Best performing Vario?

On Saturday, September 22, 2012 8:58:15 AM UTC-7, Craig R. wrote:
In your opinion, what was the best performing vario you have ever used? Specifically, the one that got you centered in and to the top of the thermal in the least amount of time.



Let's ignore products because they have the latest "bells and whistles" add ons, latest technology, sexy appearances, or best computer processor. Basic performance is the only criteria.



I've heard some say the legacy Cambridge units and some say the Sage mechanical.



Which unit did it for you?

In particular, I'd be interested to hear comparisons of the V7 and the ClearNav from those that have flown both.

Craig

Sage actually has an Audio option now, though I've only flown with the mechanical version which is very fast to respond. I believe you can even upgrade an older model to get audio.

The L-Nav has a pretty significant lag that takes some human compensation to optimize for. Especially in a big glider like a Duo.

I'm curious about the rave reviews of the Clearnav vario that also talk about "when it's finished" or other statements along those lines. Is it that it just lacks a feature set to compete with the V7 or Butterfly varios?

The Rico vario is up there for novelty. As a fisherman, the clicking sounds like a fish taking the bait softly.

Morgan

See the company website

www.clearnav.net

The Club version is shipping, the competition version with IGC recorder,
GPS & wind out, navigation etc. is well on in development and test, and
units are user upgradable via the USB input.

At 05:50 24 September 2012, Morgan wrote:
I'm curious about the rave reviews of the Clearnav vario that also talk
about "when it's finished" or other statements along those lines. Is it
that it just lacks a feature set to compete with the V7 or Butterfly
varios?

Morgan

I have flown with the new clearnav vario all season and am extremely happy with it. I used a 302 for many years.

If your looking for bling bling and fancy neon colors this may not be for you, but I am confident that I am making less stops in weak thermals than before as the vario ceratainly helps judge what is worth stopping for.

Unfortunately, this question will not be fairly answered as to "which vario
is best" in this forum. What you are going to get is a lot of opinions based
only on what variometers the responders have actually used and possibly what
variometer they used that "they" liked better of the few systems they may
have actually had a chance to use. Few is anyone here will have had an
opportunity to realistically flown with or more over tested in any side by
side comparison all of the most common types, also most will have used
variometers in conjunction with other systems connected to or compared with
what was in place at the time they may have flown with that system.
Clearly variometer technology has changed over the years from the first
pellet variometers to modern pressure transducer and GPS coupled systems.
Many manufacturers today can produce good variometers with very common
electronic parts and devices, added features and connectability to extended
devices will normally be the determining factors in what systems the user
chooses along with a proven history of reliability and support.
tim
Please visit the Wings & Wheels website at www.wingsandwheels.com


"Craig R." wrote in message
...
In your opinion, what was the best performing vario you have ever used?
Specifically, the one that got you centered in and to the top of the
thermal in the least amount of time.

Let's ignore products because they have the latest "bells and whistles"
add ons, latest technology, sexy appearances, or best computer processor.
Basic performance is the only criteria.

I've heard some say the legacy Cambridge units and some say the Sage
mechanical.

Which unit did it for you?

On Tuesday, September 25, 2012 8:34:11 AM UTC-6, Tim Mara wrote:
Unfortunately, this question will not be fairly answered as to "which vario

is best" in this forum. What you are going to get is a lot of opinions based

only on what variometers the responders have actually used and possibly what

variometer they used that "they" liked better of the few systems they may

have actually had a chance to use. Few is anyone here will have had an

opportunity to realistically flown with or more over tested in any side by

side comparison all of the most common types, also most will have used

variometers in conjunction with other systems connected to or compared with

what was in place at the time they may have flown with that system.

Clearly variometer technology has changed over the years from the first

pellet variometers to modern pressure transducer and GPS coupled systems.

Many manufacturers today can produce good variometers with very common

electronic parts and devices, added features and connectability to extended

devices will normally be the determining factors in what systems the user

chooses along with a proven history of reliability and support.

tim

Please visit the Wings & Wheels website at www.wingsandwheels.com





"Craig R." wrote in message

...

In your opinion, what was the best performing vario you have ever used?

Specifically, the one that got you centered in and to the top of the

thermal in the least amount of time.



Let's ignore products because they have the latest "bells and whistles"

add ons, latest technology, sexy appearances, or best computer processor.

Basic performance is the only criteria.



I've heard some say the legacy Cambridge units and some say the Sage

mechanical.



Which unit did it for you?

I have used the V7 this season and have really liked it and love the user interface. I am halfway done installing the Butterfly Vario right next to the V7 so we can all see the differences. I plan on doing a video of the two units in action as soon as I can finish the install. Due to limited time to get out and fly this may take another month or two but it will happen this year.

Thanks,
Bruno - B4

On Friday, 28 September 2012 11:29:51 UTC-6, wrote:
On Tuesday, September 25, 2012 8:34:11 AM UTC-6, Tim Mara wrote:

Unfortunately, this question will not be fairly answered as to "which vario



is best" in this forum. What you are going to get is a lot of opinions based



only on what variometers the responders have actually used and possibly what



variometer they used that "they" liked better of the few systems they may



have actually had a chance to use. Few is anyone here will have had an



opportunity to realistically flown with or more over tested in any side by



side comparison all of the most common types, also most will have used



variometers in conjunction with other systems connected to or compared with



what was in place at the time they may have flown with that system.



Clearly variometer technology has changed over the years from the first



pellet variometers to modern pressure transducer and GPS coupled systems.



Many manufacturers today can produce good variometers with very common



electronic parts and devices, added features and connectability to extended



devices will normally be the determining factors in what systems the user



chooses along with a proven history of reliability and support.



tim



Please visit the Wings & Wheels website at www.wingsandwheels.com











"Craig R." wrote in message



...



In your opinion, what was the best performing vario you have ever used?



Specifically, the one that got you centered in and to the top of the



thermal in the least amount of time.







Let's ignore products because they have the latest "bells and whistles"



add ons, latest technology, sexy appearances, or best computer processor.



Basic performance is the only criteria.







I've heard some say the legacy Cambridge units and some say the Sage



mechanical.







Which unit did it for you?



I have used the V7 this season and have really liked it and love the user interface. I am halfway done installing the Butterfly Vario right next to the V7 so we can all see the differences. I plan on doing a video of the two units in action as soon as I can finish the install. Due to limited time to get out and fly this may take another month or two but it will happen this year.



Thanks,

Bruno - B4

Priorities are needed; fishing to feed the family or creating videos to feed the RAS'ers? Come on Bruno

On Saturday, September 22, 2012 11:58:15 AM UTC-4, Craig R. wrote:
In your opinion, what was the best performing vario you have ever used? Specifically, the one that got you centered in and to the top of the thermal in the least amount of time.

I recently purchased the LX NAV V7 vario coupled to the Naviter Oudie with See You Mobile.

This setup is like CHEATING it is so easy to center a thermal. The vario is accurate with multiple averagers, and with the Thermal Assist function, it tells you when and where to move your circling to, so you can nail the core of the thermal.

I've used a Cambridge 302, an LNAV, and several others. But this setup is in my opinion in a league of its own.

Here is a picture of the thermal assist:
http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/seeyo...lAssistant.jpg

On Tuesday, September 25, 2012 12:06:41 PM UTC-7, (unknown) wrote:
On Saturday, September 22, 2012 11:58:15 AM UTC-4, Craig R. wrote:

In your opinion, what was the best performing vario you have ever used? Specifically, the one that got you centered in and to the top of the thermal in the least amount of time.



I recently purchased the LX NAV V7 vario coupled to the Naviter Oudie with See You Mobile.



This setup is like CHEATING it is so easy to center a thermal. The vario is accurate with multiple averagers, and with the Thermal Assist function, it tells you when and where to move your circling to, so you can nail the core of the thermal.



I've used a Cambridge 302, an LNAV, and several others. But this setup is in my opinion in a league of its own.



Here is a picture of the thermal assist:

http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/seeyo...lAssistant.jpg

I may be wrong, but I think Winpilot had the thermal assistant first (at least, has had it for 10 years or so) and it still works better than the SYM version: clearer presentation, more information, comes and goes when you want it to.

On Tuesday, September 25, 2012 4:55:02 PM UTC-7, jfitch wrote:
On Tuesday, September 25, 2012 12:06:41 PM UTC-7, (unknown) wrote: On Saturday, September 22, 2012 11:58:15 AM UTC-4, Craig R. wrote: In your opinion, what was the best performing vario you have ever used? Specifically, the one that got you centered in and to the top of the thermal in the least amount of time. I recently purchased the LX NAV V7 vario coupled to the Naviter Oudie with See You Mobile. This setup is like CHEATING it is so easy to center a thermal. The vario is accurate with multiple averagers, and with the Thermal Assist function, it tells you when and where to move your circling to, so you can nail the core of the thermal. I've used a Cambridge 302, an LNAV, and several others. But this setup is in my opinion in a league of its own. Here is a picture of the thermal assist: http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/seeyo...lAssistant.jpg I may be wrong, but I think Winpilot had the thermal assistant first (at least, has had it for 10 years or so) and it still works better than the SYM version: clearer presentation, more information, comes and goes when you want it to.