Spektrum Altimeter
10-19-2012, 02:02 AM
#26
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RE: Spektrum Altimeter
Perhaps, more apparent on full size aircraft, but in the picture above (bottle with 229) the stub of golden rod protrudes out the bottom of a 1/4 scale Biplane by about an inch. There's prop wash, airstream and all manner of turbulence, but the ALTITUDE, is spot on. Just remember Russian Admiral Vohskov's admonition, "Better is the worst enemy of Good Enough" . ( I think Napoleon actually is also attributed with a similar saying, but I'm half Russian. hehehe)
I really do not believe that it makes any difference where the tube is placed, based on testing of 4 different aircraft and 4 different locations for the tube, I think its more a question of putting the sensor in a small confined space with a small aperature tube, instead of having the sensor exposed in a wide open cavaety.
KKKKFL
I really do not believe that it makes any difference where the tube is placed, based on testing of 4 different aircraft and 4 different locations for the tube, I think its more a question of putting the sensor in a small confined space with a small aperature tube, instead of having the sensor exposed in a wide open cavaety.
KKKKFL
10-20-2012, 12:00 PM
#27
RE: Spektrum Altimeter
You can use the Prandtl tube that comes with the altimeter, but you can't have both altimeter and airspeed using the same static port if you are putting the altimeter in a bottle, as it will affect airspeed readings.
Andy
Andy
07-21-2013, 12:12 PM
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RE: Spektrum Altimeter
Andy,
Could you offer some advice on where best to instal the altimeter in a radian pro please.
I currently have the TM1000 telemetry module under the receiver running the voltage and temp sensors. There seems to be enough space under the canopy for another sensor, but reading this thread installation appears to be quite critical to ensure accurate readings, specially with a power glider like the radian.
Thanks,
Richard.
Could you offer some advice on where best to instal the altimeter in a radian pro please.
I currently have the TM1000 telemetry module under the receiver running the voltage and temp sensors. There seems to be enough space under the canopy for another sensor, but reading this thread installation appears to be quite critical to ensure accurate readings, specially with a power glider like the radian.
Thanks,
Richard.
07-22-2013, 07:46 AM
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RE: Spektrum Altimeter
ORIGINAL: soaringman
Andy,
Could you offer some advice on where best to instal the altimeter in a radian pro please.
I currently have the TM1000 telemetry module under the receiver running the voltage and temp sensors. There seems to be enough space under the canopy for another sensor, but reading this thread installation appears to be quite critical to ensure accurate readings, specially with a power glider like the radian.
Thanks,
Richard.
Andy,
Could you offer some advice on where best to instal the altimeter in a radian pro please.
I currently have the TM1000 telemetry module under the receiver running the voltage and temp sensors. There seems to be enough space under the canopy for another sensor, but reading this thread installation appears to be quite critical to ensure accurate readings, specially with a power glider like the radian.
Thanks,
Richard.
07-22-2013, 08:17 AM
#30
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RE: Spektrum Altimeter
ORIGINAL: Aerocal
I have mine mounted in the front area under the canopy.No accuracy issues I can really notice when gliding.The air inlet on the canopy isnt huge and the flow through the firewall isnt huge either.As long as you dont have the tunnel through to the bottom and the air exit I dont think there is going to be a big pressure differential from the outside to the inside of the compartmant.I have noticed some small anomalies going fast with the motor running but thats not a common operating configuration. It should be fine if its not mounted with airflow blowing directly on the sensor.
ORIGINAL: soaringman
Andy,
Could you offer some advice on where best to instal the altimeter in a radian pro please.
I currently have the TM1000 telemetry module under the receiver running the voltage and temp sensors. There seems to be enough space under the canopy for another sensor, but reading this thread installation appears to be quite critical to ensure accurate readings, specially with a power glider like the radian.
Thanks,
Richard.
Andy,
Could you offer some advice on where best to instal the altimeter in a radian pro please.
I currently have the TM1000 telemetry module under the receiver running the voltage and temp sensors. There seems to be enough space under the canopy for another sensor, but reading this thread installation appears to be quite critical to ensure accurate readings, specially with a power glider like the radian.
Thanks,
Richard.
07-22-2013, 05:37 PM
#33
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RE: Spektrum Altimeter
ORIGINAL: Charles Thomas
How do you get the Spektrum Altimeter to reset to 0'. Everytime I turn it on it will be anywhere from -3' to 6' but never at 0. The is on the workbench or at the field. Took the first one back to the LHS and they gave me another one and the same problem with it. I waited until the last update came out for my DX-8 to see if it would fix it but no luck. I also checked it with my son's DX-8 and the same problem. It also gives readings in flight from -9' to 5000'
It's mounted in the fuse and about as static air as you can get.
Charles
How do you get the Spektrum Altimeter to reset to 0'. Everytime I turn it on it will be anywhere from -3' to 6' but never at 0. The is on the workbench or at the field. Took the first one back to the LHS and they gave me another one and the same problem with it. I waited until the last update came out for my DX-8 to see if it would fix it but no luck. I also checked it with my son's DX-8 and the same problem. It also gives readings in flight from -9' to 5000'
It's mounted in the fuse and about as static air as you can get.Charles
A real aircraft altimeter has an acceptable tolerance of +/- 75 Feet for visual flying and +/- 60 for Instrument flying.
Altitude is measured by air pressure which is constantly changing. 1 Hectopascal variation will show as a 30 feet change in an altimeter..
The spurious reading up to 5000 feet is likely to be from local pressure disturbances from flight.. (prop wash, flight imbalances, turbulence etc)
07-22-2013, 05:51 PM
#34
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RE: Spektrum Altimeter
ORIGINAL: jrazzarelli
Andy
So far the altimeter is a little disappointing.
First it is almost never zero or even a few tenths off at startup. Usually like -3.6 ft, which is a bit large of a variance for just starting up and sitting in a room without air movement. The tolerance should be able to be attenuated (?) if you were able to set the practical range of the sensor. If I have no intention of ever going above 1000 ft AGL, then its ability to sense pressure change to 50,000 ft or whatever is not relevant for me.
I put the sensor into a small block of open cell foam and it started counting down and kept going down to -487 ft. or something. Reset everything and it did it again. Apparently something occured when I stuck it in the foam. So I took the Spektrum sticker/housing/decoration off. I think the sticker was stuck to the top of the sensor or the micro-molex leads had poked through the sticker and there was some conductivity - heck I don't know.. But It seems for a few pennies more you should/could have put a small piece of foam inside to cover the sensor, which would help it be more accurate without the end user having to put it in a block of foam.
And finally, there is no way to get the DX18 to show the altitude and the voltage at the same time, which is disappointing. Even adding a 'current reading' to the telemetry min-max screen would be welcome.
Best,
Joe
Andy
So far the altimeter is a little disappointing.
First it is almost never zero or even a few tenths off at startup. Usually like -3.6 ft, which is a bit large of a variance for just starting up and sitting in a room without air movement. The tolerance should be able to be attenuated (?) if you were able to set the practical range of the sensor. If I have no intention of ever going above 1000 ft AGL, then its ability to sense pressure change to 50,000 ft or whatever is not relevant for me.
I put the sensor into a small block of open cell foam and it started counting down and kept going down to -487 ft. or something. Reset everything and it did it again. Apparently something occured when I stuck it in the foam. So I took the Spektrum sticker/housing/decoration off. I think the sticker was stuck to the top of the sensor or the micro-molex leads had poked through the sticker and there was some conductivity - heck I don't know.. But It seems for a few pennies more you should/could have put a small piece of foam inside to cover the sensor, which would help it be more accurate without the end user having to put it in a block of foam.
And finally, there is no way to get the DX18 to show the altitude and the voltage at the same time, which is disappointing. Even adding a 'current reading' to the telemetry min-max screen would be welcome.
Best,
Joe
I had a friend who was a balloonist and he had a professional electronic altimeterr worth many thousands of dollars and it showed variations of 20-30 feet at start up..
GPS is only accurate to about 30 feet also.. and if you look at the alititude display derived purley from GPS it can vary hundreds of feet wtihnin minutes just sitting motionless on the ground.
From my perspective the numbers being quoted here for the Spektrum altimeter at start up show me it is extremely accurate.
07-23-2013, 08:17 AM
#35
RE: Spektrum Altimeter
ORIGINAL: soaringman
any clues as to where the blade fell? [img][/img]
ORIGINAL: AndyKunz
I made room using a #11 blade.
Andy
I made room using a #11 blade.
Andy
Foam is there so you can remove it. Do so!
Andy
07-25-2013, 02:57 PM
#36
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RE: Spektrum Altimeter
OK, the altimeter sensor arrived today, but my excitment was short lived......
Following the instructions, I carefully connected up the sensor to the TM1000 and rebound it to the receiver. Everything went as it should: both TM1000 and AR8000 blinking and transmitter reporting binding had been successful. Imagine my disappointment when the voltage and heat were the only data displayed....no altimeter. Rechecked all the connections and rebound. No luck. double checked the connecting data cable which looked fine. moved the cable to the 2nd data port on the sensor and rebound still only got volts and temp.
Before I contact the shop and ask for a refund, does anyone have ideas on what it could be, apart from a duff sensor or cable?
Thanks
Following the instructions, I carefully connected up the sensor to the TM1000 and rebound it to the receiver. Everything went as it should: both TM1000 and AR8000 blinking and transmitter reporting binding had been successful. Imagine my disappointment when the voltage and heat were the only data displayed....no altimeter. Rechecked all the connections and rebound. No luck. double checked the connecting data cable which looked fine. moved the cable to the 2nd data port on the sensor and rebound still only got volts and temp.
Before I contact the shop and ask for a refund, does anyone have ideas on what it could be, apart from a duff sensor or cable?
Thanks
07-25-2013, 04:28 PM
#37
RE: Spektrum Altimeter
Now you tell your transmitter about it. Go to the Telemetry menu and enable Altimeter, and tell it where you want it to alarm stuff (if any).
Andy
Andy
07-25-2013, 10:05 PM
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RE: Spektrum Altimeter
ORIGINAL: AndyKunz
Now you tell your transmitter about it. Go to the Telemetry menu and enable Altimeter, and tell it where you want it to alarm stuff (if any).
Andy
Now you tell your transmitter about it. Go to the Telemetry menu and enable Altimeter, and tell it where you want it to alarm stuff (if any).
Andy
pity the install instructions that come with it dont mention settting it up on the telemetry menu, but I should have realised there was another step
Now to try it out at the field
