How do you know?

[kevin922 0]

So i'm just getting into base and still learning a bunch.. been looking at various objects thinking "is that jumpable??" how do you guys know how tall things are ? Do you use laser range finders or can you look at things (such as antennas) and know how tall they are based on something like # of sections or something? What about buildings -- is there some safe guesstimate such as # of floors x feet per floor?

What is a safe altitude to do a hand deploy 0-1 second delay?

[base698 20]

I had varying guidelines. If it looked massive (more than 5 lights) and was an inside climb you know its "jumpable" in terms of altitude. For buildings it is generally at least 17 floors for me to bother lasering it. Sometimes I would still laser stuff. One building in a certain town east of the Mississippi was 17 floors and over 240 ft. Of course other factors can be more important like landing area. Other things to consider are the climb out, getting to the exit point, and security. All of those have an effect as well.

All in all take a range finder just to be sure :)

[blair700 0]

Like Carl said
"the whole world is jumpable"
There is different ways to measure altitude, the range finder is probably most accurate.
Get yourself a sectional from the airport, and you'll have all the tower's altitudes right there.
I like to count floors on the B's as well, I figure 8-10 feet per floor, for example, the B I jumped tonight is 22 stories and 222' from where we exit on the roof. Normally I would think it would be higher based on the # of floors, but a closer look reveals that the 'lobby' has a massive cathedral celing that makes up for at least 2 floors before you actually get to the 'second' floor...so every site is different.
We don't get much E around here, but rock drops can be an indicator there.
And the spans....uuummmm, I think you know how tall they are
The amazing thing about it all is, on one day you'll see an object that is clearly not jumpable....then another day you open the other eye and find out it is!!!!!
As for a safe altitude to do a 1 sec. delay from, well that's all relative for what each jumper is capable and comfortable with, for me right now its 300' off a wind through object. But one day that's likely to change
Hope this helps, its late and I'm rambling as usual.
Later
Blair

[BASE813 0]

I use a range of tools to find out heights and normally try and use several to confirm what the others are telling me.

1) Alti Watch – obviously only used on top of the object
2) Range Finder – just point and press and use Pythagoras theorem to calculate the height
3) Sectional maps (pilot maps)
4) Web sites – there are a few really decent websites for all man made structures and their heights (buildings, spans, dams, towers), also there are some skyscraper sites for world Buildings and also some communication companies have a list of all there A’s and the heights.
5) Other websites – doing a search for certain objects may find you information on that object from planning disputes, court cases, tourist info etc
6) Climbing guides – except they normally give the height of “the climb” rather the vertical height.

There are so many resources out there for jumpers to find new objects / research known objects that generally you are very confident of your calculations / findings.


0-1 second delay hand held – I think that’s a personal thing some will say 200 (or sub200) some will say 300………….. nothing is safe!!

Laterzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Michael

[QuickDraw 0]

Quote

Range Finder – just point and press and use Pythagoras theorem to calculate the height

Or if your poor like me and don't have a range finder you can trig it.

-- Hope you don't die. --

I'm fucking winning

[kevin922 0]

Quote

Like Carl said
"the whole world is jumpable"
There is different ways to measure altitude, the range finder is probably most accurate.
Get yourself a sectional from the airport, and you'll have all the tower's altitudes right there.
I like to count floors on the B's as well, I figure 8-10 feet per floor, for example, the B I jumped tonight is 22 stories and 222' from where we exit on the roof. Normally I would think it would be higher based on the # of floors, but a closer look reveals that the 'lobby' has a massive cathedral celing that makes up for at least 2 floors before you actually get to the 'second' floor...so every site is different.
We don't get much E around here, but rock drops can be an indicator there.
And the spans....uuummmm, I think you know how tall they are
The amazing thing about it all is, on one day you'll see an object that is clearly not jumpable....then another day you open the other eye and find out it is!!!!!
As for a safe altitude to do a 1 sec. delay from, well that's all relative for what each jumper is capable and comfortable with, for me right now its 300' off a wind through object. But one day that's likely to change
Hope this helps, its late and I'm rambling as usual.
Later
Blair

Blair - so i take it this means you're S/L off the building?

[blair700 0]

[TomAiello 26]

Quote

Do you use laser range finders...

Almost always. When I scope a new object, I want to know how high it is. At the very least I want to know how high it is higher than. So, if I can't laser to the ground for some reason, I laser to something (a ledge or whatever) above the ground, to get a minimum number.

I'd hate to be the guy who thought it was 150' for sure--and had it turn out to be 70.

Quote

...antennas...# of sections...# of floors x feet per floor?

I've seen way too many of these estimates be totally wrong once you broke out the laser. I once jumped a 27 story, 408 foot building, for example. Ceiling heights just vary too much from building to building (and country to country), as do the section heights on towers, the spacing between lights, etc.

The only things I'll trust are a laser or a sectional (um, or the builders diagrams that I just happened to find). Other than that, it's about establishing a minimum height, and then making repeated jumps to get more delay and find out what the actual "reasonable" delay is.