RE: Highest altitude with an electric glider?
I've got a TX/RX setup with telemetry. I actually bought it to explore altitude questions for power planes at my favorite club field. We happen to be almost perfectly 270 from a private airport that's about 2 miles east of us. It's one runway is 9/27. Ain't that interesting. More interesting is since the runway isn't level, most of the regulars there prefer to land in one direction even when the wind isn't exactly cooperating. Guess which direction. So we often get local traffic coming over. In fact, I think they use our windsock and runway to guide on. anyway....
I also bought the telemetry stuff in case I ever get another chance to fly some RC glider cross country. I used to have a radio variometer that was used back in Minnesnowta in an unlimited for cross country. It's sound from the earbud was annoying. I figure to raise the technology bar given the opportunity. And to lose that painful tone.
I've used the radio to check out what 2K AGL looks like above my favorite field. It's quite easy to get to with even a .46 powered trainer. In fact, the test of the radio's telemetry included verification of altitude using something else that's available and useful. Hand held weather stations often have altitude readouts. My Kestrel 4000 not only gives a digital reading of altitude but graphs it as well. It's ridden aloft a number of times in a few different models. It's fun for everyone to guess how high the model went and have a way to prove who was closest. It's interesting also how seldom anyone is anywhere close to the right answer.
But if you are interested in knowing altitude nowadays, it's pretty easy to get the tools to find out.