BackinBlack

Posted by Nigel R on 10/01/2020 20:02:23: Is your tx set up to use that channel? I understand some glider setups may not be. That's correct, in sailplane model set up the throttle channel is usually pre-configured for camber or similar functions and the throttle is assigned to a switch for simple on/off operation.

Throttle, Elevator, Aileron, Rudder is the normal Spectrum convention. For the AR410 Rx port A/1 is Battery, B/2 is Data or throttle, ports 3 - Elevator, 4 - Aileron, 5 - Rudder. If using an ESC with BEC then power is via the Throttle port, for IC battery goes to port A/1. Bind procedure from manual: 1. Push and hold the bind button on the receiver while powering up the receiver. Release the Bind button once the orange LED starts to fl ash continuously, indicating that the receiver is in bind mode. The receiver will also enter bind mode if you power on the receiver and then press the bind button before the receiver has connected to any transmitter. 2. Put your transmitter in bind mode. 3. The bind process is complete when the orange LED on the receiver is solid. 4. After you set up your model, always rebind the transmitter and receiver to set the desired failsafe positions HTH Ian Edited By BackinBlack on 10/01/2020 18:04:38

As with many aspects of these CAA regs this is being overthought. Biro, masking tape, print number on tape, stick inside battery compartment or other removable hatch. Simple.

All is well with me Andy. Hope all goes well with the Scans and Radio Therapy. Seasons Greetings to All. Ian

I can't be absolutely certain from the photos, but it could well be a Geberit unit. I recently had similar problems and sourced spares from Fix the Bog, who I have used on several occasions. One advantage is they have photos of all the parts which makes identification easier. If in doubt replace all the washers/diaphragms, which is easy enough. Replacing the entire unit may require removing the cistern to access the fixing nuts underneath, not always easy to reseat and reseal the cistern, especially if the plumber has installed it in the time honoured fashion with lashings of silicon sealant smeared over all the gaskets and seals! Good Luck Edited By BackinBlack on 21/12/2019 15:01:07

Peter, Same in my Club, no fuss. Everyone just got on with renewing subs and paying their £9 if also paying BMFA via the club. Here it seems that some are seeking out problems that don't exist. I'm sure that for the majority of us flying will carry on as normal with no particular worries about where to put numbers etc.... Edited By BackinBlack on 20/12/2019 16:11:32

Drones by Muse, that ought to go down well!

I recently acquired a previously cherished (ARTF?) Nova 40 from our clubs recycling centre (ie the corner of the clubhouse where members leave items they no longer want). It's in good condition, with no repairs to the airframe, the covering has faded but otherwise intact. It was previously fitted with an unknown glow motor. I propose to use it for a little relaxed flying over the winter. I was going the glow route but have now decided to convert to electric. The airframe with servos weighs just over 2.5 kgs or 5.5lbs and at 65" wingspan is somewhere in between things like the Precedent Hi-Boy and Uno Wot or Wot trainer. Accordingly, applying the recommended 100 to 120 watts per lb a motor of 550 to 660 watts would be appropriate. 4-Max recommend a 3547-900 for the Hi-Boy or the 5055-595 for the Uno-Wot. I have opted for the larger motor as the Nova appears to need that weight up front for correct C of G. Also the larger motor will come in useful with my plans for future aircraft. Hope that helps. Edited By BackinBlack on 26/11/2019 12:44:47

+1 for Lemon Rx with stabiliser. 7 channel Stab+ version can be set with 3 modes - No stabilisation, Stabilisation and Autolevel (great for those moments of panic) . All can be set from the transmitter with a 3 position toggle switch, or just 2 functions if no 3 way switch available. See Lemon Rx 7 channel with Stab+ Cheaper and easier to use than a flight controller which has many more features that you probably don't need. Ian Edited By BackinBlack on 10/11/2019 19:23:19

I don't use Apple/Mac devices, but Flash works OK on Windows. However, Adobe is withdrawing support for Flash as from the end of 2020, so websites that use Flash will have to use alternative systems to display graphic content. Many users have already moved away from Flash, whilst others are either oblivious or just waiting for doomsday.

Zippy or Hyperion Graphene. Both have served me well, as always, when properly looked after.

David, Thank you for your story, so glad that things are going in the right direction for you. It does highlight not only the different treatment experiences we have all had, but also the difference between medical professionals (and areas?) in assessing the need for and type of treatment offered. Having related the usual pee symptoms to my GP, she immediately took a sample for PSA test. 2 days later I was recalled to the Surgery to be told they as I had a PSA of 8.5 I would be referred as urgent (to see a Consultant within 14 days). MRI and biopsies followed within a couple of weeks, treatment options offered, discussed and chosen with Radical Prostatectomy (DaVinci method) just 10 weeks after initial PSA results. Brilliant work by the Churchill Hospital, Oxford. Thankfully I now have over 12 months of PSA less than 0.01. Ian

Posted by Andy Joyce on 05/08/2019 18:10:09: Has anybody had the robot assisted radical prostatectomy? Hi Andy, Yes, I had a radical prostatectomy almost 15 months ago at the Churchill, Oxford at 69 years old. It took just under 8 weeks from initial referral to my operation. I had an MRI scan, semi robotic biopsies (14!) which showed the cancer was contained within the Prostate but was advanced. I was offered the choice of Surgery or Radiation therapy. I had decided from the outset that Surgery would be my preferred option. The prospect of 6 months or so of hormone treatment, 4 weeks of radiation, the up to 9 months or more of hormone treatment did not enthral me. The operation was very straightforward, admitted late on Saturday morning, straight to Theatre, about 5 hours later woke up in recovery ward, even had a meal later in the evening. Left Hospital after Lunch on Sunday. Catheter removed after 10 days, pee under control a few days after that. Also had 28 days of self injected Heparin, used to help prevent blood clots. Erectile functions now need a little help, a small price to pay. PSA levels now down to 0.01, so all is well. Good Luck Ian Edited By BackinBlack on 06/08/2019 20:18:08

My preferred iron is the Antex TCS50W. covers light, small work through to medium jobs such as XT60/90 connectors. I have several Antex irons (CS15, XS25 and TCS50) which have all proved reliable, the CS15 is now 40+ years old. They're British and spares are readily available. Good to get a few extra bits to cover small and large jobs. Whatever you choose I would suggest that it has a heat resistant silicon cable, which is more flexible than the common PVC cables. Much easier to use if you don't have to fight the cable when positioning the iron for delicate work. Finally don't use lead free solder, it erodes bits quite quickly and doesn't flow on joints as easily as traditional lead/tin multicore fluxed solder.

Silver soldering should correctly be called silver brazing. It uses a hard silver solder which typically contains between 33 to 55% silver and has a melting point of 650C to 720C, the more silver the lower the melting point. It is primarily used for mechanical rather than electrical jointing as an alternative to brazing, which needs a hotter flame. It is an alloy containing in addition to silver Tin, Copper, Zinc and some rare metals. Typified by it's lower melting point below 450C, Soft soldering uses lead based solder also with tin and copper plus only 2 to 6% of silver, lead free solder is again based on Tin and Copper with a small amount of silver and other rare metals it is most commonly used for electrical connections. It's also used for plumbing. That means that if you can melt it with a soldering iron it is Soft solder, if it needs the heat of a blowtorch it is Silver or Bronze Brazing, which is much harder and stronger. There's also Silver soldering for Jewellery, which also uses a high silver content and requires more heat. HTH Ian Edited By BackinBlack on 07/07/2019 14:47:29

+/- 2.5%, not bad when you consider all the manufacturing, calibration and process variables. Propeller Motor ESC Wiring Connectors Batteries Rx conversion/processing Tx calibration/processing

It will be next on my building bench, which will be clear in about a week. A kit from Sarik would help in getting it in the air a little sooner.

David and Percy, I agree with what you say, but it does not change the inept way in which Regulation has come about. I shall, like many others here I suspect, when the time comes register and pay my dues. I would like to think that we shall see more prosecutions for the unregistered or illegal use of drones as a consequence. I have my doubts though.

I still find a degree of confusion in the terminology used in the Consultation document and response form. In responding to the Consultation we are asked to choose from a list where our interests lie, this acknowledges a differentiation between drones and model aircraft. The next question asks if we own a drone, Yes or No? Are they now including model aircraft or not? From the Consultation document - There will be no charge for remote pilots to take the required test, thereby, encouraging remote pilots to educate themselves (our research has shown that 85% of remote pilots are also drone operators); If drones includes model aircraft what are the other 15% piloting? Or do 85% of model aircraft pilots really pilot multirotor drones? This whole process is a farce where related to flying model aeroplanes, helicopters and multi rotor devices as a hobby/pastime. The irresponsible, unwitting or deliberate misuse of "Drones" has brought about this situation and deserves control, but not at a cost to the majority of responsible, law abiding model aircraft flyers. The previous provisions of the ANO and CAPs relating to remote operated model aircraft and multirotor drones were, if followed, adequate to assure safety. They were never effectively policed or enforced and there is no indication that the new Regulations will be, so how have we progressed? Regulation of commercial Drone operations is a different matter.

Posted by Doc Marten on 18/04/2019 10:04:34: I like that idea but I'd rather have the convenience to select the power by a rotary switch rather than have to plug in/unplug leads to different outlets to select, could this be done using a rotary stepped dial switch with the resistors soldered to the pins? is there such a switch available? Reliable low voltage DC, high current switches are almost as rare as the potentiometers. I would ask how often do you need to adjust the current? Chris' suggestion looks worth a try and would work with a 1 or 2s Lipo, 6 or 12V lead acid gel battery as well. There are quite a few others in the links below Chris' suggestion in that large River place. But, as peter suggests the NiMh solution is the simplest and based on my use of NiMh glow sticks is as simple and reliable as it gets. Edited By BackinBlack on 18/04/2019 12:04:35

Forget variable resistors, unless you can find a 1 ohm 10 watt wirewound, a rare and expensive item. The paralleled resistor idea will not really work with the value of variable resistor you have. You need fractional ohm resistors. For instance if your Cyclon is fully charged at 2.2V and the plug is rated at 1.5 volts 2 amps the resistance needed is (using V=IR, R=V/I) .7V/2 = 0.35ohms at 3 amps it would be .7/3 = 0.23 ohms. As the cyclon discharges at 1.9 volts, say 0.4/2 = 0.2 ohms. Best answer is is to get four 0.1 ohm 2 or 3 Watt resistors, five banana plug sockets and wire the resistors from one socket to the next with supply from the cyclon at one end, you then have 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 ohms available depending on which socket you use. No switches, just simple and reliable.

Posted by Glyn44 on 08/04/2019 07:33:38: Posted by BackinBlack on 07/04/2019 19:38:23: Just a year since I was diagnosed with stage 2/3 Prostate Cancer. I had had regular "finger" examinations, up to about 3 years ago as I had for some time had a need to get up during the night for a pee. Findings were only of a slightly enlarged Prostate, no need to worry. Need to get up during the night increased to 2 sometimes 3 times, mentioned this to doctor, PSA test followed immediately which showed significantly raised PSA levels. Immediate referral to Urology department at Churchill Hospital Oxford. MRI and Multipoint biopsy followed quickly, then offered either surgery or radiotherapy plus hormone treatment. I chose surgery, 4.5 hour keyhole surgery, home next day a few weeks recuperation and almost back to normal. 8 Weeks from referral to Surgery, can't praise the Churchill team enough, they were brilliant. A year on and all is clear. If you're over 50 PSA tests are available on demand, so if in doubt get tested, it's only a simple blood test and might avoid the consequences of Prostate Cancer. Ian I am, as of last Friday, at this stage. Now awaiting a bone scan to ensure the C hasn’t spread. It goes into bones apparently. I’m told that if that is clear, then I get the hormone plus radiation treatment (every day for 4 to 7 weeks) i haven’t been offered the keyhole surgery option. Do you think I should query that? The consultant mentioned that 1 in 8 men will suffer this, so yea get checked. Early is good. Sorry to hear that. The positive thing is that you have been diagnosed. I can only repeat the information given to me and can offer no advice except for people to get checked out at the first signs of anything untoward. The Oncologist I saw explained that in my case the hormone treatment would have been carried out first for a period of 4-6 months, then radiation treatment every day for 4-6 weeks, then further hormone therapy for up to 9 months. I felt that for me surgery was less disruptive. It is well worth looking through the MacMillan Leaflets explaining the surgery and radiation procedures and their respective benefits and downsides.

Just a year since I was diagnosed with stage 2/3 Prostate Cancer. I had had regular "finger" examinations, up to about 3 years ago as I had for some time had a need to get up during the night for a pee. Findings were only of a slightly enlarged Prostate, no need to worry. Need to get up during the night increased to 2 sometimes 3 times, mentioned this to doctor, PSA test followed immediately which showed significantly raised PSA levels. Immediate referral to Urology department at Churchill Hospital Oxford. MRI and Multipoint biopsy followed quickly, then offered either surgery or radiotherapy plus hormone treatment. I chose surgery, 4.5 hour keyhole surgery, home next day a few weeks recuperation and almost back to normal. 8 Weeks from referral to Surgery, can't praise the Churchill team enough, they were brilliant. A year on and all is clear. If you're over 50 PSA tests are available on demand, so if in doubt get tested, it's only a simple blood test and might avoid the consequences of Prostate Cancer. Ian

UK service agent is Al's Hobbies. Helpful people. Als Hobbies Edited By BackinBlack on 27/02/2019 19:53:02

Hi Mike, I think you may have to persevere with registering the receiver. I have several AR636 Rxs and had to download a new sprmx file for each one as the files appear to be locked to one serial number. Good Luck Ian