fadi

Ok, just wondering how do you guys usually setup your dual rates: High/Low

I personally put the high rates on the "O" position of my D/R switch, and the low rates on the "I" position.
My default is the "O" position, and switch to "I" at landings (but not always), rarely for take-off or casual flying...

I do not put any exponential for my low rates, nearly 15% for the high rates, and I usually follow the manual's suggested numbers.

Do you tend to fly more on the Low rates?
Do you have a single D/R switch for all surfaces, or a separate switch for each control?
Is your High rate the fully possible physical deflection of your surfaces?

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I have used dual rates on 3-D planes, but I do not usually fly 3-D planes.

On all of my other planes I do not use dual rates.

My rates are both set to full (In case the switch gets thrown accidently) and I use 35 - 50% Expo.

This way I always have full control, but the centers of the sticks are soft for landings

yellerchamp

My Feedback: (42)

Same here, never use them

FILE IFR

I never use D/R.

I always use expo. in all my stuff.

dignlivn

I fly on low rate with some expo also.
My high rate is set with more throw, but
I don't use it.
Bob

Mode One

I fly on low rate and do use high rates on sport airplanes. When I use high rates, I want the center portion of control to feel the same as low rate. so I use Expo to get this. I've found I like to set up every airplane to get the best from it and this means no two are alike, so I don't necessarily find common ground between them.

For the first test flight, I will have low rate throw at 50%-75% of high rate which is the maximum throw per the instructions for the airplane, then if I find I don't have adequate throw in low, I switch to high rate to complete the test flight and adjust on the ground before the next test flight. After getting the airplane sorted out, I may increase maximum throw, if i feel I want more.

I set up my scale airplanes for much gentiler high rates then sport airplanes.

I've always found it easy enough to know when I've left the plane on high rates, by how the airplane handles. I try to set up high rates so I only use high rates when I want extra "oumph" in a manouvor. therefore I generally never leave it in high rate.

Deadeye

Another expo guy here.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I use the three switch high rates that are the radios defaults, high rates, switches up. I almost never use low rates except for the elevators, I tend to over rate my elevators for normal flying but I use the low rates sometimes to keep me from over controling when hammering the sticks. Expo is something that is a pilots choice, I wouldn't even notice 15% in my planes. I run a low of about 45% to a high of 65% depending on the plane. I built planes for a racer and he never used the expo at all. To each there own!!

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I would like to expand on what I said earlier...

For a 3-D plane, you want to have low rates set so that you can fly the plane normally, but flip to high rates when you want to do 3-D maneuvers.

But on a regular plane, I really don't like to use low rates because:

1) I see no need for it that Expo won't solve

and

2) I have seen too many people crash because they tried to do a loop and forgot that their low rates were on and couldn't pull out of it.

With expo, the centers of the sticks are "Soft", but you ALWAYS have full control.

MasterAlex

I use D/R whenever I am experimenting with different throws or when first maidening a plane. I setup the high rates just in case I need more throw, when maidening. When experimenting with a new setup, I'll configure it on the high rates. If things get crazy, I can go back to the "low" or "normal" rates - takes some of the pressure off experimenting .

Once I am comfortable with the setup, I'll move the new setting to my "normal" flight mode which is to use Expo. And set the low and high rates equal to one another.

-MA

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Dual rates and switches cause confusion and crashes. Switches and which way they are flipped is a sure way to crash

Dual rates were for old radios without expo

I use high rates only with expo and that's all - - -

Phoenixangel

I always make sure both my rates match, I use my tx for my simulator and every now and then one of the kids will flip a switch or two if I have to set it down and go do something around here LOL. This way I do not have to worry about it being flipped to the wrong rate. This has also led to quite a preflight ritual checking over the tx settings and watching control surfaces work....

MasterAlex

Being consistent with your setup and pre-flight go a long way in eliminating incorrectly set switches. I always set my D/R (the few times I do employ it) at "low" switch towards me, and "high" switch away from me - or down and up for low and high. I suspect that's how most guys do it. I always check these settings before flight - even if I don't use D/R as it's just a good habit to get into.

I do agree, however, that Expo eliminates the need for D/R for 95% of my needs.

-MA

TedMo

Very interesting variables in answer to your query. From that, guess take your choices. Personally I prefer to set high rates for initial flight and if too touchy switch to low. After first flight then know what I want and do most of my flying on high rates with lots of expo, usually 60% or more. Since first flight is uncertain want enough control to get out of possible trouble. Possibly this method is best for the well experienced flyer which I guess I am, been flying RC for 50 yrs.Have crashed many times in that period but never from lack of sufficient control throw.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

I use around 60% expo on the controls of the highly aerobatic models and exponential even on the throttle which is nice

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

I don't use dual rates. I set my throws up like a high rate, and program a good bit of exponential in the radio. While flying, moderate stick movements work great for normal flying, but large stick movements give me the same as high rates. I don't have to remember where the low/high rates switch is set, or look for it while flying.

fredscz

My Feedback: (47)

I agree with MasterAlex in that I set the switches so that up is high and downward is low on the D/R switch. . Moving the switch to the up position for low rates makes no sense to me but we have several long time flyers that do it that way because of the way the numbers/letters are beside the switches on the tx. Same with the gear switch up=up and down=down but I have actually seen those that have the gear switch up with the gear down and down with the gear up.
Of course there is the flyer that came to the field with the sticks labeled right-left-up-down and I asked him "when are you going to look at the sticks to tell which way you need to move them?". He removed the labels.
I love expo and dual rates when flying a new plane but after flying a plane for a while I generally have the low position trimmed just the way I want it and seldom use high rates.
Fred

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

I bought a like new Hitec Eclipse transmitter seven channel QPCM with a Spectra module and a 1650 MA battery at a swap meet for $20 a few weeks ago.

The Hitec Eclipse has as many switches as a Futaba 8UAF. But the switches are not assignable and a large part of the programming is based on switch positions.

Looks to me as a sure way to crash if you try to do too much programming with this radio. You would need a switch position check list for every model and a prayer that you don't accidentally bump one during preflight or move the wrong combination during the actual flight.

I like my Futaba 8UAF and it is set up with warnings when you turn the transmitter on if the switches I use are in the wrong position and after that I don't worry about them.

And setting up things like a Snap Roll switch is useless as far I know. If you cannot do a snap roll with your thumbs, you don't need to be doing them.

The moral to this story is that you cannot be looking down at the transmitter for which switch is in which position all the time, keep your switch possibilities simple and consistent among your different models.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

I use D/R on all my models. I put all the D/R on a single switch on my TX. Up for low rates and down for "down-n-dirty" high rates. I use about 30% expo on low rates and usually 65% minimum for high rates. I look at what the manufacturer suggests for low and high rates ....... and set my low rates about 1/2 way in between. High rates is all I can get without torquing the hinges and 65% - 80% expo.

fadi

So basically the idea here is that most of you use the Expo settings instead of the dual rates switches
I've rarely used expo, but I guess most of you use theirs thumbs to control the sticks, and thats why you require lots of expo, you probably do not have the finesse of finger tips,or am I wrong?

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

I use my finger tips in recent years. I cannot trust my thumbs any more

Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

First thing I do is what the manual says, as a reference point. If no dual rates, I fly the plane and see how it feels. If I need more for aerobatics, I adjust accordingly. If then that becomes more sensitive than I care for for landings or things like a slow roll, I'll dial in dual rates to tame things down a little.

I understand that expo works for a lot of people. Personally I find that by using dual rates you get more 'wiggle room' with the sticks.

One thing I learned is that for rolls and such you want to use full travel of the aileron stick for consistency. It's much easier to have a low rate on ailerons for a slow roll, pin the stick to the side, and concentrate on the elevator and rudder inputs.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

I pinch the sticks with my index finger and thumbs. The reason I use so much expo on high rates is not because I don't posses any "finesse" I feel it provides more control of small inputs when flying 3D - not that I'm any good at 3D.

Red B.

It is not a good idea to use full aileron stick when performing slow rolls. As you may have noticed, the roll rate varies during the roll if the aileron deflection is kept contant. Aileron delection has to be moderated through the roll if the roll rate is to be kept constant.

I use dual rate on my rudder and elevators when flying aerobatics. On low rates I have enough rudder to maintain a knife edge and the elevator deflection is large enough to perform the "corners" in square loops an triangles. High rates are used for snap rolling and spins only.

I set up my Tx so that the normal position of all switches are away from me. In that way it takes almost no time to make sure that all switches are in the correct position.

MasterAlex

I'd say you are . In my case at least, the amount of control surface throw is so large that a linear stick to control surface movement makes even small stick movement make large control surface changes. Expo makes the small, more precise, stick moves around center less "twitchy", yet gives me all the throw I want at the larger stick movements. Oh, and I've been a "pincher" (thumb and index finger) on the sticks from day one.

-MA