Geoff S

When I have glued servos in, I wrap them in paper masking tape first which is less substantial than heat shrink and easier to remove.

Received this card this morning (my birthday's tomorrow). It's one of the best I've ever had - a 3D biplane!

The toilets at Dacha, Bangladesh airport in 1989 where we changed flights (to a 707) en route to Kathmandhu needed those signs. They were pretty bad.

If you don't like the appearance of W11 you can use 'Classic Start Menu' to make it more usable. IMO it makes W11 much more user friendly and I've been using it for years. I would like to stop Widows non-security updates but that doesn't seem to be possible.

I received my new 4 way multiprotocol module this morning, 2 days before the original estimated date. Considering I ordered it over the Christmas/New Year period that's excellent service from AliExpress. It's a TRangeX. It has a rotary switch, a mini USB socket, a 'Bind' push button and a red and green LED on the back. It binds perfectly on MULTI V761 4ch mode for my mini 400mm ws T28. It still won't bind to either of my Vapors! I have an old, early Vapor with a very damaged airframe that I was given a few years ago and I used to fly using the old module in my Horus. The receiver board works (I think. Anyway, the LED flashes as expected) but it won't bind. Neither will my new Night Vapor. The external module settings I've tried are: DSM2 DSMX CH1 - CH8 (both with and without telemetry). Also tried DSM2 DSM2 and DSM2 LP45. I must be doing something wrong but I can't think what. I'll take everything to the next indoor session and see if the new Vapor binds with a 'real' Spektrum transmitter but, other than that, I'm at a loss.

I got the email today but I'm sure I did an on line test some time ago. On my BMFA profile it says my Registration Competency Certificate is Active until 2029. Is that the thing I'm supposed to do?

I have a Belair RAF BE2a kit I bought as an unstarted kit at one of the Buckminster swap meets this last year. From reading the instructions it does seem to assume a lot. I'm not 100% sure but I think the BE2a is a one piece model - ie the wings don't come off so perhaps so is your DVa is, too. They aren't big models but storage is more difficult, though transport's OK in even a small car.

I don't think there's much need to add interspar webs to both sides of the mainspars. I've never seen (or heard of) a mainspar breakage other than at the join but I usually but the webs in front of the spars to make clamping the L/E sheeting easier - a Peter Miller tip IIRC.

This is mine. It must be well over 100 years old because it was old when I was a child and I'll be 85 in a few days. It was on the bench I used to use when I was repairing TVs back in the late 1950s at the family shop. I use it far more than the big 4" job on another bench. Geoff

There's a lot to be said for invasion stripes to aid visibility.

Thanks for that, Pete. I'll wait until my new one arrives in about a week (assuming the delivery is as prompt as they claim). It might be worth trying. I never remove it (until now, that is) so any connection problems are unlikely. My Horus tells me the module flashing worked but I might try it without the module fitted and see if it gets upset. Geoff

Thanks, Pete. That link led me to exactly the same firmware I tried yesterday and which, sadly, didn't work. I opened the box and the antenna connection looks to be fine and the rest is really, like a lot of things, unrepairable. I've ordered a new module. The one I have has worked without problems for 6/7 years so I hope the new one will solve my problem. It's only money (not a huge amount) after all 🙂

I've tried updating the firmware - several times! As Pete writes the hard bit is to decide which version to use. I started with Futaba so my preferred channel order is aetr, but there's a whole host of different files with no real indication of which to choose apart from the channel order. I doubt if that really affects initial bind anyway and that's my problem. I found when I was selecting the right protocol on Multi that it got stuck on 'Assam' and wouldn't move. That meant I lost my V761 setting for my 400mm ws T28. When I updated the firmware that problem cleared but now it'll no longer bind to the T28, which it had earlier. I seem to be adding to my problems 🙂 Updating the firmware is quite easy as I eventually discovered. I download the .bin file from Github and then into the Firmware folder. I restarted the Horus after disconnecting from my PC and then it was just a matter of going to the Firmware folder and clicking on the file for it to be downloaded automatically to the module. However, I'm still in the same pickle. I've had the plug-in module for probably 6 years and never bothered up dating it - in fact I'm not sure I needed to download the firmware in the first place. I'll have a quick look inside to see if it's something silly like a broken antenna feed and then, if necessary buy a new one. It's cheaper than buying a Spektrum transmitter 🙂 Thanks for the help. I've only been on this for 2 days!

My heart sinks when I see those. I can't be human because I almost always fail the test.

I decided to treat myself to a new Night Vapor and it arrived this morning very promptly from Leeds Model Shop. I had an old Vapor that was given to me needing repair but I haven't flown it for years (pre-Covid). It's bit too far gone now, hence the new one. As I flew the old one with my Horus/Multiprotocol module I just bought a Bind and Fly version. Unfortunately, it will not bind on either DSM or DSMX. I also use the Horus to fly my 400mm ws T28 on the V761 protocol and that still works OK. I've tried distancing the transmitter from the model by about 2 metres to no avail. Any ideas gratefully received. I've had the Multiprotocol module for some years. It has no controls/switches on it, just a mini USB port and a red and a green LED. The green LED is on but the red one is flashing - not sure what that means. I can't remember if I had to download the s/w for it.

And one of the most important 'best practices' is never to leave Lipos on charge unattended unless they're in a place where a fire can do no harm - like the middle of a tarmac runway.

I remember the foam winged Precedent Funfly had a plywood spar that fitted into pre-cut slots in the wings and, IIRC, no bandage. I built 2 many years ago. I used the same method on my Percival Mew Gull which works well, too. Obviously bandage works perfectly well but is harder to disguise completely. Another Funfly feature I've adopted with foam wings is to fit a soft balsa block at the leading edge join to fit the retaining dowel - easier than drilling a 6mm hole right where the glue is.

Micron are based in Malton, N Yorkshire, just a few miles from Castle Howard.

I would argue that 'real' code is assembler (type depending on the processor) or even machine code but counting all jumps is a bit tedious 🙂 The first code I wrote back in the early 60s was keying in the numbers to punch cards on an ICT 1301 - a computer consisting almost entirely of discrete germanium GET103 transistors. Things have moved on a bit in the last 60 years!

If the antenna (dish?) is steerable automatically then it is motorised.

A full-size micro-light took off by itself and flew out over the North Sea off Northumberland. Restraint matters no matter how large or small the aircraft is. I suppose it's happened to models in the past but this seems a step up 🙂

When we were sailing we were required to have insurance (£1 million 30 years ago - probably a lot more now) and the hosts at open meetings used to check insurance before we were allowed to race. Then the clubs stopped checking and just specified it as a requirement which was the sole responsibility of the sailor. The reason was to avoid a mistake and need to accept responsibility for a possible misreading of (say) the date on the insurance certificate. If the onus is on the club member it absolves the club. Seems a sensible thing to do IMO.

Now you know what you'd look like if you decided to become a monk - or OTOH just get old like a lot of us! Glad you're making progress.

For covering large areas like a balsa or obechi covered foam wing I prefer to use a normal clothes iron (we have a spare) rather than the 'proper' temperature-controlled covering iron I have. It's too heavy and big for covering open, intricate structures but ideal for big areas like a wing.

It's funny that in all my previous activities (motor cycling, cars, pedal cycling, sailing and even bridge) I've enjoyed competitions (sailing- a lot, cars, the very occasional auto test and one twisty sprint) but I have no interest is competition with model aeroplanes. I've no idea why. I did once intend to enter a flying only scale event at Buckminster but when I arrived I realised I'd forgotten/lost my wallet and immediately returned home in case it was on the drive (it was on the kitchen table). Nothing would put me off going to the field than a competition day.