08-22-2018, 08:59 PM
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Contest, Sport, it's all good......
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: West of Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 760
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Micropeaks have issues with sunlght that require fixes no other altimeters require.
We had a GREAT C Payload flight at NARAM last year. Probably a winning altitude.
The Micropeak reported a ridiculously low altitude which seemed to be the same reading as a flight of a lower power model ( B Superroc test flight 2 weeks before), as though it did not detect liftoff on the C Payload flight (yes it had vent holes). Check-in procedure did not require writing down the previous altitude, so we had no proof, no recourse, no reflight (Flight #1 had DQ'ed and lost the first Micropeak). Last time I ever used one.
If I ever fly one again I will prepare by first pulling a high vacuum to exceed the record for the event before check-in, since if they won't record the last flight reading on the card at check-in and we got screwed again by a no-detect that kept the last flight readout, then we WOULD have a recourse (let us set aside that score and re-fly or we go with the "legally reported as per procedure" altitude score).
I totally stand by my recommendation to other fliers to avoid the Micropeak. It's untrustworthy finicky junk. Should not have to play games like that. If the software's bad, the Contest Board should issue a recall of the altimeter's certification.
Biggest mistake about the whole NAR contest altimeter stuff was NOT going with a standard type like TARC does. TARC teams are not having these headaches with a slew of altitmers, some of which can't be trusted or require the purchase of a new-enough Windows Laptop computer to use. I have Two Adrels that I can't read with any computer I own (nor my Teammate Chan who at least has a Windows-based laptop), and a third Adrel from 2017 that can't be read by anything in 2018 (I'll be returning that one. I do not care if it's an issue of 2017 software for 2017 Adrel and 2018 software for 2018 Adrel, too much hassle for two totally different sets of software (if that is the issue) for the same certified altimeter when I can't even run any of it on my computers).
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