I am looking for a DX6I Transmitter. I am hoping that someone has moved up to a different one and is willing to let go of theirs for a reasonable price.
Don Griffin: dgriffi1@san.rr.com
Yearly Archives: 2011
189 posts
For Sale by: Chalmers “Chop” Kerr. Contact: chalmerskerr@sbcglobal.net
1. Tower Hobbies trainer 40 ARF, new in box, $55.00
2. Bridikit RCM Trainer, wing and fuselage built up, all parts and plans, $20.00
3. Futaba FP-5LK Digital Proportional Transmitter, servos, receiver, etc., new in box, 72.83 MHz, $65.00
Offers will be considered.
The field was a tad mushy (like a mud bog at the east end) So the landing marker was put a bit further east than usual. Don was out marking the landing zone early with our BRAND NEW chalk machine, dedicated to ELECTROGLIDE, and we marked the runway with the usual bulls-eye. Don also added straight bars to resemble shuffleboard style scoring as we were planning on giving it a try. During this test of the bar line scoring, it was nice to see everyone quickly adapting to it, but it became evident right away that there are some sneaky advantages to shuffleboard style scoring if you come in cross runway. During the day, the wind went from near zero, to about 2 mph right from the south. This allowed a very slow approach directly towards the pilots from the north, crossing the runway at 90 degrees. So, if you landed this way, you could line up on on the 30 points bar, and slide clearly across the runway, never leaving the 30 point zone. Cross runway landings have a definite advantage without a fixed “Entry Point” or “Insertion Point”. In summary, using shuffleboard style scoring is great when there is wind in the direction right down the runway, but in light or cross wind situations, the new style advocates landing directly into the direction of the pits. The other option of making a mandated insertion point, starts to sound too much like more unnecessary rules. On that merit alone, I’d suggest we do not use shuffleboard style scoring again. It was a nice try, a neat change to check out, but its not a good idea to reward cross runway landings by giving that advantage. There was some discussion about maybe making 2 landing zones, but unless we have 2 scorekeepers/landing judges, it becomes hard to keep track of. I think we just continually make the effort to hustle out and retrieve your glider once you land to clear the zone as quickly as possible to avoid collision. I think a solid, good faith effort to clear the LZ is all we need.
We also tried the electronic launch system for the first time, and I got several comments of appreciation afterward. It seemed it was loud enough without being too loud and everyone could hear the instructions well enough. Although no one commented on the big error in the countdown (which I already fixed) but during the first sortie, Richard told me there was an error in the countdown. I didn’t hear it, nor believe him, so I asked him to pay close attention during launch 2. Sure enough, he said it made the error right after 4 minutes. Instead of going down to 5 minutes left, it went up to 6 minutes. The error was only at the 4 minute mark, and it was AUDIO only. The time frames, voice queues (other than that one) and total flight times were correct.
We had a total of 9 pilots, one Easy Star, 2 open class ships and the remainders were Radians. On the first launch, there was a collision with the Easy Star and a Radian that took the EZ* out for the day. Slightly later in the morning, the Godfather of the Glide, Don WImple took his eyes off his Radian for just long enough to loose it. We searched the field, going further east than Don thought, and I found it floating out right in the middle of the cove, sitting as pretty as a float plane, fully intact. With the help of a boater, Don was able to get it back pretty quickly. Don commented he has some electronics and will be ready for next month. We were then down to 7 pilots. Of those 7, only 5 were Radians…… So that means only 2 pilots didn’t make the podium in Radian class. I’ll spare their grief and not single them out here! Myself and Jim Shelton were the only open class ships. Jim Shelton had a couple of zeros that some shorter flight times allowed me to beat his Omega with my Easy Glider. On my first launch, my battery plug was not letting amps through, so after a pull and a re-plug I had power. Launching, I only got 5 seconds of power before the cutoff and landed @ 1:24. Don Wemple also lost his canopy, which is why he took his eyes off his glider.
You can see the first launch thanks to Jim Shelton’s video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leqq0Tq4uQg
Also, if anyone has any photos of Electroglide, please send them to me!
Some pilots left without giving me their scoresheets. Please guys, if you participate, complete the form and turn it in. Its not just a matter of getting scored for the win, it also helps me know who was there, who flew what, and how the day went because I SINCERELY APPRECIATE the notes you leave on the sheets such as Norm’s “Throttle Bump” and “Missed Field” on the score sheet. It helps me recall the day for these summary reports. I also appreciate the feedback on the form itself. I revised it, it seems to be working pretty well, but with the example given of leaving comments, I will add a line for your comments each flight. if you have any ideas or suggestions, don’t hesitate to let me know, I hope you all can see I am willing to ‘mix it up’ a bit and try new things while keeping the purity of the electroglide paramount.
As I close this report, I ask that each of you give a few minutes to reflect on the last 10+ years of Electroglide. I have personally only been a part of it for 4 years and I sincerely appreciate the ability to participate, contribute, and keep this event going strong with it’s commanding lead of the longest lasting, perpetual RC Flying event in San Diego. Pure piloting at its absolute finest. No thousand dollar ships, no $100 dollar battery packs, no grossly overpowered acrobatics. Thermal sniffing at the pilot level, there is nothing more relaxing and enjoyable at SEFSD than the ELECTROGLIDE.
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, a prosperous and thermal-filled
New Year,
Jim Bonnardel
I have a brand new, never even been programmed, Spectrum DX-8 transmitter for sale at $290. It includes: an AC Charger, Neck Strap, 128 Mb Transfer Chip, Custom Carrying Case (value $49.), and two user manuals. Note: This particular transmitter is NOT included in Spectrum’s recall of other DX-8 transmitters. Contact Walt Jellison at 619-461-4070 or e-mail to jellwalt@cox.net..
The bank account began the year at $21,852.38 and I estimate it will close the year at approximately $21,737.27.
So our net income minus expenses for 2011 will be approximately $ -115.11.
Our only income is from membership dues, from which we received $10,405.00 from our approximately 250 members.
Our most significant expenses have been operations at our two flying sites – Sea World at $4,360.09 (field maintenance, signs and Spanky’s) and Hour Glass at $1,841.00. Other significant expenses were the 2010 Holiday Party ($1,483.10), setting up our new website ($1,220.13) and our flying events ($926.04).
Please feel free to call me or email me at anytime if you have any questions about the club finances. I deliberately keep my annual report short so everyone can understand the clubs basic financial situation but I don’t want any members to think that they can’t find out more if they are interested.
Enjoy a safe 2012 flying season.
Michael Neale, Treasurer SEFSD.
CHARGER
B6AC LiPo charger, runs on 12v or 120VAC. SkyCharger brand. Costs $60 new at Amazon or HobbyPartz.
http://www.hobbypartz.com/skychb6chdup.htm
About 18 months old but only light use – I upgraded to HiTec.
Asking $35 or trade.
BLENDERM
I bought a box of a dozen rolls of 3M blenderm tape, which I’ll need 5 years to use up. 1 inch wide x 5 yards.
http://www.amazon.com/Blenderm-Surgical-Tape-inch-Clear/dp/B000P158QU/
Asking $2 a roll (at the field) or will trade for other consumables.
If interested contact Roger B Rbohn@ucsd.edu
Click the Pic for the race video
Congratulations to Richie on his first complete flight of the Stick.
Gary shows off his beauliful new T-28. Comes complete with servos, retracts, lights, etc.
Have you renewed yet?
Please click here for the information and form. Thank you if you already renewed.
Full size electric! Click the pic.
More info on full size electrics:
What happend was: After changing my tail servo it reversed the control action. I compensated in the transmitter for this reversal. I neglected to compensate in the control program. So here it is: if you hold a tricopter and turn on the motors, you can twist the airframe and feel the tricopter “resist” the movement due to the gyro stabilization routine. Therefore, the logic is clear: when I twisted the tricopter and the gyros corrected, they corrected in the opposite direction! Yes, the tricopter ACCELERATED in the direction of my twisting and spun around and bit me so fast it could put a rattle snake to shame! Lesson learned: I now wear safety glasses when ever I am closer than 10 feet to this thing. ’nuff said.
I promised to show the power distribution setup and here it is:
I cut two copper washers out with a 1″ hole saw ( positive and negative) as the main buss. This was done to faciliatate easy removal and replacement of each individual speed controller. In multicopters, a central power distribution architecture helps keep the aircraft smooth and stable during a transient high powered manuver. I took both copper washers and bolted them together with a nylon bolt with a teflon washer between them. What, you don’t have sheet of teflon laying around? A nylon washer would work just fine, heck a plywood washer would work, or a piece of an old credit card, or …… any insulator will work at these voltages. Check out the overview from the top with the top plywood bulkhead removed.
here is a close up
here is a close up from the bottom
here is and extreme closeup of the top. It has easy access to de-solder any speed controller, if need be.
This image shows the top “bulkhead” installed and the “servo leads” of the speed controllers threaded through the access hole.
Here is the control board installed
here are various images of the completed airframe
That’s it for this month. Next month: Flight Tests ! Stay tuned for next month:
The Next Big Thing !
Rocket Bob Kreutzer
The first is a gentle man who did what we wondered, he put a fuel burner in a Fun Jet. It flew well, wasn’t really much louder then the electrics, was comparativly slow (and just the same fast as they had some maxed out Fun Jet Ultras there) and had about half the duration.
The second is a $3000 jet turbine fitted to a Multiplex Twin Jet, a now obsolete airframe. A year later he was featured in the national magazine Foamie. Yes, we could have duplicated the flight profile with electric, but part of the fun of it was getting a jet into the air without a big investment. I have seen a couple of others, that sound is irreplacable. In different words then I use, but the same message, so what that I didn’t spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours, this thing flies great. We aren’t in this to make a profit, it’s to live. And that jet was fun. If he had bought an unnecessarly luxerious car or took an expensive vacation would anybody take notice of that?
It might have originated in Holland, but fiberglass cows are now a part of the cultural landscape here. This one is in front of a vintners near Mainz Germany, where I presume is serves as a locator. Turn in at the red cow sort of. The way I see it if God had meant for there to be fiberglass cows, he would have made fiberglass grass. We see them in all kinds of different paint schemes scattered around.
Yours, Carl W Murphy
The readership of the SEFSD website would like to hear what you are flying and/or building. Please think about writing an article of any length, with pictures, and submitting it here. Thanks.
Great Planes GIANT-U-CAN-DO 82″WSX84″L RTF Totally built includes battery & receiver, also stand. Able to fly crazy 3-D or pattern. Only flown once, new condition.$500 BO
Call Richard: 619-742-3448
For Sale
E-Flite Yak 54 C-Z complete, with batteries, but less receiver. Flies
aerobatics nicely.
Never crashed. Two major durability improvements. Fragile motor mount
replaced with one cut from aluminum plate. Bendy wire landing gear
replaced with Dural gear. Batteries are 4S Turnigy, 3 of 2600 mAH, 3 of
3000 mAH.
$300
Newsworthy Items:
1. Please check the calendar for the new schedules for: Meetings/Events, Electroglide, Float Flying, and Indoor Flying.
2. The Torry Pines Gulls have their outstanding newsletter available online.
3. Please check out all the other great items for sale in our “For Sale by Members” area.
4.
5. Please check out these fine newsletters from other clubs:
The Harbor Soaring Society has a wonderful newsletter here.
6. There is now a complete list of club instructors under the “Resources” tab.
1) An FPV-equipped model must be flown by two AMA members utilizing a buddy-box system. The pilot in command must be on the primary transmitter, maintain visual contact with the FPV aircraft, and be prepared to assume immediate control in the event of a problem, with the secondary pilot flying FPV.
2) The operational range of the model is limited to the pilot in command’s visual line of sight as defined in the Official AMA National Model Aircraft Safety Code (see Radio Control, item 9) and not by the FPV video.
3) The flight path of model operations shall be limited to the designated flying site and approved overfly area.(map is located on frequency board)
4) The model weight and speed shall be limited to a maximum of 10 pounds and 60 miles per hour.
5) Maximum operation height is 400 feet. If manned aircraft approaches the area the FPV model will descend to 100 feet.
6) Aircraft fitted with autopilots for autonomous operation are NOT to be flown at the SEFSD site.
7) People who wish to operate an FPV model under the above guidelines must contact a member of the board and arrange a meeting to include the model so that safety and operational rules can be discussed.
Steve Neu
SEFSD President
By John Forrester
Please download the short manual for those using dual-control for instructing pilots of radio-control model aircraft.
Whatever task you are learning, it helps to learn from others who have successfully done it before. Learning to fly a radio-control aircraft is just such a task, but even more complicated is teaching someone else how to fly. John Forester has written up his method of instruction so that any other pilot who is beginning to instruct, or who wants to see how other instructors teach flying, can read and learn from it.
Every competitor gets to visit the prize table in turn and 30 plus sponsors led by Desert Aircraft insure each pilot getting a prize of at least $300 value. The five days of TAS were marvelous in weather but more importantly in organization led by Dave Johnson’s Desert Aircraft team of Tony Russo, Steve Richardson, Brian Howard, Anna Woods, Bob Sadler (mouth of the South). Fred Midget from Higher Plane recorded the highlights which he offered for viewing with a Flight Pass. Many dedicated judges from across the country led by IMAC president Wayne Matthews came together with TIMPA,the host club, plus the aforementioned talent …..and then add to that nearly 70 happy, grateful, friendly Scale Precision (IMAC) contestants and you have the best Tucson Aerobatic Shootout I have ever been to….thanks everyone.
The SEFSD was represented by Dr. Ray Fulks flying Sportsman class for the second year in a row and improved his results to finish 10th out of 15 in that class. Tim Attaway finished 10th also in the Unlimited class and another member, Steve Nelson finished in 9th place in Unlimited. We had a terrific time at the TAS and look forward to the next one in 2012.
Tim
Please see the gallery of pictures here.
By Wayne Walker
Old Time Enduro Contest Nov. 19th at Rabbit Dry Lake
Just like the old California Enduro contest of the ‘90’s! Except of course it will be better!
Closed course on the Dry Lake, Triangle of 3-5 miles so there’s no CHP to worry about, 4 hour window to do your run or runs, 10 AM-2 PM. Electric and Solar only, one flight per battery charge. Unlimited tries during the 4 hour window. Scoring of distance is by GPS carried in the plane, Remote/FPV Piloting is allowed.
Pot Luck BBQ afterwards with maybe even some awards.
See the RCG thread at http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1517954
This author is putting together a 3.5 meter sailplane with a Neu motor and at least 9.5AH of cells with video downlink and GPS logging.
Rumors are that one club member has a SIG Senior that can hold a similar battery load.
Update as of 11/6/11: Well, with rain tonight at Hesperia and 3 days worth next weekend, I think I’ll postpone till SPRING 2012….
Wayne W.
See that bear? Yes, THAT is the arrow shaft I am using for this tricopter !
Honestly, this is THE place to get graphite arrow shafts of ANY type. Just to
see this place and the indoor range and the trophies EVERYWHERE is worth
the drive! But, I digress…
I have now made a new airframe with flight proven electronics. It is almost like the
first airframe although with modifications based upon “experience” .
The first task is a more robust tail servo mechanism based upon AlexinParis’ quick and dirty concept.
The helicopter blade holder is also just too fragile
This is actually very quick to fabricate and is of very low friction. The pieces of tube that are
wrapped with thread are just extra graphite tube cut-offs. The thread is just button thread
cyano’d on. The trick is, I used some 1/4″ polyethylene water tubing jammed into the graphite
tube cut-offs. I then drilled out the center of the green tubing to make a nice bushing for the aluminum tube
(that holds the motor mount) to pivot on. The motor mount is made of plywood and while it is hard to
see in the picture, it has some fiberglass cloth re-inforcing the mounting to the aluminum tube pivot
that rides on plastic bushings that cost 1/4 cent. The servo mount is also fiberglass re-inforced to
the graphite shaft. This works really well, no slop, no friction, light weight, easy, cheap, fast.
What more do you want? ( Did I hear some joker say, “for someone else to do it” ? )
Check out the undermount servo. Totally covered by the motor, no drag.
This is slick and light and after all is said and done, I don’t think I would do it like this again.
I mean look at it. Even though I am going to put a bumper on it, it IS vulnerable to a hit.
You have to remember that the airflow into and out of a propeller is pretty much 80% of the
flow is through the outside 20% of the propellers’ span. So mounting the servo on TOP of
the boom next to the motor would probably have a minimal impact on the total lift and a BIG
improvement on the rugged-ness ( is that a word?) of the airframe. Hey, next time. In the mean time
here are some more pictures of my tail servo set-up.
Next month we will delve into the upgraded power distribution network .
Stay tuned!
Rocket Bob Kreutzer
Grey skies were not the concern of the day, even though we had them. The early concern was fog. The overcast was nipping at the top of the Sea World tower and we did not have visual of the upper half of Mt. Soledad. Pilot meeting advise was that at anytime you can come out of power during the climb if you are nipping at the base of the marine layer. At the end of the first launch, it was evident that we were not going to have any problems as the layer was starting its retreat for the day.
All 4 launches were able to get done without keeping the EMAC guys from doing any flying. We were done and they didn’t begin for another 40 minutes after we finished. Its nice to see different groups getting what they want from the field on the same day without schedule conflicts. We did have a couple of incidents of note, both in round 2. John F. lost control and put his plane into the pit area, and Carl C lost visual of his plane, and put his in downwind. Carl had crashed, but he was actually watching another airplane and did not realize he was not flying the plane until the one he was watching had made its commitment to land, and he got visual that it was not his plane. Both ships were fine to continue on (and did), but this is a reminder that we as pilots, are responsible for the safe operation of our airplanes. If you are having trouble and are headed into the pit area, you need to sound off, and alert the other pilots of the problem. There is lots of time to shout out “HEADS UP” or “LOOKOUT” or “INCOMING”. Any audible clue you can give that there is a problem is greatly appreciated by all.
Carl’s plane was returned to him in time to get to the line for the 3rd launch, which is where he started getting points. Stay in visual contact with your airplane and if at any time you are not sure, do an abrupt movement like a quick pull up, or a rudder wag that will ensure you are looking at, and flying the correct pane.
I personally again went too long for flight #1, flying 10 minutes, 7 seconds for a ZERO ZERO. The first flight is where everyone got their longest times of the day, so for me, missing that score hurt badly. Bob S and Norm A had 9:53 and 20 points for round 1. Those were the marks to beat. I was the last one up, but went too long, I really got to learn to come in sooner!
The rounds got progressively shorter with the lift bubble turning into a sink hole. Across the board averages were 9 minutes for round 1, 7 minutes for round 2, 5 minutes for round 3, and 3 minutes for round 4. After the round 2 excitement, 3 and 4 were incident free. Make note of the Radian scores for place finishes. ALL ABOVE 240. The bar is clearly set pretty high by the trusty Radian. A great plane, with a dedicated pilot can clearly pull more than its own and perform with the best of them.
There was a new form in use today, let me know if you liked it or hated it. I will change the “Standard” class to read “Radian” class as that is what it is.
Let me know if there is any suggestion you have to the scoresheet as I only print enough for the expected group and can make changes at any time.
The Club Facebook shows the scores:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Silent-Electric-Fliers-of-San-Diego/133163896756394
And the report is on the club website:
Placement Scores:
Easy Star Class:
1st Place Terry McLean * 143
2nd Place Carl Cox* 54 (only 2 rounds scored so not too bad for only 2)
Open Class
1st Place Jim Shelton 216
2nd Place Jim Bonnardel 189
3rd Place John Forester 128
Standard (Radian) Class
1st Place Norm Arndt 265 (make a note that had Norm not plowed into me at the bullseye round 2, he would have skidded through the scoring markers!)
2nd Place Bob Stinson 261
3rd Place Tom Erickson 244
See you next month for more loitering.
See the results of the last EMAC for the 2011 season here.