to check my alti while head down without being unstable. It was an accomplishment!!!!! :)"Carb Heat On....Carb Heat On.....Carb Heat On..."-Phil Polstra :)Clay

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An audible is always a great back up to your altimeter


Which is why I had my grandma get me a Pro-Track for Christmas (I've got the best grams...) I've also heard that you can put your altimeter on top of your shoe. I'm afraid that if I biffed it in, however, I'd have to spend another $100 on an altimeter.
"...and all you touch and all you see, is all your life will ever be..." Pink Floyd

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I've heard that a chest mount isn't good for FF due to the burbles it would in. I've been using one for a while now and it's been fairly nice, just a quick gland down to see my altitude.
Is it inaccurate due to it's position?
AggieDave '02
-------------
Blue Skies and Gig'em Ags!
BTHO t.u.

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"chest mount isn't good for FF due to the burbles"
Good and valid point Aggie, Pat Works suggests a wee bracket thing on the ring cover, similar to the Skykat wedge and used to have a DIY guide for it on his website. At a guess, the burble is only really gonna put you out by about 500 ft max. With most early F/F breaking off at around 5k, I don't think its that critical. IMHO really accurate altitude management is more important at pull time. ie its imprtant to pull at the planned height, not too low, and equally not too high. To me this (the time between break off and "minimum decision altitude") is the most critical part of freefall
Personally, I supplement my wrist mount with two audibles (throwback from my 2-d camera flying days), but am considering the wedge thingy or similar.
The chest mount should be ok if its pushed over to one side or the other, or it should be a simple mod to put the chest pad on the ring cover with some wide velcro straps.
I'm low time sit/stand, but some of my drills have been doing alti checks between other moves (hey, it works for AFF!). Sooner or later you will have to start moving your arms about to take grips, geek etc, anyway.....
2 cents worth....for what its worth!
D

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"Is it inaccurate due to it's position?"
YES...in fact the last time I jumped I did a 3 way hybrid. I noticed on break off and pull time that the two belly fliers alti's were off due to spending several thousand feet in my burble. (I was in a sit/stand beneath them) One of the belly fliers says he pulled at 3500. I had planned to pull at 3000 but since I stayed in a sit to watch them leave I knew my air was clear and dumped at 3300. They both ended up below as the canopies opened.
I think putting it up on the Mud flap instead of the chest strap alleviates most of the burble problem.
"Carb Heat On....Carb Heat On.....Carb Heat On..."-Phil Polstra :)Clay

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I've heard that a chest mount isn't good for FF due to the burbles it would in. I've been using one for a while now and it's been fairly nice, just a quick gland down to see my altitude.
Is it inaccurate due to it's position?

Should be no problem if you're head-down or sitting properly (torso near-vertical) or standing. There will only be a real burble on your chest if you're lying right back or purposely back-flying (arms and legs pointing up).
Geoff

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Actually, in a proper sit, a center mounted chest mount is going to be in the middle of your burble.
Try this one once to see where the burble on a sit is.... tye pull up cords to your jumpsuit in various spots and watch them in freefall. The ones that are straight up are in clean air, the ones that dance all around are in the burble.
I discovered the burble is actually quite large on a sit flyer by flying for a totem and falling on thier lap beacuse I hit the burble from thier legs.
Turbulent air flow is what causes the altimeter to be off, it can't properly sense the air pressure if it keeps changing.
I want to touch the sky, I want to fly so high ~ Sonique

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