And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Sunday, July 20, 2025
I bought this and mounted it on the dash of the Mighty Dodge. I've checked and surprisingly, it is accurate within about a hundred feet of elevation. Not bad for the price.
The altimeter in the Cessna 140 that I learned to fly in had to be zeroed every time the plane landed. It was always off 50 to 100 feet one way or the other. All of the air strips I landed at were within 150 feet of sea level.
I kinda get why you'd want one in the airplane- avoiding the hard air is pretty important. Though there are better ways to do that. But, why in the world do you need this in a 'car or truck'? You're at ground level, whatever elevation that is. You cannot affect your altitude except by moving across the ground. Other than providing irrelevant and probably unneccessary information, what's the use?
1) It's also a barometer. Which is predictive of weather, and the trend thereof.
2) When you're driving in the mountains for extended periods, it lets you know to within a pretty good idea where you are during the time when the sun isn't up and all you can see is what's in your headlights.
In states like Oklahoma and Florida, not important. In a state with a 600-mile long mountain range that runs from the southern desert to Oregon, and a Coastal Range that runs the length of the state from Oregon to Mexico, far more useful.
3) Weather reports hereabouts include the snow level. Knowing when you're heading into that, or safely out of it, can be particularly useful.
4) It detaches (note the velcro). Meaning you can put it in your pocket and use it for the same purposes when you're hiking in the mountains. Knowing your altitude is one helluva good idea for pinpointing your location when you're in forests that extend 100' over your head, and all you can see is dirt and sky, with no horizon.
I use one of those in my 340 to show cabin altitude. They are Really Good units, especially for the money.
ReplyDeleteI used to have a very old 'analog'(?) altimeter in my '97 Dodge 2500 back when I was working. It too was remarkably accurate, and always fun.
ReplyDeleteThe altimeter in the Cessna 140 that I learned to fly in had to be zeroed every time the plane landed. It was always off 50 to 100 feet one way or the other. All of the air strips I landed at were within 150 feet of sea level.
ReplyDeleteI kinda get why you'd want one in the airplane- avoiding the hard air is pretty important. Though there are better ways to do that. But, why in the world do you need this in a 'car or truck'? You're at ground level, whatever elevation that is. You cannot affect your altitude except by moving across the ground. Other than providing irrelevant and probably unneccessary information, what's the use?
ReplyDelete1) It's also a barometer. Which is predictive of weather, and the trend thereof.
Delete2) When you're driving in the mountains for extended periods, it lets you know to within a pretty good idea where you are during the time when the sun isn't up and all you can see is what's in your headlights.
In states like Oklahoma and Florida, not important. In a state with a 600-mile long mountain range that runs from the southern desert to Oregon, and a Coastal Range that runs the length of the state from Oregon to Mexico, far more useful.
3) Weather reports hereabouts include the snow level. Knowing when you're heading into that, or safely out of it, can be particularly useful.
4) It detaches (note the velcro). Meaning you can put it in your pocket and use it for the same purposes when you're hiking in the mountains. Knowing your altitude is one helluva good idea for pinpointing your location when you're in forests that extend 100' over your head, and all you can see is dirt and sky, with no horizon.
This thing looks like a pretty useful gadget.
Of course you need to calibrate it regularly to compensate for changes in barometric pressure.
ReplyDeleteI bought one of these a few months ago. The Velcro mount is pretty handy. I move it around between the pickup, the SxS and the Jeep.
ReplyDelete