On Wed, 02 Jan 2008 09:26:24 -0800, Vsoars wrote:

A year ago I began having audio problems. I would only get the up sound
at 4+. Sometimes, toward the end of the flight, I didn't even get sound
at 5+. The instrument itself tracks the same as the Winter, and the
averager works ( as confirmed by another pilot in the air.).

Additionally, after an hour in the air, the Borgelt ceased issuing a
sound when I flew too fast. (Occasionally it would still emit the
appropriate sound, but there were long periods of silence when I was
flying fast at a low McR. setting.) The associated instrument did
indicate that I was flying too fast.

At this point I sent it back to the factory and paid $200. They said
that there was nothing wrong with the instrument and suggested that I
may not know how to operate it. After using it successfully for 4
years, that seemed like an odd suggestion.

Now I have a new problem. Sometimes when I find lift, the audio is
correct. Other times it indicates a rapidly increasing lift (13+ ave.
and rising) when the lift is 3 or less.

Has anyone else experienced this problem? Does anyone have any
suggestions for solving the problem other than up-grading?

The instrument has been checked on the bench and no problems were found,
but the symptoms persist. Obviously the fault lies in the glider.

First thing to check is the battery. Is the battery also 4 years old?
Does the problem get worse when you press the ptt switch on the radio?

Batteries fail in an unpredictable manner and the voltage might be
healthy on the ground before and recover soon after flight, but fade to
the point where things stop working when you need them most during
flight. Try swap the battery and see if it helps.

Then have a look at the battery wiring, plugs, fuses, switches etc. Also
look at speaker wiring and the speaker itself.

(I have noticed our B500 do similar weird things - when the battery
voltage gets down to 9.5V.)


Ian