Freestyle Navigator 2.0 Watch
by
Andrew Preece
Initial Report September 22nd
2009
Field Report due November 22nd 2009
Long Term Report due January 22nd 2010
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Contents
Initial Report
Description
Features
Instructions
First Impressions
My Details |
Photo courtesy of Freestyle.
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Personal Details
Name: Andrew Preece
Age: 46
Gender: Male
Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight: 165 lb (75 kg)
Waist: 39 in (100 cm)
Sleeve Length: 20 in(53 cm)
Chest: 42.5 in (108 cm)
Neck: 16 in (40 cm)
Email: andrew@teamgunnparker.com
Website:
www.teamgunnparker.com
City: Perth.
Western Australia.
Australia. |
Backpacking Background
I have done a lot of hiking over the years but now carry a hammock and
gear for over night stays of one to two nights. I normally carry
approximately 35 lb (16 kg) which includes food and water. My trips are
usually between one to two days duration mainly over weekends. I hike
all seasons with winter temperatures ranging from 39 F (4 C) to 64 F (18
C) including periods of heavy rain at times to summer conditions with
the temperature ranging from 68 F (20 C) to 95 F (35 C) and very dry. |
Testing Locations
Bibbulmun Track: Sea level to 1,920 ft (585 m). Within this region I
backpack along old forestry roads, sandy tracks, and purpose built
walking tracks. The south-west of Western Australia allows for hiking
and backpacking from coastal plains to forested ranges. I hike in
varying conditions from forestry tracks, to sandy tracks to single
purpose walking trails, from rock hopping, to beach walking to
completely off-track through open and dense bush country. |
Testing Conditions
It is now toward the end of our winter. Though we are still
experiencing some unseasonably warm days, and yet some mornings with
lows of 50 F (10 C) and highs of 68 F (20 C). In another few months it will be middle of
summer and the heat will set in. Daytime temperatures will range during
the testing period, from a minimum of 57 F (14 C) to 100 F (38 C). The average rainfall for
the next few months is, 1 3/8 in (35 mm). |
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Initial Report
September 22nd 2009
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Manufacturer: Freestyle
Year of Manufacture: 2009
Place of Manufacture: China
Manufacturer's Website:
www.freestyleusa.com
MSRP: US $125.00
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Manufacturer's
Measurements. |
My Measurements. |
| Case Width |
1.77 in (45 mm) |
1 3/4 in (45 mm) |
| Weight |
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2.18 oz (62 gm) |
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Description
The Freestyle Navigator watch is a watch that has many functions
including compass, timer, chronograph, recall, alarm.
The watch is black with a silver bezel as pictured above. The bezel can
rotate clockwise and anti clockwise. The bezel is marked with an N, a W,
an S and another symbol that must be the Freestyle logo. The band feels
like a type of rubber with a small thin section along one side of the
band that the buckle tongue fits into. This mesh material allows the
buckle tongue to fit into to it at any point so that I can have any
amount of adjustment I like. The band has a small hole at the end of it
and on the other side where the buckle is, the keeper has a small lug
that sits into this hole to stop the end of the band coming out.
The watch has six display modes: Home time / foreign time, Compass,
Chronograph, Recall, Timer and alarm. The digital compass has sixteen
cardinal directions and digital direction with a one degree resolution.
The chronograph has a thirty lap memory and can be recalled. The timer
has two interval timers. The alarm has three available settings and can
be set for three different times on three different days or different
times on the same day.
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The button locations.
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The watch has four buttons
around the outside of the case and rather cleverly they fit flush with
the case and do not stick out as I would have expected. The case is made
of a type of plastic as are the buttons and has a metal backing plate. A
pdf file of the complete setup and how to use this watch is available
from the Freestyle website but without going into too much detail the
four buttons are, S1, S2, S3 and S4. S1 controls for example the
starting and stopping of the chronograph, also changing numbers
depending on the mode the watch is in. S2 is used to enter a setup mode
if I wanted to change the time for example. It is also used for split
times in the chronograph. S3 is the mode button and pressing this button
will scroll through the different modes. S4 is for the backlight. On the
face of the watch in time mode the watch shows the day, if the hour
chime is on, if the alarm is on. The time and date. It also shows more
icons depending what is turned on or off and if the chronograph or timer
is on. The watch displays a sand timer if the timer is on and a stop
watch if I'm using the chronograph. The size of the display is quite
large with the characters for the time being about 5/16 in (8 mm) high.
A very nice touch with this watch is an electronic second hand of sorts.
A little arrow flies around the outside of the face stepping forward one
place on every second, very nice. |
On the face of the watch
in time mode the watch shows the day, if the hour chime is on, if the
alarm is on. The time and date. It also shows more icons depending what
is turned on or off and if the chronograph or timer is on. The watch
displays a sand timer if the timer is on and a stop watch if I'm using
the chronograph. The size of the display is quite large with the
characters for the time being about 5/16 in (8 mm) high. A very nice
touch with this watch is an electronic second hand of sorts. A little
arrow flies around the outside of the face stepping forward one place on
every second, very nice. |
The flush mounted buttons.
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The watch in time mode.
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Navigation is provided with
an electronic compass with an adjustable declination angle, so that I
can set the watch to allow for the difference between true and magnetic
North in my area. When the mode is first changed to compass the watch
displays the time for a moment before showing the compass.
In compass mode it shows one arrow that points North plus three arrows
on the opposite side to the North arrow, in the centre of the face is
the degrees that the watch is facing, e.g. 65 degrees. Above the degrees
is shown the direction, e.g. NNE. The top of the watch is always the
direction that I am travelling and the arrow always points to North, so
if I am heading west the North arrow moves to the three o’clock position
shows me I’m head W and shows the amount of degrees I’m facing.
The compass only displays for twenty seconds before turning off and then
shows the time to conserve power. |
The watch in compass mode.
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The watch in chronograph mode.
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The watch in alarm mode.
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Features
- 100 Meters H20
resistant.
- Declination adjustment.
- Time/Calendar.
- 30 lap memory chronograph.
- Timer with 2 interval timers.
- 3 Alarms.
- Digital compass with 16 cardinal directions and digital direction
with 1 degree resolution
.- Designed with
Freestyle's proprietary Free Fit Technology, you have the freedom to
chose a perfect fit with non-restrictive permeable wristband
material.
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Instructions
The instructions are set out in a little booklet that comes with the
watch and covers everything I need to know. It took a little while to
find the instructions as they are tucked away in the base of the plastic
stand that the watch sits on. The instructions cover everything, for
example.
CONTROL BUTTONS
S1. Start/stop button
S2. Lap/reset button
S3. Mode button
S4. Light button
How to set the date and time, How to set and use the timers, how to use
the chronograph as well as using the recall, the compass, the alarms,
the back light, and everything in between. I setup the compass and set
the declination but need to spend more time on working out just how I
use the compass to navigate by. It would have been better if the manual
had covered this aspect in a bit more detail. |
The watch in timer mode.
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The watch in recall mode.
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First impressions
This is a very nice watch that feels nice on my wrist, is not too heavy
at all at only 2.18 oz (62 gm). I love that I can adjust the band within
a very small range if I choose. It was easy to read the manual and not
too hard to learn the features of it but the compass will take more
practise. I like the buttons and the way they sit flush with the case. I
have used all of the features and everything works well and is easy to
use.
A couple of features not mentioned on the website but well worth
mentioning here and the first one is one I think all digital watches
should have. And that is a low battery indicator. When the battery of
the watch is close to depletion, the low battery indicator will be
displayed, a little icon of a half full battery will appear on the watch
screen. The second is a bezel activated backlight. When the S4/light
button is held on for about three seconds a little light bulb appears on
the screen and then the backlight can be turned on by touching the
bezel. This will only work while the watch is being worn or the back of
the watch is touching skin. |
The mesh on the band.
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The buckle. |
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Please come back in about
two months when I report on my field trips with this nice watch, where
I'll head bush and try out the compass amongst other things. |
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