SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Operating Manual BLANKFORM Im Bildstöckle 5 79822 Titisee-Neustadt info@flugvario.de www.flugvario.de Tel.: 07651-3732 SKYTRAXX rev 2.2 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Congratulations to purchasing SKYTRAXX. We wish to thank you for your confidence in our product. This flight instrument consists of most sophisticated components and has been especially adjusted to the requirements of paragliding. Please enjoy your flights using SKYTRAXX. 2 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Control Panel Menu (1) Back (2) Forward (3) Enter (4) Display There are four keys on the front panel of your SKYTRAXX. The menu key always navigates to a selection. The minus key diminishes a chosen value or returns to a selection in the menu. The plus key increases a chosen value or selects the next entry in a menu. Pushing the generally OK key confirms an entry. The OK key is also used to browse through further views. Switching on and off Pushing the menu key and consequently pushing the OK key switches the device on. On accidently pushing the menu key without confirmation by pushing ok will result in the device to switch off automatically. Switching off is done by long (3sec.) pushing the menu key followed by pushing the OK key. Switching off is deactivated while the power adapter is connected. In case the power adapter is connected to the switched off device, the SKYTRAXX automatically goes into charging mode. 3 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Navigation through the menu After switching on, SKYTRAXX will display the main screen. By pushing the menu key a selection menu is displayed. TRAXX GOTO WAYPOINT ROUTE AIRSPACES PARAMETER SYSTEM SIMULATOR The arrow left to the menu indicates the currently chosen menu point. The plus/minus keys navigate the arrow up or down. Pushing the OK key confirms the selection. Pushing the menu key navigates back to the main screen. Selecting TRAXX allows uploading flight data to a PC. Also detailed flight analysis can be retrieved under TRAXX using the OK key. Selecting “Parameter” allows modifying the device settings. The selection of “System” navigates to a further submenu. Selecting „Reset BT“ lets you re-configure the Bluetooth module and choose a Bluetooth device name. Selecting „Firmware“ displays the currently installed firmware version. 4 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Main screen 10:35 1078 1.5 N O S W 32 3D 16 9.6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 910 1112 1 2 3 4 5 6 Integralvario Digital Time Altitude Wind speed Glide ratio Analogue vario 9 10 11 12 8 7 Wind direction Logging switched on Ground speed Heading to last thermal GPS status Heading 5 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Altitude calibration Invalid values are displayed in flashing mode. The display stops flashing as soon as valid GPS coordinates have been received. The altitude is then being calibrated. The altitude display flashes until logging starts. GPS altitude features a tolerance of approx. +-30m, in conditions of weak signal reception greater tolerances can occur. Therefore manual altitude calibration is feasible. After switching on you are at page 1 and the plus and minus keys can be used to manually adjust the altitude. In case you wait until 3D GPS reception is achieved, the altitude is aligned with the received GPS altitude. However, manually adjusting the altitude is still possible. The displayed altitude will be stored during logging. GPS altitude is displayed on page 3. Once logging has been activated, the altitude can no longer be adjusted. Altitude calibration has been extended by a new function. In case a take-off place has been stored as a waypoint, SKYTRAXX checks on switching on, if one is in a surrounding circle of 100m diameter. In case this is true, SKYTRAXX uses the known altitude of this waypoint. This way the take-off altitude for stored take-off places remains always the same. Thermal- and wind indication The direction towards the last thermal is being derived from the last, greatest climbing. The wind direction is displayed when a change of direction is being flown. Optimal results are being generated by flying a full circle. 6 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Magnified View 872 36 km/h You are navigated to page 2 by pushing OK. The altitude is displayed in extra large letters on this page. By pushing the OK key for at least 3 seconds a relative altitude can be calibrated. Long pushing OK again toggles back to absolute altitude. In the lower part of the display the ground speed and the flight direction is indicated. At active GOTO an additional arrow is displayed on the left side of the velocity display, which indicates the direction to the pursued waypoint. The flight is being logged in the background and the vario sound is being played as usual. 7 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Status screen 16. JUN. 2007 16:24 N 47°50.2264 829m E 08°07.1052 18°C Applying the OK key one more time navigates to the status screen. At reception of satellites the current date and day time is displayed. The current GPS position can be read in the middle, left aligned and to the right the GPS altitude and the temperature. In the lowest line the current number of received satellites is displayed. Filled Circles = Number of satellites in Use. Not filled circles = Number of satellites in View. The example display means: 9 satellites in view and 6 satellites in use. 1 satellite: Day-time is received. 3 satellites = 2D Fix .. coordinates and ground speed. from 4 satellites on = 3D Fix .. Altitude, coordinates and ground speed. In the lower right corner a pictogram displays the battery status. 8 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Peak values Flightdur....…: 01:20:15 Maxheight…..: 1850 Maxclimb……: 4.8 Maxsink….….: -2.4 With logging active, using the plus und minus keys displays subpages with current max-values from the status page. For the altitudes also the cumulated altitude is displayed. At start of logging the values are automatically zeroed. The OK key switches one page further. 9 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Setup, page 1 Sinkingtone Climbingtone Timeoffset Trackintervall Adjusting the parameters is effected by selecting a value using the plus and minus keys. Entries are confirmed by pushing the OK key. The menu key concludes entry of parameters and navigates back to the main menu 10 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Setup, page 2 Volume Pitch Bluetooth Sprache/Language The volume can be adjusted in 4 steps. Volume 0 switches the sound off. Volume 3 offers the highest volume. Tone pitch may be varied in halftone steps. With Bluetooth switched on, GPS-data may be transferred to an external device. Using a PDA, navigation software or flight software can be operated. For retrieving flight data, Bluetooth also needs to be activated. The Language can be set to German, English, French, Dutch or Polish. Under Integralvario the digital vario value can be can be averaged between 1 and 8 seconds. 11 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Battery This device features a high-grade Lithium-ion accumulator of the latest generation. The battery may only be charged using the provided charger No memory effect will occur with this battery. In case the SKYTRAXX will not be used for a longer period of time it is best to keep it at a charge rate of 30 %. WARNING! Under no circumstance may the battery or device be exposed to fire or excessive heat. Battery charge status display When the power adapter is connected a charge status will be displayed in the upper right corner of the main screen. When the battery is completely charged, a full battery icon will be displayed. Is the device switched off and the the power adapter connected, SKYTRAXX switches into charging mode. All functions are deactivated and only the charge status will be displayed. 12 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Bluetooth In order to transmit data from the SKYTRAXX to a computer or vice versa, the SKYTRAXX features an integrated Bluetooth interface. In case your computer is also equipped with a Bluetooth interface, it should automatically recognise the SKYTRAXX. Make sure the SKYTRAXX is powered on and choose „Parameter“ under the menu entry "Bluetooth"-"Bluetooth ON“. This is the factory setting. You may assign a name to your SKYTRAXX. Choose "Reset BT” under menu entry "System”. Activate Bluetooth on your computer and choose Add/Search new device. The SKYTRAXX should now be recognised. On request, please enter “0000” as pairing key. In case your computer has no Bluetooth interface, you can purchase a USB-Bluetooth-stick as an accessory for your SKYTRAXX. Please take a note of the comport number for future data transmissions. This COM-interface has to be chosen for transmission of data with max points, GPSVAR or Paraflightbook etc. 13 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Exchanging data with a PC In the menu item TRAXX, the flights, which shall be retrieved, can be selected using the plus and minus key. In order transfer flight data, the SKYTRAXX needs to be connected via Bluetooth. The program Maxpunkte, GPSVAR or Paraflightbook are very much suitable to retrieve flight data from the Skytraxx. The program Maxpunkte can be downloaded for free under www.maxpunkte.de/competition.html For Apple Macintosh the application SkyKick can be used. www.skywind.eu Start Maxpunkte on your PC and choose the menu item memory export on your SKYTRAXX. The SKYTRAXX has to display Traxx export. The transfer screen opens up, and the Com-port can be selected. Then click on S-Nr. auslesen. The serial number of the SKYTRAXX will be retrieved. The track can now be exported and used for further processing. 14 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Installing firmware updates The firmware of your SKYTRAXX can be updated. This way you can always benefit from the latest functions and extensions on your SKYTRAXX. You can download the update program in the download area of our web pages. The program can be started after installation. Clicking on “Aktuelle Version vom Internet downloaden” the latest version of the program will be downloaded. Please follow the program’s directions In case this process fails, the update can be effected differently: The SKYTRAXX has to be switched off. Keep the OK key pushed and also push the menu key. Three dots will appear in the middle of the display. Now establish a Bluetooth connection and execute the update program as usual. 15 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual GPS – functions Ground Speed (velocity over ground) Displaying 0-300km/h. Glide ratio and direction Glide ratio and flight direction are being displayed. Display of current coordinates In the status screen the current coordinates are being displayed. Flight recording (Logging mode) and flight analysis Flight recording will automatically be activated by reaching speed in excess of 8 km/h for at least 3 seconds or climbing or sinking of more than 0.5m/s. Day time and date Day time and date can be read on the status screen. Flight time The flight time can be read in the peak values. Factory settings The default parameter values are: Sinking tune: -2.5 pitch: 660 Hz Climbing tune: 0.3 Bluetooth: ON Time offset: 0 Integralvario: 3 Sec Track interval: 5 Volume: 1 16 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual WAYPOINT / GOTO / ROUTE In the menu item GOTO the list of waypoints is sorted according to the respective distance. Using the plus/minus keys a waypoint can be chosen and confirmed By pushing the OK key. The waypoint is now selected and a new Screen display appears in the main menu level. N O S W 3D952 m 160 m 43 km/h 6 / 8 KANDEL 21.4 km 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 Altitude Required glide ratio to waypoint / current glide ratio Altitude over waypoint Name of and distance to waypoint Speed over ground Direction to waypoint 4 5 6 17 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual WAYPOINT/ GOTO / ROUTE Under menu item WAYPOINT there are further submenu items New waypoint A new waypoint can be inserted here. IND WP80 LAT N 47°54`59`` LON E 008°50`56`` ALT 1240 m The cursor blinks at INDication. Using the plus/minus keys a row can be selected, which shall be edited. Pushing the OK key confirms editing. The cursor now moves to the line to be edited. The plus/minus keys move the cursor to the place to be edited. OK confirms. Now the value can be changed using the plus/minus key. The menu key navigates on level up. This way every value can be modified. As soon as all values are adjusted as desired, the menu key exits into an upper level. The new waypoint can now be saved using the OK key. Saving the Waypoint can be cancelled using the menu key. It is also possible to save the waypoint without editing any value. 18 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual WAYPOINTS / GOTO / ROUTE Editing a Waypoint Waypoints are displayed in alphabetical order. Using the plus- and minus key, choose a waypoint and confirm using the OK key. The procedure for editing is as outlined before. Importing Waypoints When the menu item has been chosen, the number of existing waypoints is displayed. I.e. GPSDump imports waypoints from a PC. Maxpunkte performs the same from version 6 on. Connect Bluetooth and import waypoints. Exporting Waypoints All waypoints are being exported. Deleting Waypoints A waypoint can be selected and then deleted by pushing the OK key. No confirmation will be asked. Deleting all Waypoints Here all waypoints can be deleted in one go. Hint During flights waypoints can be added for the current position by pushing the plus key once. 19 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual WAYPOINTS / GOTO / ROUTE At active GOTO the next or previous waypoint can be selected using plus/minus. Routes A maximum of 15 routes of each 30 waypoints can be stored. Waypoints are automatically progressed at reaching a cylinder. By pushing the plus key manual forwarding to the next waypoint is feasible. At reaching an waypoint this point is being logged independently from the logging interval. Exporting and importing of waypoints via i.e. the program GPSVAR. His can also be used to export TRAXX. GPSVAR also features a nice flightbook function. Via GPSVAR all flights in memory can be exported in one go. Competition Under the menu item competition various cylinder types in different sizes can be defined. Start cylinder Waypoint cylinder Target cylinder Competition mode can be chosen and activated under menu item modus. Modus ENTER: Fly into the start cylinder to start competition. Modus EXIT: Start competition on exiting the start cylinder. 20 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Competition mode: ENTER Pilot 1 gains altitude outside of the start cylinder and can, on reaching the start time start his competition on entering the start cylinder. Pilot 2 is flying within the start cylinder and has to leave the start cylinder after reaching start time. His competition only starts on re-entrance into the start cylinder. WP1 WP2 Target cylinder 21 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Competition mode: EXIT Pilot 1 can, at reaching start time, immediately head for the next After reaching start waypoint. time Pilot 2 has to fly into the start cylinder to start his competition Competition starts at reaching time from within the start cylinder. WP1 WP2 Target cylinder 22 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Extended functions After switching SKYTRAXX on, the main screen is displayed As soon as 3D GPS reception has been achieved, logging can be started manually from the main page by long pushing the OK key. Long pushing OK again, finalizes logging. The selection menu -> system -> firmware displays the firmware’s version number. Pushing the OK key for around 5 seconds while displaying the firmware's version number will reformat the systems memory and all flights will be deleted. All flight data is hereby irrevocably deleted! The function is not required for normal operation Formatting takes approximately 1 minute. Pushing the OK key for 3 seconds in magnified view screen toggles to barometric altitude, which can also be calibrated. Pushing OK again for 3 seconds toggles back to GPS altitude. At menu item „TRAXX export“ max values for all flights are now retrievable. When pushing the OK key after selecting a flight date, the analysis data of the flight appears. The plus/minus keys browse through the single pages. 23 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Extended flight analysis On selecting TRAXX all flights are being displayed as usual. Using the plus and minus keys, the requested flight can be selected. The OK key opens the flight analysis for the selected flight. There are five further pages displaying the respective flight data. The plus and minus keys browse through the pages. There is also an an altitude graph and a track trail graph altitude progression graph track trail graph 24 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Airspaces Up to 250 zones can be uploaded to the device Using the programs Maxpunkte, Paraflightbook or GPSVAR makes uploading of airspaces very easy. In the menu item AIRSPACES all uploaded zones can be browsed using the plus/minus keys. Use the OK key to activate / deactivate a zone. The menu item „Delete“ all zones are deleted from the device. Is the alert distance for a zone approached, the SKYTRAXX toggles to a new view. Instead of the day time, the flight direction is displayed. The airspace along with the own position are graphically displayed. An audio alert indicated approaching the airspace. NW 1078 1.5 STUTTGART HD: 900m Vert. In 25 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Airspaces The closest airspace nearby cane easily be displayed: On the main screen with logging activated using the plus/minus keys. This way foresighted flight planning to fly-around an airspace is possible. When approaching the alert distance of an airspace, the airspace is displayed graphically. Pushing the minus key deactivates the alert for 60 seconds. In order to permanently deactivate the alert for this airspace, the minus key can be pushed for more than 3 seconds Alerts for airspaces can be re-activated in the menu „Display airspaces“ using the OK key. 26 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Airspaces Retrieval of airspaces can be conducted using the program Maxpunkte, Paraflightbook or GPSVAR. For Maxpunkte: Select an airspace file under Options. Now the zones are displayed for a loaded flight. When right-clicking on a zone, the zone can be transfered using menu item „upload highlighted airspace“ A Bluetooth connection with the SKYTRAXX has to be established Now choose the Comport and select SKYTRAXX. In the SKYTRAXX browse to menu item CTR IMPORT and push OK. Then choose „Send“ in Maxpunkte and the airspace will be transferred. Is now a zone being transferred, the display on the SKYTRAXX displays the number of loaded zones. With a little experience, proprietary zones, such as preserved areas or high voltage power lines etc. can be filed. 27 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Airspaces/no-fly-zone AIRSPACE / CTR The vertical distance to an airspace is displayed as shown in the graphic. Behind Higher, Above, Lower and Below the vertical distance to the CTR is displayed in meters. Vert - H 120 means to be situated 120m vertical from the airspace, measured on its top edge. Vert - L 100 means to be situated 100m vertical from the airspace measured from the lower edge. At approaching alert distance and during flying in and out of an airspace audio alert is returned. Higher Above Lower Below V – L 100 V – H 120 28 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Technical data Vario: Measuring interval climb & sink: ± 30 m/s digital Altitude variance resolution: 0,1 m/s digital Acoustics: volume 3-fold adjustable Measuring interval altitude: -400m - 9999 m Display: 4-digit Position resolution: 1 meter Miscellaneous: Daytime and date via GPS Temperature Wind direction and wind speed Direction indicator for last thermal Speed over Ground resolution 1 km/h Memory capable of holding up to 60.000 track points 150 waypoints 15 routes with each up to 30 waypoints 250 no-fly-areas Flight values of all flights These value can be retrieved under “analysis for current flight” or under menu item “Traxx export” and the OK-key. Flight time, date, max climb, max sink, max speed, flight track, start time, landing time, start altitude, landing altitude, altitude gain and max altitude. General: Power supply: Lithium Ion Accumulator 3,7 V Dimensions: 136 x 100 x 22 mm Weight: 260 gram A charging devices is included in the scope of delivery. Warranty: 24 months 29 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Leg straps Pic 1 The Velcro strap faces upwards. Pic 2 Thread the strap in as illustrated. Hooks facing up Bild 3 Bild 4 Adjustment loop End clip In Picture 3 the strap is readily threaded. Now place the vario on your thigh. Loop the strap around the thigh and finally fix the strap by pulling it through the clip on the Velcro-strap. Repeat this with the second strap. 30 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Water landing In case you have had a water landing with your SKYTRAXX and water has penetrated the device, it should be thoroughly dried using a hairdryer. In any case please send the device to Blankform GmbH for Inspection. Improper use, i.e. water landings will void the warranty. Warranty and liability limitation In rare occasions the flight instrument may deliver no or faulty data. Blankform will refuse any liability which is or may be caused by malfunction of your device. Safe conduct of flights is the pilots sole responsibility. We grant a 24 month warranty on our devices starting on the day of purchase. Mechanical damage, like broken cases or broken glass are not covered by this warranty. 31 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Disposal In many countries you are as an end user obliged to return all used up batteries and accumulators to your retailer or the manufacturer. Disposing batteries into domestic waste is prohibited! Batteries/ Accumulators containing pollutants are labelled with the symbol shown below. The label indicates the prohibition to dispose the item into domestic waste. Your municipality will inform you about how to best dispose your batteries. Please do not dispose this device, but send it back to the manufacturer. Hereby proper disposal is guaranteed. You will receive a refund of 25€. Please obey your local laws and protect your environment. WEEE-Reg.-Nr. DE 76592335 32 SKYTRAXX Operating Manual Liability and safety precautions Using your SKYTRAXX is at your own risk. For damages and data loss, which may be caused by using the supplied PC software, no liability can be will be assumed by the manufacturer. Furthermore the manufacturer does not assume any liability for possible dangerous flight situations or successes of those caused by failure to display correct altitude, position or speed Reading the instrument‘s display may only occur, when the current flight situation allows watching the display. Audi information has to suffice in situations, where visually monitoring the surrounding airspace is indispensable. We wish you lots of pleasant flights using your new SKYTRAXX. 33