FrSky Vario setup OpenTX 2.1

How to set up the FrSKY high precision variometer in OpenTX 2.1. Spoken altitude, vario tones and ranges, silent center band.
In the change from OpenTX 2.0 to OpenTX 2.1 telemetry handling changed radically. With 2.1 sensors have to be "Discovered" before being available. The idea being you won't have to scroll through all the non existent sensor parameters when programming.
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[@Brattoncnc]

Thank you! I searched everywhere to try and find out how to reset altitude to the current zero. Simple. Thank you for providing this info. Very good and informative video.

[@AndrewNewton]

Glad I could help!

[@finecutpost]

Beautifully clear and precise recommend playing at 1.5 speed to get a quick overview then normal speed when actually making the adjustments. Top quality work thank you

[@AndrewNewton]

Haha, yes I do need to be speeded up occasionally

[@finecutpost]

Actually Andrew it's a perfect speed when you doing the install. And speeding up is great for an overview or review. Please keep your excellent videos coming. I'd be lost without them

[@stephengloor8451]

Its only taken two years and I finally have my glider :-) Thanks for all these tutorials - have set up my new Phoenix 2400 exactly by your book

[@AndrewNewton]

Good to hear Stephen, any flight videos?

[@Coyote973]

Thank you Andrew, I have built OpenXsensor vario and I have found your video very demonstrative. It works.

[@AndrewNewton]

Nice one Marko, Dudn't know about OpenXsensor

[@hb9hal]

Thank you Andrew. Your Video just gave me an inspiration to link my LUA-based Pixhawk-telemetry-data to enable Vario by setting "Source" to "VSpd". And it works ;-)

[@AndrewNewton]

Nice work!

[@johnsauren4730]

Thanks mate ... very nice vid. Got myself a vario installed into my Solius and waiting for better weather

[@AndrewNewton]

Excellent, I love the vario

[@gygaxthegoat2491]

Thankyou once again mr newton 🙂👍

[@AndrewNewton]

Thanks again!

[@BurntCarcus]

Great video. Going to try to install and use the variometer with my voltage sensor this weekend in my bix3. Now i know how! Thanks!

[@AndrewNewton]

Excellent, my favourite sensor combo.

[@prestonshute7243]

Thanks Andrews for the video. Just my X4R and Vario to go with my QX7.. This will be a big help yo me. Plan on putting it in my trusty old Radian. Cheers

[@AndrewNewton]

The Lipo sensor and Vario are the perfect combo for a Radian.

[@finecutpost]

I had a problem with the Alt audio reporting miliamps and the vario sound not working at all after installing the Amber sound pack it all works perfectly. plus its a much nicer voice to listen to. It took until mindnite. Anyway its a very clear video and I learned more about Taranis than ever before

[@AndrewNewton]

Excellent, Amber is very nice!

[@kartherton]

Thanks Andrew. Been hunting for this info. Sorted now. Well done. 👍

[@AndrewNewton]

Excellent Keith. Glad it helped

[@stephengloor8451]

Thanks Andrew - will put up my autopilot setup if I ever get around to getting my glider.

[@AndrewNewton]

Please do mate

[@7demo7review]

This will be a great addition to my new Taranis

[@AndrewNewton]

Ah you chose the red pill Neo, let's see how deep the rabbit hole goes. Excellent Jeff, very happy for you.

[@7demo7review]

Andrew Newton ahhh, my favorite movie....

[@ELCIOFRANCISCO]

PARABENS PELO SEU TRABALHO! VC É NOTA 10 CONGRATULATIONS FOR YOUR WORK!

[@valvegramp]

Thanks for that mate ..sorted cheers

[@meljones7066]

Andrew, yes I agree that the bleeping is annoying to other flyers, but you can always use the ear phone socket. Having said that I can also hear the transmission signal as well when using an ear bud with my Taranis which is annoying for me, any one got any thoughts on how to cure that?

[@AndrewNewton]

My microphones pick it up too, has ruined a few voice overs

[@NeilHodgsonDARKHOURS]

Thanks, great video the only problem I am having is that my vario tones don't change pitch when moving sensor up or down, with the switch in the middle it's calling the altitude change alright thank you for any help

[@AndrewNewton]

Make sure Vario Source is VSpd in the telemetry screen

[@NeilHodgsonDARKHOURS]

@@AndrewNewton Thank you for your help I did have the source on Vspd I did get it working ok now. What I ended up doing was to delete sensors and discover new again and it started working great I forgot I just installed the new Opentx last week and was having problems with other settings. so I just started it out as a new model and start fresh. Thank you again your video was easy to follow and understand. I have had this vario for some time now and never got it to work : }

[@AndrewNewton]

Oh that's good to know Neil. Thanks for the update

[@boarder904]

Nice video Andrew! Do you know if it's possible to make the vario start beeping when climbing or to do a constant tone while sinking without the silence between -0.5/+0.5 meters? This would be very helpful in extreme weak thermals. Greetings from Germany!

[@AndrewNewton]

The silent zone is selectable, and I think you can adjust the range too, I'll have to investigate

[@stevecopelin5264]

Great vid Andrew, I set this up on my Horus X12 and works a treat. Did you come across an option to reset the altimeter? I'd like to be able to set the alt at zero before take off. Keep the vids coming.

[@AndrewNewton]

Hold down Enter and you can Reset Telemetry or Flight. Can also assign a switch to Reset Alt in Special Functions

[@orellanajuan9431]

Great video!! Now if I can just get this stuff to work properly on my RadioMaster I’ll be set. 😕

[@AndrewNewton]

Are you having trouble with the vario sound? I'll do a video maybe

[@rickwinjester9706]

Hi,what's the difference between the frsky x4r white cover version and the black one?Thanks Rick

[@AndrewNewton]

X4RSB (black) has 3 PWM channels plus SBUS (16 channels), X4R (white) has 4 PWM channels and no SBUS

[@bwxmoto]

I wonder what the range is of the vario tone. Same as overall range of Tx/ Rx connection or does it run at lower power like the Spektrum?

[@AndrewNewton]

Good question, same as the radio from my experience. I have had "low signal" warnings but never "telemetry lost" warnings due to distance

[@bwxmoto]

That would be amazing if true. I get above 1000 feet with Spektrum vario and start getting very spotty telemetry reception.

[@mikeyfrompiha]

Do you use the "high precision" or the "normal precision" vario ? Am looking at getting one for the ASW for some thermaling once summer finally arrives

[@AndrewNewton]

High precision, I have not used the normal precision vario

[@ricksquebecrc4627]

hi andrew !! i just looked at this video with the x4r , in this video you power up your receiver with a 4 cells 750ma batt pack , i`m new to fpv and i just received my taranis and x8r receiver and i would like to bind it to my taranis , can i use a regular 4 x 1.5 volts battery pack the power up my x8r for the binding ?

[@AndrewNewton]

Yes that would be no problem. The X8R can handle 4 to 10V (Looking at the specs on the FrSky site)

[@ricksquebecrc4627]

thank you andrew,,,, happy birthday again and have a nice day

[@henvan8737]

Nice video, Your poor radio looks like its had a hard life, lots of marks on the case.

[@nikleiser5888]

Can you explain to me how activate the vario beep when the throttle is zero ?

[@AndrewNewton]

The Vario function does not depend on the throttle position. You would normally have it on a switch like I showed in the video.

[@nikleiser5888]

@@AndrewNewton but I dont want it on a switch. I want the vario to be active when throttle is zero.

[@AndrewNewton]

Oh do you mean ONLY when the throttle is zero? Use a Logical switch. In the Logical Switches page... L01, Function A=X, V1 - Thr, V2 - 0. So the switch called L01 will be ON whenever Thr =0. In Special Functions... Switch - L01, Action - Vario So now whenever L01 is ON the Vario is active

[@nikleiser5888]

@@AndrewNewton Thank you.

[@nikleiser5888]

@@AndrewNewton Ok,I did that and set two more Log Switches: L2 a>x Alt 250m (Altitudewarning) Special functions: L01, Play Val, Alt, 60 L02 Play Value Alt 60. Did I do a good job with my settings ?