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6
ADVANCED FUNCTIONS
6.1
TOTAL ENERGY COMPENSATION
Total energy compensation is the rate of change of atmospheric pressure and displays
this as a vertical speed. If you slow down in flight, your glider will climb using the
excessive kinetic energy. A “non-compensated” vario would interpret this as lift. Now, if
you are flying quite fast and slow down when you enter a thermal, the vario reading gets
rather difficult to interpret. Part of the lift reading is due to slowing down, and part is
due to lift from the thermal. With total energy compensation, the part of the climb due
to the change in velocity is ignored, allowing you to identify “real” thermals.
To identify the correct total energy compensation value, an air speed probe must be
connected to your vario. The optional air speed probe should be plugged in to the right
hand socket on the bottom of the vario.
To determine the correct total
energy compensation value, with
an air speed probe connected, you
should fly in calm air conditions
and slow down as if you are
entering a thermal. If the vario
shows a change in lift, you have to increase the total energy compensation value, go to
(MAIN SETUP \ n. 10 TEC). Then try again until the change in velocity isn’t recorded as
lift.
A typical value for hang gliders is 65. The default setting of “0” deactivates the total
energy compensation function.
6.2
THERMAL CENTERING FUNCTION
This is a live plot of your vario against time, it scrolls whilst you are flying. It will help you
to see how wide the thermal is and how far you flew from the best lift you encountered.
It is especially useful in weak conditions.
To switch between the Thermal Centering Function and the Graphic Altimeter press the
key (long pressure).
The horizontal (x) scale, time (in minutes) can be changed, go to (MAIN SETUP \ n. 13