Altitude

[Robert]

I bought an X6-HR two weeks ago in Spain. I am now living in London. I changed the altitude of reference (15m) using a topographic map of the city. I also changed the declination for the compass (5W).

The problem is that I continously get negative altitudes. I know that the watch uses barometric pressure to change altitude, but London is flat and it goes up to -60 and -90 meters. I don't think the weather is so different. I may be missing something.

Do I have to set both altitude of reference and air pressure at sea level at the same time? This is not clear in the instructions. Moreover, if I change the altitude of reference or the air pressure at sea level, it is not saved in memory, after a very short while, it changes again, so I am sure there is a piece missing in my puzzle !!! Would you mind giving me more details on how to solve this issue, please?

Also, it is very difficult to calibrate the compass turning around, the cross is never 100% of the time in the sqare. Do you know a better way of doing it, please?

Thanks

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	Compass Compasses are sensitive, absolutely crucial instruments to precision navigation. The earth's magnetic field, inclination, and your longitude and latitude all influence the horizontal plane of a compass needle. As a result, compasses are balanced for different geographical zones. Suunto Compasses overcome this limitation to traditional compasses by using a simple 'Two Zone System'. With a Suunto Compass, the only 'balancing zones' are the northern and southern hemispheres. In addition to this innovation, certain Suunto Compasses come equipped with useful features like luminous needles and marks, centimeter/inch scales, magnifying glasses, clinometers, sighting notches, and more.

[Brad]

Ok, I'm going to give you the long version of how this works, and then the short version.

The Long Version:
This is true with all altimeters. The altimeter works off of barometric pressure. Let's say that your altimeter increased 130 feet means that your sea level barometer inches of barometric pressure at one time has dropped a little over .10 inches of Mercury. A drop of .05 inches of Mercury increases your altimeter 50 feet and vice versa. A drop in barometric pressure means that a weather front had moved in. The first barometric pressure display on your Xlander screen is the "absolute barometric pressure" factoring in weather and elevation where you are at. By pressing the "select" button three times in the barometric pressure mode will take you to the sea level adjusted barometric pressure. This is where it will show the change in weather at your base elevation. Sea level adjusted barometric pressure is the barometric pressure you see on the news, Weather Channel and http://www.weather.com/ If you adjust your sea level adjusted barometric pressure, it will in turn adjust your altimeter. If you adjust your altimeter it will also in turn adjust your sea level adjusted barometric pressure. I hope this helps your understanding of altimeters and barometers. Altimeters are an "estimate" based on barometric pressure an not an absolute like a second ticking on a Celsium Atomic clock.

The short version:
In a nut shell, altimeter don't acually measure where you are on the earch, but are a number converted from a barometric measurement, which fluctuates as you go up or down in altitude, or as weather changes.

As far as the Compass goes, sometimes I find you have to move away from metal objects, like a car or a computer, and just keep turning it around, it will eventually calibrate.

I hope that helps, otherwise you might try just calling Suunto tech support over there, you can find out where to call by visiting www.suunto.com

	Suunto Visit SuuntoWatches.com to see Suunto's full line of wrist top computers and compasses.

	Suunto X-Lander - Click for more info The Suunto X-Lander watch is the combination of an altimeter, barometer, compass and watch - the same features as the award-winning Suunto Vector, but with a mineral crystal glass face, carbon fiber back, and a leather or polyurethane band.

	Compass Compasses are sensitive, absolutely crucial instruments to precision navigation. The earth's magnetic field, inclination, and your longitude and latitude all influence the horizontal plane of a compass needle. As a result, compasses are balanced for different geographical zones. Suunto Compasses overcome this limitation to traditional compasses by using a simple 'Two Zone System'. With a Suunto Compass, the only 'balancing zones' are the northern and southern hemispheres. In addition to this innovation, certain Suunto Compasses come equipped with useful features like luminous needles and marks, centimeter/inch scales, magnifying glasses, clinometers, sighting notches, and more.