RICO VACS - is the schematic available anywhere?

I liked the subtle ticking noise of ye olde RICO VACS vario I had in the HP-14. And it was very good at pointing out weak lift. Alas that relic from the 1970s stopped working some time circa 2000. I sent it to its maker and he fixed it, but it later failed again, as has another unit I scrounged somewhere. So I have two of those sitting on the shelf. I'd love to get the schematic and try and revive it. Or build an equivalent audio-only unit. Is it possible to get the schematic diagram somewhere?

On Sunday, July 29, 2018 at 6:51:39 AM UTC-7, wrote:
I liked the subtle ticking noise of ye olde RICO VACS vario I had in the HP-14. And it was very good at pointing out weak lift. Alas that relic from the 1970s stopped working some time circa 2000. I sent it to its maker and he fixed it, but it later failed again, as has another unit I scrounged somewhere. So I have two of those sitting on the shelf. I'd love to get the schematic and try and revive it. Or build an equivalent audio-only unit. Is it possible to get the schematic diagram somewhere?

I do not know why the RICO clicks did not become the standard for audio. It is the least intrusive sound while better conferring thermal strength, or weakness. It also did not solicit an emotional response to the down tones. I had one vario that the sink tone would make me depressed.

On Sunday, July 29, 2018 at 8:51:39 AM UTC-5, wrote:
I liked the subtle ticking noise of ye olde RICO VACS vario I had in the HP-14. And it was very good at pointing out weak lift. Alas that relic from the 1970s stopped working some time circa 2000. I sent it to its maker and he fixed it, but it later failed again, as has another unit I scrounged somewhere. So I have two of those sitting on the shelf. I'd love to get the schematic and try and revive it. Or build an equivalent audio-only unit. Is it possible to get the schematic diagram somewhere?

Yes, I flew many many XC miles with my RICO in my '20, loved it, and the ticking vario sound is my all time favorite. I actually have my old RICO somewhere in my spare parts shelf, worked great last time it was in a glider.....

I now fly with an OpenVario I built, fully equipped with a sensorboard so it has a variometer with TE (electronic or probe) and audio. "Depressing" sound, though. It is my backup vario, I keep it muted in favor of my 302 (also an inferior sound to the RICO).

The OpenVario vario software is open source, so it is possible to modify the sound (with some knowledge and work). I would guess it would be easy to figure out what a tick sound is, and code it, if someone knew what they were doing (which I don't - yet). Also. all the sensors are there on the OpenVario sensorboard for speed-to-fly and advanced vario compensation algorithms (pressure transducers and 3-axis accelerometers), so that is hopefully in the future if someone takes on the task. Anyway, a lot of fun for an engineer-type like me to mess with, maybe some day...

Cheers,
Jim

On Sunday, July 29, 2018 at 11:52:08 AM UTC-6, wrote:
On Sunday, July 29, 2018 at 8:51:39 AM UTC-5, wrote:
I liked the subtle ticking noise of ye olde RICO VACS vario I had in the HP-14. And it was very good at pointing out weak lift. Alas that relic from the 1970s stopped working some time circa 2000. I sent it to its maker and he fixed it, but it later failed again, as has another unit I scrounged somewhere. So I have two of those sitting on the shelf. I'd love to get the schematic and try and revive it. Or build an equivalent audio-only unit. Is it possible to get the schematic diagram somewhere?

Yes, I flew many many XC miles with my RICO in my '20, loved it, and the ticking vario sound is my all time favorite. I actually have my old RICO somewhere in my spare parts shelf, worked great last time it was in a glider.....

I now fly with an OpenVario I built, fully equipped with a sensorboard so it has a variometer with TE (electronic or probe) and audio. "Depressing" sound, though. It is my backup vario, I keep it muted in favor of my 302 (also an inferior sound to the RICO).

The OpenVario vario software is open source, so it is possible to modify the sound (with some knowledge and work). I would guess it would be easy to figure out what a tick sound is, and code it, if someone knew what they were doing (which I don't - yet). Also. all the sensors are there on the OpenVario sensorboard for speed-to-fly and advanced vario compensation algorithms (pressure transducers and 3-axis accelerometers), so that is hopefully in the future if someone takes on the task. Anyway, a lot of fun for an engineer-type like me to mess with, maybe some day...

Cheers,
Jim

Wonder if the XC Soar/Top Hat developers could add a tick sound to their vario function?

Mike

On Sunday, July 29, 2018 at 1:52:08 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Sunday, July 29, 2018 at 8:51:39 AM UTC-5, wrote:
I liked the subtle ticking noise of ye olde RICO VACS vario I had in the HP-14. And it was very good at pointing out weak lift. Alas that relic from the 1970s stopped working some time circa 2000. I sent it to its maker and he fixed it, but it later failed again, as has another unit I scrounged somewhere. So I have two of those sitting on the shelf. I'd love to get the schematic and try and revive it. Or build an equivalent audio-only unit. Is it possible to get the schematic diagram somewhere?

Yes, I flew many many XC miles with my RICO in my '20, loved it, and the ticking vario sound is my all time favorite. I actually have my old RICO somewhere in my spare parts shelf, worked great last time it was in a glider.....

I now fly with an OpenVario I built, fully equipped with a sensorboard so it has a variometer with TE (electronic or probe) and audio. "Depressing" sound, though. It is my backup vario, I keep it muted in favor of my 302 (also an inferior sound to the RICO).

The OpenVario vario software is open source, so it is possible to modify the sound (with some knowledge and work). I would guess it would be easy to figure out what a tick sound is, and code it, if someone knew what they were doing (which I don't - yet). Also. all the sensors are there on the OpenVario sensorboard for speed-to-fly and advanced vario compensation algorithms (pressure transducers and 3-axis accelerometers), so that is hopefully in the future if someone takes on the task. Anyway, a lot of fun for an engineer-type like me to mess with, maybe some day...

Cheers,
Jim

The RICO VACS ticks were not simply ticks. They were, I believe, very short bursts of a tone. And when the lift got stronger, these "ticks" not only happened more often (more per second) but also increased in the tone frequency, so each tick sounded different than with weak lift. It was a cool algorithm, and yes was unobtrusive - and at the same time very clearly audible even over a lot of background noise. (I tried it in a powered plane once, was easy to hear over the engine noise.)

If the algorithm (or schematics) were available, then yes one way to re-create that sound would be to incorporate it into an open-source project.

It might be posable to reverse engineer the sound with just a recording of it going through its paces. Anyone have a working one?

RR

On Sunday, July 29, 2018 at 3:52:05 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Sunday, July 29, 2018 at 1:52:08 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Sunday, July 29, 2018 at 8:51:39 AM UTC-5, wrote:
I liked the subtle ticking noise of ye olde RICO VACS vario I had in the HP-14. And it was very good at pointing out weak lift. Alas that relic from the 1970s stopped working some time circa 2000. I sent it to its maker and he fixed it, but it later failed again, as has another unit I scrounged somewhere. So I have two of those sitting on the shelf. I'd love to get the schematic and try and revive it. Or build an equivalent audio-only unit. Is it possible to get the schematic diagram somewhere?

Yes, I flew many many XC miles with my RICO in my '20, loved it, and the ticking vario sound is my all time favorite. I actually have my old RICO somewhere in my spare parts shelf, worked great last time it was in a glider....

I now fly with an OpenVario I built, fully equipped with a sensorboard so it has a variometer with TE (electronic or probe) and audio. "Depressing" sound, though. It is my backup vario, I keep it muted in favor of my 302 (also an inferior sound to the RICO).

The OpenVario vario software is open source, so it is possible to modify the sound (with some knowledge and work). I would guess it would be easy to figure out what a tick sound is, and code it, if someone knew what they were doing (which I don't - yet). Also. all the sensors are there on the OpenVario sensorboard for speed-to-fly and advanced vario compensation algorithms (pressure transducers and 3-axis accelerometers), so that is hopefully in the future if someone takes on the task. Anyway, a lot of fun for an engineer-type like me to mess with, maybe some day...

Cheers,
Jim

The RICO VACS ticks were not simply ticks. They were, I believe, very short bursts of a tone. And when the lift got stronger, these "ticks" not only happened more often (more per second) but also increased in the tone frequency, so each tick sounded different than with weak lift. It was a cool algorithm, and yes was unobtrusive - and at the same time very clearly audible even over a lot of background noise. (I tried it in a powered plane once, was easy to hear over the engine noise.)

If the algorithm (or schematics) were available, then yes one way to re-create that sound would be to incorporate it into an open-source project.

Flight computer/vario manufacturers are you listening??

yes We have one working at Prescott Area Soaring, alas I will not be thete until september at nats right now I think I even have a manual for it as well but Ill look when I get back.

CH ASW27

On Sunday, July 29, 2018 at 7:51:39 AM UTC-6, wrote:
I liked the subtle ticking noise of ye olde RICO VACS vario I had in the HP-14. And it was very good at pointing out weak lift. Alas that relic from the 1970s stopped working some time circa 2000. I sent it to its maker and he fixed it, but it later failed again, as has another unit I scrounged somewhere. So I have two of those sitting on the shelf. I'd love to get the schematic and try and revive it. Or build an equivalent audio-only unit. Is it possible to get the schematic diagram somewhere?

RICO is still around, although we have branched into making manufacturing test equipment and our vario business has been virtually non-existent for the last ten years, both new sales and repairs. The electrical schematics were never published, but the block diagrams, pneumatic diagrams and the connector wiring diagrams are shown in the manuals.
Repairs are available, and if the unit is sent in, it will be evaluated. The results will be forwarded to the sender in order to determine whether to perform repairs. Reply to me privately for details.

Michael Newgard, 50

Used to own one. Loved the casual sounding audio. Also the variable dead band.
But it's been about 30 years! That was almost the Bronze Age. Many other cool things have happened since then.

6PK et al:
Yes, flight computers should have the ability to do more with shaping the audio vario, even though a simple LX V3 I have proved it can sound identical to a CA302 in climb mode with no sink tone. To me the 302 became the reference for audio vario understandability around the Industrial Revolution, and still hangs in there.
Audio setup should include dead bands for cruise and climb, waveform, modulation, center frequency, frequency extremes, interruption frequency and percentage for up and down, level adjustment by airspeed, and overall equalisation (like Air-Glide's "bass boost" to make up for a typical small speaker)..
While we're at it, how abut the ability to play back samples? Examples:
Every x minutes someone significant in your life can remind you to drink.
Or at a selectable altitude, that person, Darth Vader, or anyone reminds you to turn on O2, with an "OK, got it" response from the pilot.

Installing 30-year-old electronics in a glider will have maintenance issues.. In the business I'm in, people talk about the sound and feel of "retro" equipment, but tend to forget about the inconvenient stuff. Example: An analog mixing console may sound better than a digital one, but takes six people to lift and doesn't fit in narrow-body aircraft.
Jim