[at-l] "any watch will do..."

[medusaj at aol.com (medusaj@aol.com)]

On the AT last year, I ran into a couple of people who had no problems with their altitude function.  They did have to calibrate every morning, which they did with relative ease, but they were mainly the geeky technophile sort who loved fancy up-to-the-minute gear (not that there's anything wrong with that...)  I also ran into people, generally the same people, who were able to make reasonably accurate predictions about weather based on barometric pressure trends.  Of course, any weather predictions on the trail (or in real life for that matter) are generally so much voodoo.  And it's really not going to affect what you're doing out there, as someone so aptly pointed out.  Not that I didn't spend my share of bad-weather days zeroing in shelters, or cutting out early to go into town or pack it in for the night.  (As Gabby can attest to, as when he found County and me zeroing in a shelter in the hundred-mile wilderness, on October 15, thanks to a little drizzle.)
 
Marzipan
AT04
 
 
Date: Sat, 19 Mar 2005 08:32:16 -0500
From: Chase Davidson <wb4pan@mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: [at-l] "any watch will do..."
To: "at-l@backcountry.net" <at-l@backcountry.net>
Message-ID: <423C29E0.5060807@mindspring.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

YO,
    There is another way to help maintain altimeter accuracy, besides 
resetting at known elevations from the Data book and signs along the 
way. When you set up camp for the night observe the elevation on your 
watch. The next morning reset the watch to the same elevation. Changes 
during the night happen due to barometric changes as storms move in 
etc. I really enjoy my Sunto Vector. Logging the days total elevation 
change is my favorite feature. Unless of course I am in an unmarked 
wilderness area. At that time the altimeter and compass along with the 
time are my best friends when used with a topo map.

  chase