Altimeter + Audible, Which Combo?

[derrickiv 0]

I'm getting a little tired of borrowing massive Alti-IIs from the dropzone and would like to get my own altimeter and audible (I would've waited on the audible, but I'm req'd to have one by my school). I've come down to one of these two combos.

1.Alti-III Galaxy and Pro-Track (~$390)
2.Altitrack and Optima (~$470)

Price wise, obviously option 1 is cheaper and is probably what I will go for.. I checked gear reviews, and they are all positive for items, so in hindsight, maybe I already have the answer... it's up to me to decide what I want, but comments are still always nice.

I also considered 3. Alti-III and Optima ($330), but I kinda figure, I might as well have at least one of the two with a logbook as I'm guessing that will be useful to me in the future.

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

[lilchief 1]

To give you a short boering advice from me: Get a Alti III and a Prodytter/Solo and use the rest on jumps.

But what bothers me is that you're _required_ to use an audible while still beeing a student. my advice to people ho ask, is to do approx 100 jumps after getting your A before getting an audible. The reason is that you get used to check your altimiter insted on relying on an audible. Audibles are great but makes you lazy, and that could put in some dangerous situasions. Those are my 2 cents on that issue. I'm interrested on what others have to say on this.

"Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you long to return." - Da Vinci
www.lilchief.no

[Booster_MPS 0]

Not sure that I understand the requirement for an audible – there is time down the road for one. But, if you set on purchasing one, I highly recommend the Optima. Everybody will have their own preference and suggestion, but for me the Optima is tops. You can set the Optima for three distinct high speed alerts and three low speed alerts that you can use under canopy. Also there are multiple banks of alerts that can set for different types of jumps/alert profiles that you might want.

Ask a few people around the DZ to let you borrow their audible for a jump or two and test them before spending the money. Find something that works for you – approach it as if you were buying a helmet as it is a personal preference.

[countzero 7]

what about a Viso and an Optima. that's what i use and thier combined price is around $340.

diamonds are a dawgs best friend

[pilotdave 0]

I definitely recommend an altimaster galaxy... it'll likely last your entire jumping career.

As for an audible, I personally like the neptune because it's easier to use than anything else and has lots of cool features, but anythng will work. Set it 100 feet low for breakoff and pull... if you hear it and you haven't already reacted, you're late. Don't use the audible to remember when to break off or pull... it's VERY easy to rely on an audible, and they DO fail.

Dave

[hackish 8]

I got the altitrack after having tried most of the popular mechanical ones. It's far cooler... I love the fact it tracks my freefall time and shows opening altitude plus speed and all that.

-Michael

[pilotdave 0]

I haven't quite figured out the altitrack. Sure, it's cool. But I can't quite figure out why someone would want to take a perfectly good mechanical altimeter and add electronics and batteries and still have an analog face.

The nice thing about it is that you'll always have it with you so the logbook will stay up to date. I switch back and forth between an RW helmet and a camera helmet, so I forget my neptune a lot of times. Keeps me on my toes at least.

But other than always having your logbook with you, I just can't figure out what the real advantage of the altitrack is over a quality mechanical altimeter. I know mechanical altimeters can fail, but I have trouble believing that the altitrack can match the reliability of an altimaster. Good for high altitude jumps though, I guess.

Dave

[Armour666 0]

Quote

I haven't quite figured out the altitrack. Sure, it's cool. But I can't quite figure out why someone would want to take a perfectly good mechanical altimeter and add electronics and batteries and still have an analog face.

The nice thing about it is that you'll always have it with you so the logbook will stay up to date. I switch back and forth between an RW helmet and a camera helmet, so I forget my neptune a lot of times. Keeps me on my toes at least.

But other than always having your logbook with you, I just can't figure out what the real advantage of the altitrack is over a quality mechanical altimeter. I know mechanical altimeters can fail, but I have trouble believing that the altitrack can match the reliability of an altimaster. Good for high altitude jumps though, I guess.

Dave

I like the Alttrack due to the size of the face like a mechanical altimeter with a whole lot of additional features. That my personal preferences anyways of having best of both in a way. From L&B's track record

I would put it up against the altimaster for reliability but again it all depends on the person and how they treat their gear overall.

Reason I went for it when I bought it while still on student status

Analogue face
Digital log book

Why I like it now

*Needle has always been smooth and accurate
*Digital Log Book
*Built in Back Lighting
*Built In back lighting that turns it self off after the *Jump (That was a nice surprise to find out after did my first night jump)
*Good battery life been 18 months and still haven’t had to change the battery.
*Self setting to ground level, when altitude off setting is in use it continues to self set to ground level but with the difference height of the offset set
*Log Book on the computer
*Canopy Flight tracking, Was showing how much I was loosing in altitude when doing Riser turns and can look and review visually on Jump track on what is going on.

If you don’t have any gear and think you might want a jump computer in the future and like the Analogue face and a mechanical altimeter. I would highly recommend it. If you already have and altimeter the altitrack adds some nice things but for the cost you can get a protrack or the likes for much cheaper. With out replacing what you already have.

I also hav the Optima, have about 20 jumps with it but I'm liking it so far.

SO this one time at band camp.....

"Of all the things I've lost I miss my mind the most."

[punkd 0]

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what about a Viso and an Optima. that's what i use and thier combined price is around $340.

I use this combo and find it great. Only problem is the strap that comes with the viso isnt the greatest.

[derrickiv 0]

I should've been more clear, I'm required to have an audible by the military (yes, they can even mandate this aspect of my personal life --not too big of a deal though, probably safer this way), not the DZ.

I haven't really considered the Viso, mostly because I do like the analog face on my hand. Thank you for the input so far.

[pilotdave 0]

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I'm required to have an audible by the military

In that case, I'd recommend keeping an audible in your jumpsuit pocket for the next 200 jumps.

Dave

[phoenixlpr 0]

Neptune + Optima

[drjump 0]

When you hear people on the ground shouting-PULL-
pull. Would that classify as audible?

[Cantoral 1]

Galaxy-Optima

[RB_Hammer 0]

Altitrack and a Solo

"I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late."
Mathew Quigley

[strop45 0]

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But what bothers me is that you're _required_ to use an audible while still beeing a student. my advice to people ho ask, is to do approx 100 jumps after getting your A before getting an audible.

Agreed if the student/new licensed skydiver is using the setting the audible at breakoff or pull height. Here, all students are required to have an audible. Generally it is set at 3000', and students are pulling at 5000', i.e. the student should only hear it when things go wrong. Similarly as a newly licensed skydiver (yesterday) I set the audible to 2500' and was generally pulling at 4000'. This avoids the student/new licensed skydiver becoming reliant on the audible, but provides another warning if they should loose altitude awareness (e.g. trying to handle a high speed mal).

Once you get past 100 jumps, it seems to me that the need for an audible reduces, as your visual altimeter (view of the ground coming to meet you) gets better calibrated.

To the OP, my 2c worth is to get an optima and whichever visual altimeter you like. The optima allows you to set beeps for use in your landing pattern, and IMO this is more useful than an electronic logbook.

Blue skies

The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

[Broke 0]

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/gear/jump.cgi?ID=486

Check these guys out. Lifetime of service for only a few bucks more. I checked these out at summerfest, and I was very impressed.

Also rember that the alti-2 company didn't actually design their mechanical altimeters

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[LemmingBoy 0]

Correct me if I’m wrong but it seemed like you really were trying to ask for a combination of a visual and audible with a logging feature included somewhere in there. If that’s the case, if you pick the Alti2-Galaxy your only other choice is between a Pro-Track and a Neptune. I got a pro-track, my friend has a Neptune, each has its pro’s and con’s, if you want to check either of them out before you buy anything let me know.
The Alti-track looks really cool and is probably kick ass at what it does. I have just been far too poor to afford the upgrade. However, I am positive there is someone who lives within walking distance of you that would probably let you check it out.

[derrickiv 0]

I've got a WOB buddy who uses the alti-track and I checked it out, I liked it, I just wanted more opinions on which combo to pick. He really didn't know which was better or anything and I haven't been up to the DZ much because of the crappy weather the past 3 weekends..

[popsjumper 2]

I'll put in my word for the Neptune. It has all the features you want and customer service is absolutely the best.

The idea to keep it on your pocket for now is highly recommended. Train your eyes.

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

[derrickiv 0]

I'm considering the Viso/Optima combo a little more seriously now.. one question I have which I couldn't find an answer for in the Gear Reviews.. since the Viso is so small and is digital, is it difficult to glance at the altimeter during a track, like during tracking dives?

Right now I'm using an Alti-II wrist mount and it's near impossible to see without coming out of the track.. I know if I got an Alti-III or a Altitrack I wouldn't have this problem, not sure about the Viso.

[moto89 0]

I absolutely love my Alti-Track. The features are all so super neato, and it is very easy to use. I was a little intimidated by it at first since it literally comes with a "road map", but I soon realized that to take advantage of all the bells and whistles all you do is literally put it on and get in in airplane.

With all the fancy stuff the alti-track has got, you could get a more bare bones audible without all the expensive data logging features. I guess I'm a big fan of L&B from all the customer service stories and the products in general, so when it comes time for me to buy an audible it will probably be a Pro-Dytter.

Less talking, more flying.

[DougH 270]

I am a gadget person...

If I am just doing a hop and pop I use my Viso, and my Optima if I have my helmet on.

If I am doing a freefall jump I usually have the Optima in my ear, the Altitrack on my hand, and my Viso on my wrist.

All three have been stellar products! Now all I need is a GPS on my forearm, and I will be fully stocked with gadgets lol.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[LloydDobbler 2]

Quote

I'm considering the Viso/Optima combo a little more seriously now.. one question I have which I couldn't find an answer for in the Gear Reviews.. since the Viso is so small and is digital, is it difficult to glance at the altimeter during a track, like during tracking dives?

Actually, I've found that the Viso and the Neptune are much easier to glance at during tracking. They're small, sure...but the numbers are big and contrast-y enough to see from near full arm extension. (Then again, I'm a short guy, so I probably have short arms).

Quote

Right now I'm using an Alti-II wrist mount and it's near impossible to see without coming out of the track.. I know if I got an Alti-III or a Altitrack I wouldn't have this problem, not sure about the Viso.

I think you'd be more likely to have that problem with an Alti-III/Galaxy or an Altitrack than with a Viso. The Alti-II wristmount actually has a bigger face on it than the Alti-III or the Altitrack, doesn't it? (it's been a while since I jumped an Altitrack). And again, the Viso may be small, but its numbers are much bigger than the section of an analog altimeter you have to focus on in order to determine your altitude. The difference is with a digital, you'll spend more time processing the numbers you just read, whereas with an analog, you'll spend more time actually reading.

That being said, I'm gonna contradict myself here: I'm a strong supporter of getting an Altimaster Galaxy to start with, then upgrading to digital later. The thing'll last you darn near forever, and you'd be surprised how you'll need it when your digital alti runs out of batteries and the gear shop just sold out of the last ones in stock...

Signatures are the new black.

[derrickiv 0]

Hmm, excellent point about the Galaxy first, that makes a lot of sense.

I agree, Alti-II has a much easier face, my problem is that it's a wrist mount. Anything else I get will be on my hand which is turned toward me, as opposed to away from my face. I've also read that a lot of people use chest mounts for wingsuit and tracking dives.. so I guess I could eventually do that, which makes the point moot.