Operation Guide 3147
4
How the Altimeter Measures Altitude
The altimeter can measure altitude based on its own preset values, or a
reference altitude specified by you.
When you measure altitude based on preset values
Data produced by the watch’s barometric pressure sensor is converted to
approximate altitude based on ISA (International Standard Atmosphere)
conversion values stored in watch memory.
When you measure altitude using a reference altitude specified by you
After you specify a reference altitude, the watch will use that value to convert
the current barometric pressure reading to altitude.
•
When mountain climbing, you can specify a
reference value in accordance with a marker
along the way or altitude information from a
map. After that, altitude readings produced
by the watch will be more accurate than they
would without a reference altitude.
Displaying Your Current Altitude
You can use the procedure described in this section to display your current
altitude. If you leave the watch in the Altimeter Mode, it will update the
displayed altitude value regularly, and indicate reading-to-reading changes in
a window in the upper left of the display.
You can select either of the following two altitude measurement intervals.
0'05"
: Readings at five-second intervals for one hour
2'00"
: Readings at five-second intervals for the first three minutes followed
by two-minute intervals for 10 hours
400
B
A
•
For information about configuring settings for the altitude reading interval
and duration, see “To specify the altitude reading interval”.
Important!
•
The procedure below simply displays a value indicating your current
altitude, without recording it in watch memory. For information about
recording altitude readings in watch memory, see “Saving Altitude Readings
in Memory”.
To view your current altitude
1. In the Timekeeping Mode, use the
C
button
to enter the Altimeter Mode.
•
The watch will start altitude measurement
and display the result.
•
It can take up to four or five seconds for the
first altitude reading to appear.
2. If you leave the watch in the Altimeter Mode,
the current altitude value and the altitude
change value will be updated according to the
altitude reading interval.
•
If you want to restart the operation at any
point, press
C
.
3. To stop taking altitude readings, press
D
to
exit the Altimeter Mode.
Current altitude
Altitude graph
Altitude change since
Altimeter Mode stopwatch
measurement started
Altimeter Mode
stopwatch
elapsed time
Notes
•
Normally, displayed altitude values are based on the watch’s preset
conversion values. You also can specify a reference altitude, if you want.
See “Specifying a Reference Altitude”.
•
Altitude is displayed in units of 5 meters (20 feet).
•
The measurement range for altitude is –700 to 10,000 meters ( –2,300 to
32,800 feet).
•
An altitude reading may be displayed be a negative value in cases where
there is a reference altitude value specified or because of certain
atmospheric conditions.
•
The displayed altitude value changes to
xxxx
meters (or feet) if an
altitude reading falls outside the measurement range. The altitude value will
be displayed again as soon as the altitude reading is within the allowable
range.
•
You can select either meters (m) or feet (ft) as the measurement unit for
displayed altitude value.
•
During altitude measurements, the watch may not be able to update its
timekeeping display contents normally. Correct timekeeping is maintained
internally, however.
▲
▲
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Altitude graph
Altitude change indicator
A
A
•
In the Altimeter Mode, press the
A
button to toggle between the altitude
graph and the altitude change indicator. The altitude change indicator
shows the relative change between the latest altitude reading and the one
before it.
•
Nothing is displayed for the altitude change indicator when the current
altitude reading is outside the watch’s altitude measurement range (–700 to
10,000 meters/–2300 to 32,800 feet).
More than +20m
+15m
+10m
+5m
±
0m
–5m
–10m
–15m
Less than –20m
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Altitude change
indicator
To specify the altitude reading interval
1. In the Altimeter Mode, hold down
A
for about
two seconds until either
OFF
or the current
reference altitude value starts to flash. This is
the setting screen.
2. Press
D
to display the current altitude
reading interval setting.
•
This will cause either
0'05"
or
2'00"
to flash
on the display.
3. Press
A
to toggle the setting between
0'05"
and
2'00"
.
•
0'05"
: Readings at five-second intervals for
one hour
•
2'00"
: Readings at five-second intervals for
the first three minutes followed by
two-minute intervals for 10 hours
4. Press
A
to exit the setting screen.
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Altitude measurement
interval
Saving Altitude Readings in Memory
The following describes the different types of records the watch creates for
altitude readings.
•
You can take manual altitude readings, which are stored in memory along
with the date (year, month, day) of the reading. There is enough memory to
hold up to 20 altitude records (readings).
•
The Altimeter Mode has a stopwatch (which is independent of the watch’s
Stopwatch Mode) that you can use to time your climbs. While the Altimeter
Mode stopwatch is running, the watch takes altitude readings automatically
(without storing them in memory). Each time you reset the Altimeter Mode
stopwatch to all zeros, the highest altitude, lowest altitude, cumulative
ascent, and cumulative descent achieved during the last Altimeter Mode
stopwatch session are stored in a “current stopwatch session record”.
•
A separate “historical record” keeps track of the highest altitude, lowest
altitude, cumulative ascent, and cumulative descend of all past Altimeter
Mode stopwatch sessions.
To take a manual altitude reading
1. Press
C
to enter the Altimeter Mode.
2. Hold down
C
for about one second until
REC
flashes on the display.
•
At this time the watch will beep and the current altitude reading will be
saved along with the current date (year, month, day) and time.
3.
REC
will stop flashing and the watch will return to the Altimeter Mode
automatically after data save is complete.
•
Memory can hold up to 20 altitude records. Storing a new reading while
there already are 20 in memory will delete the oldest record to make room
for the new reading.
To take altitude readings using the Altimeter Mode stopwatch
1. In the Timekeeping Mode, use the
C
button to enter the Altimeter Mode.
•
The watch will start altitude measurement automatically. Note that
readings are not saved as altitude records.
2. Press the
E
button to start and stop the Altimeter Mode stopwatch.
•
While an Altimeter Mode stopwatch operation is in progress, the display
shows the elapsed time, current altitude, and the change in altitude
since the start of the stopwatch operation.
3. After you are finished using the Altimeter Mode stopwatch, press the
B
button to reset it to all zeros.
•
While an Altimeter Mode stopwatch operation is in progress, you can toggle
between the altitude graph and the altitude change indicator by pressing
the
A
button. The altitude change indicator graphically shows how the
current altitude reading differs from the previous reading. The type of
indicator that appears depends on the relative size of the altitude change.