Naviter Flytec element track User manual

Manual for

Element Track

Last modified 30/07/2017

version 1.04.17

Element TrackI

Table of Contents

Foreword 0

Part I Introduction 2

................................................................................................................................... 21 In the Box

Part II General 4

................................................................................................................................... 41 Getting started

.......................................................................................................................................................... 4Switching Element Track on and off

.......................................................................................................................................................... 5Batteries .......................................................................................................................................................... 5Setting a language

.......................................................................................................................................................... 5Keypad functions

................................................................................................................................... 62 Software updates

.......................................................................................................................................................... 7Identifying the current software version

.......................................................................................................................................................... 7Installing a firmware update

................................................................................................................................... 93 USB connection

................................................................................................................................... 104 Technical notes

.......................................................................................................................................................... 10Batteries .......................................................................................................................................................... 10Maintenance .......................................................................................................................................................... 10Reboot .......................................................................................................................................................... 10If exposed to water

.......................................................................................................................................................... 10Warranty .......................................................................................................................................................... 11Technical support

Part III Planning a flight 13

................................................................................................................................... 131 Airspace resources

.......................................................................................................................................................... 13OpenAir format for Connect 1 and Element Track

.......................................................................................................................................................... 13UK airspaces

................................................................................................................................... 142 Route planning

.......................................................................................................................................................... 14SeeYou .......................................................................................................................................................... 15XC Planner

Part IV Flight preparation 18

................................................................................................................................... 181 Mounting

.......................................................................................................................................................... 19Cockpit mount

.......................................................................................................................................................... 20Harness mount

.......................................................................................................................................................... 21Leg mount .......................................................................................................................................................... 22Hang glider mount

................................................................................................................................... 222 Altimeters and altitude adjustment

.......................................................................................................................................................... 22Altimeters .......................................................................................................................................................... 23Absolute altitude

.......................................................................................................................................................... 24Alternative altitude display

.......................................................................................................................................................... 25Relative altitude

................................................................................................................................... 253 Entering and selecting waypoints

.......................................................................................................................................................... 25Entering waypoints manually

.......................................................................................................................................................... 26Uploading waypoints from file

IIContents

II

.......................................................................................................................................................... 26Saving current position as waypoint

.......................................................................................................................................................... 27Goto .......................................................................................................................................................... 27Deleting waypoints

................................................................................................................................... 284 Routes

.......................................................................................................................................................... 28Creating a route

.......................................................................................................................................................... 28Activating the route

.......................................................................................................................................................... 28Deactivating the route

.......................................................................................................................................................... 28Erasing the route

................................................................................................................................... 295 Airspaces

.......................................................................................................................................................... 29Airspace resources

.......................................................................................................................................................... 29Activating airspace files

.......................................................................................................................................................... 29Scenario: Flying straight toward an airspace

Part V Flight 33

................................................................................................................................... 331 Flight mode

.......................................................................................................................................................... 33Overview .......................................................................................................................................................... 37List of indicators

.......................................................................................................................................................... 38Wind direction and strength

.......................................................................................................................................................... 38Relocating thermals

.......................................................................................................................................................... 39Flight pages .......................................................................................................................................................... 41In-flight information page

.......................................................................................................................................................... 42Audio volume

................................................................................................................................... 422 Flight recording

.......................................................................................................................................................... 43Detecting take-off

.......................................................................................................................................................... 43Recording .......................................................................................................................................................... 44Landing ................................................................................................................................... 443 Flying an XC route

.......................................................................................................................................................... 45Prepare for your flight

.......................................................................................................................................................... 45Fly the route .......................................................................................................................................................... 48After your flight

................................................................................................................................... 494 Flying a competition

.......................................................................................................................................................... 49Video .......................................................................................................................................................... 49Prepare for the competition

.......................................................................................................................................................... 52Flying the competition

.......................................................................................................................................................... 56After the race

Part VI Flight analysis 59

................................................................................................................................... 591 Reviewing flights on your Element

................................................................................................................................... 592 The flight summary page

................................................................................................................................... 603 Uploading flights to your computer

................................................................................................................................... 604 Manually exporting flights

................................................................................................................................... 605 Deleting flights from your Element

Part VII Configuration 63

................................................................................................................................... 631 General settings

.......................................................................................................................................................... 63Pilot information

.......................................................................................................................................................... 63Time zone (UTC)

.......................................................................................................................................................... 63Units of measurement

Element TrackIII

.......................................................................................................................................................... 63Coordinate format

.......................................................................................................................................................... 64Further customisation

................................................................................................................................... 642 Vario settings

.......................................................................................................................................................... 64Numeric vario averaging interval

.......................................................................................................................................................... 64Last thermal threshold

.......................................................................................................................................................... 64Turbulence filter

................................................................................................................................... 653 Audio settings

.......................................................................................................................................................... 67Audio volume level

.......................................................................................................................................................... 67Climb audio menu

.......................................................................................................................................................... 68Sink audio menu

.......................................................................................................................................................... 69Stall alarm

................................................................................................................................... 694 Speed settings

.......................................................................................................................................................... 69External wind vane sensor

.......................................................................................................................................................... 70Airspeed calibration

.......................................................................................................................................................... 70Stall alarm

Part VIII Menu tree 73

Part IX Technical specification 76

Part X Troubleshooting 78

Part XI Notice of non-liability 80

Part XII Limited Warranty 82

Index 83

Part I

Element Track2

1 Introduction

Element Track version 1.04.17

Company Flytec by Naviter is dedicated to solve soaring pilot's problems and Element Track is surely one

of the result on this challenge. Mainly Element Track is helping para-glider and hang glider pilots

navigate during leisure, cross country and competition flights.

Element Track is robust and reliable vario. For this reason it has a big screen, excellent vario and a

great battery autonomy, which offers more than 30 hours of flying. You can literally take your Element

Track out of the box and just use it!

Naviter is a Slovenian based company. Our focus is on highly featured and "easy to use" software and

hardware which is suitable for beginners, recreational and pro soaring pilots. What we are interested

in are the needs of paraglider, hang glider and sailplane pilots worldwide.

Naviter d.o.o.

Planina 3

4000 Kranj

Slovenia

email: [email protected]

web: http://www.naviter.com/

1.1 In the Box

The Element Track is delivered with pre-installed Element Track software. Your Element Track was

delivered in a package with the following items:

1. Element Track

2. Protective case

3. Getting started manual

4. USB cable

Part II

Element Track4

2 General

Getting started : General information on yourElement Track, such as switching on/off, batteries

and handling

Software updates : How to update the software on the Element Track

USB connection : Getting data (such as waypoint files and flight records) onto and off the Element

Track

Technical notes : Taking care of your Element Track

2.1 Getting started

This topic wants to cover some of the basic things you need to know about how to use your Element

Track. If this is the first time you are using Element Track please take a few moments to read about

the basics about how to use Element Track:

Switching Element Track on and off

Batteries

Setting a language

Keypad functions

2.1.1 Switching Element Track on and off

Switching on

1.Press and hold the on/off key.

2.Confirm On? with OK.

3.Cancel with ESC.

Switching off

1.Press and hold the on/off key.

2.Confirm Off? with OK.

3.Cancel with ESC.

Press and hold to switch on or off.

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General 5

2.1.2 Batteries

The Element Track comes with two standard AA batteries, which are inserted on the back of the

instrument. The instrument warns you, when the charge level drops below 30 %. See the Technical

notes for information on re-chargeable batteries.

Battery compartment.

2.1.3 Setting a language

1.Press and hold MENU .

2.Use the arrow keys to find Instrument settings.

3.Use the arrow keys to find Language.

4.Select your preferred language by pressing OK.

2.1.4 Keypad functions

The following two diagrams show the functions of the keypad. The second diagram for text entry is

needed for example when entering the pilot's name.

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Element Track6

Keyboard functions.

Text entry.

2.2 Software updates

How to update the software on the Element:

Identifying the current software version

Installing a firmware update 7

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General 7

2.2.1 Identifying the current software version

Flytecby Naviter will periodically issue firmware updates for the Element Track to improve its functionality

and offer new features. It is important to upgrade to the latest firmware version. The current version

of your software is indicated, when starting up your Element Track. If the vario is switched on, you

can check your version as follows:

1.Press and hold MENU then use the arrow keys to navigate to factory settings. Press OK.

2.Use the arrows and choose serial number. Press OK.

3.What you see displayed is the first line of the firmware version, below is the serial number of your

Elements (S/N) as well as an internal identifier.

Note: Your Element Track consumes battery power when in USB mode (see USB connection ). Do

not leave it connected to your computer for an extended period of time or you will drain your battery.

Note: be sure you have fresh batteries before installing new firmware! If your Element Track runs out

of battery power while it is updating its firmware, it may not work properly.

2.2.2 Installing a firmware update

When you connect yourElement Track to a computer it will appear as an external hard drive. On this

drive you find the programme "Element Update". Open the programme and it will establish a

connection with our server to search for new software. The programme takes you automatically

through the update process. A green tick appears for all completed steps. If there is no update

available for your Element, the screen will show a green bar as depicted below.

Update app on Element Track drive

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Element Track8

Element Track update programme

Installing a firmware update before software version 1.3.10

Learn how to transfer data via USB cable (see USB connection ) between the Element Track and a

computer. When you connect it to your computer it will appear as an external hard drive. Download

the new firmware from the Element Track website, then connect your Element Track, and drag-and

drop the UPG file into the folder named update.

1.Switch off your Element Track.

2.Connect the Element Track to your computer with the USB cable.

3.Open the drive labelled ELEMENT on your computer.

4.Open the folder named update.

5.Drag-and-drop the UPG file from your desktop into the folder update.

6.Click Eject or Disconnect Safely before disconnecting yourElement Track.

7.Switch on yourElement Track.

8.Confirm Update? by pressing OK.

Note: Always choose "Eject" on a Mac or "Disconnect Safely" on a PC before disconnecting your

Element Track.

Your Element Track will read the new firmware and automatically update itself. Note that this could

take a few minutes. The firmware file remains in the update folder after the update, but its ending

changes from .upg to _pg. If you change the ending back to .upg, your Element Track will offer to

install it again the next time you switch it on. If multiple files with the ending .upg exist in the update

folder, the Element Track will automatically choose only the newest one.

Error messages

When updating the software of your Element Track, you may get one of five error messages.

Error 1:

There is no update file. Go through the procedure above and try again.

Error 2:

The update file is corrupt. Go through the procedure above and try again.

Error 3:

There is more than one vaild update file. Check the contents of your update folder and

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General 9

ensure there is only one file ending in .upg

Error 4:

An error occurred in the Element Track’s sub-processor. Try again and if it keeps failing,

contact Flytecby Naviter.

Error 5:

An error occurred in the Element Track’s main processor. Try again and if it keeps failing,

contact Flytecby Naviter.

2.3 USB connection

Your Element Track works like a USB stick - plug it into your PC or Mac and the drive ELEMENT

appears on your computer.

1.Switch off your Element Track.

2.Connect the Element to your computer with the USB cable.

3.Open the drive labelled ELEMENT on your computer.

4.The below list of folders appears on your computer.

5.Eject/safely remove the Element Track, before unplugging the USB cable

config:

Your configuration data is stored in this folder. You should normally not have to manipulate

it.

flights:

This folder stores your IGC files, i.e. your recorded flights. You can drag and drop these files

onto your computer and view them in your personal flight log.

system:

A log of your instrument's activities is kept on your Element Track. We might occasionally

ask you to send us your log file for trouble shooting.

updates:

This is the folder in which update files are saved, if a software update is available (see

Software updates ).

waypoints:

Stores your waypoint files.

ELEMENT drive on your computer

Folder structure on your computer

Note: Your Element Track consumes battery power when in USB mode. Do not leave it connected to

your computer for an extended period of time or you will drain your battery.

Note: Always choose "Eject" on a Mac or "Disconnect Safely" on a PC before disconnecting your

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Element Track10

Element Track.

Note: If you accidentally delete an IGC file from your Element Track while it's in USB mode, don't

worry. You can recreate the file by manually exporting a flight (see chapter Manually exporting flights

).

2.4 Technical notes

Taking care of your Element Track.

2.4.1 Batteries

Your Element Track comes with two AA alkaline batteries. Battery life in normal use should last

around 30 hours. If you store your Element Track for long periods of time, remove the batteries to

prevent corrosion.

If you choose to power your Element Track with NiMH rechargeable batteries, it is important to

configure the power supply setting on the device.

1.Press and hold MENU, then use the arrow keys to scroll to Instrumental settings.

2.Press OK.

3.Use the arrows to select Battery type and press OK.

4.Select NiMH 2.1Ah using the arrow keys. Press OK.

5.Press ESC to return to the Main Setup Menu.

Note: We do not recommend using NiCad rechargeable batteries in the Element Track.

2.4.2 Maintenance

The Element Track is a sensitive instrument–handle it gently. Always store it in its cloth bag when not

in use, and only wipe it clean with a soft, damp cloth. Never expose the Element Track to extreme

temperatures, water, or mechanical force.

2.4.3 Reboot

In the event your Element Track locks up, you may perform a hard reboot by removing the batteries

for 5 minutes before replacing them and restarting the device.

2.4.4 If exposed to water

The Element Track is not water resistant! Exposure to water or any other liquid will cause serious

damage. In case your Element Track gets wet, remove the batteries immediately to prevent more

damage. If your Element Track was exposed to salt water, rinse it in warm, clean, fresh water. Dry

your Element Track thoroughly and return it to your vendor or directly to Naviter for servicing.

2.4.5 Warranty

Naviter provides a 2-year warranty on your Element Track, and we encourage you to contact us via

our website any time for support. After your warranty has expired we will still repair your Element

Track at a reasonable charge.

For more details see also:

Limited Warranty

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General 11

2.4.6 Technical support

Direct all inquiries to your vendor, or directly to Naviter via our website www.naviter.com or via e-mail

on [email protected].

If you need access to your serial number (S/N) or software version follow these steps:

1.Press and hold MENU.

2.Use the arrow keys to scroll to Factory settings, press OK.

3.Use the arrow keys to scroll to Serial number, press OK.

Part III

Planning a flight 13

3 Planning a flight

To plan your flight check:

Airspace resources : Sources for airspace files

Route planning : Preparing coordinates for waypoints and routes

3.1 Airspace resources

To upload airspaces on your Element Track follow the following chapters:

OpenAir format for Connect 1 and Element Track

UK airspaces

3.1.1 OpenAir format for Connect 1 and Element Track

The Element Track currently reads airspace files in OpenAir format. To download these files we

recommend Soaringweb. After clicking on your region and country, you are presented with a number

of formats to download. Choose OpenAir format as shown below. In order to load airspaces onto your

vario, you need to connect the vario to a computer Data management|via USB, drop the files in the

folder "airspaces" and then select an airspace file to be displayed on the Element Track.

OpenAir files on Soaringweb

3.1.2 UK airspaces

Unfortunately downloading the OpenAir files from SoaringWeb doesn't work for the UK. You have to

download the ASSelect programme as shown below. When generating your file with the programme,

make sure you select the OpenAir format at the very end. The programme seems to be available for

Windows only.

ASSelect for the UK

Downloading the programme

Saving as OpenAir file

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Element Track14

3.2 Route planning

The Element Track save geographic points in a list of waypoints. You can either navigate to waypoints

individually (“Goto”) or combine several waypoints into a route and fly through those in sequence.

Find out more about Entering and selecting waypoints and Routes . This page shows you how to

create a file containing waypoints, which you can then upload onto your vario. In order to convert

already existing waypoints files into formats compatible with the Element Track, we recommend

SeeYou.

In the Element Track, the waypoint list has a capacity of 350 waypoints. A route can encompass up to

50 waypoints. First, you will need navigation data. You can get this from your mentor or another pilot,

or you can use mapping software to generate your own information. For this tutorial you will use:

SeeYou software or

XC Planner online tool.

3.2.1 SeeYou

SeeYou is flight analysis and planning software.

It combines powerful features with intuitive interface. Comprehensive statistics, free vector maps,

direct communication with flight recorders and numerous other functions which make SeeYou an

essential tool for glider pilots and competition organizers.

Plan a flight with preset waypoints

Planning flights is important for everyone who is trying to maximize the weather conditions. SeeYou

offers you a graphical tool to setup tasks.

1.To start planning flights, open the Tasks window

2.Select View > Map from the main menu to change view

3.To create a new task choose Edit > Add Task or the icon

4.Click on the Start point, 1st Point, 2nd Point of your task in correct sequence

5.Finish adding waypoints by pressing ESC button once.

That's all, you have created a new task.

Plan a flight without preset waypoints

To create a task where its waypoints are not in the Waypoints database, press and hold the Shift key.

Each click will create a new waypoint. New waypoints will have a name such as _Point_123.

You can change the name and other properties of this point by clicking the mouse right button over it

and selecting Edit Waypoint .

Now save the task to your Element Track

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Planning a flight 15

1.Connect your Element Track with computer via USB connection

2.Save waypoints and task to your Element Track by choosing File > Save as.. and

3.Save as *.cup file directly to your Element Track

4.See chapter Entering and selecting waypoints to learn how to use waypoints

3.2.2 XC Planner

Drag the red line to position waypoints on the map. In XC Planner, right-clicking creates a new

waypoint (Control+click on a Mac). Grabbing and dragging the midpoint of the red line also creates a

new waypoint. Let's say you want to fly the classic route from Àger to Organyà, in Spain. You will drag

the red line to connect likely thermal sources and soarable ridges along the route:

Planning a route in XC Planner

To generate coordinates for the waypoints along this route, click the box on the right, labelled

Download. Save the waypoints as a file after clicking "Download". You can then drag-and-drop this

file directly into your Element Track. To enter the information manually into the Element Track, see

Entering waypoints manually .

XC Planner generates the following list of coordinates for you:

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Element Track16

Coordinates generated by XC Planner

WP01 Ager take-off N 42°02.765 E 0°44.774 1565 m

WP02 Vilanova de M N 42°00.631 E 0°54.179 813 m

WP03 Knoll N 42°03.624 E 1°01.746 1135 m

WP04 Ridge N 42°10.894 E 1°04.590 1451 m

WP05 Santa Fe N 42°12.276 E 1°18.458 759 m

WP06 Organya N 42°13.147 E 1°19.339 549 m

Naviter Flytec Element Track User manual

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