ALT-3

Precision Aviation altimeter and

Vertical speed indicator

Operating Manual – English 1.01

Introduction
The ALT-3 is a 3 1/8” instrument that contains a precision altimeter and a wide range vertical speed indicator. The
altimeter conforms to ANSI standard atmosphere rules from –1000 ft up to a maximum of 30 000 ft. The altimeter can
display altitude in feet or meters, local pressure can be set in millibars or inches of mercury

The onboard VSI indicator is altitude compensated and can be displayed in either feet/minute (ft/min) or meters/second
(m/s). It also offers a digital readout with a wide range from +/-20 ft/min to as high as +/-10 000 ft/min, it also offers a
logarithmic analog display with a +/-2000 ft range. The VSI can be calibrated by the user once the instrument has been
installed in the aircraft.

In addition the ALT-3 provides an OAT sender which is used in determining the density altitude of the aircraft. The ALT-3
can also be used to measure relative altitude and it has a facility for the pilot to enter a reference altitude and deviation
band that has to be kept.

1 Features
• Precision altimeter from –1000 ft up to a maximum of 30 000 ft (-304m to 9144m)
• The altimeter can display altitude in feet or meters, local pressure can be set in millibars or inches of
mercury
• Contains a wide range VSI indicator from +/-20 ft/min to as high as +/-10 000 ft/min
• VSI units can be in feet/minute (ft/min) or in meters/second (m/s)
• Records the maximum and minimum OAT (outside air temperature) and maximum altitude reached in
permanent memory
• Records maximum and minimum OAT in temporary memory since instrument power up
• Standard 3 1/8” aircraft enclosure (can be front or rear mounted)
• Rotary control plus 2 independent buttons for easy menu navigation and user input
• Alarm output as well as a red LED illuminates when the alarm has been activated
• Large backlit graphic LCD with adjustable contrast
• Wide input supply voltage range of 8 to 30V DC with built in voltage reversal and over voltage protection
for harsh electrical environments
• Light weight design
• Field upgradeable firmware
• 1 year limited warranty
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2 ALT-3 Layout LED Alarm:

The red LED will illuminate if the
deviation band has been exceeded
when using the deviation altitude mode

Backlit Graphic LCD Display:

Contrast and backlight can
be adjusted in the menu system Pressure Ports:
Pressure ports connect
to the static pressure tube

Harness:
Up/F1 Button:
Harness connects
Up button in menu system
to power
Deviation mode: Enter
Reference altitude and
deviation band Down/F2 Button:
Relative Mode: Enter reference Down button in menu
altitude system
Main display scrolling in
Normal mode

Rotary Control (Up/Down) & Enter Button:

Press the rotary control during normal mode to access the menu system. Rotate
anti/clockwise for up/down menu scrolling. During normal mode rotating the rotary
control will adjust the local pressure setting. Local pressure can be set in either mB
or in “Hg.

3 Main Display
The main displays can be toggled by pressing the F2/Down key.

3.1 Altitude and VSI display

This is the standard display for the ALT-3. Use the rotary control to adjust the local pressure setting.

Altitude Reading

Altitude Unit
Logarithmic analog
VSI indicator
VSI Unit

Local pressure readout (either in Digital VSI readout

millibars or in inches of mercury)
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3.2 Altitude relative to sea level display

Use the rotary control to adjust the local pressure setting.

Digital VSI readout, Altitude relative to

can be turned off in mean sea level
the menu system

Barometer, can
be turned off in
the menu system
Altitude unit
Local pressure readout (either in
millibars or in inches of mercury)

3.3 VSI (Vertical Speed Indicator)

The ALT-3 can be setup to be as a VSI (vertical speed indicator).

Digital VSI readout

Logarithmic analog
VSI indicator

VSI units

3.4 Deviation Altitude display

Altitude deviation Display messages when band

Altitude deviation has been exceeded
function on/off
band

Digital VSI readout,

can be turned off in
the menu system

Reference Altitude

Local pressure readout (either in Altitude unit

millibars or in inches of mercury)
ALT-3 Operating Manual Page 4

Use the rotary control to adjust the local pressure setting. Pressing the F1/up key will allow the pilot to enter a reference
altitude and the deviation band.

Adjust the reference altitude using the rotary control. This is the altitude that the pilot wants to
maintain. Press the F1 key to accept, press the F2 key to return to the main display.

Adjust the deviation band above and below your reference altitude that is still acceptable to fly in.
Any altitude outside this band will activate the alarm. Press the F1 key to accept, press the F2
button to return to the main display.

Select whether you want the altitude deviation feature enabled or not. Press the F1 key to enable
the altitude deviation feature, press the F2 key to disable the altitude deviation feature.

3.5 Relative Altitude display

Reference Altitude
Digital VSI readout,
can be turned off in
the menu system

Barometer, can be
turned off in the
menu system Altitude unit

Local pressure readout (either in

millibars or in inches of mercury)

Use the rotary control to adjust the local pressure setting. Pressing the F1/up key will allow the pilot to enter a reference
altitude.

Enter the reference altitude you would like to use in relative mode. Use the rotary control to adjust
the reference altitude. Press the F1/up key to accept.

3.6 Density Altitude display

Density altitude is a perceived altitude that pertains to your current altitude and temperature (and to a lesser extent on
your current moisture content of the air). Density altitude is relevant for performance calculations of your aircraft. Density
altitude affects the performance of your engine, propeller and airfoils. The most noticeable affects of density altitude are
length of take-off and landing runs and the ability of your aircraft to carry weight. There are several methods to calculate
density altitude, all result in readings that are very close to each other. We decided to implement a popular formula that is
often used by pilots to calculate density altitude at their location.
ALT-3 Operating Manual Page 5

Da = Density altitude
Pa = Pressure altitude
T = ambient temperature in degrees C
Ts= 15 - 0.0019812 * pressure altitude (ft)

Da = Pa + 118.6 * (T-Ts)

Compensated
Digital VSI readout, density altitude
can be turned off in value
the menu system

Altitude unit

Uncompensated
altitude value Local pressure readout (either in
millibars or in inches of mercury)

3.7 OAT (Outside air temperature) Display

The OAT probe is used to determine density altitude. Press the F1 key to reset the min/max reading to the current
reading.

Temporary maximum and

minimum OAT since
OAT reading instrument power up

Temperature unit

4 Menu System
Pressing the rotary control button during the normal display mode will cause the ALT-3 to enter the menu system. Use the
up/down keys or the rotary control to navigate through the menu system.
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Note: (ADC Values and Calibrate Menus are only visible when powering up the unit and pressing the
Rotary Control). The text “CALIBRATE” will appear on the intro screen when entering this mode.

Warning: The Calibrate Menu is for technical personnel only. Changing any values in this menu may
cause the instrument to display incorrect information, and may require the instrument to be returned to
the factory for recalibration.

4.1 Exit Menu

Press the rotary control on this menu item to exit the menu system. All changes made during
navigation of the menu system will be saved in non-volatile memory on exiting the menu system.
If you remove power before exiting the menu the instrument will not save any changes.

4.2 Maximum Values

To avoid false recordings, the maximum values function is only activated 10 seconds after the
instrument has powered up.

Move the highlight over the “DONE” menu item and press the rotary button to return to the main
menu.

Move the highlight over this menu item and press the rotary button to reset the maximum altitude
and OAT values to the current values.

4.3 Display Setup

Move the highlight over this menu option and press the rotary button to return to the main menu.

Select this menu option to adjust the display contrast.

Select this menu option to turn the backlight on or off.

ALT-3 Operating Manual Page 7

Select whether you want the OAT to be displayed in degrees Fahrenheit (ºF) or in degrees
Celsius (ºC).

4.4 Altitude Setup

All altitude related parameters can be setup here.

Move the highlight over the “DONE” menu item and press the rotary button to return to the main
menu.

Select if you want your altitude readout in feet (ft) or meters (m).

Select if you want your local pressure readout in millibars (mB) or inches of mercury (“Hg).

Select if you want the barometer to be displayed on the altitude screens or not.

4.5 VSI (Vertical Speed Indicator) Setup

All VSI related parameters can be setup here.

Move the highlight over the “DONE” menu item and press the rotary button to return to the main
menu.

This function is used to set your VSI to read exactly 0ft/min. This is similar to setting the needle
on a mechanical VSI to point to zero by turning the adjustment knob on such a VSI. The
electronic VSI generally has much less drift compared to a mechanical VSI and this function will
only be used very occasionally. Ensure that you perform this function when no pressure changes
due to wind or other reasons are occurring.

Select if you want to show the built in VSI (vertical speed indicator). The built in VSI will be shown
above the altitude readout.

Select if you want your VSI readout in feet/minute (ft/m) or meters/second (m/s).
Note: meters/second will be shown with two decimals, example: “1.23”.
ALT-3 Operating Manual Page 8

This is a function that is used to calibrate your VSI to read exact rates of climb or decent. This
function works as a percentage of initial reading. The default setting for this function is 100%.
Increasing this value increases the VSI reading and decreasing the value decreases the reading.

Suggested VSI calibration method

After you have installed the instrument, perform a calibration flight. This should be done in very calm conditions.
Turbulence and thermal activity will make accurate calibration impossible. Many areas have ideal conditions during early
mornings or late afternoons. Place the instrument in “feet” unit mode for ease of calibration. Take your aircraft to a few
thousand feet above ground and start a glide with a low power setting. Take a stopwatch and when the glide is stable
(stable VSI reading) start the stopwatch. Take note of your altimeter reading at the same time. Continue the stable glide
for one minute exactly. After the minute has finished, take another reading of your altimeter.

Example:
VSI reading during stable glide: -400 ft/min
Start altitude: 2500 ft.
End altitude: 2050 ft.
In the above example the VSI is under reading by about 12%. Set your VSI calibration to 112% to cancel out the error.

4.6 ADC Values

Note: This menu item is for technical personnel only, and is not displayed during the normal
operation of the instrument. Please see section 4 above on how to access this menu item.

This menu displays the ADC values that have been read from the pressure sensors.

4.7 Calibrate
Note: This menu item is for technical personnel only, and is not displayed during the normal
operation of the instrument. Please see section 4 above on how to access this menu item.
Consult your local dealer or factory before entering this menu.

Move the highlight over the “DONE” menu item and press the rotary button to return to the main
menu.

On the back of the ALT-3 you will find the calibration number that has been determined to ensure
the most accurate reading of your altimeter. This is the value that should be entered here. Should
you have access to an accurate reference you may use this function to calibrate your altimeter.
Before you do this, ensure that your calibrated and certified reference is set to the local pressure
of 1013mB (29.92”HG). Your altimeter has been calibrated by the factory to an accuracy of +/-
one mB or approximately +/- 30 ft (10m).

The ALT-3 is calibrated in degrees Celsius. The ALT-3 is calibrated at the factory using a
precision laboratory thermometer. If recalibration is required then adjust the value using the
up/down keys or the rotary control until the temperature matches the reference ambient
temperature.
ALT-3 Operating Manual Page 9

5 Loading factory default settings

Pressing and holding the F1 and F2 simultaneously on power up will cause the ALT-3 to load preprogrammed factory
default settings. The following screen will be displayed:

6 Operating the alarms

If the alarm is activated, the corresponding item on the display will flash. At the same time the externally available alarm
switch will close. The switch will remain closed until any button is pressed to acknowledge the alarm or until the
condition(s) that activated the alarm no longer exist. The alarm output can be used to switch an external alarm indicator.
The external alarm switch is an open collector transistor switch to ground with a maximum rating of 0.5A DC. It is possible
to wire the alarm contacts of several Stratomaster instruments in parallel should this be desired. To avoid false activation
of the alarms, the alarm function is only active 10 seconds after the instrument has powered up.

7 Cleaning
The unit should not be cleaned with any abrasive substances. The screen is very sensitive to certain cleaning materials
and should only be cleaned using a clean, damp cloth.

Warning: The ALT-3 is not waterproof, serious damage could occur if the unit is exposed to
water and/or spray jets.

8 ALT-3 Specifications
Operating Temperature Range -10ºC to 50ºC (14ºF to 122ºF)
Storage Temperature Range -20ºC to 80ºC (-4ºF to 176ºF)
Humidity <85% non-condensing
8 to 30Vdc SMPS (switch mode power supply) with built in 33V over
Power Supply
voltage and reverse voltage protection
Current Consumption Approx. 43mA @ 13.8V (backlight on) 16mA @13.8V (backlight off)
128x64 graphic LCD display. Contrast and backlight is user configurable,
Display
green/yellow backlight
ADC 12bit over sampled successive approximation
Dimensions see Velocity series dimensional drawing
Enclosure 3 1/8” ABS, black in color, front or rear mounting
Weight Approx. 176 grams
Alarm contact current rating Open collector transistor switch to ground. Maximum rating 0.5A DC
Non-volatile memory storage 100000 write cycles
Altimeter range -1000ft to 30 000ft (-304m to 9144m)
Altimeter resolution 1ft/1m
Altitude measurement accuracy +/- 1mB, +/- 30ft at sea level
Digital VSI range +/-20ft/m to +/-10 000ft/m
Digital VSI resolution 10ft
Analog VSI range +/-2000 ft/m, logarithmic scale
VSI measurement accuracy +/- 2%, relative to calibration
ALT-3 Operating Manual Page 10

9 Installation
Connect the static port to a suitable static air pressure line. If you have a slow aircraft or an aircraft were the internal cabin
pressure does not change during flight and is equivalent to the outside air pressure you may find that it is not required to
connect a static port.

For installations in typical ultralight aircraft pods, be aware of possible pressure changes inside the pod during flight
caused by ram air or suction effects. This may lead to a false indication of altitude. Often these effects are dependent on
the current angle of attack of the airflow around your pod. You will need to install a suitable static port in these cases.

The use of an external 1A fuse is recommended. Connect the supply terminals to your aircrafts power supply. The ALT-3
can be used on both 12V and 24V without the use of any pre-regulators. Ensure that the supply voltage will not drop
below 8V during operation as this may result in incorrect readings.

9.1 ALT-3 DB9 Cable connections

DB 9 Pin Color Function
1 Black Ground
2 Orange OAT Sensor
4 NC Airtalk communication (Not
connected). Used for firmware
upgrading
6 Red 8-30Vdc power
9 White Alarm Output

9.2 Connection Diagram

ALT-3 Operating Manual Page 11

9.3 Pressure Port Dimensions

Inches Millimeters
Min Max Min Max
0.182 0.194 4.62 4.93
A
0.420 0.440 10.67 11.18
B

10 Warranty
This product carries a warranty for a period of one year from date of purchase against faulty workmanship or defective
materials, provided there is no evidence that the unit has been mishandled or misused. Warranty is limited to the
replacement of faulty components and includes the cost of labor. Shipping costs are for the account of the purchaser.

Damage as a result of applying excessive pressure to the pressure ports are excluded from warranty.

Note: Product warranty excludes damages caused by unprotected, unsuitable or incorrectly wired
electrical supplies and or sensors, and damage caused by inductive loads.

11 Disclaimer
Operation of this instrument is the sole responsibility of the purchaser of the unit. The user must make themselves familiar
with the operation of this instrument and the effect of any possible failure or malfunction.

This instrument is not certified by the FAA. Fitting of this instrument to certified aircraft is subject to the rules and
conditions pertaining to such in your country. Please check with your local aviation authorities if in doubt. This instrument
is intended for ultralight, microlight, homebuilt and experimental aircraft. Operation of this instrument is the sole
responsibility of the pilot in command (PIC) of the aircraft. This person must be proficient and carry a valid and relevant
pilot’s license. This person has to make themselves familiar with the operation of this instrument and the effect of any
possible failure or malfunction. Under no circumstances does the manufacturer condone usage of this instrument for IFR
flights.

The manufacturer reserves the right to alter any specification without notice.