Observer "Virgin"...

OK, here's the deal. I know my elevation at work (240 ft) and I know the current sea level pressure (SLP) at my local airport (i.e. 1018.6 hPa). But the airport is a different elevation (43 ft). The manual talks about adjusting the elevation OR sea level pressure. Which one should I adjust? Can I adjust them both? Can I input the elevation at my work but input the SLP at my airport which is a different elevation? Do I need to go to the airport proper and adjust the SLP and the elevation at the same place and time. Any help appreciated.

[malcolm@niche]

Well I'm not really certain about that one, but you can definately contact suunto tech support at 1-800-543-9124, and they should be able to assist you with a answer.

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

[Pilot-4ES]

First, I am a pilot and use both the X-Lander and Observer for flying since they are fantastic backups for a potential altimeteror VSI (vertical speed indicator) loss -- whicih I have experienced twice. Both of these watches are unbelievably accurate altimeters and vertical speed indicators. Now, to answer your question -- Set the watdch to either a known elevation or set it to Sea Level Pressure. If you get your barometer setting from an airport (via AWOS, ATIS or ASOS) then that report is the current barometer setting in Seal Level Pressure (it is reported in inches of Hg) -- something like altimeter 30.55 or whatever. If the airport is near you and you are not in a grossly higher or lower elvation, use that report of altimeter setting (you can get these from the internet as well from the NOAA site for your area), then this is the current Sea Level Pressure for your area. The altimeter is automatically calibrated and will give you an accurater altitude reading. A pilot is always resetting the altimeter as we fly -- we are suposed to reset to the closest reporting station every 50 nautical miles. Thus, we are resetting the Sea Level Pressure to the reading of the area we are flying over so that the altimeter will read correctly. Therefore, I do the same thing with my watch -- reset to the closest (georgraphically) altimeter setting (which again is reported as Sea Level Pressure -- not absolute pressure). Conversely, you could go to a known altitude and if you set it in the watch it will automatically set the corresponding Sea Level Pressure that the watch displays.

	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.

	Suunto Observer - Click for more info The shock-resistant Suunto Observer is a tool built for outdoor challenges, but its timeless design makes it wearable in any situation. The Observer is 1/3 smaller in both diameter and width than the first generation Suunto Watches (Vector, Altimax, etc). It also features a chronograph, which previously was only offered in the Navitech but is now discontinued.

[Brad]

that's well put. I'll add simply, when you adjust your barometer you ARE adjusting the altitude, they are really one and the same, just another way to read it, so you don't have to adjust both.