autoset 0 #1 February 17, 2007 I've heard a few times that chest mounted altimeters are dangerous because they give fake readings, and that you should wear it in your wrist. Is there any truth behind this statement? Sounds like bullshit but I ain't no expert in aerodinamics. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #2 February 17, 2007 I've had friends report erroneously high readings by chest mounted altimeters when they were on their backs. I haven't tested it myself. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbrown 26 #3 February 17, 2007 QuoteI've had friends report erroneously high readings by chest mounted altimeters when they were on their backs. I haven't tested it myself. Probably not suitable for flying on your back. But thirty years ago everybody used to wear them chest mounted for belly flying. the really neat thing about that was you didn't even have to look down at your own alti, you could just look across at somebody else's. You could also look at your alti while you were tracking without breaking out of your track. I've made the transition to a smaller alti mpounted on the back of my hand and I use a Pro Dytter too. But sometimes I miss that big old Alti II on a foam pillow on my chest strap. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrewEckhardt 0 #4 February 18, 2007 QuoteI've heard a few times that chest mounted altimeters are dangerous because they give fake readings, and that you should wear it in your wrist. They're accurate belly-to-earth, head-up (sit/stand), and head-down. They only read a few hundred feet high on your back which is good enough until you get to break-off altitude below which you should be on your belly so it doesn't matter. When you're in a sit or tracking you don't have to move your wrist to see them, and during flat RW other people can look across the formation at your altimeter. That's all good. At least one freak accident has occurred where some one crushed their windpipe with a chest mounted altimeter and died during a bad landing; otherwise there aren't good arguments against one. I've had one for over a decade. Might switch to a mud-flap mount sometime. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
faulknerwn 38 #5 February 18, 2007 I wear both. I use my wrist mount during freefall, my chest mount during tracking. Largely the chest mount is for other people more than me. Its really easy reading other people's chest mounts - I love videoing tandems where the students are given chest mounts - I know the altitude the whole way! Even having one other person on a load with a chest mount is very handy! Unless one breaks, I can't foresee not wearing both anytime soon... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve1 5 #6 February 19, 2007 QuoteI wear both. I use my wrist mount during freefall, my chest mount during tracking. Largely the chest mount is for other people more than me. Its really easy reading other people's chest mounts - I love videoing tandems where the students are given chest mounts - I know the altitude the whole way! Even having one other person on a load with a chest mount is very handy! Unless one breaks, I can't foresee not wearing both anytime soon... .......................... I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one with two altimeters. I have a hard time reading the chest mount altimeter with a full face helmet, but if I turn my head a little I can still see it okay. I like being able to read it while tracking. And other jumpers might read it too, if they are across from me. I bought that old alti-II back in about 1973. I used it on a metal dash board on my belly reserve for several years. It still works great.....Steve1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
faulknerwn 38 #7 February 19, 2007 I've gotten feedback from a lot of people in freefall who love me having a chest mount. None care enough to buy their own however :-) Even tandem masters like it when I do video of them - as I like it when tandem masters put a chest mount on their students. Its a great thing to have for other people. Its unfortunate that more people don't do it... Its funny - we had an AFF student here - who we just figured out her turning problem had to do with reading a wrist mount altimeter. She's going to get prescription goggles, but with her glasses under goggles, she was having trouble reading her wrist mount. She wants a chest mount. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ROK 0 #8 February 19, 2007 Just got one Saturday and haven't had a chance to jump it yet. I spent a few hours yesterday sewing on velcro and strapping to mount it properly. Looking down at it is a little awkward. Do most people mount them with the top away from the chest, or upside down? It may be a dumb question, but upside down seems to give me an easier picture. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
faulknerwn 38 #9 February 19, 2007 Upside down? Normally the flat part of the triangle faces up towards your face where the altimeter is. Can't quite picture the upside down thing... I do find that if I wear it over the buckle of the chest strap it stays visible better... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ROK 0 #10 February 19, 2007 QuoteUpside down? Normally the flat part of the triangle faces up towards your face where the altimeter is. Can't quite picture the upside down thing... I do find that if I wear it over the buckle of the chest strap it stays visible better... If you sit the alti in front of you on the table, the 6 would be closest to your chest and the 12 farthest away. When I look down it just seemed that having it reversed with the 6 being the farthest point away from your chest, it was easier to see a wider range of numbers... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drjump 0 #11 February 19, 2007 Steve-You are not alone when it comes to wearing 2 altimeters. I started with nothing but a stop watch on top of my chest reserve: ie. 3600' AGL= 10 seconds of free fall. If you remembered to start the watch upon leaving the plane! After getting my butt chewed for a low pull I added an altimaster ll. When I transitioned to a piggy-back rig the stopwatch went in the bedroom and the altimeter on the chest strap. Now, 38 years later, that original altimaster is still on the chest strap and I have added a wrist mounted newer altimeter for back up. When all else fails look at the ground. When ants look like people it is too late. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IanHarrop 41 #12 February 19, 2007 QuoteSteve-You are not alone when it comes to wearing 2 altimeters. I started with nothing but a stop watch on top of my chest reserve: ie. 3600' AGL= 10 seconds of free fall. If you remembered to start the watch upon leaving the plane! After getting my butt chewed for a low pull I added an altimaster ll. When I transitioned to a piggy-back rig the stopwatch went in the bedroom and the altimeter on the chest strap. Now, 38 years later, that original altimaster is still on the chest strap and I have added a wrist mounted newer altimeter for back up. When all else fails look at the ground. When ants look like people it is too late. How do you like the stopwatch in the bedroom? I could never figure out what to do with the one I had on my chest mount dashboard. Interesting idea you had "Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrobiette 0 #13 February 19, 2007 Quote If you sit the alti in front of you on the table, the 6 would be closest to your chest and the 12 farthest away. When I look down it just seemed that having it reversed with the 6 being the farthest point away from your chest, it was easier to see a wider range of numbers... The way I use a chest mount (and a lot of other people did when they were common), is to mount it sideways, with the 12 on the left and the 6 on the right. This means that the critical numbers you are most concerned about, ie 2-4K, are away from your body and easiest to see, with pull time being when the needle is vertical so easy to see at a glance. Who cares if it's harder to see 8-10K, you've got plenty of time at that point. After a few jumps it becomes second nature to have it that way. Now I mostly use a chest mount for crw but the theory is still good, except it's breakoff rather than pull height you are concerned about. Martin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve1 5 #14 February 20, 2007 QuoteSteve-You are not alone when it comes to wearing 2 altimeters. I started with nothing but a stop watch on top of my chest reserve: ie. 3600' AGL= 10 seconds of free fall. If you remembered to start the watch upon leaving the plane! After getting my butt chewed for a low pull I added an altimaster ll. When I transitioned to a piggy-back rig the stopwatch went in the bedroom and the altimeter on the chest strap. Now, 38 years later, that original altimaster is still on the chest strap and I have added a wrist mounted newer altimeter for back up. When all else fails look at the ground. When ants look like people it is too late. .................. I too had a stopwatch in my dashboard back in the 70's. To tell you the truth I never did look at that thing even once. I turned it on a couple times when leaving the plane, but relied entirely on my altimeter and looking at the ground. I'm not sure why I even bought it.....Steve1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerryBaumchen 1,362 #15 February 20, 2007 Hi steve1, QuoteI too had a stopwatch in my dashboard back in the 70's. To tell you the truth I never did look at that thing even once. I turned it on a couple times when leaving the plane, but relied entirely on my altimeter and looking at the ground. I'm not sure why I even bought it.....Steve1 Back in the '60's is was 'normal' to have an alti & a stopwatch; which I did. Never even turned it on once (you're ahead of me, Steve). When I got a newer rig (they were all mil-surplus then) the stopwatch went away. Jerry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JumperWillis 0 #16 February 20, 2007 Some of the oldest jumpers around still use chest mounted alti's. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
