Instructions for new caller  
View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Tower Hobbies
Enter up to 4 keywords or Tower stock numbers
Logged in as Guest



Users viewing this topic: none
  Printable Version
       

All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Pylon Universe - RC Pylon Racing >> General Racing Discussion >> Instructions for new caller
Page: [1]

Login
Message << Older Topic   Newer Topic >>
Instructions for new caller - 12/28/2007 11:51:44 PM   
SmokinJoe



Posts: 129
Joined: 8/20/2002
From: HamiltonQueensland, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline 		I'm training a new caller for Q500 at our Australian Nats next week. He has raced once with a Viper but knows very little about racing tactics etc.

Any comments on what I should tell him to focus on, etc, would be most appreciated.




_____________________________

Joe Luxford
Hamilton
       Post #: 1

RE: Instructions for new caller - 12/28/2007 11:57:35 PM   
aussiesteve


 

Posts: 1028
Joined: 10/12/2005
From: TEDA (Tianjin)Tianjin, CHINA
Status: offline 		Hi Joe
Is that new caller Andrew?
If so - tell him his father is watching him - that'll keep him in line. (that father is me BTW).

I think that any information will be a blessing to a new caller. It all helps for their racing for later.
If it is Andrew, I can tell you that his mind is like a huge sponge, it's difficult to overload it so give him as much info as you can.

Good Luck at the Nats. I wish I was there to help out.

< Message edited by aussiesteve -- 12/29/2007 12:02:03 AM >

_____________________________

Australian agent for
RCGF engines & Boxes, 33RC airframes, Tzone models, Super Kraft (SK) & others

(in reply to SmokinJoe)
       Post #: 2

RE: Instructions for new caller - 12/29/2007 3:16:13 AM   
djlyon



Posts: 1900
Joined: 12/10/2001
From: Castaic, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Joe
If he's that new have him only focus on where number one is and the count to get there. Every thing else will overload him. You tell him the strategy before the start of the heat. Don't even have him worry about the lap count. The starter will tell you when the race is over.

Yours truly
Called a million heats

_____________________________

I never met an engine I didn't like.
Of the things I've lost I miss my mind the most.

(in reply to aussiesteve)
       Post #: 3

RE: Instructions for new caller - 12/29/2007 3:29:20 AM   
bigtrev@xtra.co.nz


 

Posts: 250
Joined: 9/25/2004
From: christchurch, NEW ZEALAND
Status: offline 		all you want to hear from him initially is- have you gone around number 1- teach him to call #1 then he will get the general ghist............callers from my experience are very keen to learn but I wouldn't teach him too fast-- tell him that its teamwork and he is n important part of that, he is going to stuffup so give him a good grounding at every stage- so much will depend on what you want/ need to be told, regards trevor henderson, nz

(in reply to djlyon)
       Post #: 4

RE: Instructions for new caller - 12/29/2007 2:13:40 PM   
daven



Posts: 6736
Joined: 12/7/2001
From: Andover, MN, USA
Status: offline 		A new "green" caller, a week before the nats???

Getting comfortable with a new caller (especially someone that has never done it before) takes a lot of time to get on the same page.

I know most of you have heard this from me a 100 times, but I feel the job of the caller is more difficult (and has more effect) on the outcome of the race than the pilot does.

Flying at a Nats style format is all about picking up points and not making mistakes. A caller can help you pick up points by knowing whats going on in the race. It is very important to know what planes are ahead or behind you and weather or not they have cuts. Why race a plane ahead of you that has a cut?? Why race a plane that is behind you if it has a cut?? Knowing the lap count is important if you are slightly ahead or behind in a heat. Getting a good strong (straight) push down to one can be the difference in winning or losing a heat. Forgetting who's first or second push can cost you a cut. A good caller can save a sputtering motor on the line, or make needle setting changess if necessary (Don't do this unless you and the pilot have a good understanding). A good caller spots that nicked prop, and verifies that the pilot had checked his glow plug and fueled the plane.

I'd rethink this if I were you, unless you are content with some lost posts and missed opportunities. I'm not trying to be rude, just realistic.

< Message edited by daven -- 12/29/2007 3:40:45 PM >

_____________________________

Dave Norman

klasskote.com
supertrc.com

(in reply to bigtrev@xtra.co.nz)
       Post #: 5

RE: Instructions for new caller - 12/29/2007 3:27:19 PM   
burgster


 

Posts: 110
Joined: 6/19/2005
From: Lockport, NY, USA
Status: offline 		I agree with Dave, but you have to start somewhere. I had a pretty green caller at last years US nats and he did really well.(only his second race he had ever seen) He called me my best time of a 1:10. We had other issues that didn't allow us to get a lot of points but never the less he did an awesome job. As long as your new guy is competative that is all that matters. He will get comfortable as the race goes on. Just expect mistakes and praise him when he does a good job to build his confidence. Also tell him not to stand too close. My caller started getting closer and closer to me at a race and I didn't realize it until he was standing right on top of me as I went through the homes. Luckily I raised my transmitter to aviod the antenna being snapped off, and I almost crashed to boot. As said in earlier posts, get him started with a good straight, not necessarily a hard, launch. Straight is the key! Let him find a rythm that works for him for the turn at one. My caller uses a stop watch. I don't really like that but it works for him. As long as the outcome is a good tight turn on one who cares what he does. Then after he is comfortable with that start having him feed you lap and cut info. Like Dave said, why race a guy hard that has a cut? Try and get him out practicing as much as possible. I know that you only have a week but try to get him out. Do some mock starts on the clock where you have to change a glow plug or something. Just to get you guys comfortable with one another. Good luck!

Jeff

< Message edited by burgster -- 12/29/2007 3:28:53 PM >

(in reply to daven)
       Post #: 6

RE: Instructions for new caller - 12/29/2007 6:01:38 PM   
garys


 

Posts: 739
Joined: 1/31/2002
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Dave, one thing to remember is that SmokenJoe is in Australia, and I'm pretty sure they use the FAI scoring system for all their racing. With the FAI scoring, you really don't have to worry about the other racers as far as cuts, ect.

I want to know what lap I'm on a couple times during the heat (around half way and about lap 8), as well as if I, or the people I'm racing have cuts or not. I don't worry about my caller telling me where traffic is, as I tend to be able to here and see it pretty easy in my periferal vision as I'm coming up on it.

_____________________________

GS

(in reply to burgster)
       Post #: 7

RE: Instructions for new caller - 12/29/2007 9:32:39 PM   
HighPlains


 

Posts: 2637
Joined: 3/2/2003
From: Over da rainbow, KS, USA
Status: online 		It's nice to know if an airplane has flamed out and is coasting around the course. Peripheral vision is a day late and a dollar short if you are rounding pylon 2-3 a hundred miles per hour faster, and gliders are just too quiet. I think my spinner went though most of his fuselage.

< Message edited by HighPlains -- 12/29/2007 9:33:47 PM >

_____________________________

"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain"

(in reply to garys)
       Post #: 8

RE: Instructions for new caller - 12/29/2007 9:59:18 PM   
garys


 

Posts: 739
Joined: 1/31/2002
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Knock on wood, but that's never happened to me. I've usually heard when somebody flames out, and know about when I should be catching them on the course. Besides, in that case it does little good if your caller tells you he's down low, and the other pilot decides to pull up to gain altitude and set up to land as you're coming up on him. Kind of like when somebody flames out or finishes their heat and cuts accross the middle of the course and gets t-boned. It happens before your caller can really warn you.

_____________________________

GS

(in reply to HighPlains)
       Post #: 9

RE: Instructions for new caller - 12/30/2007 3:28:54 AM   
aussiesteve


 

Posts: 1028
Joined: 10/12/2005
From: TEDA (Tianjin)Tianjin, CHINA
Status: offline 		Ok - I'll declare my interest in this issue - the newbie caller is my son (AKA Toothpick here in RCU) and I'm unable to be there with them on the day.

I agree with everything DaveN has said about a newbie at the Nats as a risk. Unfortunately, the Pylon scene in West Australia where the Nats are being held this year is a small scene with only a handful of competitors. Mostly only 4 or 6 at a comp and the same faces each time so choices are limited. This was identified as a risk so Smokin Joe (and others) are out there with everybody who is interested to assist and they are practicing, practicing, practicing -then doing it all over again. I'm fully expecting at least one Viper to come home in pieces during the next few days.

Toothpick has only raced once but he has attended a few comps as a helper and is keen to learn and do the right thing(Ok maybe I'm biased). He's also a pretty good engine tuner and inspector of the plane (how could he not be - he has me as a father ).

Yes GaryS The FAI system is used so that should help.

The guys organising the Pylon at the Nats have a huge task ahead of them. Smokin Joe is one of the main forces behind it and I wish them all the best. The field they are using is an excellent one and I'm sure that they'll have had a great time by the end of it all.

_____________________________

Australian agent for
RCGF engines & Boxes, 33RC airframes, Tzone models, Super Kraft (SK) & others

(in reply to garys)
       Post #: 10

RE: Instructions for new caller - 1/3/2008 7:22:45 AM   
SmokinJoe



Posts: 129
Joined: 8/20/2002
From: HamiltonQueensland, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline 		I am pleased to advise that I won Q500 at the Nats on Tuesday. Our Q500 is based on 424 and uses TT46 or OS46AX engines, not Nelsons or Jetts.

Young Toothpick (!!!!!) did a great job. He called turn on the light for the first three rounds, then had the confidence to call on his count. My times came down about 7 seconds from the first to the last round as Toothpick gained confidence. Not only that, it was the first comp ever that I did not cut once - and flew my best times to boot.

A shot of my Q500 heat is appended. Toothpick is next to the model being held up for the No.1 pylon judges. My Slingshot is in front of him.

This was the first comp I'd flown the Slingshot in too and it is fantastic. It turns quick. In fact, if you set the balance way back, it just about turns in its own length. I couldn't keep up with it and moved the batteries forward. It was a joy to have a Quickie go exactly where you pointed it. Even with only a TT46 on the nose, it never dropped the nose in knife edge when approaching pylons.







Attachments
Click to see fullsize image.
Click for fullsize


< Message edited by SmokinJoe -- 1/3/2008 7:27:03 AM >


_____________________________

Joe Luxford
Hamilton

(in reply to SmokinJoe)
       Post #: 11

RE: Instructions for new caller - 1/3/2008 7:44:56 AM   
aussiesteve


 

Posts: 1028
Joined: 10/12/2005
From: TEDA (Tianjin)Tianjin, CHINA
Status: offline 		I've been meaning to post you a congrats on the win Joe.

"That boy - He kinda makes his old man proud sometimes so he does".

I can tell you this much - he is over the moon about the great cameraderie that he received during the event. Gerda (The long suffering missus) is also pretty impressed - all I've heard from both of them over the past couple of days is "Joe this, Bruce That" etc etc just goes to show what a great bunch of guys the RC community really is. I wish I was there to join in - maybe next year

Oops - I forgot to add - He's asking me for another viper as a spare (For practice apparently) and a slingshot too. - Looks like we may be unleashing a demon here

< Message edited by aussiesteve -- 1/3/2008 7:56:01 AM >

_____________________________

Australian agent for
RCGF engines & Boxes, 33RC airframes, Tzone models, Super Kraft (SK) & others

(in reply to SmokinJoe)
       Post #: 12

RE: Instructions for new caller - 1/3/2008 11:35:16 AM   
BUDMAN27



Posts: 1116
Joined: 3/28/2006
From: Galveston, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Congrats SmokinJoe

(in reply to aussiesteve)
       Post #: 13

RE: Instructions for new caller - 1/3/2008 3:10:01 PM   
vicman



Posts: 6059
Joined: 12/8/2002
From: Valdese, NC, USA
Status: offline 		Nice thread guys. Both the story behind the event and the great info posted here.
Over the last year a clubmate and I have been getting more and more involved in racing. We get along great and enjoy calling for each other when we arent racing against each other.


_____________________________

Bigger Badder Meaner Faster!
Revver Brotherhood & NMPRA #41

(in reply to BUDMAN27)