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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!zehntel!dual!islenet!bigtuna!richard
From: richard@bigtuna.UUCP (Richard Foulk)
Newsgroups: net.rec.skydive
Subject: Re: Paralerts
Message-ID: <132@bigtuna.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 27-Jan-85 19:11:29 EST
Article-I.D.: bigtuna.132
Posted: Sun Jan 27 19:11:29 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 30-Jan-85 19:12:58 EST
References: <38600001@infoswx.UUCP>
Organization: U. of Hawaii, Bekesy Lab, Neurophys.
Lines: 35

> Since the group is so quiet, I think I will start some discussion
> on Paralerts.  I just got one and have made about 5 jumps with it.
> I really like it!!  I got to talk to one on my friends, and
> he is about to get rid of his.  He feels it has made him sloppy
> about looking at his altimeter, and cross checking with other
> peoples altimeters when doing relative work.  What do other people
> have to say?
> 

I've never used a Paralert myself,  but I have seen people become
too dependant on them.  I'll never forget the time I made a jump with
one guy that was just getting used to his.

He was fairly inexperienced (maybe about 40-50 jumps total), and had
used the Paralert only a couple of times previously.  He was base.
As I was closing on him he all the sudden got a strange look on his
face,  went a bit unstable,  dropped down below me,  and then sent
his main right up at me.  No fun.  This was at about 6,000 ft. so
there really was no excuse (just an improperly calibrated Paralert.)

Though this was an extreme case, seeing people with Paralerts on their
helmets has been a bit unsettling since.  I had jumped with this guy a
number of times before he got the Paralert and he seemed capable and safe.

It does seem like it might be difficult to ignore an incessant beeping
in your ear -- even if you new (or thought) it might be wrong.  But
what happens the one time it doesn't work?

I've often wished for a full audio-altimeter that would quietly "tell"
you as you go through each 500 or 1000 feet.  You'd quickly get tuned
to it's rhythm and know when it wasn't working right.  And be much
better informed -- using your old visual altimeter only as a backup.
-- 
Richard Foulk		(..islenet!bigtuna!richard)
Honolulu, Hawaii