audible "time-out" for BASE

guest · June 17th, 2002, 05:23 AM

I have a concept for an audible-altimeter-style device for use on long delays instead of relying on counting seconds in one's head or using depth perception to time deployment.

The device would be an adjustable countdown timer that would be automatically intitated when it senses weightlessness, beep once per second during the delay, and then alarm at pull time. It seems to me this might have averted the recent accident.

Would anyone purchase/use such a device if it was commercially available? I envision it as about the size of a dytter, probably to be carried in a pocket, with an earphone jack.

Also, for your information, pocket-sized metronomes for music applications with earphone jacks are commercially available right now for around $20. They don't have the all the functionality I described above, but they would help maintain a consistent, repeatable countdown in your head. Is anyone using such an aid currently?

**Faber** · June 17th, 2002, 06:44 AM

Try:
Larsen & Brusgaard.(makers of Pro Dytter and Pro Track)
But wouldnt such a device,too much a skydive equitment?Imean..would the jumper stop counting the sekounds?That would be stupied..rigth?
Just my thourgth
Faber

crispy · June 17th, 2002, 06:51 AM

>I have a concept for an audible-altimeter-style
>device for use on long delays instead of relying
>on counting seconds in one's head or using depth
>perception to time deployment.
>

What's wrong with using depth perception? It's always worked for me and the folks I jump with, and way beeter than depending on a "device" to tell me when it's time to deploy.

(snip)
>
>Would anyone purchase/use such a device if it
>was commercially available?
NO!
>Also, for your information, pocket-sized
>metronomes for music applications with earphone
>jacks are commercially available right now for
>around $20.
They also make this cool thing that is a flat pice of metal and you can flip burgers on the grill with it. It's about 3 bucks at the supermarket. It also doesn't have the functionality you described above.

They don't have the all the
>functionality I described above, but they would
>help maintain a consistent, repeatable countdown
>in your head. Is anyone using such an aid
>currently?

guest · June 17th, 2002, 07:05 AM

You could color coordinate it with the chest mount altimeter you wear! think of the possibilities! It could also go with the neon green sit fly suit you have....

guest · June 17th, 2002, 07:21 AM

Some people don't have binocular vision, which is an important depth cue, due to a bad eye.

Skypunk was quoted somewhere as claiming he didn't need to count seconds, but could sense deployment time through intuition or something.

I'm sure you and the people you jump with are very good. I'm impressed with your level of self-confidence.

guest · June 17th, 2002, 07:27 AM

What about for back flying/tracking? Isn't that how skypunk went in?

guest · June 17th, 2002, 07:32 AM

How repeatably can a person count to 10 seconds within say +/- 1 second, especially under stress? +/- 1 second is equal to +/- 170 feet at that speed, and if you are taking it low, there isn't much margin for that kind of error.

I imagine many people use depth perception to judge altitude on terminal base jumps. I don't have any experience at all with delays that long, and I don't have good depth perception due to no binocular vision, so I'm just collecting opinions, and flames.

khlc04 · June 17th, 2002, 07:45 AM

How about a fog layer coupled with changing weather conditions associated with Skypunk's accident? What good is depth perception going to do you under those circumstances?

guest · June 17th, 2002, 07:56 AM

It would go in your pocket, so color coordination would, at-best, be a secondary concern... dick.

**460** · June 17th, 2002, 09:42 AM

There was one made several years ago that relied on a mercury switch. In other words, when you leaned over, it started the timer, and would alarm after a preset # of seconds. More like the 'you better open now or else' situation. Seems easy enough to make. maybe i could make a little money making these. -Chris

>I have a concept for an audible-altimeter-style
>device for use on long delays instead of relying
>on counting seconds in one's head or using depth
>perception to time deployment.
>
>The device would be an adjustable countdown
>timer that would be automatically intitated when
>it senses weightlessness, beep once per second
>during the delay, and then alarm at pull time.
>It seems to me this might have averted the
>recent accident.
>
>Would anyone purchase/use such a device if it
>was commercially available? I envision it as
>about the size of a dytter, probably to be
>carried in a pocket, with an earphone jack.
>
>Also, for your information, pocket-sized
>metronomes for music applications with earphone
>jacks are commercially available right now for
>around $20. They don't have the all the
>functionality I described above, but they would
>help maintain a consistent, repeatable countdown
>in your head. Is anyone using such an aid
>currently?

guest · June 17th, 2002, 10:15 AM

I was thinking a piezoelectric accelerometer that would sense zero-g (or a significant deviation from 1 g). It would have to be a sustained zero-g (for a second or so) to avoid spurious actuation due to normal body movements.

**crwper** · June 17th, 2002, 10:19 AM

I believe actual binocular vision doesn't work at distances greater than about 30 feet. Past that, everyone is just using changes in size, paralax, etc. to determine distance.

Michael

**crwper** · June 17th, 2002, 10:21 AM

To me that's more a reason not to jump in those conditions, and not so much a reason to use a gadget.

Michael

**crwper** · June 17th, 2002, 10:24 AM

When you approach terminal velocity, the accelerometer is going to begin reading very close to normal gravity again.

Michael

guest · June 17th, 2002, 10:41 AM

yes, but this wouldn't shut off the timer. After the zero-g condition (sustained for approx 1 second) activates the timer, it will count down and alarm regardless of further acceleration inputs/changes.