Borgelt B50 Variometer Update

Greetings,

I purchased a second hand Borgelt B50 a while ago, and after trying to
hook it up to my IPAQ, I found out that it wasn't working properly. I
wrote to Mike Borgelt about this and he confirmed the problem was that
some B50 models were equipped with firmware that only talked to a B57
flight computers. Newer firmware can be switched between B57 mode and
regular B50 mode with a switch setting.

Unfortunately, the microcontroller that was used in the B50 is one time
programmable and long since obsolete. Mike no longer has any available
parts and doesn't forsee ever getting any more. However, after working
with him and doing research, I've located an alternate part that we
believe should be a drop-in substitute and can be upgraded to the latest
firmware (3.25). This part is also obsolete and not widely available,
but I have found a small supply of them. Its not guaranteed since its
untested, but we both believe it will work.

For more information, please see:

http://www.mail-archive.com/aus-soar.../msg16101.html

If anyone is interested in getting one of these, please contact me
and/or Mike. Please note that these newer parts are also obsolete,
and programming them may be logistically difficult, so I'd like to do
this as a one-time thing. Its possible (likely) the parts will not be
around later, so if you have one of the affected units I recommend you
contact us now rather than later.

Thanks,
Dan Meyer
H301 Libelle (NU)

p.s. my email address is my first name @ w3eax.umd.edu

Mike Rocks!

I have a B50 and have received fast response and great support from him.

Paul
ZZ








wrote:
Greetings,

I purchased a second hand Borgelt B50 a while ago, and after trying to
hook it up to my IPAQ, I found out that it wasn't working properly. I
wrote to Mike Borgelt about this and he confirmed the problem was that
some B50 models were equipped with firmware that only talked to a B57
flight computers. Newer firmware can be switched between B57 mode and
regular B50 mode with a switch setting.

Unfortunately, the microcontroller that was used in the B50 is one time
programmable and long since obsolete. Mike no longer has any available
parts and doesn't forsee ever getting any more. However, after working
with him and doing research, I've located an alternate part that we
believe should be a drop-in substitute and can be upgraded to the latest
firmware (3.25). This part is also obsolete and not widely available,
but I have found a small supply of them. Its not guaranteed since its
untested, but we both believe it will work.

For more information, please see:

http://www.mail-archive.com/aus-soar.../msg16101.html

If anyone is interested in getting one of these, please contact me
and/or Mike. Please note that these newer parts are also obsolete,
and programming them may be logistically difficult, so I'd like to do
this as a one-time thing. Its possible (likely) the parts will not be
around later, so if you have one of the affected units I recommend you
contact us now rather than later.

Thanks,
Dan Meyer
H301 Libelle (NU)

p.s. my email address is my first name @ w3eax.umd.edu