Can air pressure be used to determine height?

I hope this is the right place to put this.... In FET, do altimeters work?  I mean, can I use a barometric pressure altimeter to determine my height above sea level?  I assume that would work, but I would like to know if FET folks think it is possible.

I believe that an altimeter would work perfectly fine on a flat Earth.  The ground presses against the lowest layer of air, and all of the air above it offers resistance to movement.  At higher altitudes, there is less air above to offer resistance, and therefore, the air pressure will be lower. 

I believe that an altimeter would work perfectly fine on a flat Earth.  The ground presses against the lowest layer of air, and all of the air above it offers resistance to movement.  At higher altitudes, there is less air above to offer resistance, and therefore, the air pressure will be lower.

OK, thanks, I figured it must work.  What about GPS positions, can those be trusted?  Never mind about how it works, I'm just wondering if one can rely on GPS positions to tell where they are and how high they are above sea level. 

Quote from: jroa on January 27, 2015, 06:50:23 PM

I believe that an altimeter would work perfectly fine on a flat Earth.  The ground presses against the lowest layer of air, and all of the air above it offers resistance to movement.  At higher altitudes, there is less air above to offer resistance, and therefore, the air pressure will be lower.

OK, thanks, I figured it must work.  What about GPS positions, can those be trusted?  Never mind about how it works, I'm just wondering if one can rely on GPS positions to tell where they are and how high they are above sea level. 

My cell phone will tell me where I am and my altitude.  The technology is nothing special. 

Quote from: gpssjim on January 28, 2015, 07:26:12 AM

Quote from: jroa on January 27, 2015, 06:50:23 PM

I believe that an altimeter would work perfectly fine on a flat Earth.  The ground presses against the lowest layer of air, and all of the air above it offers resistance to movement.  At higher altitudes, there is less air above to offer resistance, and therefore, the air pressure will be lower.

OK, thanks, I figured it must work.  What about GPS positions, can those be trusted?  Never mind about how it works, I'm just wondering if one can rely on GPS positions to tell where they are and how high they are above sea level. 

My cell phone will tell me where I am and my altitude.  The technology is nothing special.

Great, thanks.  What about high precision GPS that can give a distance measurement between two GPS receviers down to the cm level, is that also acceptable for FET?  They are used all the time now in surveying and road construction as well as precision farming to steer tractors.  So I assume FET would not have a problem with that.

Quote from: jroa on January 28, 2015, 09:43:54 AM

Quote from: gpssjim on January 28, 2015, 07:26:12 AM

Quote from: jroa on January 27, 2015, 06:50:23 PM

I believe that an altimeter would work perfectly fine on a flat Earth.  The ground presses against the lowest layer of air, and all of the air above it offers resistance to movement.  At higher altitudes, there is less air above to offer resistance, and therefore, the air pressure will be lower.

OK, thanks, I figured it must work.  What about GPS positions, can those be trusted?  Never mind about how it works, I'm just wondering if one can rely on GPS positions to tell where they are and how high they are above sea level. 

My cell phone will tell me where I am and my altitude.  The technology is nothing special.

Great, thanks.  What about high precision GPS that can give a distance measurement between two GPS receviers down to the cm level, is that also acceptable for FET?  They are used all the time now in surveying and road construction as well as precision farming to steer tractors.  So I assume FET would not have a problem with that.

As I said, my cell phone can tell me where I am, even when the GPS is turned off.  I am not sure what you are getting at, but I am starting to think that you are trying to eventually get me to say that satellites are real.  If this is your goal and you are being disingenuous with your questions, then I suppose I am done here. 

Quote from: gpssjim on January 28, 2015, 10:25:21 AM

Quote from: jroa on January 28, 2015, 09:43:54 AM

Quote from: gpssjim on January 28, 2015, 07:26:12 AM

Quote from: jroa on January 27, 2015, 06:50:23 PM

I believe that an altimeter would work perfectly fine on a flat Earth.  The ground presses against the lowest layer of air, and all of the air above it offers resistance to movement.  At higher altitudes, there is less air above to offer resistance, and therefore, the air pressure will be lower.

OK, thanks, I figured it must work.  What about GPS positions, can those be trusted?  Never mind about how it works, I'm just wondering if one can rely on GPS positions to tell where they are and how high they are above sea level. 

My cell phone will tell me where I am and my altitude.  The technology is nothing special.

Great, thanks.  What about high precision GPS that can give a distance measurement between two GPS receviers down to the cm level, is that also acceptable for FET?  They are used all the time now in surveying and road construction as well as precision farming to steer tractors.  So I assume FET would not have a problem with that.

As I said, my cell phone can tell me where I am, even when the GPS is turned off.  I am not sure what you are getting at, but I am starting to think that you are trying to eventually get me to say that satellites are real.  If this is your goal and you are being disingenuous with your questions, then I suppose I am done here.

No, not at all, I'm just wondering what is acceptable as a tool to know where I am.  If I want to know where I am and how high above sea level I am, I just want to know what tools I'm allowed to use and still be accepted by FET.  Yes, your cell phone works without GPS and even with GPS the position is not accurate the the cm.  I'm just wondering if it is possible to have a system that gives cm level results and if GPS is one such system.  That is all.