MattyB
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Posts posted by MattyB
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Nice work! Clickable link to the video...
Edited By MattyB on 18/10/2017 14:53:23
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Posted by David P Williams on 16/10/2017 14:24:15:
Pics of the bits here. Why did they have to spoil it with the shiny covering?
Because it's a Seagull!
Don't get me wrong - they are light, well built (retracts normally excepted), good value and fly well, but scale accuracy is not why you buy one. That particular trait should be easy to address with a gentle rub down and a quick coat of matt to seal it. -
Posted by Frank Skilbeck on 10/10/2017 22:04:21:Posted by Mike Blandford on 10/10/2017 18:43:42:
Most of the problems with Taranis firmware are related to trying to upgrade it.
There is no actual need to do this, just switch on and fly! The Taranis has not ever needed to be updated, it works well as shipped.
Mike.
So there was really no need to change from the Mk1 EU firmware?
Strangely both of you are correct!
Mike is right, it is perfectly possible to get a Taranis out of the box and never update the OpenTX firmware that runs the system - I know many people who have done this. Personally I never recommend newcomers to start by update OpenTX, as there is just no need - you will only be getting new features that are very advanced that most beginners will not get near for the first 12-18 months at least, if ever.
Frank's challenge is also fair though - FrSky did make a horlicks of responding to the ETSI regulations with revised RF firmware (note - different to OpenTX). The mk1 firmware did cause some people some range issues (thankfully now resolved with LBT), but there is no doubt reputational damage was caused and FrSky's instructions on how to execute updates when they are required often leave a lot to be desired.
The reality is though that in todays function rich, software powered world it is not realistic to expect that our TXs and RXs will never require a software update. It is not like FrSky are the only people to have been caught out here - Spektrum had to retire DSM2 as it was no longer compliant, Futaba waited until the very last moment to change FASST and I understand there are still TXs that never received an update. FrSky are not the only ones to have made gaffes that caused reliability issues in the 2.4 world - remember Spek's high reboot voltages of early RXs and the issue with the DX8? What about the Futaba 0000 GUID issue? Even Jeti have experienced software issues which in some instances were aggressively dismissed by the US distributor online but were later proved to be valid and a software update was released. There is no perfect manufacturer or system out there, all are fallible at some level.
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All fair points, but £450 buys a lot of petrol and several years membership at most clubs - you could have joined up somewhere else further away with a good rep for instruction and got membership at a new and different site thrown in for "free"... It wouldn't have been so time efficient though, you are right.
Edited By MattyB on 10/10/2017 16:03:15
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Posted by Erfolg on 07/10/2017 21:08:07:
...I personally sense that HH are about to throw it all away. Not intentionally, but as a consequence of a number of factors. In my opinion they need to get to grips with why their service department has an apparently heavy work load. With respect to the PZ type models, the need to both contain production costs, which are reflected in retail price and also a balance of older products and additions to the range, which both maximises their present assets and new product. From here it is all dead easy, at the sharp end, it is much more difficult, due to many factors which i am thankfully unaware.
I to will be sorry to see the fading away of HH, as much as a mourn the disappearance of names such as Sanwa, Enya, Keil Kraft, unfortunately the list can go on for a long time. Even exceptional products such as Graupner produced, is no guarantee. It is a balance of quality and price.
It's impossible to know from the outside, but HH's "strategy" in the last 12-18 months is so bizarre it's almost impossible to explain. Market leader one month, almost unavailable in model shops across the UK and Europe the next, with hefty price rises and their reputation for excellent CS dragged through the mud. The only thing I can think of that could explain it are deep rooted financial issues that have caused them to abandon markets that weren't making much if any money, even if they did have a position of market leadership. Perhaps we will know more in another 1-2 years...
Edited By MattyB on 09/10/2017 13:35:49
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I find on foamies that a 3 tape tension hinges at either end and 3 either side of the horn are very effective, covered over with a long piece of tape along the full length top and bottom. 3M Diamond is the very best stuff, but it's tricky to get hold of nowadays - T9 did still have it in stock last time I looked though.
Tension hinges:
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Every taileron slope model I have ever seen had control issues - aileron is generally too soft and the huge movements needed cause loads of drag. Sacrifice the scale fidelity in this instance and go with traditional ailerons for a far better performance.
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HH responded to me on FB...
"Hi Matt, the EU business is not going anywhere. We are bringing in some new products along with the great products we've always had. Horizonhobby.eu or your favorite Horizon retailers are the best places to find our products"
...and...
"Can you message us the link to the forum? It is very much an all hands on deck situation and the US and EU team are now one team working together to get the service back to where it is. But it would be helpful for us to see the forum as well. Ali is still here and working hard developing new products and supporting shows all over."
Popcorn time...
Edited By MattyB on 09/09/2017 18:59:10
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PM from Andy Kunz, Spektrum software developer...
"We are not closing down our Europe sales. Staufenbiel is our big direct-to-consumer brand (we own Staufenbiel for several years now)."
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Posted by ted hughes on 08/09/2017 14:20:02:Posted by Trevor Crook on 08/09/2017 13:57:48:
Where did that carefully researched figure come from?
This forum, very recently.
There was a poll to which almost 1000 members responded (which is statistically very significant), which showed just under 30% of UK RC flyers use Spektrum.
Almost 100% of radio problems involve Spektrum (there are whole threads dedicated to Spectrum problems on here and RCG,and no threads dedicated to Futaba,JR,Frsky, Hitec, multiplexetc. or any other makes).
It is not rocket science.
Please provide actual evidence, not meaningless bluster, to support this assertion. And no, I am not a Spektrum user.
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Posted by Ikura on 08/09/2017 12:04:58:
Horizon are clearly in trouble. There was a thread on BARCS about the Horizon/Staufenbiel EU business going bust and if that's the case then perhaps Horizon are not telling it how it really is.
It could be the Horizon have decided to move everything back to the USA where they have a very loyal customer base and offer a level of service that they clearly can't offer in Europe. The majority of Germans don't like Spektrum so why on earth Horizon decided to make a base there is anyone's guess. It seems to be a daft move.
It is a heck of a pity because they have been the market leaders for a long time and many thousands of people have bought into the Spektrum system.
Hopefully there will be some answers forthcoming at some point but I wouldn't count on it any time soon.
Here is that thread for anyone interested in reading it. Much of it (as here
) is theory and supposition, but there do appear to be a couple of individuals who have talked to HH directly and got the inside track. If the EU operation has gone bust it is going to be a huge disappointment for those who have Spektrum gear and (to a lesser extent) those with a stock of HH models.PS - I have also asked for clarification on their trading status on FB , PM'd Andy Kunz (Spek developer very active on RCGroups) and started a thread over there to see if anyone in the US operation is prepared to share any insights. If this is true though I expect they will remain silent for now.
Edited By MattyB on 08/09/2017 15:53:17
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Posted by Geoff Sleath on 08/09/2017 12:59:29:
...Of course I guessed the answer but there must come a point where the difference between a V tail and a delta with dihedral and elevons becomes a bit vague. The only delta I've owned was (is, I think it's hidden away in the loft still) a Multiplex Twinjet and this Depron Eurofighter is the first since hence my curiosity.
I suppose there might be, but in reality it's not a factor because a delta with a lot of dihedral and elevons would handle hideously, hence why they aren't something you commonly see! The only high dihedral deltas I've encountered were FF models with a conventional vertical fin for yaw stability. Flew fine in gentle circles but would have been nasty as an RC model.
Edited By MattyB on 08/09/2017 14:23:33
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Posted by Peter Miller on 08/09/2017 11:41:51:
You can use ailerons or rudder to control a V tail. Use the aileron control if you do nor have ailerons on the wing,
Small point... It might seem pernickety, but that should really read "You can use the aileron stick or rudder stick to provide the input that controls a V tail". I have seen some people get into a horrible mess trying to apply an elevon mix to a V-tail when they also had separate ailerons, so if your TX does used "canned" preset mixers (i.e. they are named to carry out a specific function) it's generally best to use the correct one, or leverage a free mixer instead. The only exception as you rightly say is that if you have no ailerons you can use the elevon mixer for a v-tail to ensure that your primary direction control ends up on the correct stick.
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Posted by Geoff Sleath on 07/09/2017 20:23:12:
btw if anyone knows how I should mix the canards feel free to comment. I intend to connect them to a side slider on my Taranis and leave them alone initially.
Canards work in the opposite direction to a traditional elevator; if the TE of the canard moves downwards the model will pitch up and vice versa. Getting them set up harmoniously with elevons can be tricky, so your strategy is good - have them set up in your Taranis on a "Multiply" with a custom curve applied where the amount is movement is controlled by the position of the slider.
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Remember components of force from school? That is how this can best be explained.
For ailerons on a flat wing any deflection of the control surface resorts in two forces - one wing wants to move straight up , the other straight down. There is no force created in the yaw plane (actually not quite true as downgoing ailerons have more drag than upgoing ones which creates adverse yaw, but lets forget that for now as it's relatively minor force and will only confuse!) so the aircraft rolls about it's axis.
When a v-tail is activated for elevator or rudder it creates a force perpendicular to the surface. That force can be resolved into two separate forces - one in the vertical plane (pitch), and one in the horizontal plane (yaw). When both surfaces move in the same direction (elevator) the pitch forces are identical and act in the same direction on both sides causing the model to pitch up or down, whilst the yaw forces are also identical but acting in opposite directions cancelling each other out. When rudder is activated the opposite is true - the pitch forces are roughly* equal and mostly cancel each other out, but the yaw forces are acting in the same direction to yaw the plane about it's axis.
This video may help though it's not an aerodynamic example...
Edited By MattyB on 08/09/2017 11:13:05
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I'm afraid that the Staufenbiel we knew is now pretty much gone - HH seem to have purchased them primarily to act as their EU distribution hub, not for their (fairly niche, mostly e-gliders) model range. I doubt many of those models will surface again via the HH website; fingers crossed new distributors are found.
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Run a discharge on the battery through your charger so you can see the effective capacity and plot the discharge curve (time against voltage). Also (if the charger is capable) measure the IR of the individual cells. These two tests should give you a categoric answer on whether it's a battery issue or not.
Edited By MattyB on 15/08/2017 10:57:04
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I do find it interesting that these Spektrum RF board failures continue to be reported regular basis - there have been at least 4 in total the 3 clubs of which I am a member. I have never seen a similar failure in any other brand (I did blow up my old 27MHz ACOMS 2ch back in the day, but that was user error with a soldering iron!). It seems to point to a design error, most probably in the way the RF circuit powers up and down, or (more worryingly) poor quality manufacturing. Why are HH unable to solve this problem at source? I would have thought their legal department would have given them the hurry up before they end up on the wrong end of a liability claim...
PS - This is not a Spektrum bash; I have been using a DSM2/X module in my Taranis for lightweight foamies with no issues for many years. I am genuinely interested in the answer to this question though.
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Because of their construction (more gel electrolyte between the anode and cathode) high C packs are more vulnerable to aging if stored at an elevated state of charge. That is most likely the reason for your premature failure, but any battery can fail early due to a manufacturing defect - it's just something you have to accept with lipos. Even so if you plan on buying more high C packs I strongly recommend you keep them at storage voltage (3.75-3.85V/cell) when not in use.
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I don't think anyone does that any more - it's easier to just blow up a plan digitally and have it printed at your local print shop. Much cheaper than buying a projector too!
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IPA (IsopPropyl Alcohol, not the beer!) is readily available from Amazon very cheaply. It's great stuff, far better than meths (no residue left behind) and has lots of uses around the house. I have just got into mountain biking, and along with the specialists degreasers is the solvent of choice for cleaning various bicycle components. Amazing how easy it is to buy online in large quantities, though.
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Posted by Jez Harris 1 on 14/08/2017 12:49:25:
Hi.
I put a few models on the Bmfa site last night as I'm taking a bit of a break from flying.
All but 2 of the items sold within 3 hours..many of them could gave been sold repeatedly.
I got the price I asked for everything and have not got to pay ebays ridiculous costs or paypals charges.I generally agree that BMFA is better for modelling stuff, but not sure your last statements are really correct. Why are eBays fees "ridiculous"? They are providing a service (connecting buyers with sellers online) which requires significant infrastructure and personnel to do on a global scale. If fees were ridiculous no-one would use it, and that's patently not true. Yes, "free" services like Facebook Marketplace are available, but they are not really free - it's all about the ads that are then targeted at the buyers and sellers based on what you are putting online.
As to not paying Paypal charges, well if your buyers were happy to deal with you in cash or bank transfer that is their choice I suppose. Buyers should remember though that if the shipper does nto send the goods after payment they have no protection from their bank (Paypal gift is the same, and should never be used for transactions with strangers).
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Posted by RICHARD WILLS on 10/08/2017 13:40:04:
...What I do find weird about the modern Flyer (non builder ) type "modelller", is their willingness to fly in any weather , If the wind is howling or its snowing they still go and stand in it rather than retire to a nice warm workshop with a coffee and radio on hand ,
Blimey , they must really hate building to go to such extremes , Then they say " I dont get time to build " .
In my world , standing in a field in the snow or a gale is about as wasteful a time as I can imagine .
Still that just me .
Belligerent of Chelmsford.
Nothing puzzling in that really. If you are time poor as most of us are, then what free time you do have tends to be in a "fixed" slot, woven in around work and family commitments. That means if you want to fly waiting for ideal conditions is not really an option, especially given how infrequently that happens in this country!
You therefore have to fly in lots of different types of weather, and IMO that is a good thing - it makes for a more rounded and accomplished pilot in the long run. If anything this also pushes people more towards ARTF and PNP foamies, as they do not want to risk more complex kit and plan builds in the less optimal conditions in which they often fly. In the end though this comes back to the fundamental point that the vast majority of modellers today prefer flying to building, and to change that is an extremely challenging uphill task.
PS - As someone who grew up learning on the slope I love it when it's windy - that's when you get the best lift and most exciting flying!
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Posted by RICHARD WILLS on 10/08/2017 09:10:40:
Both Colin and Matty are correct in their assumptions . But we at the mighty Warbirds have witnessed another aspect .
Cloud models produce a 48" DH mossie which is easy to build and flies really well . The rear decking is convex as you can imagine , so my good friend Phillip made the rear deck in ABS which was a perfect fix . Or was it ?
When he showed me the prototype (uncovered ) I was very enthusiastic about a mossie but wrinkled my nose at the plastic deck .
There is no logic to this of course, but the few times I have added say pink foam instead of balsa or abs instead of sheet balsa , the traditionalists have been less than happy ,
Perhaps the reason we alll like traditional kits , is because we all lie in the past . That is probably our undoing but I have to admit I'm happy here in retro land .
Doesn't solve the problem though does it?
I guess the question you have to ask yourself as a producer is whether it is easier to grow a market for the existing kits which are not selling well but satisfy the small number of traditional builders who remain, or market something with more appeal to those who do not currently build and risk alienating established customers. Personally I believe the latter has more chance of success in the long term, especially if cheaper, speedier to build depron/foamboard based designs can act as a "gateway drug" to more traditional building. I appreciate that neither path is straightforward, risk free or guaranteed to succeed though.
Tim Shaw
in Chit-chat
Posted
Very sorry to hear that. What was his username on here? I definitely remember talking with him, but can't seem to find any of the threads (search on this forum is not the best).
EDIT - No public profile, but I assume this is the account? TIM Shaw
Edited By MattyB on 23/10/2017 15:57:54