Frank Skilbeck
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Everything posted by Frank Skilbeck
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The Glenns Models CAP or Extra might fit the bill.
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Never been, but Greenacres have an electric flyin every year and the You Tubs vids I've seen have some EDFs in them http://greenacresmac.co.uk/
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MPX probably designed the plane to work with their entry radio set which has very good 4 servo wing programming, but then again your FG8 should be more than capable. Be worthwhile checking out, you could then mix flaps in with ailerons (faster roll rate) or have crow braking for steeper landing approaches. But probably more importantly you will be able to program the flap positions separately so you can get them moving the same without messing with the mechanical linkages too much. Be brave ditch the Y lead, put a post on the Futaba section I'm sure somebody will be able to help. As regards the ESC, yep Futaba throttle direction is the reverse of JR/Spektrum and MPX.
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Here's my (old) Alfa Mig 15, who needs wheels.......
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Timbo, is that correct, the BEC will only heat up if you are drawing some current (Power = Volts x Amps) and if using a linear BEC with a 3s Lipo (say 12v) and stepping down to 5v then the power dissipated will be 12v -5v times current drawn by the user so even a couple of amps will generate over 10 watts in heat. I'd check the current drawn by the servos by hooking us a regular Rx battery and digital multimeter (i.e. leave the ESC etc out of the circuit for now) you might have a faulty servo. I've used a few turnigy servos (not sure about the TG9 thought) on electric planes without any issues. -
Not quite, for instance the aerials on my 35 MHz Multiplex Tx (and older Fleet Tx) are longer than on the Futaba/JR sets. But if you are using the same length replacement then it should be fine..................
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2.4Mhz module for 35Mhz Cockpit sx, advice?
Frank Skilbeck replied to John Sheehy's topic in Other Radio Brands
John interested to see how you get on, keep us posted. -
Jon Re your glider, for the flaps to work as brakes you'd need to drop them down to around 70 degrees or so and it would be better to do this on the throttle stick so you can modulate the amount of drag on approach. Another option would be to fit airbrakes and control these from the throttle stick. But the Dx6i will do all you ask above and more My avatar is my 3.75m HP-18 landing with full crow on, I retract the flaps just before touch down to stop them getting damaged in the bracken.
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Jon As I noted I have a Dx6i and its a cracking entry radio which is really easy to use, but to get the most out of a high performance glider you might find it lacks some features, you'll be able to fly those gliders and maybe using the free mixes be able to effect some form of crow breaking. I'd try and set the ailerons up as flapperons (or more correctly spoilerons) and then put the flaps on the throttle stick and then mix throttle to flaps to get crow braking, and I can promise if you go to a high performance glider you will use this feature. For instance on my Mini Blade I have the following set up1) Crow on the throttle stick (Mode 6 on the Sx radio) with elevator compensation2) Small amount of flap refex (for speed) and camber (for lift) on the flap slider 3) Aileron-Flap mixing on one of the flight phases, which makes the flaps work with the ailerons to give effectivelly full span ailerons and speeds up the roll rate. But if you don't plan to go for the higher performance gliders then the Dx6i is a cracking buy and the range of Rx's on offer from Spektrum really good as are the Bind n Fly models. But once (not if ) the gliding bug bites you will find yourself looking at a high performance mouldie and then a Tx to go with it...............................................
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I have a DX6i and have used in a range of nitro and electric planes and some gliders, it's a great value set, with better programming (IMHO) than the equivalent Futaba set. I've got AR6200 and AR 500 full range Rx's and AR6100 and 6110 park range Rx's all have been absolutley fine, the AR500 seems to take a bit longer to boot up than the other Rx's but thats all. I have had a couple of the trim levers break on mine, but apparently the newer sets have an improved trim lever. Service from Horizon is first class. As regards a spare set of batteries for the Tx, I accidentaly left mine switched on overnight and the batteries had not discharged overnight................................... But it is a bit limited for some gliders, particullarly if you want to set up crow braking, I still use my MPX Sx on my gliders and planes with flaps because the programming is much more powerful.
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Choosing a DX6i transmitter - what would I miss from the DX7
Frank Skilbeck replied to Tony Smith 7's topic in Spektrum/JR
Posted by Tony Smith 7 on 14/04/2010 09:19:08: Thanks for the comments. I've not flown a model with that sort of sophistication, but I can easily see how a higher performance glider needs something to help it land. My last hang glider used flaps at 70 degs for landing and that was a dream. I wonder whether brakes could just be on/off, that's how full size gliders tend to operate. Or maybe use the throttle as a continuous control from fast glider at one end, through take-off/soaring at the mid point then landing configuration with the stick fully down. I guess that's all hypothetical till I get a model that needs this! Funny that these 5, 6, 7, 8 channel TXs don't have more than four proportional channels. Cockpit Sx has upto 6 proportional channels. Much easier using crow on a proportional control. -
Choosing a DX6i transmitter - what would I miss from the DX7
Frank Skilbeck replied to Tony Smith 7's topic in Spektrum/JR
Tony, not sure how far you are into gliders, but it becomes an affliction, you must have (need?) a higher performance machine and then not having a Tx capable of driving it becomes frustrating. Friend of mine started off with a Futaba 6Ex (35 mhz) and quickly realised its limitation for gliders so bought a 2nd had JR 9 channel. I did the same went from a Futaba FF6 to a Cockpit Sx (still the best 7 channel Tx in my opinion, and definitely the best for gliders) to get the additional features to make setting up 4 servo wings much easier. For instance on my Mini Blade I have it set up so I have full crow braking on the throttle stick, Flaps give a couple of mm reflex or camber on the flap slider and in one of the 3 selectable flight phases i have the flaps mixed with the ailerons to give effectivelly full span ailerons. But the Dx6i is great in my simpler electric (and IC) models, but I have had to replace a couple of trims. -
The other thing you can do is run the motor (or one similar) through a programme like drivecalc (www.drivecalc.de) and it will calculate the current drawn. You motor isn't in their database so I ran an 1884 kv motor and on a 9 x 4.7 prop on a 2s lipo it was pulling 22A at 8800 rpm. But doing a search on you model the recommended motors are 1100 and 1400 kv with a current rating of less than 10A and recommended battery of 500 to 800 mah, so designed for a less powerful motor than you have got. An 8 x 4 would pull appox 17A at over 10,000 rpm, a 7 x 4 approx 10.4A so I'd start with that and measure the current drawn Note the drivecalc should just be a guide though, there's no substitute for measuring the ma current to ensure you have protected you motor, ESC and batteries.
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Choosing a DX6i transmitter - what would I miss from the DX7
Frank Skilbeck replied to Tony Smith 7's topic in Spektrum/JR
Tony you don't say what type of gliders you are looking at, but I have a Dx6i but it's not suitable for programming a 4 servo wing (i.e ailerons & flaps with crow braking). Also the flaps are just on a switch. Don't get me wrong I use it in several power and electric models and its been very good and the programming is better than the Futaba 6Exa in my opinion, but if you want dedicated glider features you need to look elsewhere. My mini blade and scale gliders are still on 35 mhz on my Cockpit Sx because the prgramming is much better. Also a 4 servo wing glider with an aerotow (or digital camera) would be 7 channel. -
Yep, ESC needs to have a higher rating than the motor. What you need to do now is select a prop that will ensure the motor doesn't pull more than 20A.
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How about here http://www.micronradiocontrol.co.uk/motor_brushed.html
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Tim, had you rebound the Tx to Rx after you's set the plane up, this would have set the throttle failsafe (throttle to idle), when the elvator control froze did the engine throttle back, if thats the case then it was possibly a loss of signal, which would indicate a Transmitter intermittent fault. If it was only the elevator that didn't respond then this would indicate a problem with the elevator servo or linkage. If the throttle didn't go to failsafe (i.e. go to idle, assuming it had been setup this way) and none of the other controls were responding this would suggest i) No power to Rx, e.g. faulty switch, battery, battery lead etc. ii) Rx failure Re the aerials, it's a good idea to spread them apart but more importantly they should be at 90 deg to each other. If this was the case though then the symptons would be same as loss of signal. Lastly were you on a buddy box, if so it might be worth checking the lead, I've never buddies my Dx6i but the club uses Futaba's with buddy leads on its trainers and we have had some problems with buddy leads causing problems.
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PCM on 35 mhz was always proprietery and none interchangable, i.e. a Futaba PCM Rx wouldn't work with a JR Tx. The manufacturers could get together and agree on a standard, but why would they. As for the RTF plane manufacturers, they just buy in another type of 2.4 system from a low cost manufacturer and they've also sold a Tx. Other wise they sell it as a plug and play where you have to add your own Tx and Rx.
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Ron is your budget with or without the transmitter and Rx, if you need a Tx and Rx the E Flite Apprentice might fit the bill and is just under £250 at some places. Theres a few options here
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The 2010 Photographic Competition
Frank Skilbeck replied to David Ashby - Moderator's topic in All Things Model Flying
Here's a few from the good days in 2009 (and one not so good in 2010) -
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Yep Skype works really well with webcams, very easy to use. You both need to download Skype and setup a (free) account then add the other to your contacts. Its very easy. www.skype.com Edited By Frank Skilbeck on 09/04/2010 22:19:26
