Instructions for an Explorer Altimeter

When you go hiking in terrain that goes up and down, an altimeter can help you locate your position and navigate. You set an altimeter with your current known altitude, and then it gets barometric readings of the local atmospheric pressure. As you climb and descend, the air pressure will be different, and the altimeter calculates your altitude from the changing barometric readings. When you know your altitude and you cross a point while hiking that corresponds to a specific altitude mark (contour line) that occurs in only one location on a map, you will have an accurate idea of your location. One option to help you navigate is L.L. Bean's Explorer altimeter-barometer.

Things You'll Need

  • Map that identifies your initial altitude, sea level pressure and declination.
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Instructions

    • 1

      Press the "Time" button and hold it until the LCD display turns on.

    • 2

      Press the "Time" button repeatedly to switch between displaying time, date and alarm mode. Press the "Time" button and hold it to set the time. Press the "Alt/+" and "Baro/-" buttons to switch between 12-hour and 24-hour format, and then press the "Time" button to move to the next setting, hour. Press the "Alt/+" and "Baro/-" buttons to increase or decrease the hour, and then press the "Time" button to move to setting the minute. Continue in this fashion to set the year, day and altitude and barometer measurements, and press "Time" to save the changes.

    • 3

      Press the "Alt/+" button to switch to altimeter mode. Press the "Alt/+" button again and hold it to start setting it. Press the "Alt/+" and "Baro/-" buttons to increase or decrease the altitude setting of your starting point as determined from a map, and then press the "Time" button to save the setting.

    • 4

      Press the "Baro/-" button to switch to barometer mode. Press the "Baro/-" button again and hold it to start setting the sea level pressure. Press the "Alt/+" and "Baro/-" buttons to increase or decrease the sea level setting of your starting point as determined from a map, and then press the "Time" button to save the setting.

    • 5

      Press the "Compass" button, and then press the "Compass" button again and hold it to enter compass-setting mode. Press the "Alt/+" and "Baro/-" buttons to increase or decrease the declination angle setting of your starting point as determined from a map, and then press the "Time" button to save the setting. Declination is the angle between true North and magnetic North, and the angle varies 0 to 30 degrees East or West. After you set the declination angle, you'll be able to use the compass setting to determine where north is as you hike.

    • 6

      Press the "Alt/+" button to see your altitude, press the "Baro/-" button to see barometric readings, and press the "Compass" button to see the compass bearing. Press the small button on the top right of the unit to turn on the LED light for three seconds to read settings when you are in a low-light environment.