w4p2 0 #1 June 12, 2003 Do you have info of any manufacturers that would make altimeters with two rotating pointers, one that would show x 100f and other x 1000 f, on other words with a face similar to ones used in aircrafts. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wags 0 #2 June 12, 2003 I have heard of no such thing. What do you want that for? Do you plan on skydiving with it? If you want that kind of accuracy, you are spending too much time looking at your altimeter. Blue Skies, Wags Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
w4p2 0 #3 June 12, 2003 I have heard, but haven't been able to locate. They were used by some precession jumpers. The accuracy is a added value, but the point is readability. 360 degrees for last 1000 feet is easier to observe than the current 15 degrees. Digital meter could do the trick but analog is easier to observe. Cheers: w4p2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lauril 0 #4 June 12, 2003 Maybe there is that kind of an alti somewhere, but I doubt that they are manufactured anymore...maybe you could find one if you could track down an accuracy hero from years past... But you don't need that kind of an alti anyways, the altitudes of the landing pattern are just guidelines, you don't have to be exactly at 100 m when you start your final approach...and as you jump more, you'll learn to judge altitude with your eyes, and the alti reading becomes very simple... Just keep popping to the dropzone, the plane is broken though, but not for long anymore...Keep jumping ! - Lauri Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BadDog 0 #5 June 12, 2003 If it's the accuracy you're looking for (measurements in hundreds of feet), and if you're okay with a digital display, you could try a Digitude. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 37 #6 June 12, 2003 Early jumpers jumped aircraft altimeters, along with stopwatches, mounted on a metal panel attached to their chest mounted reserve. Yes they were 3 or 4 inches thick. This may be where you've gotten this idea. But for landing my opinion is that your better off watching whats going on with your flight in relation to the target than concentrating, or even glancing at, a altimeter under a few hundred feet.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
w4p2 0 #7 June 13, 2003 Thank you for the guidance. This same matter was discussed on safety and training and combined input is: not available. So I go 4 digital. Cheers: w4p2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jurgencamps 0 #8 June 13, 2003 Years ago I saw such an altimeter in Poland. It was used by accurracy jumpers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clownburner 0 #9 June 13, 2003 The digitude 'pro' does 10s of feet: Not useful in freefall but might be under canopy. I jump a standard digitude and I do occasionally wonder about the difference between 210 and 280 feet. But I'm getting better at judging it by eye. The new Neptune also does 10s of feet in 'canopy' mode.7CP#1 | BTR#2 | Payaso en fuego Rodriguez "I want hot chicks in my boobies!"- McBeth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Asta 0 #10 June 13, 2003 All precision jumpers I know are pretty freaking good at judging the altitude and hitting that ridiculously tiny spot without precision altimeters.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
markbaur 0 #11 June 14, 2003 QuoteThe digitude 'pro' does 10s of feet... The new Neptune also does 10s of feet in 'canopy' mode. None of these super-accurate measurements take into account uneven terrain, trees, buildings, wires, and other obstacles. Precision swoopers might be able to take advantage of the extra accuracy, but for the rest of us the extra accuracy is lost in experimental error. Mark Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
w4p2 0 #12 June 14, 2003 I am looking more for readability in 1000 feet to 300 feet range than extreme accuracy. For newbie like me, the 10 degree needle movement that covers the mentioned range in standard altimeters just is not comfortable. In due time the eye will develop an ability to judge the altitudes but until then, and in order to assist the eye, I intend to use digital altimeter unless I find a better solution. Cheers: w4p2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbrown 26 #13 June 15, 2003 First, your altimeter is an AID. In freefall anyway, you should be learning something of an eyeball appraisal of your altitude, i.e. if the ground is looking too damn big, it probably is. I know some people who pulled down close to a grand because their altis hung up around 3 grand. They were waiting for their alti to tell them its OK to pull (WRONG !!!). The kind of alti you're describing sounds like an airplane's alti. They have a "minute" hand for hundreds and an "hour" hand for thousands of ft. A skydiver's alti, at least the traditional analog dial type, is really geared for keeping you safe in freefall. I mean look, if you're burning up a thousand ft every 6 seconds, how many hands do you really need ? The whole idea is one hand only, for simplicity of reading. You don't have to do a bunch of mental interpreting, the thing is showing you within 200 or so ft how far from the ground (end of life as we know it) you are. To make it even easier, the last 2500 ft are wedged in red, with different makes & models using orange and yellow from 2500 up to as high as 4 grand. It's a REFERENCE dude, and it can get stuck or just plain break ! I haven't used the digitals yet, so won't criticize them. But I'mleery of anything where I have to read and interpret digital numbers. I'd rather just see where the needle is pointing. And if the landscape is getting too deataile, I don't give a rat's behind what my alti says, I'm gonna pull. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BadDog 0 #14 June 15, 2003 QuoteI haven't used the digitals yet, so won't criticize them. But I'mleery of anything where I have to read and interpret digital numbers. I'd rather just see where the needle is pointing. Interestingly enough, one of the reasons I prefer the digital is that I don't have to mentally process the information from the dial, all I have to do is look at the number and I instantly know what my altitude is. Like they say, different strokes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Faber 0 #15 June 16, 2003 QuoteI don't have to mentally process the information from the dialMost dial has collor on White no harm feel free to fall yellow Beaware things strart to happen from now on orange you should probaly pull now if you havnt red considder if you should use your reserve i see no problems in looking at thouse,just like driving.I have never jumped a digital,but im sure i would keep an eye more on them as i normaly just see if the alti points at a collor.. But thats just me Stay safe Stefan Faber Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
champu 1 #16 June 17, 2003 under canopy I usually just glance at the alti a few times while playing around to see when I'm at 1000ft, the rest I'd rather just get a feel for visually. And while I'm not always johnny on the spot with my landings, I feel like I've been learning a lot more this way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
