1 Oct 04:17
Application-Silva Digital Base Plate Compass-Ralph Ditton
Ralph Ditton <rdassetts <at> optusnet.com.au>
2006-10-01 02:17:38 GMT
2006-10-01 02:17:38 GMT
Hello Thomas. This is my third attempt to send this application in. The other two do not seem to have made it for some reason. Yahoo is playing up. Set out below is my application for your consideration. Cheers Ralph Application for the Silva Digital Base Plate Compass Ralph Ditton Date: 30th September, 2006 Survival Guide. I have read and understood the current requirements in the Survival Guide (version v. 0609 ), all of the appendices and Chapter 5. I agree to comply with all these requirements as a tester. I have also signed a tester agreement which is on file with Shane Steinkamp dated 7th March, 2005 and has been acknowledged by Stephanie Martin on the 27th April, 2005. I have graduated from being a Newbie in January 2006. Carrying out multiple test reports has not been a problem as I usually am testing four items at any one time. All of my reports have been submitted on time. Personal Details Name: Ralph Ditton Age: 55 Height: 1. 76 m (5 ft 9 in) Weight: 77 kg (170 lb) Email: rdassetts <at> optusnet dot com dot au City: Perth. Western Australia. Australia Backpacking Background I have been walking the Bibbulmun Track over five years and the Coastal Plain Trail. My goal is to complete the 964 km (603 mi) Bibbulmun Track and become an End to End walker. I am nearly there. I have evolved from being a heavyweight backpacker of approximately 28 kg (62 lb) including all my water and food to a mid- weight backpacker averaging 18 kg (40 lb). I am still trying to get lighter with better equipment. My trips range from overnighters to five days duration. Testing Locations Bibbulmun Track : Sea level to 585 metres elevation (0 to 1,920 ft). Within this region I backpack along old forestry roads, sandy tracks, and purpose built walking tracks. Temperatures will range during the testing period, from a minimum 3 C to 38 C (37 F to 100 F) during October to January, 2007. Overnight temperatures on average during spring and summer range from 3 C to 25 C (37 F to 77 F). Prickly Bark campsite on the Coastal Plain Trail is roughly 80 m (262 ft) elevation. The trail from the eastern terminus to the campsite is a sandy track that is mostly flat with a steep climb up a sand dune over the last half a kilometre (0.31 mi) to the campsite. Temperatures can range from 2 C to 40 C (35 F to 104 F) during October to January of 2007. Overnight temperatures on average during spring and summer range from 2 C to 30 C (35 F to 86 F). I will be venturing into the Avon Valley for off track geocaching and camping. Actual details still to be worked out as to exact location, but it will be in October/November. It is predicted by the Weather Bureau that the weather will be the wettest spring and summer on record following the driest winter on record. Our weather pattern is changing. Snow does not occur in the areas that I hike, just heavy frost with fog. The areas that I hike in have kangaroo ticks, huntsmen spiders and various species of snakes. Testing Activities I will be going on overnighters and extended trips ranging from two to five days backpacking, sometimes walking solo and/or with one or two friends. I will be undertaking day geocaching trips using my GPS in conjunction with a paper map and backup oil filled compass. I will be camping out between eight to twelve days and nights between October and January 2007. There will be five days and four nights in October in the dept of our spring. The month of November has been allocated three nights and four days, and in January I want to do at least three days and two nights. Nothing is planned for December as I work seven days a week up to Christmas Eve. I may grab an overnighter between Christmas and New Years Day. Testing Conditions It is now the beginning of our spring. In September/October the overnight temperature in the field regularly ranges from 3 C to 12 C (37 F to 54 F) and the day time temperatures can reach a maximum of 29 C (84 F). Day time temperatures have in the last week been consistently in the high teens to low 20's (62 F to 68 F+). UV ratings have been at the medium range of 6. Spring is traditionally the start of our moderately dry season but this year it is expected to be very wet. The average night time minimum over the summer months in the field is around 15 C (59F). Day time maximum average temperatures for October and November usually reach an average range of between 17 C to 33 C (63 F to 91). Day time maximum average temperatures for December/January range between 26 C to 34 C (78 F to 93 F). Testing Intent I have been doing a lot of off track bush bashing whilst geocaching. I go from cache to cache many kilometers (miles) apart through the scrub on foot. I have to rely on my GPS for the "go to" and my paper map to keep checking features to make sure that I am where I should be. When not using the GPS, I use my Silva Voyager compass which is equipped with an inclination scale for determination of vertical angles. The map case hangs around my neck for easy access to refer to. I do not blindly follow a straight path to a distant object due to obstacles in the way. I have to deviate around them, sometimes in dense scrub and lose sight of the target of the bearing. I would love to test the Digital Base Plate Compass in this environment. Test Plan * Can I change the data from imperial to metric? * I notice on the photo of the compass that the leading edge is scaled in miles, is there a metric version? I admit to rarely using this feature on my compass, so it is not critical. Our maps are all metric. * Will the digital compass work anywhere in the world? Some manual compass needles are weighted at one end to remain horizontal for the hemisphere or zone that it was intended for. In other words, have the manufacturers created a variation in the digital compass to reflect the Northern hemisphere as opposed to my Southern hemisphere settings? I would test the digital compass against my compass. * Is the electronic compass reliant to forward movement for it to function accurately? * What happens if I stop to take a sighting with the digital compass? * Is the back light effective enough for me to read the display at night? * Can I read the display in strong sunlight? * Will the unit suffer from condensation/moisture getting into it? * Are there a set of operating instructions which come with the item that show clear and easy to follow instructions or is the web site the only source? * To recalibrate the compass, does it normally take two rotations of approximately 10 seconds in a clockwise direction or will I have to repeat it a number of times to get the "speed of rotation" correct? * How often will I have to recalibrate the compass? * For what reasons will I have to recalibrate the compass? * Will I always be alerted to the presence of electrical or magnetic interference by a WARN display? I would test this around electrical motors and known magnetic rocks in areas that I walk. * Does the compass automatically turn off if not used for a while? * How long do the batteries last? * Is it possible to accidentally bump the control buttons and alter the display information without realising it? * Will the compass live happily in a plastic map case hung around my neck whilst switched on? I will report on any other aspect that may come to light during the test that was unforeseen by me. Thank you Silva and BGT for the opportunity to apply for this product. My owner reviews and test series are listed below. OWNER REVIEWS Mountain Designs Tasman GTX Mens Hiking Boots http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Footwear/Boots/Mountain%20Designs%20 Tasman%20GTX%20boots/Owner%20Review%20by%20Ralph%20Ditton/ Tiny URL. <http://tinyurl.com/o7yzj> http://tinyurl.com/o7yzj Trangia Billygrips or Pot Lifters http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Cook%20Gear/Utensils/Trangia%20Billy %20Grips%20or%20Pot%20Lifters/Owner%20Review%20by%20Ralph%20Ditton Tiny URL. http://tinyurl.com/c579c <http://tinyurl.com/c579c> Back Country Cuisine Freeze Dri Packaged Meals http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Food/Packaged%20Meals/Back%20Country %20Cuisine/Owner%20Review%20by%20Ralph%20Ditton Tiny URL. http://tinyurl.com/bvdla Caribee Thirst Pak http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Hydration%20Systems/Bladders/Caribee %20Thirst%20Pak/Owner%20Review%20by%20Ralph%20Ditton Tiny URL. http://tinyurl.com/8by5h Metzeler Thermo Mat http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Sleep%20Gear/Pads%20and%20Air%20Matt resses/Metzeler%20Thermo%20Mat/Owner%20Review%20by%20Ralph%20Ditton Tiny URL. http://tinyurl.com/9k4bm Sea to Summit The Kitchen Sink http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Personal%20Hygiene/Sinks/Sea%20to%20 Summit%20The%20Kitchen%20Sink/Owner%20Review%20by%20Ralph%20Ditton Tiny URL. http://tinyurl.com/aclsr <http://tinyurl.com/aclsr> Snowgum Storm Shelter 2 Tent http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Shelters/Tents/Snowgum%20Storm%20She lter%202%20Tent/Owner%20Review%20by%20Ralph%20Ditton Tiny URL. http://tinyurl.com/ajvjj <http://tinyurl.com/ajvjj> Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor Sleeping Bag Liner http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Sleep%20Gear/Summer%20Bags%20and%20L iners/Sea%20to%20Summit%20Thermolite%20Reactor%20Liner/Owner%20Review%20by%2 0Ralph%20Ditton Tiny URL. http://tinyurl.com/c5bu8 <http://tinyurl.com/c5bu8> TEST COMPLETED Vargo Titanium 'Jet-ti' stove http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Cook%20Gear/Stoves/Vargo%20Titanium% 20Jet-ti%20stove/Ralph%20Ditton/ Seattle Sports LedHedz Cruiser 10 http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Lighting/Flashlights%20-%20LED/Seatt le%20Sportz%20LEDHedz/Ralph%20Ditton Spyderco Vagabond Knife <http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Knives/Fixed%20Blade/Spyderco%20Vag abond/Ralph%20Ditton/> http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Knives/Fixed%20Blade/Spyderco%20Vaga bond/Ralph%20Ditton/ Snugpak Softie Chrysalis Micro Sleeping Bag <http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Sleep%20Gear/Sleeping%20Bags/Snugpa k%20Softie%20Chrysalis/Ralph%20Ditton/> http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Sleep%20Gear/Sleeping%20Bags/Snugpak %20Softie%20Chrysalis/Ralph%20Ditton/ Thorlos Men's Light Hiker CoolMax Protection Level 2 Socks <http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Clothing/Socks/Thorlo%20Level%202%2 0Coolmax%20Trail%20Runner/Ralph%20Ditton/> http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Clothing/Socks/Thorlo%20Level%202%20 Coolmax%20Trail%20Runner/Ralph%20Ditton/ Big Sky Products Summit Evolution 1P Shelter http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Shelters/Tents/Big%20Sky%20Products% 20Summit%20Evolution%201P/Ralph%20Ditton/ Princeton Tec Apex LED Headlamp http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Lighting/Headlamps%20-%20LED/Princet on%20Tec%20Apex/Ralph%20Ditton/ FlexAir Pillows http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Sleep%20Gear/Accessories/FlexAir%20T ravel%20Pillow/Ralph%20Ditton/ Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Sack http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Stuff%20Sacks/Dry%20Bags/Sea%20To%20 Summit%20Ultra-Sil%20Dry%20Sack/Ralph%20Ditton/ I CURRENTLY TESTING Hilleberg Rajd Shelter Initial Report: 30th August, 2006 http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Shelters/Tarps%20and%20Bivys/Hillebe rg%20Rajd/Ralph%20Ditton/Initial%20Report Mentor Programme I am a mentor for two aspiring gear testers in the Mentor Programme. 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