Kris

I had an e-mail waiting from Roger at Alti-2 this morning requesting my number so that he could contact me about the issues I wrote about in the forums. To say I was impressed would be an understatement. I went ahead and called him at 10am and we spoke at length about everything. He confirmed that they will be going to MPH instead of f/s in the next release which is a big relief. As a skydiver, I usually don't carry a slide rule or calculator in my gear bag. As for the speed readouts for the various altitudes here is an example, to get the reading for 6K, an average is taken from 5.5K - 6.5K which is a 1000' "slice of time". It is a smaller sampling window but they chose to use it because it is more indicative of actual accurate speed then an average over a longer period of time. Roger did confirm that when the unit logs to the logbook software coming out in the future that it will show the speed for any part of the skydive that you want to look at. Now, as for my issue...I gave Roger full details of the jump and airplane ride for the load I was on where my Neptune failed to measure takeoff and then reset itself later. I shipped my unit back to him today (on their dime) for overnight delivery and they will check it out for accuracy, recreate the flight I took (which further impressed me) in an attempt to duplicate the issue, and then they will send my unit back to me by this Friday with the latest software revisions installed. I also asked about the manual and he agreed that they could have done better with it and are releasing a fuller version this evening. All in all, I am impressed with their initiative to contact us first, their willingness to work on these issues ASAP, and the fact that at no time did Alti-2 try to play the "blame game". The Neptune is a very high-end device in that it requires firmware. As such, there will be a period of adjustment while they get all of the bugs worked out of the code and their sampling algorithms. Speaking from experience, you can test and re-test for things in a lab all day long but users in the field will try things or get into situations that your designers couldn't conceive of in their worst drunken nightmares. I'll let everyone know how my Neptune works out after I get it back and try it this weekend. Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

Sweet vid! Okay, I have to ask...what song is that on the video? I must find it.

Here's a crosspost of what I put into the review thread, since I think it's pertinant info to watch out for. --------------------------------------- Interesting, Kevin. Mine has version 1.5 software. I can't believe they didn't put the latest revision on it. Okay....I put 3 jumps on mine this weekend and I loaned it to another guy for a jump. My biggest gripes would be the fact that it displays the log results in f/s instead of mph and that the numbers do not seem to be averages. In freefall, the display was amazingly easy to read. Now....here's my biggest complaint. I do not think they tested the Neptune in a Cessna or with someone doing IAD or S/L instructing. On one jump, I had a load of 3 students to take up in our Cessna 205. The climb was a bit slow and the Neptune didn't catch it. It showed the MSL going up but it didn't think it was in an airplane until around 600 feet. It then finally went into A/C mode but the altitude was now 600-700 feet off. OK, no biggie, I'll just use my eyes. I put out the first two students and as I was getting ready to put the third student out, I noticed that the Neptune had gone back into ground mode. Apparently, circling at the same altitude for several minutes made it think it was back on the ground and it didn't do squat in freefall. I will definitely be contacting Alti-2 on Monday. Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

Interesting, Kevin. Mine has version 1.5 software. I can't believe they didn't put the latest revision on it. Okay....I put 3 jumps on mine this weekend and I loaned it to another guy for a jump. My biggest gripes would be the fact that it displays the log results in f/s instead of mph and that the numbers do not seem to be averages. In freefall, the display was amazingly easy to read. Now....here's my biggest complaint. I do not think they tested the Neptune in a Cessna or with someone doing IAD or S/L instructing. On one jump, I had a load of 3 students to take up in our Cessna 205. The climb was a bit slow and the Neptune didn't catch it. It showed the MSL going up but it didn't think it was in an airplane until around 600 feet. It then finally went into A/C mode but the altitude was now 600-700 feet off. OK, no biggie, I'll just use my eyes. I put out the first two students and as I was getting ready to put the third student out, I noticed that the Neptune had gone back into ground mode. Apparently, circling at the same altitude for several minutes made it think it was back on the ground and it didn't do squat in freefall. I will definitely be contacting Alti-2 on Monday. Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

Mine arrived as well. I can't wait to take it for its first jump this weekend. Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

Happy 21st, Amber! Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

I've only been nauseous once. It was around jump #120-ish. I had just put out a load of IAD students and then bailed after the last one was out. I took maybe an 8-10 sec delay then opened my Stiletto. I cranked a couple of turns and something was in the back of my mind telling me something wasn't right. I then got extremely nauseous. I got into pattern and pretty much rode double-fronts the rest of the way to get down as fast as possible without having to spiral off altitude. As soon as I landed I dry-heaved for several seconds. I had just changed to a new allergy medicine and I thought that may have been it, but I ended up with a full-blown case of the flu two days later. The nausea was probably caused by the early stages of getting sick. I never want to be under canopy with that feeling again. Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

I bought an FT-50 after my Alti-III bit the dust. I have over 250 jumps on it and it's solid. I've banged it against the door and the plane more than once and it just keeps going. The domed lens may be a bit more scratch-prone, but I wouldn't know. As soon as I got it, I put a clear rubber adhesive bumper on the center of the face and if I happen to lay it face-down it won't scratch. You can get the bumpers from Radio Shack: --> Clear Cushion Feet Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

Happy birthday, Stacy! I'll bring a bottle of good stuff with me this December for ya'. Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

Okay...here's the deal. I held one of the Neptune's in my hands just two days ago. Several of the units were shipped to Aerostore for sale at the WFFC. Unfortunately, an honest mistake was made at the Alti-2 factory and test code was flashed into the units instead of final code. The units would not even power up and, because of this, they could not be reflashed at Rantoul. I know, I pounded Kathy from Alti-2 with questions and had my laptop with IR-port ready to go just in case. However, I feel that if they are flashing the units on-site before shipping them, the least they could have done was turn them on / test them for functionality prior to shipping. I put down a $50 deposit at Aerostore to hold one. Aerostore will be hitting my card for the remaining $199 + shipping this week and getting mine to me. Alti-2 is sending them a purple one for me to get. I think it will be a great product once they get the bugs in their procedures worked out. What I did notice was the unit came shipped with software on a CD (possibly the instruction manual?), several different types of mounts, and everything you could possibly need right in the box. I'll let you know more as soon as I get mine delivered. Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

Jack, Thanks again for all you did to help make it happen for us "Dot Communist's" at Rantoul! Big prop's go out to Eric as well for getting us a high-speed internet line and a hub installed in the tent. We were definitely wired for armageddon in our DZ.com tent! Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

*adds 100 cool points to Anne's account* That's it, I'm coming to steal you from Marc! You and Marc are definitely in my top list along with HH, Bytch, Sunny, Michele, Erk, and a few others. I hope your knee is feeling better and remember that you & Marc still owe me a jump together! Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

Awww, hell! I just read about this. Biggest Okie vibes coming to you, Lew. You're the best and I wish you a very speedy recovery. Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

Well, one of those times was a 7-hour event. Bytch was about to start charging you rent. As for the tweezing, you're crazy with those things. You do your eyebrows, you pick scabs, and you eat salad with them. I don't know whether to be in awe of your tweezer powers or if I should be frightened. Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

Dammit JT! Don't do that again! Glad to hear that you kept your head, my friend.

And here's Da' Gimp's Rodriguez Brother's initiation! The crazy guy with the beard & tye-dye shirt in the background is our own ChileRelleno! Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

And some more... Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

Well, I got in last night after a great week at Rantoul. After some serious recovery and rest time, and a new liver, I thought I would write some of the more memorable events of the convention... First, it was great to see all my old friends again. FallinWoman, SkyMedic, Jceman & TLML, Freaksis, SkyBytch, LewMonst, SkymonkeyONE, Phree, Sunny, Brits17, OmriMon, MonkeyLip, Vallerina, Scotty & Tami Carbone, and others. The WFFC is called "The Family Reunion" for damn good reason. I also made some great new friends: Sangiro, ChileRellano, LadySkyDiver, Betsy, AirMail, LouDiamond, SkyRose7, ClownBurner, DiverDriver, ChasingBlueSky, HeatherB, Da'Gimp, SkyDekker, HappyThoughts, Jerm, Karen, and a lot of others. The first dive I got suckered into while I was there was a jump with an inflateable alligator. The plan was for Sunny & HeatherB to ride it with ChasingBlueSky, ClownBurner, AirMail, SkyDekker, me, and a couple of others holding on with Da' Gimp on video. Well, let's just say that the dive didn't go as planned. In fact, it was a human blender and I think just about everyone on the dive got some kind of bruise from it. I got my bell rung, Sunny got a strained middle finger, others got banged around. I pretty much stayed away from anything with an air-valve after that. Betsy wanted to take us on a Birdie dive so I joined her, Sangiro, DiverDriver, SkyDekker and Phreezone on it. The exit was rehearsed well on the ground with Sangiro, Betsy, and Phree on the outside and the rest of us inside the Otter door for the exit. All I could think was "Sangiro's on the dive, don't blow it, don't blow it, don't fuck this up...". Okay....here come's the exit count: READY! S....What The Fuck? Yup, at the "S" in "SET!", our own Head Honcho fell right off the Otter dragging the other two with him! We then spent the rest of the dive in a mad chase to them for a sit campfire. I'm just glad it wasn't me. Sangiro did redeem himself on a later two-way sit dive with me, but we need to get that boy eating more, he's too floaty. Heck, I'm only 5'8", 265# out the door. The parties, as usual, were the stuff that legends are made of. There was one evening where Bytch corrupted AirMail and I by having us all down 5 Jello-Shots each and along with Chuckie's famous margaritas I was definitely feeling no pain....until the next morning. I went with JCEman & TLML and my OKC friends, Cody and Al, on a great sit jump where Al was trying a Crossfire2 demo. After landing, Al was already making plans to sell his Stiletto's and as soon as we got back to the Icarus tent he pulled out the plastic and ordered a 119 on the spot. I've never seen Al get excited about anything so my curiosity was severely piqued. I talked to Simon and a short while later, the lovely Amy at the Icarus tent was packing a Crossfire2 169 into my Mirage for me to go play with. Oh Sweet Jesus! The openings, the glide, the flare, the turns, the perfect riser pressure, the lack of twitchyness.... Well, let's just say I was in love. I was under canopy by 2800. I was almost two miles out and made it back with more than enough altitude to set up for a great swoop in the huge area by the swoop pond. I brought it back to the Icarus tent and loudly proclaimed to all, "Daddy Likes!" then took her out for two more rides. I'm ordering one in two weeks. Damn nylon crack dealers. I had originally planned to stay until Sunday but Cody, Amber, and I were experiencing some serious "boogie burnout" and left just after noon on Saturday. I wouldn't trade my time there for anything in the world but it's good to be home. Now, I have to endure the 51 weeks until the next family reunion. Until then...here are some pics! Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

*Note to self: Have Super Soaker ready for Amber when she shows up at my place tomorrow.* Ummm...now, if you'll excuse me, there's kittens to kill and Kleenex, Co. employees to keep working. Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

Yeah, Tim is a great guy. One time, he offered to loan me his Barry Manilow CD. I politely declined but appreciated the offer. Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

You know my answer. Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

No, that would be "Oh. Mah. Gawd! FerShure!". Mine was more of a William Shatner kind of thing. Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

apparently fast enough to not see a large deer in front of his car.... R.I.P. Tibby!! Oh. My. God. You just went there! I can't believe you really went there! Now, if you all need me, I'll be in the corner, crying and eating a deer steak while I mourn the loss of my beautiful car. Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

Didn't your parents teach you to share? Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

(sniff) Dammit, Dave! It's guys like you who make slackers like me proud! Keep up the great work. Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™