daba

Old post - new thoughts..... DX6i, switch it on, and do nothing else, switch it off again - the display briefly shows "SAVING SETTINGS"... What is it saving? Why is it saving? Nothing has changed, so why bother with trying to write to the flash memory while powering down. Saving settings should be, IMHO, a manually initiated operation after you have actually changed any of the settings. Saving anything while the circuitry is being powered down doesn't seem "right" to me.

Here's something I've been working on - It's a dual-channel servo-controlled "switch" that can be used for just about anything you want. So the PCB's arrived, and I've assembled a few of them. I've configured it for plane lighting, but it can be used for anything. I's a 2-in 4-out plane lighting controller that attempts give the realism that modellers strive for. In it's current set-up (and virtually anything can be achieved due to its PIC design), one of your switched channels turns on your NAV, BEACON, and STROBE lights (beacon and strobes can be as you request), the oither switched channel turns on your landing lights. On my planes i've used the GEAR switched channel to turn on the landing lights, and the FLAPS channel to switch o the NAV, BCN, and STB lighting. Of course these 2-in 4-out can be used for absolutely anything you want. The current PCB design is all plugable, and when I can work out how to upload a pic to here, I'l do it. I'm working on another design for the controller that has "wire-ends"....I'd be interested to hear of your preferences... at the end of the day there's gonna be some soldering requured, 'cos you ain't gonna thread pre-wired LEDs through your model ?? Note : the 2-in's are best driven off "switched" transmitter channels, like Gear and Flaps. Connecting to analog channels works but at around 40 - 50% output the current software has troubles, and turns the out put channel on and off sporadically. Just got to get around fixing it. What I would welcome is feedback - am I on the right track with this?

...my Discovery got into trouble weekend before last, see-sawing and the like, it was horrible to watch, and I just couldn't bring her back to the flying site. Even when she was facing me and I got (some sort of) level flight (ugly it was), even on full power she was getting further away. I was losing sight of her (a small hill between me and where she was), so decided the best option was to cut the power and let her get down ungraciously (aka "ditch", otherwise I wouldn't have a clue as to her whereabouts. Well when I went off to look for her, little did I know the "Coppice" was more like the Amazon Rain Forest.!! Judging by the denseness of the trees, I doubt she made it to the ground, and is stuck aloft. Me and some mates have been to look a couple of times, but without a closer idea of where she "landed", it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. I put posters around the area (it's a place where lot's of people pursue all sorts of recreational activities, dog-walkers, ramblers, walkers, joggers, cycliists, even doggers !!), and was hoping that someone might have seen or heard her "battery low" cry... but no response from those. I even asked a local microlight club for members to take a look if they cared to, and was hoping for a response from that this weekend just gone, but nothing to report yet. I have since learned that the area can suffer from weird wind conditions, where a gentle calm wind (nothing to speak of) meets another wilder wind coming up the valley that the coppice lines. The result is a messy piece of space to fly in (someone called it a "shear wind", and the discovery being a floaty trainer with a large wing area, was probably grossly under-powered for those conditions. Still hopeful that one day i'll get a call telling me whereabouts she is, after all I did put up a reward, but now looking to replace her with something else. Bear in mind that although I flew Discovery about 15 times, I'm still a beginner, but very quickly realised that the Dscovery is a real docile beginners aircraft, I'm looking for something a bit more responsive, but not into aerobatics just yet. Anyone have any suggestions ? I'm thinking a WOT4 ?

Yes, the decals are a bitch to put on.... Yes, scalpel the decals after puting on where control surface "hinges" exist... No problem putting bigger batteries in - just make sure the CoG is where it should be - details are in the instructions that come with the plane. I use 2800's, and the one's I bought there's no need to use the velcro - it's not gonna move around much. Read my other threads about the CoG,. As bought it wasn't right, too tail heavy, hence the 3-1-2 (take--offs, landings, crashes) I guess landing 1 was a fluke or just sheer concentration. I got. my 2800 30C batteries off eBay, my seller not there anymore, but here's one i found easily - shop around. All 3-cell 11.1V batteries should be same (similar) size.and weight. If you are a complete novice, better to be slightly nose heavy for your first flights - plane will be sedate. Best rule is to not move the CoG more than 10mm from where it should be (details in book supplied

The connectors used on the discovery battery are Deans connectors, available at nearly all model shops for soldering to your batteries. Pic of Deans Connector Try to buy batteries with the right connectors on - because soldering is a pig due to the heavy guage wire soaking the heat away - you need a powerful iron to do it yourself. I bought 2800mAH 30C batteries from eBay, and get about 20 to 30 minutes flying time from each battery, but it all depends how you fly it. Be conscious of the CoG changes you are making - easily checked - hang the plane on your fingertips positioned at the front of the aileron servo covers - the book shows where. If you find you are nose-heavy, you can either.... 1. Add weight to the tail - but this adds weight to the plane and somewhat counteracts you using bigger batteries. 2. Remove weight from the nose - this makes the plane lighter, and the batteries will last longer. There are 5 weights stuck inside the nose cowl, and you can remove 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 depending on how much you need to lose. Obviously remove to keep the balance. Getting the cowl off is the difficult part, it is stuck with D/S tape AND silicon glue !! I've found the best way is to use a scalpel to make a clean cut from the centre of the windscreen forwards - then use the opening made to gently but firmly break all the glue and tape holding it in place. Glue the scalpel cut back together immediately, tape both sides to hold together while the glue sets (the longer the stronger). I'm open to suggestions for the absolute best glue to use - but I've found that Silirub LMN (Neutral Silicone Low Modulus) made by SOUDAL (available from Wickes or B&Q, I think) is great.

It's a possibility - although it's never happened before when I definately know the batteries were very low. And all my settings survived the transmitter being modified with a backlight for the display, then later a switch added so the backlight is on only when I need it. Backlight Off Backlight On I've recently started using NiMH rechargeables - is it possible the lower voltage of these can cause the issue? I think I'll see what HH have to say tomorrow.

Who is HH ?

Posted by GrahamC on 30/07/2012 22:34:15: A good idea to check dierection of movement on ailerons and elevator before every flight... just in case! Oh yes, you bet I will

Bound properly, receiver Spektrum AR6210. Problem must be in the transmitter - it just defaulted all the model settings. I flew Discovery last Friday, and all was well then...

Took my Discovery out earlier, wanted to try out the key-fob cam I bought. I did a pre-flight, all control surfaces and motor, and a mate hand-launched it A bit of up elevator (stick back) and she went straight down into the ground. Post-crash discussion about what went wrong revealed the elevators reversed. Later inspection of the transmitter revealed all of this model's settings, Normal/Rev, EPAs, etc., had reset to default. Has anyone else had this happen ? My pre-flights will be more stringent from now on - and Discovery engine mount area all glued-up and drying nicely - I think she will fly again.....

Posted by Tony Read 2 on 10/07/2012 12:38:29: Hi! Well, after many enjoyable flights the inevitable happened and he stuffed his Disco into the ground at a fast rate of knots when trying some aero's. The area in front of the windscreen ceases to exist! The rest is fine though. I just might be able to piece most of it together, but was wondering if anyone had a battered airframe with a reasonable front end that I could graft on? If so could you get in touch please and let me know how much? Thanks! What are the chances of a "reasonable front end", lol I've yet to see a plane crash when it was going backwards !

An update on where I am with my Discovery. The coincidence of decent flying conditions and me having the time was made a couple of weeks back (yeah, before all this wet-stuff falling from sky happened). I can say now that the Discovery handles well in the air, and is very responsive to control. I had replaced the original radio gear with Spektrum, so was able to back-off the elevator travel for my maiden flights. Glad I did, so if you use the ST radio gear, small elevator and aileron movements are needed, don't over-cook it, as the ST radio gear will allow full travel. I've got the feel of the plane now, and have increased travel back to about 80% I just had to do it though. On only my second flight, I did barrel-rolls and a loop. Actually that gave me a greater understanding of how to control it - so much better than the Phoenix Sim I have used to prepare me for real flight.. As a beginner, I would recommend this plane for a beginner, although she is very "floaty" and will stay up for a heck of a long time on no power, which makes landings hard to judge. Be prepared to "go around" once or twice until you get the hang.. Definately got the flying bug now, wanna go out every day - just a shame the weather is against at the mo....

Yeah, dead right about the location of the CoG - about 5mm back from the front edge of the aileron servo covers. Bottom of page 12 of the manual - Pic. 78 As I said earlier, i popped a 1.5 mm hole at the locations, and built some stands with pins atop to hang the plane on. A pretty simple thing to do. I just couldn't believe how "tail-heavy" my "standard" Discovery was - even though it came with a larger battery than the quoted 1300mAh Li-Po batter (not a typo - read the manual, page 2..) Upping my battery size to 2800mAh (65g heavier) brought the CoG much closer to ideal, so you can get a feel for how tail-heavy it really was. I can only put the successful flight (as in take-off, fly around, and land without a crash) as a fluke. That was my first ever RC plane flight, and in retrospect, the twitchiness of the elevator control may not just have been rookie nerves after all. Since then I have built a "Vanessa CG Machine" (Just Google it, there's loads of links). This has absolutely confirmed the CoG position on my plane to be where it should be, and the design of the machine will allow me to experiment moving the CoG as I get {more} confident flying it. Some decent weather would help !! The other good thing about the Vanessa machine is that it can be used to check the port/starboard balance as well. My next flight will be with a 2p taped to the starboard wing, about 9 inches from the outer end.

Am I alone in thinking prop-hanging is just - dunno how to say it other than BORING ! If it's done to impress, I'm not. Perhaps I miss the point, perhaps prop-hanging a plane is harder then hovering a heli - I doubt it. Don't shoot me down guys, I just don't get it....

Awesome !!