I have a Himax brushless that came with three gear choices.
5.3:1 4.3:1 and 6.6:1

Does anyone know the best gear ratio and prop size/pitch to use for hovering??

I am trying it out in a GWS beaver. I have 12/8, 11/47, 10/8, 9/7, 9/6 and 9/47 size/pitch gws/ep props.


Thanks,
Joe

The Beaver does great with the 5.3:1 ratio and 10-8 gws prop if your motor is the 2015/4100.
It it's the 2015/3600 the 4.3:1 is great with the same prop.
Won't quite hover but with a 3 cell lipo pack it will go straight up. The Beaver is very difficult to hover.

That was quick! Yep 4100, trying the Beaver so as not to wreck newer planes. I just can't kill the old Beave and it is always there to fall back on when all else is scrap.

I'm not a big gear head but I am assuming that the ratio ; say 5.3:1 means that the motor turns 5.3 times to every 1 turn of the drive shaft hence gear reduction?

Thanks again,

Joe

Yes. Bigger props are required for geared motors compared to direct drive.
Geared motors and big props are more efficient. The prop rpm is lower.

I don't know the beaver but all my foamies hover the most stable on the the 12-6 GWS prop running the 6.6 ratio on the 2015-4100. using smaller props seem to make the plane twitchier. You have to be gentle on the throttle though as this prop can really tax the motor and some of the older lipos.
Matt