Saphire altimeter on chest-mount pillow

[Airviking 0]

I bought a used Saphire altimeter, and I'm thinking of chest-mounting it by way of a chestmount cushion. The strap on the altimeter comes out top and bottom. (12 o'clock and 6 o'clock) Is this compatible with a standard chest mount pillow?

I believe you have my stapler.

[phoenixlpr 0]

Quote

standard chest mount pillow?

And what is that?

[Airviking 0]

Paragear call it Cushion Mount. See attachment.

I don't believe it will be a simple installation because the altimeter straps run the wrong way. I'm wondering if there is a standard solution.

I believe you have my stapler.

[NealFitz 0]

I have a galaxy which i attached to a chest mount. ill tell you how i mounted it however im not sure if the sapphire has the same backing. i unscrewed the flat panel off the back of the alti (there is another covering underneath so none of the inside of the alti is exposed). i then took the backing and placed it through one of the chest strap holders (the black in your photo) and then rescrewed the alti back onto the panel i removed. you will need a really tiny screw driver and its a bit fiddly but the cushion can be pushed away a bit. i have attached one of the few photos i have with me wearing it. it stays on solidly with no movement because it is directly attached to the cushion rather than sowed on. im sure someone else will have an easier way

EDIT: o yeah take off the strap :p ill get a decent photo tomorrow and upload it

Dudeist Skydiver #170
You do not need a parachute to skydive, you only need one to skydive again

[riggerpaul 1]

What does the back of the Saphire look like? I don't have one to look at, and the website doesn't have a picture of the back.

The Saphire website says it already comes with one of two different mounts.

To me, that says there's something on the back that supports a variety of mounting styles.

I expect that you'll be able to work it out.

Will it be easy or simple? Maybe not. But it won't be rocket science either.

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

Quote

Paragear call it Cushion Mount. See attachment.

I don't believe it will be a simple installation because the altimeter straps run the wrong way. I'm wondering if there is a standard solution.

Wouldn't it be simplest just to run another strap/loop between the cushion and the altimiter?
If the mount on the altimiter and the mount on the cushion run parallel, then just add a strap running perpendicular to both.

Or am I missing something basic and this is too simplistic?

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[Airviking 0]

The altimeter was used and didn't include any alternate mtg means. It's a cheesie bit of kit, and only includes a simple wrist strap, with nothing to hook over the fingers. But I heard that these altimeters perform well, and I think it will be an awesome chest-mounted unit if I can mount it to a cushion cleanly.

I'm gonna take the back off to see what I can learn. Too bad they didn't make the back so it could be rotated 90 degrees.

Adding another loop to correct the orientaion is the first thing that comes to mind, but I think the assembly will get a little tall and wobbly with the stackup. But it's easy enough to try.

If I can't find a simple approach, I'll design a new back plate, and have our prototype shop knock it out.

I believe you have my stapler.

[Scrumpot 1]

Quote

What does the back of the Saphire look like?

Here you go. Here's a picture of a back of a saphire. As Viking mentions, the strap attachment is a simple, "cheesy" Elasticized strap fed into a plastic "buckle" (not really even a buckle either) and it is fixed/attached at the 12-o'clock & 6-o'clock positions where it corresponds to the opposite (face) of the alti. The shape of the back-plate will not allow it to be removed and shifted to change the strap positions either, and... there is no secondary back-plate as in someone else's Galaxy example either. - FWIW

coitus non circum - Moab Stone

[Scrumpot 1]

Viking - As I've just had so aptly pointed out to me via PM as a result of me having posted my picture here - it looks like the screw pattern of the alti's back is perfectly square! ....Have you tried removing the screws, simply then rotating the back 90', then putting it back on with the strap attachments then resulting in the 9 - 3-o'clock position?

I (MAY) STAND CORRECTED! ...Looks simple enough now actually, that I re-look at it, that yes, you COULD simply remove the back, rotate it 90', re-attach it and be "good". ....or..... when that is done, will it interfere with the "thumbwheel adjustment access" - when I now look closer at the outer housing, the "cut-out access" only seems to be at 9 & 3. The strap mount access is considerably smaller/tighter. I wonder if a little dremmeling to that might actually still work though, or if you still would have enough access to the adjustment wheel even "as-is"?

EDIT TO ADD: Here's a picture of it at more of an angle where you can see the housing cut-out's for both the thumbwheel (adjustment) access, and the strap attachment point. If you rotate this back by 90', I don't know that the strap attachment might interfere with the thumbwheel access (the back definitely will as it is not "cut-out" where the straps attach), and then that you would have enough unfettered access via the much smaller / thinner housing cut-out that exists only to accommodate the strap only that would remain "open" by doing the rotation. Maybe I/we will just have to try it and see.

coitus non circum - Moab Stone

[riggerpaul 1]

Time was when this sort of thing was common in the skydiving community.

Adapt your equipment to suit your needs.

For instance, I took a ProTec helmet and changed the way the chinstrap attached so it would not be a snag hazard in CRW (CF).

There's stuff we can mess with, and there's stuff that we shouldn't.

But fixing an altimeter mount is not the biggest problem we've ever faced.

With regard to the Saphire, may he takes the whole wrist mount stuff off, and attaches through the webbing of the pillow mount.

That shouldn't have anything to interfere with the adjustment.

[Airviking 0]

Quote

Viking - As I've just had so aptly pointed out to me via PM as a result of me having posted my picture here - it looks like the screw pattern of the alti's back is perfectly square! ....Have you tried removing the screws, simply then rotating the back 90', then putting it back on with the strap attachments then resulting in the 9 - 3-o'clock position?

I (MAY) STAND CORRECTED! ...Looks simple enough now actually, that I re-look at it, that yes, you COULD simply remove the back, rotate it 90', re-attach it and be "good". ....or..... when that is done, will it interfere with the "thumbwheel adjustment access" - when I now look closer at the outer housing, the "cut-out access" only seems to be at 9 & 3. The strap mount access is considerably smaller/tighter. I wonder if a little dremmeling to that might actually still work though, or if you still would have enough access to the adjustment wheel even "as-is"?

EDIT TO ADD: Here's a picture of it at more of an angle where you can see the housing cut-out's for both the thumbwheel (adjustment) access, and the strap attachment point. If you rotate this back by 90', I don't know that the strap attachment might interfere with the thumbwheel access (the back definitely will as it is not "cut-out" where the straps attach), and then that you would have enough unfettered access via the much smaller / thinner housing cut-out that exists only to accommodate the strap only that would remain "open" by doing the rotation. Maybe I/we will just have to try it and see.

You are correct on all accounts: The hole pattern is square, rotating the back plate makes it very difficult (but not impossible) to access the adjustment wheel. And I might be able to have at the housing with my trusty Dremel.

But I discovered a different approach: Instead of rotating the back, just rotate the face. The face is keyed to the crystal (which in turn is keyed to the housing) by way of a small notch at 12 o'clock. If I just make a notch at 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock, I can rotate the face 90 degrees, and I'm done!

I believe you have my stapler.

[Airviking 0]

Thanks.

The back plate on the Saphire supports a disk spring that provides friction and preload to the entire assembly, That said, I can't run anything across the inside of the unit.

I believe you have my stapler.

[phoenixlpr 0]

Quote

Paragear call it Cushion Mount. See attachment.

I don't believe it will be a simple installation because the altimeter straps run the wrong way. I'm wondering if there is a standard solution.

A certain piece is not a standard.
I got a Saphire altimeter and 2 different pillow for chest strap mount. You can mount it where 0 point to your toes or 0 points to your head. I prefer the first layout.