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Everything posted by RottenRow
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That’s a great result for everybody; buyers, sellers and the BMFA all win! Well done and thank you to all concerned. Brian.
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Exactly Ron. Club AGM times are coming up for most; if you don’t feel happy with the way your club represents you in BMFA area meetings (or in any other aspect) you always have the option of standing to do that job yourself. Perhaps ‘BMFA Representative’ should be a committee post in all clubs, just like Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary etc. I can imagine the silence when it comes to electing that person at most club general meetings. As far as the National Centre goes, it would have been a lot closer to breaking even if the local authority hadn’t increased the rates on the facility from £17k to £63k over one year, according to the accounts. Brian.
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No, he would have been complaining about the blue advert on page 59… the ‘Why Join or Renew’ one. The printed copy of the mag. has a slightly different version to the online version, and mentions the paper copy being delivered to each member free 6 times a year. The online version has been amended and reference to the free copies removed (and the club bulletins). Old version… New version… Really not worth losing sleep about. Brian.
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Since the beginning of October, selling on ebay has been free to private sellers. As long as you are prepared to pack and post items then ebay would be a good option. You can put a reasonable starting price for each item and each will then get bid up to the highest somebody is prepared to pay for it. Alternatively, you could take a table at a swap meet if there is one local to you, where you can sell face-to-face, but you might not get as much as you would with the larger audience on ebay, especially if you have no idea of the value of the items. Upcoming events (including swap meets) are listed here: https://events.bmfa.uk/ Brian.
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That was never the sole intention surely? If it was then the day rate and season ticket prices have been set much too low from the outset. I understood that it was always planned as being the venue for model flying related events (as it is) and the casual flying was more of a sideline. Brian.
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On my SC / ASP 52s and 120s (similar design) I find it’s not possible to accurately set the low idle needle with the engine running at idle speed. Just pushing a screwdriver into the slot in the needle pushes it inwards sufficiently to make the engine too lean, and cut. The entire barrel moves inwards, a very small amount, but that is all that is required to stop the engine. Either stop the engine, adjust the idle slightly (1/16th of a turn) and try again, or increase the speed to well above idle whilst making the tiny adjustment. Then go back to idle speed. Brian.
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This link just brings up a password protected page for me. How are others managing to read the accounts? Brian.
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Finding a Controller PCB for these Retract Units
RottenRow replied to Futura57's topic in Gadgets and Electronics
The relay circuit shown by FF will only require one relay for two retract units if the motor and battery connections were swapped over. Then it’s only the output wiring (limit switches and motors) that would be doubled up, which would be the case whatever method was employed. An old servo board could be used, especially one from an old retract servo. I’ll look out my old circuits later. The current drawn by the motors isn’t provided by the supplier, only an estimated (?) voltage, which would have to be considered. Alternatively an electronic switch, of the type used for on-board lighting might work, but you would probably need two of them in order to reverse the motor currents. Brian. -
On this series of engines, if someone overtightens the two bolts that hold the inlet tube onto the cylinder head, it can cause the threads in the head to pull outwards, meaning the mating face is no longer flat. The inlet flange can also get distorted. Air can then get drawn in, even with the gasket fitted, messing up the mixture. Check that the faces of the head and the inlet tube are both dead flat. Will the engine idle better with the glow plug still powered? If it does it’s a good indication that the mixture setting is rich. Brian.
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David Boddington Appreciation Society
RottenRow replied to Nick Cripps's topic in Building from Traditional Kits and Plans
This is the Warrior, with the man himself. Photo from DB’s book ‘Radio Control Primer’ Brian. -
How to check Lipo Internal resistance.
RottenRow replied to SIMON CRAGG's topic in All Things Model Flying
Another thing that you can do, if you have a pack that appears down on performance, is to connect a LiPo voltage checker (one of the small rectangular black ones) to the balance plug whilst the LiPo is in the model. Read the individual cell voltages with the motor at standstill, they should all be close to each other if the pack is balanced. Then run the motor (with the model safely restrained of course) and watch what happens to the individual cell voltages. They are bound to go a little out of balance as the current drawn increases, but one (or more) cells that shows a markedly greater drop in voltage indicates that that cell has a higher IR and is limiting the performance of the entire pack. Recognising a bad cell is one thing, but there isn’t really a practical way of replacing that cell, so the whole pack either gets discarded or used for another purpose. Brian. -
The BMFA will know if you are entitled to use the Article 16 exemption, as you would have either completed and uploaded the RCC test (and it will still be in date) or you will have a pre-2020 A or B and have ticked the A16 box on the portal. If you have done neither of the above then you can’t benefit from any of the A16 exemptions. You will be flying in the Open Class. Brian.
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I wonder why SC / ASP used the split collet method to retain the prop. driver on the 70 and 90 (and presumably the 80 as well). I have the engines sized either side of those, 52s and 120s, and these all use the woodruff key in a slot method. All appear to be based upon the same basic engine design (copies of OS) just varying in size. Brian.
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It’s funny how the CAA issuing us with Flier ID’s, and Andy’s well-worded and well-intended e-mails on that subject, none of which make one iota of difference to what we need to do, have created so much fuss! Brian.
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Totally wrong, as LF said above. There is a thread already running on this subject… see here: Brian.
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Yes he does, but only for those members who already hold CAA registration and have Operator IDs. Further down, Andy describes how anyone who isn't currently registered with the CAA should proceed (my italics): Any BMFA member who wants to fly a model aircraft or drone outdoors with a take off mass of 250gm or above, or that has a camera attached must pass either the BMFA Registration Competency Certificate (RCC) or the CAA Drone and Model Aircraft Registration and Education Scheme (DMARES) online theory test to demonstrate they are aware of the regulations to fly model aircraft and drones. Both the BMFA RCC and CAA DMARES test have forty multiple choice questions and the pass mark is 30. Once either the BMFA RCC or CAA DMARES test has been passed, remote pilots will receive a flyer ID from the CAA, which acts as proof of competency as a remote pilot from the CAA. There is no minimum age requirement, however children under the age of 13 can only obtain a Flyer ID with consent from a parent or guardian. Your Flyer ID is valid for five years and it is free of charge to obtain. If you are required to have a Flyer ID and do not as yet have one you can take the BMFA RCC test at https://rcc.bmfa.uk/rcc. You should ensure you read and understand the information at https://rcc.bmfa.uk/article-16 before taking the test. Once you pass the test you must upload the certificate to your Member Profile on the BMFA JustGo portal at https://bmfa.justgo.com/ . By uploading the certificate, you give the BMFA Consent to obtain a Flyer ID on your behalf. No mention of using As and Bs as proof there. Brian.
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Andy’s second e-mail has just dropped into my inbox. This is the one that he mentioned a little earlier, explaining the difference between Operator and Flier IDs and explaining the requirement for Flier IDs now. Interestingly, he makes no mention of the so-called grandfather rights (using an A or B certificate, and ticking the box on the portal) as a demonstration of competence. Perhaps this option is being removed for the coming year or the next Article 16 exemption. I believe the use of As and Bs as proof of competence was initially only meant to be temporary… six months initially, then extended to a year… before apparently becoming permanent. It does confuse things to a degree; my club has members who, whilst being quite capable of passing the RCC test, won’t do so as they have old As which cover them. I agree with those who say that the CAA registration scheme is pointless, a sledgehammer to crack a walnut, etc. but as C8 says in the posting above, the BMFA have, through negotiation, got it down to a minimal inconvenience for those of us that fly model aircraft. Brian.
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Two servo or Y lead for your ailerons ?
RottenRow replied to Rocker's topic in All Things Model Flying
It’s not just S.Bus connected servos that share common connections. All of the servos on most models have their supply connections connected to the same point, the receiver output connector block. The effect on the other servos caused by one going short-circuit would be much the same irrespective of whether they are connected via a Y-lead or separate channels. A short-circuit servo (pretty unlikely) would pull down the supply due to the excessive current probably sufficiently for the receiver to switch off (as Simon says). That’s if the insulation on the wiring doesn’t melt in the meantime. Brian. -
Just for the record, my e-mail from Andy arrived this lunchtime, explaining the issue of the Flyer ID. Thanks Andy for resending these. Brian.
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That’s a good bit of information for anyone else who has one of these units. Rather than a piece of wire, the point of the broken circuit might be a good place to incorporate a suitable fuseholder and fuse, say a car-type blade fuse. The value would need to be found by measuring the ‘normal’ current at that point when the unit was in operation. The fuse would then offer some protection if one of the outputs were to be short-circuited to ground (the engine). Brian.
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That's interesting Alan. I am signed up for notifications, and do receive them. The most recent was a few days ago, about a long-standing member who had passed away. Previous to that, one about the forthcoming AGM, BMFA News and Model Engine Auction. It seems that not all notifications go to all signed up members. Brian.
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That's exactly what it is. As the BMFA said at the time (Andy Symons I think, on this forum, probably a year ago now), the 'new' flier ID ticks some box for the CAA and brings us in line with those that registered directly with it. The new number just sits in the background and you don't have to do anything with it. Strange that the CAA couldn't have synchronised the end date of the Flyer ID to match that of the existing Operator ID though. But that's the CAA isn't it.... It would perhaps have been advantageous if the BMFA had preceeded the CAA's e-mail with an announcement, it might have reduced the uncertainty of what it was about a bit. But they probably weren't informed by the CAA in advance of the e-mails going out. Brian.
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I think I have a pair of these, the R/C version. They were in a Shorts Skyvan which no longer exists. They are definitely 15s, I’m fairly sure they are the TT GP15. I can’t look for them until some time next week but will report back then. Brian.
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Further to the above, I have now got the seventh channel output operating a servo, in a 'lash-up' form at least. As well as taking the signal from pad P6, I also had to find a source of the internal 3.3V regulated voltage, as the other channel outputs are 3.3V pulses (not battery voltage). I found this on one side of capacitor C15, which I suspect is across the output of the on-board voltage regulator. Anyway, with a veroboard-constructed circuit the output drives a servo. To make this practical I will need to fit a miniature version of this circuit, using SMD components, onto the receiver board itself, which I'm not sure I want to do at the moment. I'll try to find an S8R instead... rather easier I think. But it's been an interesting exercise, thanks for the info. Mike. Here are a couple of photos.. S6R with the veroboard circuit on the left, and 'scope traces showing P6 output (upper) and inverted signal to servo (lower) on the right. As this is really a different subject to rest of this thread I'll leave it there. If I do continue further I'll post a new thread on the subject. Brian.
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Durafly Vampire "V3" available from HK, well sort of.
RottenRow replied to Frank Day's topic in All Things Model Flying
So how much did you declare? And what difference does it make if, as you suggest, it should be VAT and duty free? I thought sellers now had to add the VAT at their end for items above a certain value. I also thought that the VAT accounted for the difference between Global and UK warehouse prices, in recent times anyway. It will be interesting to hear whether UPS add the VAT plus their fee before delivery. Brian.