drabilla 0 #1 June 4, 2010 What do you consider as the best overall altimeter and why? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #2 June 4, 2010 One without batteries to go dead. One without an LED display that can't be seen in bright sunlight. An old-school analog visual: Altimaster http://www.paragear.com/templates/base_template.asp?group=5#I1150 Previous discussion: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1949419;#1949419 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrewEckhardt 0 #3 June 4, 2010 QuoteWhat do you consider as the best overall altimeter and why? Altimaster II. No batteries and big so it's easily readable by both you and (with a chest or mudflap mount) people across from you in flat formations. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
likestojump 3 #4 June 4, 2010 Altimaster III Galaxy with glow in the dark face. http://www.dropzone.com/gear/Detailed/289.html It small enough to wear on your hand (not wrist), but large enough to see. It has a metal body, which is very sturdy. The lens is user replaceable. And the glow in the dark face is quite useful for sunset loads, especially if take off a bit late :) Oh, and it also has an excellent resale value. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
erdnarob 1 #5 June 4, 2010 Without any doubt, the Altimaster II and this is the explanation : I have an Altimaster II since 1974. I have changed the lens a couple of times. It has been recalibrated first by SSE Enterprises and later by Alti 2. I have used it in all kind of conditions of warm and very cold temperature. I even have used it in a vacuum bell jar to illustrate the decrease of the barometric pressure making the altimeter to show altitude in a high school physics video. My red special edition Altimaster II is quite well known. Some years ago at the Batavia (NY) Boogie I have lost my lens in freefall and my dial as well. The lens hasn't been screwed on properly. Back home, I phoned Alti 2 for a lens and a dial. The price was 42.00$ + shipping. I decided to get a lens only and for the dial I went to a clockmaker. He gave me for free a dial a bit bigger than I needed. The only problem was that the dial had Roman figures. This problem turns to become a attractive and unique feature. At home I adjusted the dial diameter and its thickness to fit it in my altimeter. The original dial had a hole cut in the middle showing the 4 axle rubies. I cut the same hole with a flat wood drill and please see the result on the picture. And the best of all, it is still working fine. In an airplane, this altimeter is not getting unnoticed by people sitting beside me and I have always a lot of compliments for it.Note: To check if the lens is well screwed on, you tap on it with your nail and the sound has to be mat or low pitch. Use some vacuum grease on the thread before screwing it on. Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phoenixlpr 0 #6 June 4, 2010 Sapphire, as good as Altimaster II. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #7 June 4, 2010 QuoteWhat do you consider as the best overall altimeter and why? A well trained and educated eyeball. ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWPoul 1 #8 June 4, 2010 QuoteOne without batteries to go dead. One without an LED display that can't be seen in bright sunlight. An old-school analog visual: Altimaster http://www.paragear.com/templates/base_template.asp?group=5#I1150 But if you need more accuracy (+/- 10 feet)...Why drink and drive, if you can smoke and fly? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JackC1 0 #9 June 4, 2010 QuoteQuoteWhat do you consider as the best overall altimeter and why? A well trained and educated eyeball. How can I educate and train my eyeball? Mine only recognizes three altitudes: up high, nearly there and oh shit. My main alti is a Viplo FT50. I think the face is clearer on the FT50 than an Altimaster Galaxy and it's just as tough. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GLIDEANGLE 1 #10 June 4, 2010 I agree w/ all of the above about batteries and durability. However, I find that with myopia, presbyopia, and progressive (no line) trifocal spectacles... I need a really big display. I am going to give the Alti-2 N3 a try. We shall see how I like it. P.S. If you want the less expensive Neptune... Get one NOW, my impression from chatting w/ Alti-2 is that they will soon stop making them. I may have misunderstood...The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #11 June 4, 2010 QuoteQuoteWhat do you consider as the best overall altimeter and why? A well trained and educated eyeball. Damn! Only 10 posts in the thread and you beat me to it. Damn!My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #12 June 4, 2010 QuoteQuoteAn old-school analog visual: Altimaster But if you need more accuracy (+/- 10 feet)... If you need that degree of accuracy, then you must be really low to the ground, and doing something very dangerous. In that case, you shouldn't be distracted by looking at your altimeter - you should be using your eyeballs to judge your height to save your ass. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWPoul 1 #13 June 4, 2010 QuoteQuoteQuoteAn old-school analog visual: Altimaster But if you need more accuracy (+/- 10 feet)... If you need that degree of accuracy, then you must be really low to the ground, and doing something very dangerous. In that case, you shouldn't be distracted by looking at your altimeter - you should be using your eyeballs to judge your height to save your ass.When I really low I use my balls to judge height)) Exactly because I need ~that accuracy fairly high (were it's more difficult to eyeballs): To calibate eyeballs To know my canopy (losing altitude during various input) uphigh To consistant turns from consistant initiation point I prefer the digit oneWhy drink and drive, if you can smoke and fly? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virgin-burner 1 #14 June 4, 2010 Quote Quote Quote What do you consider as the best overall altimeter and why? A well trained and educated eyeball. How can I educate and train my eyeball? Mine only recognizes three altitudes: up high, nearly there and oh shit. My main alti is a Viplo FT50. I think the face is clearer on the FT50 than an Altimaster Galaxy and it's just as tough. as brian germain has put it so eloquently in his world-famous book "the parachute and it's pilot", and re-urgitated loosely of what i remember: "when everyone in aviation, pilots of all kinds, rely on their instruments, why do we as skydivers think we're so much better than them!?".. me, i rely not only on TWO audibles, a solo and an optima, plus, i have an N3 on my wrist; that stopped working not too long ago since i've had it in my car and bla-bla-bla.. the acumulator decided to take a crap on me.. and only THEN i was very happy to have a viplo ft-50 in my gear-bag, an analogue altimeter that served me well.. of course not as shiny and fancy-pansy as the N3, but yea, it even worked without power of any sorts.. “Some may never live, but the crazy never die.” -Hunter S. Thompson "No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try." -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #15 June 4, 2010 Quote me, i rely not only on TWO audibles, a solo and an optima, plus, i have an N3 on my wrist; Thanks for making my point! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jim_32766 0 #16 June 5, 2010 Quote Altimaster III Galaxy with glow in the dark face. http://www.dropzone.com/gear/Detailed/289.html It small enough to wear on your hand (not wrist), but large enough to see. It has a metal body, which is very sturdy. The lens is user replaceable. And the glow in the dark face is quite useful for sunset loads, especially if take off a bit late :) Oh, and it also has an excellent resale value. Yep! The meaning of life . . . is to make life have meaning. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virgin-burner 1 #17 June 5, 2010 Quote Quote me, i rely not only on TWO audibles, a solo and an optima, plus, i have an N3 on my wrist; Thanks for making my point! “Some may never live, but the crazy never die.” -Hunter S. Thompson "No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try." -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
timmyfitz 0 #18 June 5, 2010 QuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteWhat do you consider as the best overall altimeter and why? A well trained and educated eyeball. How can I educate and train my eyeball? Mine only recognizes three altitudes: up high, nearly there and oh shit. My main alti is a Viplo FT50. I think the face is clearer on the FT50 than an Altimaster Galaxy and it's just as tough. as brian germain has put it so eloquently in his world-famous book "the parachute and it's pilot", and re-urgitated loosely of what i remember: "when everyone in aviation, pilots of all kinds, rely on their instruments, why do we as skydivers think we're so much better than them!?" Instrument pilots rely heavily on their instruments (in IMC). VFR pilots (like skydivers), not so much. I learned to fly VFR without being solely dependent on my instruments. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
