User Manual XC Tracer Mini II
Rev 02 4.6.2020
Introduction
XC Tracer Mini II is an acoustic variometer powered by a solar cell. The lag-free indication of lift /
sink makes it much easier to find and core thermals than when using a conventional variometer.
XC Tracer Mini II has a built-in solar cell that delivers 3x more energy than is needed for running the
device (when oriented perpendicular to the sun). The surplus energy is stored in a lithium polymer
battery. The variometer will run for 8-12 hours with a fully charged battery without any sun,
depending on the sound level. The built-in battery can be charged over the Micro USB connector
should this ever be necessary.
Normally there is enough energy available from the sun to power XC Tracer Mini II and to even
charge the battery while you are flying. Please don’t expose the variometer unnecessary to sun
light, and please take care that the vario does not get warmer than your hands.
Important: XC Tracer Mini II charges the battery even when
it’s not switched on
!
Mounting
XC Tracer Mini II uses data from a 9-DOF IMU (9 Degrees Of Freedom Inertial Measurement Unit),
and from a pressure sensor, to compute the real-time climb rate and altitude, avoiding the
undesired time lag that conventional variometers suffer (due to data filtering). For this reason
mount your XC Tracer Mini II
in such a way that it moves as little as possible whilst you’re flying.
It’s therefore important that the
XC Tracer Mini II
isn’t dangling from a cord or attached to your
helmet. The best approach is to attach XC Tracer Mini II to your cockpit, or on the shoulder strap of
your harness, or on your thigh.
But when attaching XC Tracer Mini II, please remember that it needs to have the best possible view
of the sun in order to maximize solar charging.
Switch On / Switch Off
Turn XC Tracer Mini II on by pressing and holding the red button until you hear beep-beep. Next the
battery charge status is indicated by a series of beeps (this feature is described further below).
Finally XC Tracer Mini II makes a beep-beep-
beeeeeep and it’s now ready for fl
ight.
Turning XC Tracer Mini II off is just the same - press and hold the red button until you hear beep-
beep.
If you forget to switch off the vario after a flight then it will switch off automatically if
it hasn’t
detected lift or sink for 1 minute.
