Paragliding equipment

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=125 BGCOLOR="#996699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="145467d1erlcll.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Paragliding</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Paragliding"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="history.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Paragliding history"><U>Paragliding history</U></A>   |   <B>Paragliding equipment</B>   |   <A HREF="technics.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Paragliding technics"><U>Paragliding technics</U></A>   |   <A HREF="faq.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FAQ"><U>FAQ</U></A>   |   <A HREF="more_faq.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Other FAQ"><U>Other FAQ</U></A>   |   <A HREF="aprenda_voar.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Learn how to glide"><U>Learn how to glide</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Back to </B><A HREF="what_is_paragliding.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What is paragliding?"><U><B>What is paragliding?</B></U></A><B> </B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="equipment_m.htm#altimeter" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Paragliding equipment"><U><B><Altimeter></B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="equipment_m.htm#gps" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Paragliding equipment"><U><B><GPS></B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="equipment_m.htm#sonde" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Paragliding equipment"><U><B><Sonde></B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=355 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> Paragliding equipment</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006699" FACE="Arial" > <A NAME="altimeter"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></FONT><B>Altim</B><B>e</B><B>ter</B><B>/Barometer </B></div> <bR> <div> An altimeter is a device used to measure altitude. It is very useful for gliding. It also gives us the ascending and descending measurements every second or in less then a second. If a sonde is attached to that it also gives us the wind speed.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Features:</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006699" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Current altitude (-500 to 5000m) </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Resolution 1m </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Memory for min/max height </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Accumulative vertical ascent/descent </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">12h Altitude history bar graph </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Programmable altitude alarm </div> <div> <B>Barometer:</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006699" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Ambent barometric pressure (800 to 1200hPa) </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Weather forecast indication by symbols </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Development of atmospheric pressure of preceding 12h </div> <div> <B>Thermometer:</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006699" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">-20°C to 50°C </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Resolution: 0.1°C </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Switchable from °C to °F </div> <div> <B>Clock/Calendar:</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006699" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Selectable 12/24h display </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Alarm </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Stopwatch </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Hand held, car & wall mount </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Calendar </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Water resistant </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Low battery indication </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099660000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Instructon manual 5 languages </div> <div> <B>Size:</B> ~=97.3 x 66 x 17 mm (3-3/4"L x 2-1/2"W x 3/4"D)</div> <div> <B>Weight:</B> ~=90g, 3.1oz.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  <A NAME="gps"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#006699" FACE="Arial" ><B>WHAT IS GPS?</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> GPS stands for <B>G</B>lobal <B>P</B>ositioning <B>S</B>atellite</div> <div> It is another handy device to do cross country gliding or distance gliding. It's accuracy is closed to a few metres. It gives us the time of gliding, the destination time and when used in same way it also gives the wind speed and direction. But for that the pilot would have to do a large 360 degrees turn and pay attention on the readings.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>The GPS System</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006699" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> The <B>Glob</B><B>al Positioning System (or GPS)</B> is a collection of satellites owned by the U.S. Government that provides highly accurate, <B>worldwide positioning and navigation information, 24 hours a day</B>. It is made up of <B>twenty-four NAVSTAR GPS</B> satellites which orbit <B>12,000 miles above the earth</B>, constantly transmitting the precise time and their position in space. GPS receivers on (or near) the earth's surface, listen in on the information received from three to twelve satellites and, from that, determine the precise location of the receiver, as well as how fast and in what direction it is moving.</div> <bR> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="768" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 256 WIDTH="513"><div> <B>It's a question of timing</B></div> <div> GPS uses the <B>triangulation of signals</B> from the satellites to determine locations on earth. GPS satellites know their location in space and receivers can determine their distance from a satellite by using the travel time of a radio message from the satellite to the receiver. After calculating its relative position to at least <B>3 or 4 satellites,</B> a GPS receiver can calculate its position using triangulation. GPS satellites have four highly accurate <B>atomic clocks</B> on board. They also have a <B>database (or almanac)</B> of the current and expected positions for all of the satellites that is frequently updated from earth. That way when a GPS receiver locates one satellite, it can download all satellite location information, and find the remaining needed satellites much more quickly.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="1acfaf50.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="245" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> <B>Accuracy</B></div> <div> Even with highly accurate atomic clocks, certain errors do creep into the process of determining your position. <B>Selective Availability (SA)</B> was the program implemented by the U.S. Department of Defense that <B>used to</B> <B>make GPS less accurate</B> for non-military users for security reasons. <U>With SA now removed, the </U><B><U>accuracy </U></B><U>of your position may be </U><B><U>within 10-15 feet.</U></B><U> </U> Even without SA, other errors will be encountered. The most significant of these <B>errors is due to </B>variations in the earth's <B>ionosphere</B>, which effects the speed of GPS radio signals. Another source of error is from <B>water vapor</B> in the troposphere. Both of these errors are fairly small. The accuracy of GPS can be <B>improved with DGPS </B>(differential GPS) capabilities, which is the ability of your receiver to read signals from a nearby DGPS beacon receiver. </div> <div> <B>Civilian equipment and consumer uses </B></div> <div> Over the last several years, an increasing array of affordable GPS receivers have been released for the average consumer. As the technology has improved, many additional features are added to these units, while the price and size continue to decrease. What was state-of-the-art consumer GPS in 1996, is now relegated to the least expensive units, while <B>todays latest-and-greatest units have features only wished for years ago</B>.</div> <div> Primarily, these are handheld GPS receivers that vary in price from <B>$100 to $600</B>. Almost all consumer GPS receivers are <B>12 parallel channel,</B> and <B>data capable</B>. Most can even be <B>connected to a laptop</B>, and used with a street-level mapping software, for <B>real-time automobile navigation.</B></div> <div> Some <B>specialized GPS receivers for consumers</B> include:</div> <div> -- handheld GPS receivers that have <B>background moving maps</B> (of highways) for car navigation (with and without mini-cartridges),</div> <div> -- handheld and mounted GPS receivers for <B>boating and fishing</B>, </div> <div> -- <B>aviation GPS </B>receivers with built-in Jeppensen airport information,</div> <div> -- <B>GPS receivers that combine with radios, or e-mail</B>, into one unit.</div> <div> Consumers have been using GPS technology for business and for outdoor adventures. These activities include hiking and biking, fishing and hunting, kayaking and boating, auto travel on vacation and on business trips, research and data collection. GPS is an excellent tool to help you locate a specific position, and to help you and your family stay on track, so that you don't get lost. (For those who are directionally- challenged.)</div> <div> <B>Military applications</B></div> <div> The GPS system was initially set up for use by the <B>military</B> to provide <B>precise postion information</B>. GPS products are used by the military to coordinate and track the movement of soldiers and equipment in the field, to guide military ships at sea, and to provide position and navigation information to military aircraft.</div> <div> <B>Commercial applications</B></div> <div> GPS products have been developed for use for many commercial applications. These include: <B>surveying </B>and <B>mapping</B>, aviation and marine navigation, <B>vehicle tracking systems</B> and mobile computer and cellular platforms.</div> <div> Surveying and mapping consist primarily of the collection and processing of position information and usually requires specialized GPS equipment. In the surveying market, applications include construction and engineering surveying, route surveying (roads, pipelines, cable and utility lines) and geodetic research. Data can be collected for evaluation later in the office, or used real-time, in the field. Mapping applications use large amounts of position data in the development of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases, and natural resource mapping.</div> <bR> <div> The FAA has adopted a policy in 1994 to establish GPS as the future standard for aviation navigation. Therefore many pilots are turning to GPS as a supplemental navigation aid for their aircraft. At sea, GPS receivers are used on recreational and commercial vessels to provide real-time latitude, longitude, time, course and speed information, and assist with coast-line and harbor navigation.</div> <div> Many GPS products are being used by businesses and government agencies to<B> track their vehicle locations</B> using wireless communications. Some GPS receivers have been integrated into mobile radios, cellular phones and mobile data terminals to meet the needs of vehicle fleet managers.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  <A NAME="sonde"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#006699" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sonde</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> A device to read the wind speed, it is used as an attachment to the Altimeter.</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>