Cambridge 302/303 users - feedback please

The new glider is ordered and we consider what vario
to instal. Having had a 302/303 for 6 years; 4 repairs
and some doubts could you please let me have your experiences
of the instrument re the following to assist in our
decision - Borgelt or Cambridge.

1. Reliability
2. Wind calculation ( Intermittantly final glides are
mad numbers and the wind is at that point very wrong
)
3. On thermal entry it overreads then calms down after
a half turn ( Maybe our plumbing)
4. We have never been convinced that netto relative
works.

Many thanks , Colin

May I suggest you look at the SN10? Particularly if you are interested
in racing, it's a really nice (and easy to use) system.

I've had mine for 6 years now with absolutely no problems.

Add a PDA for backup moving map/landing fields, and a backup minivario
(Tasman, B-400, Ilec, VW 910) and you have the whole deal.

You do need a GPS source, I use a dedicated Garmin 35. The SN10 has a
good but non-.igc logger, OK for OLC classic. It will work well with
any Garmin, or real .igc logger, too.

It also now talks to PDA software, such as MCU and Strepla.

I figure, if it's good enough for Dick Butler and George Moffat, it's
good enough for me!

(and no, I don't work for Ilec...)

Kirk

I have used a 302, without the 303, but with Glide Nav for several
years:

1.Reliability. 2 cases of internal seal failure otherwise no problems
2. Wind calculation - not done in 302
3. Good TE compensation no problem with over-read on thermal entry. I
use 1.7 audio and 2.3 vario and see good correlation with B40 readings.
4. Reads lower sink than B40 in cruise but never ran the numbers to see
if difference matched polar. No problem finding thermals in cruise.
Not an issue.

I did replace the display as I had one with incorrect polarization.
Not a reliability issue but a poor parts screening process.

Andy

Colin MacAlpine wrote:
The new glider is ordered and we consider what vario
to instal. Having had a 302/303 for 6 years; 4 repairs
and some doubts could you please let me have your experiences
of the instrument re the following to assist in our
decision - Borgelt or Cambridge.

1. Reliability
2. Wind calculation ( Intermittantly final glides are
mad numbers and the wind is at that point very wrong
)
3. On thermal entry it overreads then calms down after
a half turn ( Maybe our plumbing)
4. We have never been convinced that netto relative
works.

Many thanks , Colin

Crazy wind numbers in a glide means you're getting bad airspeed
information. This comes from bad pitot/static info, from a leak in the
lines, in an instrument sharing the lines. It can also come from a bad
airspeed sensor in the 302. All of these have happened to me. (Always
at national contests, of course) Check the 302 airspeed (one of the
later pages).

Undercompensation is another symptom of the same issues, especialy if
you're using electronic compensation. Of course regular old leaks in
the probe plumbing give undercompensation too.

In my experience the 302 can be a great vario, but it is sensitive to
plumbing.

John Cochrane BB

I've had mine since late 2001 (302 only). It was jumpy and tended to
overshoot early on but Marty Eiler at Caracole worked some magic with
the plumbing and it now matches my B-40 in response as well as
strength. The only problem has been with the gear warning system which
failed intermittently and finally gave up the ghost (yes, we checked
the switches and wiring all the way to the connections on the 302).
Next time the unit comes out for calibration, I'll send it back to have
this checked.

I use it with WinPilot Pro and am quite satisfied. The 302 is the only
system I've used, so I can't be of any help on comparisons with others.

Ray Warshaw

Andy wrote:
I have used a 302, without the 303, but with Glide Nav for several
years:

1.Reliability. 2 cases of internal seal failure otherwise no problems
2. Wind calculation - not done in 302
3. Good TE compensation no problem with over-read on thermal entry. I
use 1.7 audio and 2.3 vario and see good correlation with B40 readings.
4. Reads lower sink than B40 in cruise but never ran the numbers to see
if difference matched polar. No problem finding thermals in cruise.
Not an issue.

I did replace the display as I had one with incorrect polarization.
Not a reliability issue but a poor parts screening process.

Andy

Andy wrote:
2. Wind calculation - not done in 302

The 302 does calculate wind, and it is used by the 303 and several third
party software packages. I've found it to be fairly accurate, but I'd
be a bit skeptical about what it's reporting after long periods of cruise...

kirk.stant wrote:
May I suggest you look at the SN10? Particularly if you are interested
in racing, it's a really nice (and easy to use) system.

I had an SN10 a few years back, and found it to be excellent for
assigned tasks, but painful for flying without a set task. It was hard
to create a task on the fly, and there was no easy way to determine what
turnpoints were nearby. Perhaps this has been fixed in recent years...

Marc

Marc Ramsey wrote:
I had an SN10 a few years back, and found it to be excellent for
assigned tasks, but painful for flying without a set task. It was hard
to create a task on the fly, and there was no easy way to determine what
turnpoints were nearby. Perhaps this has been fixed in recent years...

I find it extremely easy to change task on the fly - much easier than
any PDA program I've tried (I've flown with MCU, Winpilot, and
pocketStrePla, and played with GNII). You do have to know where the
turnpoints are - either a marked map, or a PDA map work well in this
case. Helps if they are numbered.

But I agree it is best for assigned tasks (which is what I prefer,
naturally...). A bit awkward for AATs, but I've yet to find a device
that does that well (without too much heads down time).

It now shows closest alternates, not the same as closest turnpoints.

Cheers,

Kirk

I have flown extensively with LNav, SNav, and 302/Winpilot. They have been
satisfactory. The 302 has been to the factory once for Malfunction since
2001.
I have a bit of experience with SN 10.
Didn't notice much difference in variometry.

--
Hartley Falbaum


"Colin MacAlpine" wrote in
message ...
The new glider is ordered and we consider what vario
to instal. Having had a 302/303 for 6 years; 4 repairs
and some doubts could you please let me have your experiences
of the instrument re the following to assist in our
decision - Borgelt or Cambridge.

1. Reliability
2. Wind calculation ( Intermittantly final glides are
mad numbers and the wind is at that point very wrong
)
3. On thermal entry it overreads then calms down after
a half turn ( Maybe our plumbing)
4. We have never been convinced that netto relative
works.

Many thanks , Colin

If you live in the USA, the advantage of the 302 is that when it breaks
down (and it will), you can get a very quick turnaround on repairs.

However, when I had an SN-10, it once had to be sent to Germany for
repairs, and Dave Nadler sent me a loaner SN-10 to use in the meantime.
Great service from Dave.

Due to a lack of panel space in my A fuselage Schempp-Hirth, I don't
have the option of using the SN-10, but instead am running a PDA hooked
up to a 302. However, I probably would use the SN-10 if I had the space.



kirk.stant wrote:
May I suggest you look at the SN10? Particularly if you are interested
in racing, it's a really nice (and easy to use) system.

I've had mine for 6 years now with absolutely no problems.

Add a PDA for backup moving map/landing fields, and a backup minivario
(Tasman, B-400, Ilec, VW 910) and you have the whole deal.

You do need a GPS source, I use a dedicated Garmin 35. The SN10 has a
good but non-.igc logger, OK for OLC classic. It will work well with
any Garmin, or real .igc logger, too.

It also now talks to PDA software, such as MCU and Strepla.

I figure, if it's good enough for Dick Butler and George Moffat, it's
good enough for me!

(and no, I don't work for Ilec...)

Kirk