Neptune for visual use and canopy alarms

[flyngsquirrl 0]

I have one question about the Neptune that I haven't been able to find an answer for in the archives: does anyone know if it's possible/easy to hear the canopy alarms through an RW helmet if the alti is on my wrist? I think it should be possible since my hand will be on a riser or toggle near my head anyway. One of my long-term goals for my skydiving career is swooping, and I think using canopy alarms would be a good way to practice my approaches. I like the idea of the alarms because it means I don't have to keep taking my eyes off of important things like traffic and the landing area...

[brianfry713 0]

I used to use the alarms when I had my Neptune on my wrist/hand for the canopy alarms. My only answer is sometimes. I never heard the freefall alarms. The canopy (swoop) alarms in V2.6.0 are a single beep, double beep, and then a triple beep. I sometimes heard some of them but not all of them. They're not loud enough to depend on and remember that the sound hole will be facing your hand so that will dampen the sound quite a bit.

I now have two neptunes, so I use one as an audible and one on my hand, so now I've turned off the sound on my visual one. Of course it is easy to hear the canopy alarms if it's in the audible pocket inside my helmet.

It's possible but not easy to hear the swoop alarms while using the Neptune as a visual altimeter so I guess it depends on your helmet, hand location, air speed, and hearing ability. I'd recommend staying altitude aware at all times, regardless of whether or not you've heard the swoop alarms.

BASE 1224, Senior Parachute Rigger, CPL ASEL IA, AGI, IGI
USPA Coach & UPT Tandem Instructor, PRO, Altimaster Field Support Representative

[dragon2 2]

If you have a fullface helmet, no way. If you have an open helmet, sometimes, not reliably at all.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[kelpdiver 2]

my experience while demoing the neptune (10 jumps?) matches Brian. Sometimes I heard the canopy alarms. I wouldn't rely on it - if it's important, you'll need one on the ear.

[AndyMan 7]

Sure. I can hear mine through my z1 fullface without any issues.

I have my Neptune chest-mounted, old-skool!

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[Joellercoaster 6]

Quote

I now have two neptunes, so I use one as an audible and one on my hand, so now I've turned off the sound on my visual one.

Are people now using the Neptune Wave to do this, as the audible part?

Having two freefall computers, nice though Neptunes are, seems like expensive overkill.

Actually this is kind of a more general question - if I'm thinking of buying a Dytter, is the Neptune Wave a decent alternative? It's certainly prettier.

--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[markn 0]

Regarding being able to hear Neptune's canopy alarms while wearing it on your arm:
I have tried the Neptune to see if I can hear its canopy alarms while wearing it on my arm. I wear it on the inside of my forearm, in a "Neptune pocket" in my RW suit, so it is closer to my ear than it would be on a wrist and it is facing towards my ear rather than away from it. I also jump an open face helmet. To reinforce what has been pointed out already you will not be able to hear the swoop alarms very reliably. This will especially be true once you have started your swoop and you are flying at an increased speed. I am usually able to hear it if I do a very low performance approach. If I increase my speed even a bit I will not be able to hear it very well. This is all on a square canopy that is loaded at 1.2:1.

Regarding the Wave as an audible-only altimeter:
The Neptune Wave is a very nice option for an audible-only altimeter. It has freefall and canopy alarms. It is waterproof. It uses the same battery as a Neptune and runs the same software as well. The menus for it are the same as the ones for a Neptune, except that all the options that are one a Neptune are not on the Wave so some of the menu items are missing; so if you are familiar with the Neptune configuration already it is a snap to use a Wave. If you like the Neptune and are looking for an audible-only altimeter then I highly recommend a Wave.

--
Mark N

[krazykate 0]

So which type of audible altimeter would be the best for the more inexperienced skydiver? I appreicate that the Wave is waterproof, has different canopy modes etc but for the first 100 jumps or so do you really need that?

[tso-d_chris 0]

I would not consider an audible an essential for your first hundred jumps. Nice if you can find a good deal on one, but it's not really necessary. They can even be counterproductive when trying to train your eyes as your primary altimeter.