Martin McIntosh

Tried that. Goes all wrinkly though.

Do it just the same as for a retract servo, but this time there will be more than one involved. Have not tried this yet but you would need to use some ingenuity in order to common the red wires and still be able to unplug your servos. A lot of large models use a bespoke wiring harness to achieve this. As long as the brown /black and orange/white are commoned thoughout the system it will work, with the Rx pack only drawing a small current to power it. I have considered 6V for a large model I have nearly finished but looking at other reports I may stick with 4.8 or maybe 8.4 regulated to 5V using much heavier duty wiring than normal.

I used to use three bladers in competitions when we were strictly checked for noise at most events. The advantage is that the tips of the much smaller diameter prop run at a lower speed than a two blade and were therefore quieter, in fact 3dB down, i.e. half as noisy. The big disadvantage is that they are much less efficient. A 9 1/2" or less prop on a powerful 60 doing 14k+ produces a lot less thrust than an 11" two blade at the same revs. The generally much lower revving electric set up will not suffer the same fate because of the increase in prop efficiency at a lower speed. Explains why many models still tend to land like a bat out of hell when on idle. Anyone got a rule of thumb formula to convert two blade to three blade?

Should not be a problem from my experience but presume the battery is AA NiMh from the capacity stated. NiCads would be able to supply a higher current possibly but are probably not necessary. Try deliberately stalling acouple of the servos to check that everything is still OK (not from a fully charged pack though). If you are concerned then a separate Rx pack of much lower capacity is always a good idea. You do not need a Multibox if you are capable of disconnecting the red wires from the servo plugs and commoning them together via a separate switch to the servo battery, otherwise stick with the commercial item. I currently run 4 digis/ 2retracts on a couple of models from 2000NiMh cells but realise that the number of flights is limited somewhat. I would not try 6V because your Rx may not like it.

Can anyone who is well up on radio please try to answer this. At my local patch I found that under certain conditions I could not not use ch73 if someone else was on ch67. It caused a total lockout of my gear with all servos driving to one end even with the model in one hand, the Tx with full aerial in the other and the offending Tx with the aerial fully down. Which (JR) Tx/  model/ PCM, PPM, IPD, any Rx I cared to use made no difference. The offending Tx`s were probably Futaba, but that is beside the point. There is a gas pumping station a field or two away which I believe transmits telemetry information. This lasted for up to 10 secs at a time, mainly noticeable on Saturdays. A little unnerving when you are in the air at the time! For it to happen it seemed to require one or two other Tx`s to be in use at the same time on whatever other channels (not close ones). Needless to say I do not use ch73 now if anyone is there on 67, but otherwise it is OK. I am a radio coms. engineer, I know quite a bit about the causes of interference but I am blowed if I can anwer this one. All of the gear performs immaculately on any other channel.

Christopher, ever tried flying on mode 2 after being brought up on the most natural mode? It is most wierd. I applaud anyone who can do a proper 8 point roll on mode 2. When I used to fly aerobatics the continental fliers were the main opposition and they all flew mode 1. It is a north/south divide thing though.

I am in no rush. Thanks Timbo.

Have nearly finished the 1/9 scale version and had the same problem aligning the wing/tail incidence. Spent a long time doing it and have recently had the use of a laser level to check it. Result- spot on! Worth borrowing or even buying one of these considering the total cost of the project.

Jan to Feb I am informed.

Thanks for your comments gents, but I am really looking for a comparison between the two completely different systems, not the individual Tx`s. The 6EX is obviously a base set which is far below the spec of the equipment I normally fly, but the Spektrum is not high enough spec for what I want in the future, thinking more of a 12ch with all bells, whistles etc.

Ben and Stephen, all of my early flying from the age of 11 was done from Sutton Park, including mostly homebuilt single channel gear, around 1960! The flying site was wide open then, with virtually none of the gorse you have to contend with now. It was 3 miles away and I used to cycle there with a cardboard box strapped to my back containing the model. Great bunch of guys. I learned the hard way! I now live in Aylesbury and the excellent site is about a 10min drive.

Any comments on the best system to go for? I have a Futaba 6EX which performs immaculately but have heard that the JR/Spectrum system is experiencing long lock-outs in the USA. Want to buy a top range system when available but have previously preferred JR.

John, Please email me at [email protected] (hurry, because the address is soon to change) and I shall find out the p&p cost. If you are interested, I have some very good quality 12V chargers at only £5 each, but the p&p is around £7. Probably about the same for the two together. The chargers are 1A max and cut off when the battery is charged, regardless of its capacity.

Shaun, try contacting RCME which did a series of pull out articles by Bill Birkenshaw showing you how to do just about anything from start to flying. You may be able to get a reprint or someone on this forum will probably let you have a copy. May even be able to dig them out myself. Also, contact the BMFA who will put you in touch with your nearest club. Most affiliated clubs run a good training programme which will ensure that you have a correctly set up model without tears. 

Too damned many. Need a bigger house/shed.

Shaun, are you being serious? You use mechanical or electric pump to fill your tank!

On the subject of gap filling, you may find this useful if you have not already tried it. Mix up some fairing compound, (Fibre-Tech) with a little Halfords polyester resin to a very thick paste then take about 1/2 teaspoon and mix with about 3-4mm of hardener. This makes a very useful filler which is super light and can be carved/sanded up to the time it sets like concrete. It was once available commercially. Keep the rest in an airtight container for future use.

Ponal is very good but expensive. CIS is my favourite and cheap at £3.99/500ml but I have not seen it recently. Not seen any of this other than in model shops

Anything with a grub screw(cringe) must be locktited/cyanoed. Do not underestimate the vibration on an I/C model.

Depending on how much you wish to spend the 6EX is rather basic although I have one and it works very well. The Spektrum may be a better option or you could wait a few months for better things. Forget 35mHz unless it is very cheap-it will soon become a museum piece.

Has anyone built the Tony Nijhuis 1/9 Lanc with full working u/c doors? I have seen this done on a Mossie using elastic thread operated by the wheel but blowed if I can remember the exact details. No room in there for pneumatics or servos.

Forget PVA- aliphatic has taken over. It sets much more quickly and can be sanded on a balsa join. I use cyano almost exclusively except for large areas. Zap or Flash(Inwoods) are the best.

An easier way would perhaps be to connect the power supply firstly to an old 12V battery then tap off this to your Constellation. If you are really stuck I can let you have a proper 12V/5A supply at a nominal cost. By the way, if you have worked out how to use that abominable charger please let me into the secret.

Yes, I have tried this stuff in many situations and it seems to be as good as epoxy without the cost, mess, but I do not know about the smell! It can really reek if it is getting on a bit

Don`t underestimate the thirst of digi servos. I recently re-equipped a small aerobat with digis which previously required a recharge of a meagre 105mAh after three flights. It now needs 300mAh after just two. Linkages etc. are the same. They just buzz drawing current with the mere weight of the control surface pushing against the servo. Much, much better model control though.