Borgelt B800 Variometer
About the B800
Since 1978 BORGELT INSTRUMENTS has been manufacturing instruments for the soaring community. Continuing our commitment to incorporate improved methods and technology whenever appropriate we present to you the B800.
Progress in electronic technology has brought many instrumentation options to soaring. However one instrument that is essential is the variometer. Design of a variometer system to allow response and display of information that is not only useful to the pilot’s decision making but minimizes the time spent looking at the information is essential.
The B800 is an enhancement and development of the B500 cross country variometer system and continues our unsurpassed reputation for reliability and ease of use and as usual we make the system unit available into fit standard 57mm or 80mm instrument panel mounting holes.
The B800 replaces the linear variometer scale of the B500 with a logarithmic scale to cater for the weakest and strongest lift while losing no resolution in the most usual lift scales and places a digital display in the variometer scale which can display the running average rate of climb and also a whole thermal average or Integrator and uses the high brightness LEDs to display a comparison of the two which is important for recognizing strengthening or weakening lift when climbing as well as our green LED and audio change when the lift is above the running average. This is the most complete information suite for quickly centering thermals and maximizing total rate of climb over the whole flight.
Audio volume control is now from the front panel of the main unit as on the B400 and B700 and the climb audio modes are front panel selectable the same as on the B700. These modes selections are very useful for ridge or wave soaring.
The optional two channel audio is retained.
During inter thermal cruise the B800 displays relative netto, netto average and speed command data on the main unit.
On the optional GCD, Performance Index is displayed during cruise. This is the ratio of achieved performance in the glide to the assumed performance of the clean glider at that weight in still air. The bugs setting is then adjusted to match this, trimming the polar to that being actually achieved.
We are mindful of the large variation of experience and expertise of the users of our instruments and careful consideration has been given to design an instrument system which not only serves the needs of early cross-country pilots but delivers high performance to top competition pilots.
The B800 system architecture allows us to use the B800 as a development platform and add other features and functions in the future.
The new Borgelt B800 variometer system consists of several components designed to be compatible and can form a complete GPS linked variometer capable of driving almost any glide computer. (e.g. Borgelt
B2000/B2500 or various PDA/PNA based glide computers) or the main unit can be used with an Oudie or other PNA device and be controlled from it.
The ‘heart’ of any vario is the sensor , something we at Borgelt Instruments are proud to have perfected in our varios. Pressure transducers replaced flow sensors in our variometers in 1982 and their reliability and accuracy has been excellent. The B800VE uses surface mount technology in the electronics, and the variometer display is by a small stepper motor driven pointer plus several high brightness LEDs. This provides a display with exceptional resolution and far better contrast than the LCD type pointers (often described as ‘muddy’ or ‘indistinct’ or lacking in resolution typically 0.4Kt or 0.2m/s) The LED’s allow quick interpretation minimizing scan times. A quick glance delivers the information. Most manufacturers are now abandoning the LCD pointer type display and using the physical pointer driven by a stepper motor.
B800 SYSTEM UNIT
All basic total energy variometer/audio functions and ALL the advanced variometer functions of digital averager, integrator, comparator, speed command, netto/relative netto and speed command audio, with all functions properly altitude compensated to 22,000′ (6,700m) and serial data output including GPS, air data and pilot settings.
The B800 system unit is 115mm deep including connectors and is available in 57mm or 80mm sizes. An airspeed sensor is included in the B800 which enables calculation and display of the advanced variometer functions.
Only one standard panel hole is required, 57mm or 80mm. (57mm version shown with all LEDs lit). The unit may be run on its own using data input for MacCready, bugs , ballast from a PDA /PNA(CAI 302 format) or with the B800 GCD.
B800 GCD
Glareshield Control and Display unit
The optional GCD is a small unit 30mm high by 82mm wide and only 30mm deep, which is designed to mount under, over, in the lip of the instrument panel cover or mounted on the front of it.
See drawings in Appendix 2 Installation section of the B800 Manual for suggested mounting methods.
The controls are closer to the pilot and the display is very close to his/her line of sight, assisting with orientation and lookout. By separating it from the variometer the variometer pointer does not obscure its displays.
It is supplied with a 0.5m cable with plug, which connects to the B800 variometer unit by plugging it in to a socket on the back of the instrument.
IT IS WELL WORTH TAKING THE SMALL AMOUNT OF EXTRA TROUBLE TO MOUNT THIS UNIT AS SUGGESTED.(see B800manual for details)
Mounting the GCD is no more difficult than mounting an instrument in a panel hole and has the advantages of being easier to reach and the GCD display is just below the pilot’s external line of sight. Even when changing Macready, bugs, ballast, volume etc the pilot’s peripheral vision is still effective outside the cockpit.
Specifications:
Weights B800 includes HP_GPS and GCD but excluding speakers.
57mm | 550 gr (19 oz) |
80mm | 630 gr (21 oz) |
Speakers (each) | 160 gr (5 oz) |
B800 power consumption (depending on audio volume) Approx 100–180 milliamps at 10 to 16 volts DC depending on audio volume. All B800 variometer functions are altitude compensated to 22,000ft.