It's clear that glider collisions happen in some cases because the
glider pilot IS looking outside. The glider pilot sees a glider in
a thermal, and goes over CLOSER to the other glider to join the
thermal. In this case, tracking the other glider, for me,
takes priority over watching a plastic Jesus. I have
lost track of another glider and exited a thermal, based on His
advice. ;-P

I'm a big fan of audio variometers, but unfortunately we don't
have one in our PW-5, so I don't fly anywhere near other gliders
in it. With an audio vario, it's easy to keep eyes exclusively
outside because I'm trying to keep precise pitch anyway.
Too bad it's only in our 1-26. We did have a pilot fly the
regional in the PW-5, but he has quite a bit more experience
and I'm sure his scan outside, then to inside and back out
is much more disciplined than mine.

I know we have one pilot, Jim, who has a $160 hang glider audio
vario (it gets clipped on your hat). I'm considering buying
one. Or if anyone has an audio vario for sale...we'd
love to hear from you

As far as thermalling near the pattern, I have done this
before (at a dual use field) and regretted it. It's
tough to admit I'm getting low, and the pavement of the
runway often makes a great thermal, but the reality is that
if that runway didn't provide me lift at 2000 ft, the
lift I get at 1000 isn't going to get me up enough to
go somewhere else anyway. Thermalling well above the pattern
is great, but if I'm down to TPA and need 15 more minutes
for some badge, I'll try again tomorrow. There's nothing like a
182 in the windscreen to get your attention.