Post by Jef on May 17, 2014 21:23:18 GMT
Hi Guys and Girls.
Many people set up their transmitters so that the throttle stick is their braking control; I am amongst them.
The throttle stick is perfect for controlling the landing angle on all gliders.
Many people set up their transmitters so that the camber change is on a three-position switch. I don't know why that is. Camber change is something that should be treated (IMHO) as a proportional control too, weather conditions often predict how much camber is needed, or can be used.
What about motor speed control? That doesn't really need to be proportional, but it is nice to have variable prop speed.
So, how do you get three settable but proportionally variable functions to work alongside one another? Most people use a switch to toggle the throttle stick function between throttle and brakes, to achieve that. Over the years, I've often seen brakes coming on instead of the motor (and vice versa).
Personal preference, is the key to all transmitter set ups, I have found a preference that has worked well for me over many years. It has never allowed incorrect use of the motor.
When I flew DLGs, I held in a launch preset that increased the reflex - to keep the model's wing generating very little lift and minimum drag. As the right hand was somewhat tied up with throwing the model, a momentary (in for on, released for off) button on the left side of the Tx was deployed.
When I took up rocket gliding, I needed the same preset to prevent the model looping into the ground, and carried on using the left momentary to achieve that.
It seemed a natural thing, when setting up electric models, to use the same button to switch a mix on and off, to tie the motor speed control to the camber control slider. Release of the button stops the motor. Drop the Tx, the motor stops. If the camber slider gets inadvertently moved, away from the penetration position, the motor will run slower when the button is pressed (and the wing will generate more lift). No other system I have seen is as safe.
Now that I fly line launched models again, the launch preset is achieved by holding in the left momentary button.
I don't expect anyone to copy my set up, but some may change their set up, to make their electric motor controls less easy to inadvertently knock on. If that happens and someone is not hurt as a direct result then writing this has been worthwhile.
Jef
Many people set up their transmitters so that the throttle stick is their braking control; I am amongst them.
The throttle stick is perfect for controlling the landing angle on all gliders.
Many people set up their transmitters so that the camber change is on a three-position switch. I don't know why that is. Camber change is something that should be treated (IMHO) as a proportional control too, weather conditions often predict how much camber is needed, or can be used.
What about motor speed control? That doesn't really need to be proportional, but it is nice to have variable prop speed.
So, how do you get three settable but proportionally variable functions to work alongside one another? Most people use a switch to toggle the throttle stick function between throttle and brakes, to achieve that. Over the years, I've often seen brakes coming on instead of the motor (and vice versa).
Personal preference, is the key to all transmitter set ups, I have found a preference that has worked well for me over many years. It has never allowed incorrect use of the motor.
When I flew DLGs, I held in a launch preset that increased the reflex - to keep the model's wing generating very little lift and minimum drag. As the right hand was somewhat tied up with throwing the model, a momentary (in for on, released for off) button on the left side of the Tx was deployed.
When I took up rocket gliding, I needed the same preset to prevent the model looping into the ground, and carried on using the left momentary to achieve that.
It seemed a natural thing, when setting up electric models, to use the same button to switch a mix on and off, to tie the motor speed control to the camber control slider. Release of the button stops the motor. Drop the Tx, the motor stops. If the camber slider gets inadvertently moved, away from the penetration position, the motor will run slower when the button is pressed (and the wing will generate more lift). No other system I have seen is as safe.
Now that I fly line launched models again, the launch preset is achieved by holding in the left momentary button.
I don't expect anyone to copy my set up, but some may change their set up, to make their electric motor controls less easy to inadvertently knock on. If that happens and someone is not hurt as a direct result then writing this has been worthwhile.
Jef
