HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

This is what we use except we have a slanted cradel on the left side for the radio but this works.
many good Ideas in this thread here on RCU we also drilled 1" holes in the 6" section that holds the tail we then took PVC and made Yokes like sling shot that will hold the plane upside down for planes that need wings put on in that position. Good luck and happy landings.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/club...wam-style.html

ETpilot

Thanks HoundDog. Good info in that thread. Something as pictured is what I had in mind. Looking at the thread will make it easy to build. I have built some tables with the wheels on wings forward of the legs. This allows the table to sit on all legs. Then you lift the rear end, the wheels support the table and you roll it like a wheelbarrow. My small welding table is like that. It may work with this design if the wheels do not become a trip hazard.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

That is the way ours are built with the wheels foreword and it works great ... good luck. U surrounded by corn or something that makes it hard to find a downed plane? I have an easy solution.

ETpilot

I have mostly open pastures. So tall grass would be surrounding the runway. It gets about knee high or more before cutting. I do have some distant wooded areas but I should be able to stay away unless it's a runaway or bad loss of control. Share that plane finding solution in case I need it.

I think by early October I should have an idea as to RW location. I will post a picture.

acdii

I have one of those in my front yard that I run up my engines on. I was considering wheels for it, seeing that pic now I know what I can do with mine.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

[h=1]RC lost Air plane finder helicopter Parkflyer tracer glider Aircraft Alarm DX $1.59 Free Ship So I bought 20 of them.[/h]
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RC-lost-Air-...item3a95ed516c

this unit is not very loud maybe 20' in corn at best. I bought a Piezo siren $6.49 +tax
from Radio Shack. Cut the shrink wrap from the back over the solder joints for the mounted Piezo siren t
and soldered the Radio Shack one to the + & - tabs . I then Velcro the RS Piezo siren to the out side of the plane. I goes off 3 minutes after it doesn't receive an input from a receiver to servo input, or if the transmitter signal is turned off it sounds with in a few seconds.
This Piezo Siren is so loud it is obnoxis but even the old half deaf guys can hear it 50' away. I can hear it over 100 yards away.
The disadvantage to this set up is if the battery comes unpluged in a crash the thing won't work. To remedy this I want to velcro a 0 volt battery to the RS Piezo Siren and incorporate an IC switch that ounce u connect the battery it waits 15 to 20 minutes to activate. this makes it completely independent of the planes electrical system.
Any one know of a small switch like this? Please email me with details. [email protected]

ETpilot

HoundDog that seems like a good thing to have. I use those Radio Shack Piezo Horns to make a voltage/continuity tester. Good for 1-28 volts depending on horn operating voltage. Good for troubleshooting, I just listen for that horn.

Now you have me thinking. A good collision type switch may work. Totally independent. Model crashes, switch activates siren. Designing a switch for all collision occurrences and easy to test would be key.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

That's why I am looking for a timer that is between 15 and 20 minutes because say you just run out of Power/gas and set it down in the corn/beans/woods and it doesn't really crash?

ETpilot

Yes, I was thinking crash. Lost is another problem.

jester_s1

I don't really know how much of a concern it is, but I'm always worried about those alarms failing and causing a broken connection with that servo. So I put them on the rudder since it's easy enough to get the plane back in if it doesn't work. I wish there was a setting on them to just start beeping after a delay or to not beep at all unless the transmitter signal is lost like an optical kill switch does.I want to put one on my big IMAC plane so I don't inadvertently leave the switch turned on, but the high amp draw of my rudder servo worries me. Do you guys have any other solutions?

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Put it on an empty channel and activate it with a switch but do it before the crash ... the Idea of the device is to be an ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter) like in full scale aircraft. Ia I said this year we are surrounded by corn and have 4 planes of ten or more that went down that have not been found. A $400 Quad with a $200 camera and FPV system. A $600 War Bird and Older pattern plane and an apprentice that flew away because one old gezzer was instructing another old gezzer and neither see to well and the gut on the master radio could not find the Auto pilot switch or probably didn't under stand it's function. So he just let the plane crash.

acdii

Put it on an unused channel if you have one, then just let it beep, when its flying you wont care if its making noise. I put mine on the aileron channel since I needed a small extension, it worked perfect. On the LT-40, losing ailerons is no big deal, it flies 3 channel very well. I lost ailerons twice, first I didn't secure the leads well enough and they go pulled out by the throttle, the second time was nearly a total loss as the battery connection came loose but thankfully had enough contact to drive the rudder and elevator.

jester_s1

It gets on my nerves when it beeps and it makes some of the old guys at the field come and tell me something is wrong with my plane. I haven't tried to see if it will beep on a switched channel though. I'll have to do that.

ETpilot

Interesting problem. I don't think I have a lost plane problem unless it's lost in the woods. I'm too new to RC to be of help. I'm just learning these computer radios. Also, I am not an expert electronics person I just like to dabble in it. As HoundDog pointed out, I believe an independent system with a timer would be best. I have seen some timer circuits that may work. Or maybe a relay type circuit on fail safe. Again I may not know what I am talking about as I am learning. Just food for thought. Something to think about in spare time.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

OOOPs thought ET in ET Pilot was for Extraterrestrial .... ya know that little guy with the long neck that phoned home.
Then I see where U are from and it makes more seance .... should give a city though.

acdii

Need a Gforce switch, one that switches on on impact, of course if its a soft belly landing it wont work.

Top_Gunn

My Feedback: (6)

A few years ago I saw a description (maybe at Electrodynamics) of an alarm, with its own battery, that went off 20 minutes after you pulled out a pin, which you could put a "remove before flight" flag on. Seemed to me to be the ideal lost plane finder if it's loud enough. Twenty minutes is enough for a crash and a walk to the vicinity, and I seldom fly that long. No switch and its own battery seems as tough as you could get. But it was out of stock at the time and not listed since, and I don't have the skills to make one myself.

acdii

The LPF that I use have a timer on them. If good at electronics, that timer can be changed, I think its resistor based. Resets on signal input. So if you get a separate pack for it, and tap the +- leads to that pack, and just leave the signal to a channel that is always on, then you can flip the switch to off to start the timer, or if the RX pack gets knocked off, that will also start the timer. 3 minutes later it will start beeping. Use a 2s Life or Lipo, one of those small ones used for micro planes to power it to save on weight.

Overall investment, under $20 per plane. $9 for the LPF, and depending on the battery, $5-$10.

Top_Gunn

My Feedback: (6)

That sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. Alas, I am an electronics dummy. What is the LPF you start with? I might give it a try; nothing to lose.

acdii

I get mine from Bad Brad Graphics. If you order 1 or 6 it's $2 to ship. What ever he can stuff in an envelope cost $2 to ship.

http://www.badbradgraphics.com/photo_23.html

He needs to update his site, I noticed he still shows it for $8, but the prices on most of it went up by $1.

Top_Gunn

My Feedback: (6)

Thanks!

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Brads plane finders are the same one I bought from EBay for $1.59 free shipping from Hong Kong.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RC-Helicopte...item56682f446b





Then I remove the shrink rap at the solder lugs on the back of the peizo buzzer and soldered the leads from a
Radio Shack Pezio Siren that

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062405
Radio Shack 102dB Piezo Siren

Model: 273-079

| Catalog #: 273-079
Price:$6.49
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RC-Helicopter-Airplane-Aircraft-Finder-Rracer-Glider-Buzzer-Alarm-Retriever-D9-/371115115627?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item56682f446b

If U put a JST plug on the buzzer and siren U can transfer just the $6.49 Peizo siren tfrom plane to plane. I Velcro mine to the fuse under the right wing on an electric cub and move the siren only from plane to Plane. Don't have to keep pluging the $159 Peizo device just the expensive part.

This works great. I have it on the Right aeliron servo and it goes off every 90 seconds. I just jab the alerions to full right ofr a fraction
of a second and it stops. The problem is still not self contained and if U do a really bad crash and the battery comes loose from the
Receiver it won't work. I far better than nothing. With the R/S Peizo Siren U can hear it over 300 feet away. I also purchased a GPS Tracker But have yet gotten it to be consistent in operation.

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You Tube tracker vid.
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acdii

My bank has fits when I order things from China. Last time I got something from Hobby People they locked my card until I called them to say *** Man?

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Go thru Pay Pal. Pay Pal shows up as the buyer and takes the money from my bank account. I would trust anyone out the USA or inside either with my Bank Info. Pay Pal is great. and it works if U have a dispute. I got something from Amozon that was not as advertized and the created my C Card right away. Because of the cost was only $3 they didn't even ask for it back.

ETpilot

Well, I said I would post a picture. Here are a couple. I chose this site as it is close to the house and shop. I have better areas but this is the one I like. Having it close to the house n shop proves helpful. Like today. I had my 4 wheeler with the fuel tank on reserve and I ran out of gas while taking these pictures. So I had a short walk to get a gas can for a refill.

The first picture is facing South and most TO's n Landings would be in that direction. You can see the 4 wheeler on the right and just make out the other marker between the hay rolls on the left. 50 x 250' The tree on the right will provide some shade in summer. It may also present a problem being close.

The second picture is North for some winter departures and arrivals. A little incline up then clear after. Hopefully this will work out. The ground is pretty flat. I may have to fill in a few low spots. I will know better when I go over it with the finish mower.

Still not much luck on an instructor. The one I had hoped would help seems to be too busy. I called him twice now but no go. This is the Vice-President of the club. You would think there would be more interest in a possible new member. Anyways I am looking at Plan B n C.