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Hance
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Fri Oct 07, 2011 1:33 pm

SpotTheCat wrote:
I retired my HBFP after a bad crash. It was a cheap 4CH heli that just got sloppier and sloppier. It didn't have the command authority to respond well enough to its instability. Imagine driving a big light truck in a lot of wind, only your steering wheel has 90 degrees of play.


I am amazed at the control authority the MCPX has. The 3 axis gyro that is built in is amazing. Something that small and collective pitch should be incredibly unstable but its not.
 
Hance
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Fri Oct 21, 2011 5:05 pm

Just watch to the end its cruising along at a pretty good pace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR-l_keXiXg
 
SpotTheCat
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Sat Oct 22, 2011 11:01 am

Wow! You have quite a bit of flying space! No wonder you're into top speed.
 
Hance
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Sat Oct 22, 2011 1:30 pm

SpotTheCat wrote:
Wow! You have quite a bit of flying space! No wonder you're into top speed.



Yeah I have plenty of room to fly whatever I want. When I launched the plane I was maybe ten feet from my back door.
 
notfred
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Sat Oct 22, 2011 3:01 pm

I just picked up a Blade mCX2 today. Been through about 3 batteries so far and still getting the hang of it, particularly stability on take-off. It's a blast and got the cats intrigued.
 
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Sat Oct 22, 2011 4:33 pm

+1 on the mcpX. Probably the best thing to happen to micro heli's in a while. Pity they didn't release a brushless version in the latest round of updates and just released a flybarless msR instead. :(
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SpotTheCat
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Thu Oct 27, 2011 9:01 pm

I want a new helix now, but I like building more than flying. :(
 
Hance
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Sun Oct 30, 2011 9:28 pm

Goofing off in the backyard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0tsqzHuiIg
 
notfred
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Wed Nov 09, 2011 9:33 pm

Question on flying the mCX2. I'm now up to flying it on the full rate and long swashplate balls, it's amazingly agile. However there are sometimes when it just keels over sideways in the middle of a manoeuvre and falls out of the sky - an easy example is fly around in circles with full forward stick and quite a bit of rudder cranked in. Am I just pushing it at a bank angle too much and it is falling off the hover column of air? Or is it something to do with the flybar and top rotor reaching its limits? Can I correct e.g. by feeding in some sideslip?
 
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Wed Nov 09, 2011 10:12 pm

Brace for epic RC helicopter skills.
 
yogibbear
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Thu Nov 10, 2011 7:10 am

notfred wrote:
Question on flying the mCX2. I'm now up to flying it on the full rate and long swashplate balls, it's amazingly agile. However there are sometimes when it just keels over sideways in the middle of a manoeuvre and falls out of the sky - an easy example is fly around in circles with full forward stick and quite a bit of rudder cranked in. Am I just pushing it at a bank angle too much and it is falling off the hover column of air? Or is it something to do with the flybar and top rotor reaching its limits? Can I correct e.g. by feeding in some sideslip?


If this is a coax then yes the flybar can hit the main blades at the cyclic extremes and it will literally "fall out of the sky".
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notfred
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Thu Nov 10, 2011 5:28 pm

Yes it is a coax but I don't think the flybar is hitting the main rotor. At rest there's a good little finger's worth of gap between the flybar and the main rotor at max travel. It's more like the flybar and top rotor are running out of travel or getting behind the curve and then it falling leafs to the ground.
 
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Santa's been good this year...

Thu Dec 22, 2011 7:06 pm

My RC club has a raffle at each monthly meeting and gives away a big prize each quarter. Amazingly enough I was this quarter's winner. The prize? A Wild Hare 50cc MX2. The plane I got is the red/black scheme in the lower right of the linked page. My wife is insisting on wrapping it up and putting it under the tree -- under being something of a misnomer as the fuselage box is about as tall as our tree.

Gotta finish up the Laser 200 so I can get this one flying, though the Laser my get back-seated if I can get the funding together for the hardware for the MX2.

--SS
 
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Mon Jan 02, 2012 9:58 pm

I started working on my Christmas present. Not a whole lot so far, just got the main and tail gear mounted and all the holes for wing and stab mounting cut in the covering. It's hanging in the garage now as most of the stuff I need will have to wait until Feb before funding become available. It will have a DLE-55 in the nose when all is said and done.

I took a picture before I hung it up.
Image

To give you some context for size, here is the fuselage sitting on my 6 1/2' work table.
Image

Looking forward to getting to fly it when the weather warms a bit.

--SS
 
SpotTheCat
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:41 pm

You fly huge, SS. props.
 
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Thu Apr 05, 2012 7:11 am

Well, after a number of delays (weather and free time) I got to maiden the MX2 yesterday. No video unfortunately as I was the only one at the field. I did snap a few pictures with my phone though.

Image

Image

Image

I have a few minor things to adjust. The engine needs to be moved about 1mm further forward to keep the spinner from rubbing on the cowl and I need to work on the tail wheel. I think I need to get stiffer springs for it. Right now, ground handling is a little on the "chaotic" side. The elevator is extremely effective too. Low rates are at probably 25% of travel. I'm going to have to consider adjusting the linkage geometry/

In the air it is an absolute charm. The balance is about perfect, as is the trim. It goes where you point it and does what is asked. Flying it was quite a lot of fun. A 16oz tank is good for about 15 min w/ plenty of reserve.

--SS
 
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Thu Apr 05, 2012 9:50 pm

SecretSquirrel wrote:
Well, after a number of delays (weather and free time) I got to maiden the MX2 yesterday. No video unfortunately as I was the only one at the field. I did snap a few pictures with my phone though.

Looks like a blast! How much would it take me out of pocket to buy that same exact plane, ready to fly? $250? $500? more? less?

Do you have to build it yourself from scratch or does it come pre-assembled?

Can you automatically control it using an Arduino Uno controller?
 
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Thu Apr 05, 2012 9:58 pm

thegleek wrote:
Can you automatically control it using an Arduino Uno controller?

No, human reflexes only. I'm sure the Arduino crowd will get there someday but there's a whole lot more than up/down, left/right. and slow/fast happening in a modern RC controller that's simply not modelable on the Arduino phone interface. Each axis needs adjustable trim, some R/C planes have retractable gear, some warbird R/Cs can drop model bombs, etc.
What we have today is way too much pluribus and not enough unum.
 
thegleek
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Thu Apr 05, 2012 10:01 pm

Captain Ned wrote:
some warbird R/Cs can drop model bombs, etc.

Sold. I'm in for 1 now. Load it up with 50-100 model bombs. Maybe put some M-80 firecrackers in them sukkas! lol oh the joy - oh the fun!

Wow... story time: "There have been documented cases of users losing their fingers or hands Peter Criss, the drummer for the rock band Kiss, was a victim of an M-80 during a 1976 Richmond Coliseum concert when a fan threw an M-80 onto the stage, nearly knocking him off his drum riser and leaving him with partial hearing loss for the remainder of the night." --- I wonder if there is a YouTube of this occurrence!
 
SecretSquirrel
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Fri Apr 06, 2012 8:22 am

thegleek wrote:
SecretSquirrel wrote:
Well, after a number of delays (weather and free time) I got to maiden the MX2 yesterday. No video unfortunately as I was the only one at the field. I did snap a few pictures with my phone though.

Looks like a blast! How much would it take me out of pocket to buy that same exact plane, ready to fly? $250? $500? more? less?

Do you have to build it yourself from scratch or does it come pre-assembled?

Can you automatically control it using an Arduino Uno controller?


As it sits, it would cost you just over $2300, sans receiver and transmitter. That is just for the parts. Ready to fly would imply paying someone to put it together for you. No idea what the going rate there would be.

I comes in ARF (Almost Ready to Fly) form. Effectively, that means the structures are built and covered. You have to install all the radio gear, the engine, power system, landing and tail gear, glue on the rudder, etc. I probably have 20-30 hours invested in putting this thing together. Though I should say, I have a bit of engineering retentiveness and the insides of my planes look way cleaner that your average RC plane.

No way to control it with an Arduino. Not enough horsepower in an 8 bit micro. A 32 bit ARM core at a reasonable clock speed would be needed. Unless you are a fixed point math whiz and really know what you are doing, an FPU is needed as well. Too much math. You really wouldn't use a high performance aerobatics airframe anyway. And now for the anti-idiot part... You are talking about a 17lb airplane with a 5.5HP engine in the nose spinning a 22" prop at 7000rpm. It can and will maim, mutilate, and/or, kill idiots. Not a toy. Go read up on the AMA safety code. Even if you aren't an AMA member, it is worth following. </end rant>

note: Thegleek, I'm not calling you an idiot, BTW. The term was used more in the "here, hold my beer and watch this" idiot sense.
 
SecretSquirrel
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Fri Apr 06, 2012 8:24 am

thegleek wrote:
Captain Ned wrote:
some warbird R/Cs can drop model bombs, etc.

Sold. I'm in for 1 now. Load it up with 50-100 model bombs. Maybe put some M-80 firecrackers in them sukkas! lol oh the joy - oh the fun!


These days, this is a really good way to get a visit from guys in suits and sunglasses, carrying large caliber firearms.
 
thegleek
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Fri Apr 06, 2012 9:44 am

SecretSquirrel wrote:
thegleek wrote:
Captain Ned wrote:
some warbird R/Cs can drop model bombs, etc.

Sold. I'm in for 1 now. Load it up with 50-100 model bombs. Maybe put some M-80 firecrackers in them sukkas! lol oh the joy - oh the fun!

These days, this is a really good way to get a visit from guys in suits and sunglasses, carrying large caliber firearms.

Understood. I was more thinking of this in a acre of land with no people around. Since capt'Ned mentioned it exists, why do people use model bombs in rc planes?

SecretSquirrel wrote:
As it sits, it would cost you just over $2300, sans receiver and transmitter. That is just for the parts. Ready to fly would imply paying someone to put it together for you. No idea what the going rate there would be.

I comes in ARF (Almost Ready to Fly) form. Effectively, that means the structures are built and covered. You have to install all the radio gear, the engine, power system, landing and tail gear, glue on the rudder, etc. I probably have 20-30 hours invested in putting this thing together. Though I should say, I have a bit of engineering retentiveness and the insides of my planes look way cleaner that your average RC plane.

Yeah, I wouldn't have an issue with building it. Financially, this doesn't seem feasible to me at this time. Thanks for your input!
 
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Fri Apr 06, 2012 10:29 am

thegleek wrote:
Since capt'Ned mentioned it exists, why do people use model bombs in rc planes?


The bombs are used to add to the scale look of the planes. Most are just a plastic shell that is filled with flour or something similar that will look like smoke when they hit the ground and open up. I have never personally seen anyone use explosives or fireworks on an RC plane and I spend a lot of time flying them.
 
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Fri Apr 06, 2012 10:41 am

SecretSquirrel wrote:
Though I should say, I have a bit of engineering retentiveness and the insides of my planes look way cleaner that your average RC plane.

The pics of the innards made that quite clear.
What we have today is way too much pluribus and not enough unum.
 
SecretSquirrel
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Fri Apr 06, 2012 1:31 pm

Captain Ned wrote:
SecretSquirrel wrote:
Though I should say, I have a bit of engineering retentiveness and the insides of my planes look way cleaner that your average RC plane.

The pics of the innards made that quite clear.


I think I resemble that. :lol:
 
SecretSquirrel
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Sun Apr 08, 2012 7:55 pm

Well, the MX2 is back on the bench. Went flying on Friday. First takeoff of the day, engine died while climbing after takeoff, at about 80-90 feet. I had just started to turn towards the pattern. I was able to get turned around and back to the runway, unfortunately I was coming downwind and had a short field once I got lined up. I over shot and had to dump it to keep from hitting a fence. Damage is pretty minimal. Busted the prop and punched the motor mounts through the firewall. I'll have to dissect the engine box and cut a new firewall and top piece as well and straighten the landing gear. I ordered a replacement cowl as well. The original got banged up a good bit. I intend to fix it and use it, but having a spare is not a bad idea.

I figure 6-8 hours of work to get it back to flying status. The biggest bummer was that I only brought one plane to the field so 30 seconds in, I was done for the day. Bleh.

Time to go buy something foam. :)

--SS
 
thegleek
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Sun Apr 08, 2012 11:07 pm

I was watching some of these videos for this DJI NAZA multirotor:

http://www.dji-hobby.com/naza/index_en.html

So cool! Gotta have one!!!
 
SecretSquirrel
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Sun Jun 17, 2012 3:50 pm

Well, my RC club finished just finished up our annual Warbirds Over Texas event. It was quite a lot of fun, though I didn't fly. I was busy taking pictures and I don't have a warbird anyway. I posted several of the top pictures from the weekend over in the photography thread in the Visual Haven. I'll avoid the double post and you can go look at them here: viewtopic.php?f=37&t=18390&p=1125014#p1125014

Still, here are a couple of other shots...

Image

Image
If any of you have clubs nearby that hold events like this, it is certainly worth stopping by on Saturday of the event.

--SS
 
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:31 pm

Back into helicopters...

Image

Yes, it's a DX8 -- for flying a micro, indoor bird.

Image

I sold off all my Spektrum gear some time ago. Not because I didn't like it, but I needed more channels and the Hitec Aurora 9 fit the bill. Well, now I'm buying Spektrum gear again. I've been drooling over several park fliers and while I can get them receiver ready, the micro indoor stuff is all bind-n-fly Spektrum. So, I'll just be a two radio house I suppose.

The mCPx is amazing. I certainly am not up to utilizing its capabilities for 3d flight yet, but it hovers better than my old CX2 or Blade 400 ever did.

--SS
 
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Re: Radio Control Hobbies

Wed Aug 15, 2012 12:16 am

that's a lot of controls for a helicopter... any easy way to explain how it all works SecretSquirrel?

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