steve1 5 #1 August 5, 2002 I while back I was going on and on about how wonderful dytters are. (We didn't have them back in the olden days). I think it was Rigger Rob who warned me not to become too dependent on these and to set them low to avoid this. Well I left the warning beeps well above pull altitude and usually waited for these to signal me that pull time was approaching. In other words I continued to become dependent on this little marvel in my helmet. Well the inevitable happened. I was on one of Mad John's loads, and he was the one who usually signalled break off. We broke off and I started tracking. It was about then that I got to thinking that we must have really broken off high because there was no beeping. So I kept tracking (after all separation is usually a good thing). About then I started noticing how big the trees were getting. My altimeter read well below 1500 ft. after opening. At any rate I thought this is a good example of what not to do. I was by far the low person on this load. The batteries had finally gave out on my dytter. Luckily everyone lived happily ever after. Steve 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drenaline 0 #2 August 5, 2002 Glad to hear you are doing A O K!Don't worry every day we learn something new, you were lucky you had your altitude awareness and pulled not so low. You went to the silver or main? just curious, if it would of happen to me I would of gone to the silver (jumping spectre). I hope people can take your ditter example for the cypress, it can fail too. HISPA 21 www.panamafreefall.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve1 5 #3 August 5, 2002 I opened my main. My Hornet opens fast but I have slowed it down some by psycho-packing it now. Sometimes I wish I had a Spectre. I broke a finger a couple weeks ago on a hard opening. I must have hit it on something on deployment. It usually opens slower when I psycho-pack. I have been experimenting with how I put it in the bag. My bag is one size too small for this canopy. Steve1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drenaline 0 #4 August 5, 2002 Never seen a hornet, have you tried rolling the end cells? I heard people do that for softer openings, oh yeah and talk to the canopy it works ask around HISPA 21 www.panamafreefall.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ernokaikkonen 0 #5 August 5, 2002 >I broke a finger a couple weeks ago on a hard opening. I must > have hit it on something on deployment. A friend of mine got a VX92 a couple of months back, and he had his index-finger chronically swollen for a few weeks. The reason? On every single opening, he grabbed the rear risers before the slider came down, and the slider grommet would hit his finger every time. Hard. I jumped the canopy a couple of times, and did manage to get a sore finger myself... Erno Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Staso 0 #6 August 5, 2002 QuoteThe batteries had finally gave out on my dytter. Did you have your helmet on your head while taking off ? Did you remove it before 1000 ft ? If you battery goes dead you will hear warning signal on your way up. It starts way before battery is almost dead so even if you hear it in a plane (provided you last time you used your dytter wasn't a year ago), battery will be good for the jump. Replace it after, and you're all good. The good idea is to have 2 audible altimeters and I don't see anything wrong to become too dependent in this case. We depend on visual altimeter, so what's wrong with audible ? Have the level of your warnings high enough and you won't miss it. You have to watch you visual altimeter and audible one will remind you about your altitude even if you don't pay much attention. Hearing is just as good as vision. You trust your vision, why don't you trust your hearing ? I jump two dytters in my helmet and protrack on my harness for speed measurement and I don't have any visual altimeters. I can't see them any way doing speed dives and I rely on my two dytters and I also watch the ground. stan. -- it's not about defying gravity; it's how hard you can abuse it. speed skydiving it is ... Speed Skydiving Forum Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve1 5 #7 August 5, 2002 Staso, It was so hot at Lost Prairie that I usually took my helmet off before a thousand ft. on take off. I know my dytter usually gives a couple of beeps going up. Two dytters may be the ticket. It's unlikely both would fail. Thanks for the info. Steve1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve1 5 #8 August 5, 2002 Drenaline, I love the way my Hornet flies, but it was spanking me about every other jump when I PRO packed it. I tried rolling the snot out of the nose and tail and it was still opening hard. So I started PSYCHO packing it and have had nice soft on heading openings on most jumps. (It's wonderful!) I've heard people say that para-commanders opened hard in the olden days. Well I've got over 300 para-commander jumps and I don't remember a one of them that was as hard as some of the openings I was having on my Hornet. I am thankful to whoever invented the PSYCHO pack. I've never tried talking to my canopy on packing (other than cussing a little bit). I'll have to try that next. It seems to work with horses, why not canopies. Steve1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Staso 0 #9 August 5, 2002 QuoteStaso, It was so hot at Lost Prairie that I usually took my helmet off before a thousand ft. on take off. I know my dytter usually gives a couple of beeps going up. Two dytters may be the ticket. It's unlikely both would fail. Thanks for the info. Steve1 yeah, i thought you took it off :) i use two dytters to be more safe, and it's unlikely that both will mal. but. if i forget tot urn 'em on it means i forget about two of them and they both are off. that's why as a rule i never take my helmet off until i hear my beeps. if i don't i know i'm screwd and i'm extra cautios. be safe. stan. -- it's not about defying gravity; it's how hard you can abuse it. speed skydiving it is ... Speed Skydiving Forum Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
