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The new Garmin data fields


WrongwayUK

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This does help a bit, but in laymen terms, which is best setting for the following conditions:

 

1. Flying on an airplane and wanting to know the current altitude (the Garmin blog/explanation doesn't go into that detail)

 

2. Wanting to know my current elevation say, for example, when standing on a hill or mountain. The Montana offers "Elevation' and "Elevation above ground".

 

This is the explanation I'm looking for. Any pilots out there? Thanks for any advice!

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Its a good few years since I gained my PPL licence. The nearest you will get to the barometric altimeter in an aircraft is the elevation setting however you would need to calibrate it so that it read your altitude correctly to either above ground (QFE) or above sea level (QNH). Similar to the little knob on a light aircrafts altimeter. However if, like me, you would like to follow the altitude when your inside an airliner then things change as you are inside a pressurised cabin. This totally screws up the barometric altimeter idea with you GPSr. Its ok for the pilot as his altimeter sensor is referenced to outside the chain and not subject to the cabin pressure. So the best you can do is use the GPS Elevation which ignores the barometric pressure. As far as I know this field is only available on the Montana or I presume models that do not have a barometric sensor fitted.

 

Elevation above ground will be just as it says. Your elevation above ground at that point. Elevation is your elevation above sea level.

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Its a good few years since I gained my PPL licence. The nearest you will get to the barometric altimeter in an aircraft is the elevation setting however you would need to calibrate it so that it read your altitude correctly to either above ground (QFE) or above sea level (QNH). Similar to the little knob on a light aircrafts altimeter. However if, like me, you would like to follow the altitude when your inside an airliner then things change as you are inside a pressurised cabin. This totally screws up the barometric altimeter idea with you GPSr. Its ok for the pilot as his altimeter sensor is referenced to outside the chain and not subject to the cabin pressure. So the best you can do is use the GPS Elevation which ignores the barometric pressure. As far as I know this field is only available on the Montana or I presume models that do not have a barometric sensor fitted.

 

Elevation above ground will be just as it says. Your elevation above ground at that point. Elevation is your elevation above sea level.

Okay, so which is the better setting to have? Elevation or Elevation Above Ground?

I do have the Montana 650t. I just want to have the most accurate elevation/altitude reading when I'm on a plane. I know my Oregon 400t showed the exact altitude on the Satellite page, but the Montana does not show altitude on the Satellite page. Thanks!!!

Edited by TyphoonTom0402
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Its a good few years since I gained my PPL licence. The nearest you will get to the barometric altimeter in an aircraft is the elevation setting however you would need to calibrate it so that it read your altitude correctly to either above ground (QFE) or above sea level (QNH). Similar to the little knob on a light aircrafts altimeter. However if, like me, you would like to follow the altitude when your inside an airliner then things change as you are inside a pressurised cabin. This totally screws up the barometric altimeter idea with you GPSr. Its ok for the pilot as his altimeter sensor is referenced to outside the chain and not subject to the cabin pressure. So the best you can do is use the GPS Elevation which ignores the barometric pressure. As far as I know this field is only available on the Montana or I presume models that do not have a barometric sensor fitted.

 

Elevation above ground will be just as it says. Your elevation above ground at that point. Elevation is your elevation above sea level.

Okay, so which is the better setting to have? Elevation or Elevation Above Ground?

I do have the Montana 650t. I just want to have the most accurate elevation/altitude reading when I'm on a plane. I know my Oregon 400t showed the exact altitude on the Satellite page, but the Montana does not show altitude on the Satellite page. Thanks!!!

 

It depends what sort of plane. Airliner with pressurised cabin you can only use GPS elevation otherwise it looks like your around 6000 feet all the time. Non pressurised such as a light aircraft I would probably use elevation above sea level. I don't know how accurate elevation above ground would be. But either way, if your going a distance and relying on either barometric elevation readings they will change along with weather highs and lows as you travel. The pilot has an advantage as he can ask air traffic control for the QNH (barometric pressure at sea level) so he can twiddle the knob on his altimeter and get the reading accurate. Your stuck with what its set to after you calibrated it.

Edited by WrongwayUK
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