Tips on using the forums
04-14-2014, 05:56 AM
#1
Tips on using the forums
Here are a few tips on taking advantage of the RC forums.
Post in the right forum areas.
When using the forum consider where you are posting. If you are flying glow planes, look at the posts and see if others are posting about glow planes. If you are flying electric planes, make sure you are among pilots flying electric planes. If you are flying gliders or helis or quads, see if there are specific sub-forum areas dedicated to those types of aircraft.
You can use the search feature to search for the type of aircraft you have. If you are not sure how to classify it do several different searches and see what you get.
While general flying and flying tips will be the similar among the various aircraft types there are many specifics to each type of power system. And consider that fixed wing, rotor and multi-rotor all have their individual issues and quirks. Gliders are flown a little different from power planes. In the end you will get better feedback and information and there will be less confusion as to how to help you.
Post a Link
When asking about your aircraft, servo, ESC, motor, fuel, whatever, don't assume that people know what you are talking about. Saying you have a Super Cub, for example, means very little. There are probably 40 different super cubs ranging from micros to giant scale, electric and fuel, RTF, ARF, Kits and plan built aircraft. Which one are you talking about?
People will try to help but their advice will be based on what they THINK you have and the advice might be wrong.
So, for example, if you say you have a Super Cub, is it:
A Super Cub
http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=C...m/HBZ7400.html
A Super Cub
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/electric-rc-airplane-super-cub
A Super Cub
http://www.nitroplanes.com/dysuj3cubpa4.html
A Super Cub
http://www.horizonhobby.com/products...ub-arf-HAN4540
Or a Super Cub
http://phoenixmodel.com/Product.aspx?ProductId=585
Note that even saying you have a Super Cub from Horizon Hobby would still not get it done as Horizon Hobby has at least 3 and some come in more than one package format. You may only know of one and I may only know of one but they may not be the same one.
Or, if I think you have the Parkzone Super Cub and you have the Dyam Super Cub and you ask about an ESC problem, the info I give you will be WRONG! If think you have the Dyam Super Cub and you have the Phoenix Super Cub the answers are going to be VERY wrong.
Post a link to the product or package you are talking about so there is less confusion. It also gives people a chance to look at the specs of your aircraft to help give you the right answers.
I have read through dozens of posts of advice only to find that the original poster has a different aircraft than the one for which they are receiving answers. And sometimes you are using a lesser known aircraft and people know nothing about it.
I recently read advice on what receiver battery pack to use in a glider. The pilot was getting lots of advice, but it was all wrong. It was not till later in the discussion he posted the name of his servos, but no links. The information was still wrong. With a little digging I learned that the servos being used in the glider will be damaged by the flight packs being recommended. How did that happen? he never posted a link to the servos and just assumed that everyone knew what he had and the specs for those servos.
So post in the most appropriate forum and post a link to the products being discussed so you can get good answers from people who really want to help you.
Post in the right forum areas.
When using the forum consider where you are posting. If you are flying glow planes, look at the posts and see if others are posting about glow planes. If you are flying electric planes, make sure you are among pilots flying electric planes. If you are flying gliders or helis or quads, see if there are specific sub-forum areas dedicated to those types of aircraft.
You can use the search feature to search for the type of aircraft you have. If you are not sure how to classify it do several different searches and see what you get.
While general flying and flying tips will be the similar among the various aircraft types there are many specifics to each type of power system. And consider that fixed wing, rotor and multi-rotor all have their individual issues and quirks. Gliders are flown a little different from power planes. In the end you will get better feedback and information and there will be less confusion as to how to help you.
Post a Link
When asking about your aircraft, servo, ESC, motor, fuel, whatever, don't assume that people know what you are talking about. Saying you have a Super Cub, for example, means very little. There are probably 40 different super cubs ranging from micros to giant scale, electric and fuel, RTF, ARF, Kits and plan built aircraft. Which one are you talking about?
People will try to help but their advice will be based on what they THINK you have and the advice might be wrong.
So, for example, if you say you have a Super Cub, is it:
A Super Cub
http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=C...m/HBZ7400.html
A Super Cub
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/electric-rc-airplane-super-cub
A Super Cub
http://www.nitroplanes.com/dysuj3cubpa4.html
A Super Cub
http://www.horizonhobby.com/products...ub-arf-HAN4540
Or a Super Cub
http://phoenixmodel.com/Product.aspx?ProductId=585
Note that even saying you have a Super Cub from Horizon Hobby would still not get it done as Horizon Hobby has at least 3 and some come in more than one package format. You may only know of one and I may only know of one but they may not be the same one.
Or, if I think you have the Parkzone Super Cub and you have the Dyam Super Cub and you ask about an ESC problem, the info I give you will be WRONG! If think you have the Dyam Super Cub and you have the Phoenix Super Cub the answers are going to be VERY wrong.
Post a link to the product or package you are talking about so there is less confusion. It also gives people a chance to look at the specs of your aircraft to help give you the right answers.
I have read through dozens of posts of advice only to find that the original poster has a different aircraft than the one for which they are receiving answers. And sometimes you are using a lesser known aircraft and people know nothing about it.
I recently read advice on what receiver battery pack to use in a glider. The pilot was getting lots of advice, but it was all wrong. It was not till later in the discussion he posted the name of his servos, but no links. The information was still wrong. With a little digging I learned that the servos being used in the glider will be damaged by the flight packs being recommended. How did that happen? he never posted a link to the servos and just assumed that everyone knew what he had and the specs for those servos.
So post in the most appropriate forum and post a link to the products being discussed so you can get good answers from people who really want to help you.
04-14-2014, 06:01 AM
#2
USING THE SEARCH FEATURES
If you look at the top of this page you will see a yellow bar on the right. One of the boxes says search. This box is your friend. Learn how to use it. This is the general search bar. It can be used to search across all of RC Universe.
Just above the first post of this thread, in the blue bar you will see a options to search this thread. This is also your friend.
Now, this thread is only 2 posts long at this point, but some threads have hundreds of posts and some have thousands.
For example, if you want to know what size propeller people are using on the Parkzone Radian, use the general search to find the Radian threads.
After you find the Radian threads, go to the thread and use the "search this thread" using "propeller" and see what you get.
Skilled use of the search features can yield fantastic results in a very short period of time.
What tips can you provide about the best way to use RCUniverse?
If you look at the top of this page you will see a yellow bar on the right. One of the boxes says search. This box is your friend. Learn how to use it. This is the general search bar. It can be used to search across all of RC Universe.
Just above the first post of this thread, in the blue bar you will see a options to search this thread. This is also your friend.
Now, this thread is only 2 posts long at this point, but some threads have hundreds of posts and some have thousands.
For example, if you want to know what size propeller people are using on the Parkzone Radian, use the general search to find the Radian threads.
After you find the Radian threads, go to the thread and use the "search this thread" using "propeller" and see what you get.
Skilled use of the search features can yield fantastic results in a very short period of time.
What tips can you provide about the best way to use RCUniverse?
04-14-2014, 06:08 AM
#3
FINDING THE RIGHT FORUM
RCUniverse has a lot to offer, but how do you find it? Sometimes it seems a bit of a maze. That is because RCU has grown up over the years and the hobby has hanged and diversified. 25 years ago electric airplanes were not very common. Today they probably outsell the fuel planes.
10 years ago quad rotor aircraft were rare. Now they are very popular. So the areas change over time as the technology changes.
Well, I mentioned the search feature, but there are other tools.
If you hit the Home button at the top left on this page, then click on the Forum tab you will see a list of forums. This can often be a good place to start.
Notice that there is an Airplane forum and an Electric flight forum.
The airplane forum tends to be for "wet fuel" pilots while the electric forum is for electric powered pilots. So, If you are flying glow planes, go to the airplane forum. If you are flying electric planes, go to the electric flight area.
Gliders and Sailplanes are also under the Airplane forum even though very few gliders have wet fuel motors on them. Most have no motors or have electric motors, but, well, that is where they are. However if you go to the Electric Flight area you will find lots of discussions about electric launched gliders, especially in the parkflyer and foamy areas.
There is a Helicopter forum. You will also find the quads and other rotor craft here. But you can also find help in the Electric Flight forum for electric helis.
Boats and Cars is obvious. Posting a question about your electric car in the helicopter forum is really not going to yield a lot of good information. Take it to the car forums.
Just some tips to help make your RC Universe experience more productive and enjoyable.
RCUniverse has a lot to offer, but how do you find it? Sometimes it seems a bit of a maze. That is because RCU has grown up over the years and the hobby has hanged and diversified. 25 years ago electric airplanes were not very common. Today they probably outsell the fuel planes.
10 years ago quad rotor aircraft were rare. Now they are very popular. So the areas change over time as the technology changes.
Well, I mentioned the search feature, but there are other tools.
If you hit the Home button at the top left on this page, then click on the Forum tab you will see a list of forums. This can often be a good place to start.
Notice that there is an Airplane forum and an Electric flight forum.
The airplane forum tends to be for "wet fuel" pilots while the electric forum is for electric powered pilots. So, If you are flying glow planes, go to the airplane forum. If you are flying electric planes, go to the electric flight area.
Gliders and Sailplanes are also under the Airplane forum even though very few gliders have wet fuel motors on them. Most have no motors or have electric motors, but, well, that is where they are. However if you go to the Electric Flight area you will find lots of discussions about electric launched gliders, especially in the parkflyer and foamy areas.
There is a Helicopter forum. You will also find the quads and other rotor craft here. But you can also find help in the Electric Flight forum for electric helis.
Boats and Cars is obvious. Posting a question about your electric car in the helicopter forum is really not going to yield a lot of good information. Take it to the car forums.
Just some tips to help make your RC Universe experience more productive and enjoyable.
Last edited by aeajr; 04-14-2014 at 06:13 AM.
10-22-2014, 06:50 AM
#4
LOOK AT THE STICKY THREADS IF YOU ARE NEW TO A PARTICULAR FORUM
Sticky threads are those that remain at the top of the forum. They have been "stuck there" because the moderator (someone like me) felt that they contained especially good information or that they addressed a frequently asked question.
In most cases you can post to the sticky threads so feel free to ask questions that relate to the topic of the thread. Even if the thread was started 5 years ago the information is still believed to be useful and relevant and the people in the thread will be a good source of information.
Stay on topic. If the topic of the thread is "what is the best beginner airplane". This is not a good place to post questions about how to fix your helicopter. Try to post questions or comments that are related to the topic. Otherwise you are going to annoy some people and really anger others.
If you ask for help, and the help offered resolves the problem, post the result and thank the people who helped you. It will create a lot of good will. It will also make that thread valuable to others who have a similar problem. They will see the recommendations and they will know what one worked for you.
Sticky threads are those that remain at the top of the forum. They have been "stuck there" because the moderator (someone like me) felt that they contained especially good information or that they addressed a frequently asked question.
In most cases you can post to the sticky threads so feel free to ask questions that relate to the topic of the thread. Even if the thread was started 5 years ago the information is still believed to be useful and relevant and the people in the thread will be a good source of information.
Stay on topic. If the topic of the thread is "what is the best beginner airplane". This is not a good place to post questions about how to fix your helicopter. Try to post questions or comments that are related to the topic. Otherwise you are going to annoy some people and really anger others.
If you ask for help, and the help offered resolves the problem, post the result and thank the people who helped you. It will create a lot of good will. It will also make that thread valuable to others who have a similar problem. They will see the recommendations and they will know what one worked for you.
05-29-2015, 10:35 AM
#5
If you are a new pilot, then an example of a good thread for you to read is about radios:
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/elec...rst-radio.html
Written to the needs of the new pilot.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/elec...rst-radio.html
Written to the needs of the new pilot.
