How to turn of barometric altimeter on Vista HCx?

[TravelingSquirrel]

I have checked the manual and did some searching here and I don't see anyway to turn off the barometric altimeter on the Vista HCx. Is this possible? How do yo do it?

 

Thanks.

[rwsmith123]

I have checked the manual and did some searching here and I don't see anyway to turn off the barometric altimeter on the Vista HCx. Is this possible? How do yo do it?

 

Thanks.

 

If it's like the 60cs, 60csx, etc. you can't.

[groth]

I have checked the manual and did some searching here and I don't see anyway to turn off the barometric altimeter on the Vista HCx. Is this possible? How do yo do it?

 

Thanks.

 

As the previous reply said, you can't. However, I'm guessing you want to see the GPS elevation because the barometric elevation will be wildly inaccurate inside the pressurized cabin.

 

From the satellite page, press the menu key (lowest button on left), then pick the GPS elevation menu item.

 

Or

 

From the altitude page, press the menu key and choose calibrate altimeter. When it asks if you know the correct elevation, say no. When it asks if you know the correct pressure, say no. If it has a lock that allows it to know the GPS elevation, it will then ask if you want to use the GPS elevation and display it at the bottom of the page. (The first method is easier!)

 

- Ed

[gallet]

Won't the altimeter recalibrate itself to the gps elevation every 15 minutes?

[Hertzog]

I have checked the manual and did some searching here and I don't see anyway to turn off the barometric altimeter on the Vista HCx. Is this possible? How do yo do it?

 

Thanks.

 

As the previous reply said, you can't. However, I'm guessing you want to see the GPS elevation because the barometric elevation will be wildly inaccurate inside the pressurized cabin.

 

From the satellite page, press the menu key (lowest button on left), then pick the GPS elevation menu item.

 

Or

 

From the altitude page, press the menu key and choose calibrate altimeter. When it asks if you know the correct elevation, say no. When it asks if you know the correct pressure, say no. If it has a lock that allows it to know the GPS elevation, it will then ask if you want to use the GPS elevation and display it at the bottom of the page. (The first method is easier!)

 

- Ed

You can also try putting it in the fixed elevation mode. On the 60CSx this will cause the GPSr to log the GPS rather than the barometric elevation in the track log; the data fields will still display the barometric elevation, but at least you will have a record of the GPS elevation. I don't know if the HCx does this or not; the 60CS did not.

[Hertzog]

Won't the altimeter recalibrate itself to the gps elevation every 15 minutes?

Theoretically it could, but the algorithms can't handle the pressure/altitude discrepancy (this was the first thing I tried years ago on my old B&W Vista; tried calibrating it to the GPS altitude, but it wouldn't accept it).

Edited February 6, 2008 by Hertzog

[gallet]

Won't the altimeter recalibrate itself to the gps elevation every 15 minutes?

Theoretically it could, but the algorithms can't handle the pressure/altitude discrepancy (this was the first thing I tried years ago on my old B&W Vista; tried calibrating it to the GPS altitude, but it wouldn't accept it).

 

I see.

 

I installed some topo maps recently and today I was riding around the local hills on my motorbike and checked the altimeter against the 10m contour lines. What I found is that the gps altitude is generally exactly correct but the barometric altitude is less accurate which I find puzzling because it is set to auto calibrate. go figger.

[jmundinger]

I have checked the manual and did some searching here and I don't see anyway to turn off the barometric altimeter on the Vista HCx. Is this possible? How do yo do it?

 

Thanks.

 

If you are on a commercial flight, are you sure that it is lawful to turn the GPSr on after the cabin door has closed?

[TravelingSquirrel]

If you are on a commercial flight, are you sure that it is lawful to turn the GPSr on after the cabin door has closed?

 

Yes, I was going to be on Delta and I checked their website. Unfortunately I am not feeling well and will not be making the trip today. I will have to wait until another day to try out the GPS in the air.

[jmundinger]

Yes, I was going to be on Delta and I checked their website.

 

I'm curious whether there is information at Delta's website that specifically says that it is permissible to use a GPSr while in flight. The last time I flew (Northwest), I didn't see any specific reference to a GPSr and concluded that it was in the category of "all other electronic devices" that were prohibited to use.

[TravelingSquirrel]

I'm curious whether there is information at Delta's website that specifically says that it is permissible to use a GPSr while in flight. The last time I flew (Northwest), I didn't see any specific reference to a GPSr and concluded that it was in the category of "all other electronic devices" that were prohibited to use.

 

Look under the "Devices You Can Sometimes Use" section:

 

http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/inf...vices/index.jsp

[andylphoto]

Yes, I was going to be on Delta and I checked their website.

 

I'm curious whether there is information at Delta's website that specifically says that it is permissible to use a GPSr while in flight. The last time I flew (Northwest), I didn't see any specific reference to a GPSr and concluded that it was in the category of "all other electronic devices" that were prohibited to use.

 

Northwest specifically allows them. For a list, see this link. From what I recall reading somewhere, they are in the same category as a PDA. They must be turned off like any other electronic device during takeoff and approach, but may be used at crusing altitude.

 

I used mine both ways on a recent trip to FL and had no problems on a total of four flight on Northwest and Northwest Airlink. Of course, no matter what the flight manual says, if the captain doesn't want it on, and/or the flight attendant tells you to turn it off, it would behoove you to listen.

 

EDIT: On topic, one reason I bought the 60Cx was because I decided I really didn't want the electronic compass and barometric altimeter. It was nice not having this concern on the aircraft. However, I did have one case where the GPS altitude wasn't reading correctly either. Flying out of Fort Lauderdale, when I was allowed to turn it on (in my experience, about 60 miles out from the airport) it acquired satellites and tracked just fine. However, in paging through the screens, I noticed that the GPS altitude was not reading correctly. Even with a casual look out the window, I could confirm we were not at a cruising altitude of 160-180 feet. I did a power cycle, and the GPSr figured that out as well.

Edited February 6, 2008 by andylphoto

[roybassist]

I was riding around the local hills on my motorbike and checked the altimeter against the 10m contour lines. What I found is that the gps altitude is generally exactly correct but the barometric altitude is less accurate which I find puzzling because it is set to auto calibrate. go figger.

 

Did you manually calibrate the altimeter to anything (gps elevation or contour for example) at the start? Auto calibration will eventually correct errors, but if you don't calibrate the altimeter on startup, the initial barometric elevation can be way off due to pressure changes since the last time you had the unit on. It could take quite a while for auto calibrate to correct it. Should have been pretty good within about an hour though.

 

If the GPS elevation seemed to be correct, it was probably just a lucky coincidence. Rigorous comparisons have shown that a barometric sensor with auto calibrate on is more accurate than GPS elevation. GPS elevation varies a lot with time. Here is a typical example of a test plot: http://www.gpsinformation.net/waas/g76s/g76s-baro.html I have seen better test data on the web, but I can't find any of it at the moment.

[jmundinger]

Look under the "Devices You Can Sometimes Use" section:

 

http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/inf...vices/index.jsp

 

Thanks. I guess I didn't dig deeply enough at their website.

[+apersson850]

It's a bit different on the new Colorado, as it displays a continuously updated GPS elevation field on the skyview screen. But not elsewhere. If you want elevation in a data field on the map screen, for example, then it will be what you get from the pressure sensor.

[SporkSports]

I used to us my 76S whenever I'd fly. I always fly out of Phoenix, so I pretty much fly Southwest exclusively since they're the big airline for Phoenix and about 6 months ago they banned GPSr usage in flight. I don't know what their reasoning is, besides FUD. It's good to hear there's at least some carriers that still permit usage though.

[sakko]

Tape it to the wing! THEY SUSPECT NOTHING

[captainshithouse]

Tape it to the wing! THEY SUSPECT NOTHING

 

I had my GPS taken by a flight attendant to the captain once, she came back saying it was fine to use it.

[+partimcmpr]

Tape it to the wing! THEY SUSPECT NOTHING

 

Another good use for duct tape!

[oxothuk]

I used my Vista HCx on commercial flights a few times, until the novelty wore off. Reception inside the airplane is fair to good, but sometimes I get dropouts.

 

As others mentioned, you can get GPS (rather than barometric) elevations in the track log if you turn off auto-calibration and set the mode to "fixed elevation". There isn't any way to see a continuous readout of GPS elevation, but you can check it instantaneously from the Satellites page.