Radio Control: Electrics
THIS MONTH'S topics include information on a commercial version of the End of Charge Beeper, an End of Charge Beeper upgrade, and some comment on tiny E-RC. The End of Charge Beeper (March 1997 column) was being considered as a potential product. (The EOCB is a simple device used in conjunction with your present motor battery charger to audibly signal when the charger has shut down.) I'm happy to announce the availability of a ready-built version. The product name is Lil Beep! and is available from New Creations R/C, Box 496, Willis TX 77378; Tel.: (409) 856 4630. The price is $19.95.
Radio Control: Electrics
Amazing and very much appreciated - that's what the slow but steady growth in Ni-Cd battery technology over the last two-plus decades has been. My first floundering E-flights occurred 1972-73 - when just about nothing for E-power was available at any hobby shop, including batteries. This was a time of "do it all yourself" with a struggle! I remember struggling to rewind Radio Shack and other toy motors to make them (somewhat) more suitable for the flight task at hand. And I recall the exasperation of trying to fit unwilling gears and a suitable prop to them. Then there was the small, light, homemade super-regen receiver and Adams actuator. And I still see myself trying to power the whole works with an old receiver pack comprised of four button cells that had to be charged overnight in classic manner. (There was no such thing as high-rate charging then.)
Radio Control: Electrics
THIS MONTH'S TOPICS include more on flight use of car motors, discussion on motor brushes, and continuing discussion of motor battery charging from the auto battery. Several recent columns included discussion of the discontinued Kyosho Mega motor and the newer Magnetic Mayhem replacement. I don't normally use car motors but in this case I have found very nice performance when combined with a suitable gear drive, prop, and cell count. While the subject motors do have replaceable brushes, I still consider 'em "throwaways" because they have bushing bearings - not ball bearings.
Radio Control: Electrics
This month's topics include a meet announcement, some new products, the '97 SR Seminar program, an overlooked speed control problem, and some interesting reader input. The Eleventh Annual DEAF Fly-In will be held October 4-5 at the Dallas (TX) RC Club Field in Seagoville. This meet offers some AMA events (610, 612, and 618) plus some fun-fly pursuits including "lightest RC Electric to fly 10 minutes," seven-cell lifting, and maybe an AULD (All Up, Last Down). For more info contact contest director Greg Judy at (817) 468-0962 or 75267.224¢ompuserve.com. You can also contact Frank Korman at (214) 327-8411 or FranKorman°cccd.edu. The Dallas Electric Aircraft Fliers website is http:/web2.airmail.net/warner1/deaf/.
Pulse Mini-lab
This multipurpose test accessory will be useful to all RCers. It's a compact, all-in-one instrument array ("lab") including a servo driver, a pulse-measurement system, and an internal calibrator. The Pulse Mini-Lab (PML) accurately measures the control signal behavior of your radio system and duplicates it independent of the radio. It is built entirely from inexpensive and readily available Radio Shack and hobby store parts. It is powered with six alkaline pencells and can drive any servo or Electronic Speed Control (ESC) with which I am familiar. Any modeler with some soldering ability and the usual modeling tools can build the PML.
