Audible Altitude Settings?

[glgflyer 0]

I have never used an audible altimeter, just my faithful altimaster galaxie. I recently acquired a Pro Dytter that came with a rig that I bought. I want to start using it as a backup. Even though you can set 3 altitude warnings, I only want to use 2 (breakoff altitude and pull altitude). Me and the guys I jump with usually decide on 5000 breakoff and pull at 3500. My question is should the audible be set on these exact altitudes or should it be set at 500 ft. lower than these altidtudes (4500 and 3000) so as to not get use to depending on the audible? Any and all advice would be appreciated.

[Reginald 0]

First of all use all three alarms. You are not planning on using the most important one! The last alarm for your decision altitude is the most important. When you hear the flat line you better be damn sure you're pulling your last handles. Do not set it below your decision altitude, as it’s of less value to know your screwed at 500 feet below when you are supposed to be doing something as important as your EP’s. Also, do not set it higher as you don't want to become desensitized to it going off with a partially inflated canopy. Set it AT your decision altitude and recognize that when it goes off it is time so do something right then and there if you aren’t already. Malfunctions can suck people attention away from their visual altimeter unlike ordinary freefall.

As for the other altitudes feel free to set them where you like, but honestly most people end up setting them at their break off and pull altitudes. Some people will tell you that this is bad as one may become dependent on it. Well don’t. Use your visual, your eyes and your audible - three are better than two. I’ve personally, never understood the value of a late alarm. However, if you’re a newbie (can’t tell as you don’t have your profile filled out) and still working on building altitude awareness than maybe setting it lower for a couple of hundred jumps isn’t such a bad idea.

"We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

[glgflyer 0]

Thanks! This is VERY valuable information. I will indeed use all 3 alarms now. This is exactly the info I was looking for. Thank you very much!

[Beachbum 0]

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However, if you’re a newbie (can’t tell as you don’t have your profile filled out) and still working on building altitude awareness than maybe setting it lower for a couple of hundred jumps isn’t such a bad idea.

The exact reason I didn't mount my protrack in my helmet as soon as I got it. I initially got it to help work on fall rate (I'm fall rate challenged ... LOL!!), and carry it in a jumpsuit pocket for now. Based on checking versus other's FF computers, it does read a little low as a result, but the difference seems consistent, so once I figured out the adjustment, I get pretty realistic readings. I think altitude awareness is pretty much ingrained now though, so am thinking it might be time to go ahead and put it in the helmet.

As long as you are happy with yourself ... who cares what the rest of the world thinks?

[JackC 0]

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I’ve personally, never understood the value of a late alarm. However, if you’re a newbie (can’t tell as you don’t have your profile filled out) and still working on building altitude awareness than maybe setting it lower for a couple of hundred jumps isn’t such a bad idea.

When I first bought an audible I set it to 5k, 4k and 2.5k. Over the course of many jumps I have grown used to the mk1 eyeball, my wrist alti, my audible and my internal freefall stopwatch all being syncronised and it only adds confusion when they're not (say because someone borrows my audible and sets it at different altitudes). I find it easier to adjust to not having an audible than having one set at a height you aren't used to. So I'm a fan of picking your audible settings and sticking to them.

[Chubba 0]

I set mine at

4500ft - breakoff
3500ft - back to box/wave, dump
2000ft - GET SOMETHING OUT.

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My question is should the audible be set on these exact altitudes or should it be set at 500 ft. lower than these altidtudes (4500 and 3000) so as to not get use to depending on the audible?

The way I see it, I always look at my visual alti before the 4500 alarm. If I get "surprised" by the breakoff, I go back and review my altitude awareness.

Same goes with the 3500ft alarm, I count it out and maintain awareness in my track, never wait for the alarm now. I got into the habit of max tracking at breakoff till I "heard" the alarm, this backfired when I confused the 2nd alarm for the 1st during a hectic rel-dive and as a result tracked down and dumped on the siren was swinging under canopy at 1500ft, that sure puckered me up.

That's my experience, set them at the correct heights but be AHEAD of the alarms mentally.

Just a question to the experienced jumpers, is your 2nd alarm set for coming out of the track or is it set for dumping?

[Ironmanjay 0]

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First of all use all three alarms. You are not planning on using the most important one! The last alarm for your decision altitude is the most important. When you hear the flat line you better be damn sure you're pulling your last handles. Do not set it below your decision altitude, as it’s of less value to know your screwed at 500 feet below when you are supposed to be doing something as important as your EP’s. Also, do not set it higher as you don't want to become desensitized to it going off with a partially inflated canopy. Set it AT your decision altitude and recognize that when it goes off it is time so do something right then and there if you aren’t already. Malfunctions can suck people attention away from their visual altimeter unlike ordinary freefall.

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Just like my writst mount I use my audible as another safety tool to get me to the ground in one piece, hell why not use two audibles if you can afford it


My personal experience and what has been to suggested to me about setting dytter alaramsis, I set my 1st alarm 500 ft higher then break off so when break alt does come up 2.5 sec later Im already jamming out of there.
My second alarm I set again a little higher. The way I figure it by the time I hear the second alarm come out of my track and wave off and pull I lose again about 500 ft give or take.
My last alarm is set at my hard deck and luckily Ive never heard that one go off in the air

[erdnarob 1]

I have a TIME OUT and set it up most of the time at 5000 ft (slightly above the separation altitude). After that I use my wrist altimeter or just count if tracking. But it will beep at twice the frequency at 2500 ft and will make a contiuous beeeeeeeep at 1500 ft for obvious reasons. I recommand you to use the 3 warning altitudes and if you feel like me set up the first one 500 ft higher than the separation altitude. That way you can clearly hear the first warning when being less "busy". I have to say that I am also wearing in my helmet a Protrack set up at the same altitudes. Why? The TIME OUT is louder and the Protrack is used mainly as a flight computer or log book.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[glgflyer 0]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have already heard enough to know that people do set their alarm altitudes up differently. I see that some set them 500 ft higher, some set them 500 ft lower and some set them at the altitudes. I still haven't decided what will be the best for me but I have decided one thing for sure. I will definitely be using all three alarms. Again, thanks for your suggestion.

[popsjumper 2]

I set my "do it now" at 500ft higher than my decision altitude simply because it's gonna take my feeble little brain a second or two for the flat-line to register and for me to react.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[Rover 11]

6500

5000

3000

Thats because I mainly do tandems and 3000 is big decision time. When I'm on my sports gear the 3rd alarm certainly gets my attention.

2 wrongs don't make a right - but 3 lefts do.

[fred 0]

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Thanks for the suggestions. I have already heard enough to know that people do set their alarm altitudes up differently. I see that some set them 500 ft higher, some set them 500 ft lower and some set them at the altitudes. I still haven't decided what will be the best for me but I have decided one thing for sure. I will definitely be using all three alarms. Again, thanks for your suggestion.

As a relatively new jumper, I consider my audible to be a tertiary backup. My eyes are supposed to be my primary method for altitude awareness, if not very accurate. My analog altimeter is my secondary, and I use it for my decision making. My audible is the third backup.

I set it 500ft below the altitude for which I want to break off and pull. If I haven't already done what it's telling me to do, then I made a mistake, and I make my wife give me spankings as a reprimand.

I won't set it low for the decision alarm, though. I've heard that protrack's beep under an opening canopy once, and I never want to hear it again. I might even bump it up a few hundred feet.

[glgflyer 0]

That also makes sense. Thanks for the input. Now I just have to weigh it all out to try and come up with a procedure that I feel will be right for me. Again, thanks for the help.