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Single-channel thoughts....


steve watkin
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I like the whole idea of single channel and nostalgia is not the only 'driver' for me.
I have a real interest in Free Flight, I find it a rather magic feeling when a model that has been created by you leaves your hand and flies all on it's own ! I'm sure there are quite a few more out there too but unfortunately they are all quite old now like me at 63. But at least s/c will enable me to do that without having to travel miles to find a suitable f/f site.
Truth is that magic may die out 'cos most of the younger generation grow up only knowing that our hobby is RC and nothing else. That I guess is the fault of many things but largely because everything these days is driven by money and there's not a lot to be made in sticks of balsa. Progress will always chuck up disappointment amongst the 'old school' but that is the way , and it will always be so.
So whilst I am totally fascinated by my sons huge electric powered , flybarless, 3D heli I will still play with the basic stuff as well. Not sure there are enough like me to support a mag, but an odd article wouldn't go amiss though.

Edited By steve watkin on 25/02/2012 18:07:32

Edited By David Ashby on 27/02/2012 19:56:55

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Steve, I know where you're coming from. I'm doing the same thing although I never flew single channel as I lived in central London so only played with single channel boats on Clapham Common pond.

Got everything for my SC Tx but am giving myself a fighting chance of success. As well as the coder I got the encoder from PhilG and have got a switched joy stick. This way I can work my way back, on the same plane, from propo then codamatic rudder and elevator with quick blip throttle to pure SC button pushing. I'm even going to add a buddy lead provision. I've got grave doubts how I will cope with this as I've been propo since the mid 70's and I'm older than you - still it's got to be good for a laughlaugh

 

Edited By David Ashby on 27/02/2012 19:59:12

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Gonzo,

You still in London? I'm in Orpington and we have a reasonably big park nearby (Norman Park) where we are allowed to fly electric. So I think the s/c Tomboy will be OK there, although getting it to land where all the other fliers land won't be easy !

Plan is to fly it first with propo (Spektrum Tx and one of those £7 orange Rx) on the rudder and set the rates so I can emulate the s/c rudder movement. Once I get it all trimmed I'll go on to the 2.4Ghz button set that I've made.

At the moment I'm only half way through the build so it will be a while before i fly it.

Cheers

SteveW

Edited By David Ashby on 27/02/2012 20:00:10

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My first radio was a single channel "bang-bang" Mc Gregor super regen set which meant only flying when no one else was. I have been considering rebuilding one of my earliest successful models, but will use proportional rudder.

It was quite something hearing the rudder bang over and watching the tail kick round as it did when the button was pressed. A rather smooth turn then developed but turned into a spiral dive if the control was held on too long.

Malcolm

Edited By David Ashby on 27/02/2012 19:54:19

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Steve,

Used to (many, many years back) live near East Street market, just South of the Elephant and Castle. Left there in the early 70's. It was bad enough transporting a boat by bus to Clapham Common in the early 60's, forget large'ish planes. It was Herne Hill park for small rubber jobs. I'm now in North Wales via Essex, Suffolk and the West Midlands.

Going to use a pre existing model (54" vintage style poly wing called a 'MISS-II' ). It started out as a brushed motor but have updated it with brushless and lipo's. It's been flow lots on propo so it's a known quantity. Need the 'buddy box' provision as there is a police helicopter base 0.6mls down wind of the prevailing wind direction and don't want to upset them with a 'dumb thumb' fly-away.frown

Edited By David Ashby on 27/02/2012 19:58:26

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Hi Gordon,

Yes you are right i will also have the facility to 'propo' the throttle at the beginning, although I'm planning on adjusting the prop and cell count 'till it flies like a f/f model when on full throttle. The s/c emulation board that Phil supplied does not have full propo throttle available (would be hard with just one button!) so the model has got to work on full throttle.

Lots of challenges to stimulate the old grey matter!!!

 

Regards

SteveW

Posted by GeeW on 26/02/2012 18:43:12:

Steve

A propo throttle also helps in the setting up stage as well. Elevators are for people who don't know how to trim a model properly and will never catch on!

 

Gordon

 

Edited By David Ashby on 27/02/2012 19:53:03

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Steve W. Thanks for that link, it's an interesting site and Pontefract isn't very far from where I live.

I still have the Minimac receiver and an Elmic Conquest escapement but the transmitter was among other items stolen years ago. Will consider offering them to the collection.

I don't think I'll be building a new radio though even if i do resurrect the KK Chief glider I converted to single channel.

Malcolm

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Malcolm,

 

You have got to try making a 2.4g Tx! It's really easy, if I can do it with almost no electronic knowledge I'm sure most modellers would be able. And it doesn't cost a lot. From memory the 2.4g tx module was about £12 so that along with some other bits from ebay and you are up and running.

Even if you don't ever fly it you can have great fun trying all the various combinations that Phil has designed into it and watching  the LEDs go on and off !

Cheers

SteveW

Edited By steve watkin on 27/02/2012 22:59:45

Edited By steve watkin on 27/02/2012 23:00:31

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I started out - like many others - with s/c and Elmic escapements. Must be 20 years ago now, I decided to revive s/c, and made an own-design 35 MHz FM s/c set! It worked too, and is still kicking around! I even got a trophy off Boddo at Old Warden for being the only one brave (stupid?) enough to be still flying rubber driven escapements!

Sounds daft, but I got a real kick out of it!

And in the late 80's (or was it early 90's?) I happened upon a shop that had a couple of brand new Elmic escapements on the shelf. I bagged 'em quickly, and they are still at home in my workshop.

With retirement on the horizon, I can see a new fleet of single channel models taking to the air again. Things don't have to be expensive and complex to be fun!

--

Pete

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  • 1 year later...

Had a brilliant evening down the park with the single channel Simplex, I'm trying one of the Cox Diesel Bees by a Canadian company called Xenalook who have more or less taken over from the old Cox company. It can be a bit temperamental to get started but I'm so wary of flooding it (apparently they bend rods easily) but anyway had 3 really good flights, the Simplex needed 1/32 packing under the wing LE as it was a bit underelevated for my liking and we were grass-cutting on the first circuit.... First flight had Mr Stouffer's recommended 1/8" each way rudder travel, which turned out to be far too tame, raised the rudder cage up a few degrees and it responds really well now. Its quite fast, and it rolls well but didnt manage a full loop, stalling out at about 11 o'clock (rudder only remember). Just before the top of the loop it drops the left wing violently as it stalls. Glides very well once its settled into a fast glide speed, in fact I might pinch the Simplex sheet wing idea for a S/C slope-soarer.
I had a great time, chucking it around but had a couple of short walks on landing, I'd rather let it settle itself in rather than try to turn it too close to the ground even if that means a walk.
Anyway chuffed to bits, walking to collect it from the 3rd landing (which was a proper greaser) this dog walker who'd been watching came over and asked "whats wrong with it?" "why does it keep doing that?" ;D ;D ;D so I had to explain the whole story... that its not like other peoples models, its 49-years old, has no throttle, flies till it runs out of juice, has only one control, etc... nice bloke though and a nice dog (American Bulldog).
On the fourth attempt with the Cox the signs were that the teflon disk had gone again so I flew the old faithful Sharky a few times, seeing how low it could roll without re-kitting and flying low, tight control-line circles.... brilliant fun!

So thats another one ready to go for the Ponty Single-Channel do on June 16th! Isnt it great to have light evenings again!
Cheers
Phil

sc_models.jpg

Simplex, Cox Diesel Bee .049, RCS Guidance System S/C - Sharkface, 2205/22 on 2S, Gem S/C. Both bang-bang rudder-only on the button.

 

Edited By Phil Green on 20/05/2013 10:48:32

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Gonzo,

I am also slightly older than you but like you I have flown single channel and free-flight planes.

When I was in the sixth form at school I did a Saturday job in a gas and electrical showroom in Clapham High Street and during my lunch break used to watch the model boats on Clapham Pond.However some years later whilst playing the obscure game Korfball on the common adjacent to the pond, the Korfball pitch was over-flown several times by IC powered RC planes---I wonder if it is still allowed?

Mike E

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Oh dear ---it's no longer allowed!

MJE

Model aircraft which weighs
not more than 7 kilograms without its fuel;
“power-driven” means driven by:
(a) the combustion of petrol vapour or other
combustible substances;
(b) by jet propulsion or by means of a rocket,
other than by means of a small reaction
motor powered by a solid fuel pellet not
exceeding 2.54 centimetres in length; or
(c) by one or more electric motors or by
compressed gas.
General prohibition
37. No person shall cause any power-driven model
aircraft to:
(a) take off or otherwise be released for flight, or
control the flight or such an aircraft in the
ground; or
(b) land in the ground without reasonable excuse.
Trading
38. No person shall without the consent of the Council
provide or offer to provide any service for which a
charge is made.
Excessive noise
39. (1) No person shall, after being requested to desist
by any other person in the grounds:
(a) by shouting or singing;
(b) by playing on a musical instrument; or
(c) by operating or permitting to be operated
any radio, amplifier, tape recorder or
similar device,
make or permit to be made any noise which is
so loud or so continuous or repeated as to give
reasonable cause for annoyance to other
persons in the ground.
(2) Byelaw 39(1) does not apply to any person
holding or taking part in any entertainment held
with the consent of the Council.
P
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