Skyvixen 0 #1 July 21, 2003 In my few years of skydiving I have come across many who do not use an Altimeter. What is the reasoning for this??Let's put the FUN back in Funeral Life is a Freefall Enjoy!! MUFF #2760 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 0 #2 July 22, 2003 QuoteIn my few years of skydiving I have come across many who do not use an Altimeter. What is the reasoning for this?? Because your altimeter is only a backup to your eyes.Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rgoper 0 #3 July 22, 2003 i must admit, i "forget" mine a lot! after jumping for a while you get a built-in altimeter. i've jumped without one, intentionally and unintentionally. but i utilize a pro-trac as well with 3 audibles set to my liking.--Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 1 #4 July 22, 2003 Perhaps a more detailed bit of info. The Altimeter is a back up, However, the way it truly becomes a back up is to go out and memorize what the ground looks like as you approach it. I'm nearly spot on at around 3000 with or with out it. Each time you track off, Look at the ground and pay attention to what it looks like. Pretty soon that 3500 feet or what ever altitude you like to wave off and pull at, is very recongnizeable. With some practice which I highly recommend, you'll be able to recognize your altitude visually. That comes in handy when you look down at 2500 feet and you've missed your break off altitude completely, and need to get open NOW! Another scenario is you look at your altimeter and it reads 8000 feet but the way the ground looks doesn't coincide....malfunctioning altimeter! Hope that helps -My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #5 July 22, 2003 I always wear mine, and I don't believe in the 'backup' scheme, if you don't trust 'backups' why having a 'reserve' then?.__________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skyvixen 0 #6 July 22, 2003 I am comfortable doing the VISUAL at my Home DZ, Is it safe to say that all ground looks the same at 2000 ft.Then again it always looks flat when its notLet's put the FUN back in Funeral Life is a Freefall Enjoy!! MUFF #2760 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 0 #7 July 22, 2003 QuoteI always wear mine, and I don't believe in the 'backup' scheme, if you don't trust 'backups' why having a 'reserve' then?. It there "just in case". By your logic, I could then just stuff the main in the bag any which way because I have a perfectly good reserve on my back. No, one should take care with their main as well. Same with their eyes. Alti's fail, one should know what different altitudes look like with their eyes. Use your alti and your eyes. Learn what 2K, 3K, 4K, 5K, etc....look like on both your alti and the earth.Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #8 July 22, 2003 QuoteUse your alti and your eyes. Learn what 2K, 3K, 4K, 5K, etc....look like on both your alti and the earth. That's what I meant, I never said DEPEND on your alti or DEPEND on your eyes, 50/50 is better.__________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 1 #9 July 22, 2003 QuoteI always wear mine, and I don't believe in the 'backup' scheme, if you don't trust 'backups' why having a 'reserve' then?. I am now laughing out loud CrazyIvan. 2 different beasts that mechanical device "altimeter" and the reserve parachute. It's just not that cut and dry, get out and make some skydives and lighten up. I trust my Altimeter. It works Great. In fact I just had it tested last month and it was nearly spot on at every altitude. When your altimeter breaks some day, as at least one of mine did in the past, you'll remember this thread...(or not) So, go out and do that little excersize I mentioned. in my previous post. Then think about if you looked down and unexpectedly the ground looked really close, but your altimeter read about 6000 or 7000. Are you just going to keep freefalling, or will you let your eyes and survival instincts take over? I trust my reserve very much. I also trust that my Alti is correct. It has to be, ESPECIALLY during AFF dives. What if you find yourself on the aircraft after hastily boarding with out your Altimeter. Now what? Are you going to ride the plane down, or jump? Screw it, you're jumping. Of course you can say you'll never forget it but look up a few posts, rgoper forgets his sometimes and he's pretty anal. (not in "that" way you sicko's ) I'm hungry now so I'm signing off for a few. Cheers. Edit: added a to indicate I'm attempting humor. Sorry Ivan.My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #10 July 22, 2003 QuoteI am now laughing out loud CrazyIvan. 2 different beasts that mechanical device "altimeter" and the reserve parachute. It's just not that cut and dry, get out and make some skydives and lighten up. Dude, I'm just saying, use it as well as your eyes, I can distinguish different altitudes, but an ALTI sure helps as well, the only thing I don't agree with is the I DON'T NEED AN ALTI AT ALL kinda attitude, that's why I made that comment, I know an alti can fail...so your eyes.__________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NeedToJump 0 #11 July 22, 2003 I usually wear my alti, sometimes I forget it, but it's no big deal - I can recognize the ground, my audible is usually on, plus I jump with other people. Chances are at least one of us has an alti/audible and when you see someone else track off right when you think it's breakoff time, you leave too. (Not saying that I rely on others for my breakoff, just another "backup".) I've asked some of the really good 4-way folk about why they never wear altimeters. The response I've gotten is doing that sort of thing (world class 4-way) there is no time to look over at your alti. You have to focus 100% on what you and your team is doing, but after you're at that level your internal clock tells you when breakoff is too. But as I said, I usually wear an altimeter and check it.Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #12 July 22, 2003 No. From 1000 to 2000 dives I used no Alti or Audiable. I simply didn't have one, and never felt I needed one. I had no low pulls in this period - but did initiate many breakoffs. These days I wear both - as most of my dives are AFF and newbies are dependant on my performance. When someone on the load "forgets" I don't mind giving them my alti. tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #13 July 22, 2003 I never look at mine when my Cypres is switched on....-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingnut 0 #14 July 22, 2003 actually jumpd twice this past weekend withought my alti (just plumb forgot it) and a total of 3 times this year withought one.... the two this weekend were tandem video's that i was shooting and they pull way before i would have to. pluss i know what the ground looks like at 3 grand and my "internal" clock is still acostomed to my first home dz where we only got 9-10.5k, where we are now getting 12,5 at my dz.... p.s. i did have my skytonic fx with me though this past weekend..... ______________________________________ "i have no reader's digest version" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dumpster 0 #15 July 22, 2003 Hi there!! I always wear an alti and have a dytter tucked in next to my left ear, myself. I have found during intense 4-way, I look at others alti's more than my own sometimes- Easy Does It Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #16 July 22, 2003 I have not ever jumped without one on. Once it didn't work, but I was last out, it was my first solo, so I managed to be just fine. It was weird though. LOL... I do think it's interesting that lots of people say yes, they jump without one, but then add they have an audible. Isn't an audible altimeter an altimeter just the same? I don't think I would jump without one for a while - I am not nearly good enough yet to judge accurately the height, and don't own an audible altimeter yet. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,584 #17 July 22, 2003 QuoteOnce it didn't work, but I was last out, it was my first solo, so I managed to be just fine. It was weird though. LOL... That's exactly why people should look at the ground at known altitudes. You handled it perfectly when you didn't have the instruments. I only recently got an audible; all I ever had before that was an Alti 2, and when it needed service, I just jumped without. I prefer to jump with, but while it's more important to me than a Cypres, it's a whole lot less important than a rig Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bwilling 0 #18 July 22, 2003 QuoteThat's exactly why people should look at the ground at known altitudes. This is the best advice! That said, I jump both an audible, and a visual. I was tracking off on a dive last weekend, and really getting into my track, and trying to flatten it out, when the second alarm on my audible went off... and it's an older model timeout, so the second alarm is fixed at 2500 feet, and that's not where I usually pull! At first I thought that it was wrong, I hadn't been tracking that long, had I??? But a quick look down at the ground confirmed that things were indeed looking bigger than normal, and I quickly looked, waved off, and pulled... thank God Booth's law #1 didn't bite me in the ass! "If all you ever do is all you ever did, then all you'll ever get is all you ever got." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkwing 5 #19 July 22, 2003 Like several others here I have done it both ways. I have several hundred jumps with no altitude device. These days I jump with a wrist mount and two audibles. With no tools ground cues (at your home dz), and the altimeters worn by others are fine. Still, I recommend tools for everyone, but am not bothered by experienced and competent jumpers who don't have them. -- Jeff My Skydiving History Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
craddock 0 #20 July 22, 2003 I went a couple of years without an altimeter after my second one disappeared at a DZ. I was just too cheap to buy one and never used it much anyway on RW dives. I did borrow one occasionally. I now have one as my girlfriend bought me a visual before I went to Rantoul last year and I also have my first audible as well. Doing more FF dives I really enjoy having them. Josh That spot isn't bad at all, the winds were strong and that was the issue! It was just on the downwind side. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The111 1 #21 July 22, 2003 Wow, with only 56 jumps this sounds like pure insanity to me. I plan on using two alti's for life, but I guess it does make sense that with experience that could change. I may not be able to tell the difference between 5000 and 4000 right now, but I can tell between 10000 and 5000, and I guess with more experience the resolution of my focus curve just gets sharper. Still, I can't imagine jumping without one, ever. I'd get freaked and open at like 7000.www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbrown 26 #22 July 22, 2003 People used to wear chest mounted Altimaster II's a lot more than they do now, so in the old days it was easy to take a peek at just about anybody's altimeter, in fact it was even easier because you could be watching them and flying your slot without looking down at your chest. They of course would be checking your Alti. But we had one clown prince who "fixed" an old broken Alti - with a drop of crazy glue ! It was always on zero. The DZO had told him he'd ground him if he didn't use an altimeter (there had been some low pulls on this kid's record...), so he put this piece of junk together and wore it. We all knew about it of course. Last I ever saw of the kid, he'd joined the Navy, don't know whatever happened to him after that. Nowadays I'm getting used to wearing a wrist mount, they're alright. My eyeball perception's pretty good, when I think the ground's big enough and I flare out of my track, I'm consistently at 3 grand. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakydiver 0 #23 July 22, 2003 Mine only works half the time anyhow and my eyes are my best altimeter. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." -- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #24 July 22, 2003 I use it more during the climb to altitude....than during the skydive... I have a few "video shots" which i like to record at certain times during the climb... I always need to know,,, when we are a couple of thousand feet BEFORE exit...( so I can begin monitoring my cameras, and donning the helmet.) and then I don't refer to it again.. until the pace of the skydive or the "timing" on the tandem,,, tells me we are around 5 to 6000 feet... That's the only time I get a visual reference from my alti...during the freefall.. .. I use it Alot under canopy,,,,however, to assess my chances of returning from a long spot,,, to determine when to start my landing pattern,,and to help me decide when to make,,,( Or NOT make ) any aggressive canopy moves,,,,,.... How about YOU Skyvixen ??? you say you see others NOT using one,,, how about you???? Are you successful using your eyes,,,, or do you also refer to your altimeter, ?? or Like some jumpers,,,, do you rely on those with whom you jump, to maintain altitude awareness for everyone in the group,,,,, during your skydives??? Life is Enjoyable....... Freefall !!!!!! jmy .. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skyvixen 0 #25 July 22, 2003 Honestly!! My altimeter is off by 300 ft, but I still use it anyway!! Let's put the FUN back in Funeral Life is a Freefall Enjoy!! MUFF #2760 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
