Barry. you should put in a Bob Violet turbine, or better yet, a V8 Hemi with blowers! You'll find that ultimate power plant yet!

Thanks everyone, I think I've got it figured out now!


Rob AKA Blisster

"the empty boxcar makes the most noise"

Hey Gary... Sounds like you have a plan.. Thanks to Barry:-))

Had a short day at the field(.... I charged the "Do" the 15+ hrs on the Accu cycle,
Battery showed full charge in my morning checks at the field.. Ohh taped the ant.[>:]
It flew great on flt. # 1.. Had a beautiful.. Not rising, but holding invert F.S. Anyway on
flt.#2... All was going great within the first 3mins, I pulled into a hover at about 4'
held it for a bit, and transitioned into a K.E.... Then all of a sudden it does a half
snap from the K.E. on it's own.. Then rolls inverted at about 8-10'... No control [:@]
I saw visions of "Do" # 1 replay itself... So I cut the throttle, tho nothing happened
and started looking at where it might go in... At about 4' to ground zero... I hear the
throttle go to idle.... AAAhhhhh... Luck is on my side... Man that was the quickest
U turn, touch down and engine kill that I ever did... And all came out great.....
Checked the bat. and sure enough it shows bad......[:@] Dang.. I was into checking
the bat before every 3nd flt.... guss I'll have to revise that... And yes the battery
I just ordered from towers along with the 6v that's in the showtime... But I knew
something was up with this one, because I would only get 3 flts before it was just
below the green on my checker, yet the one in the showtime w/ digi servos is still in
the green..... The funny thing, when I cycled it, it would show 90+ % of it's rating????
Oh well, Atleast it worked out this time..... Gotta go order another battery......

Welcome Blister to the greatest thread going. You'll have a good time with your Do. They're a blast to fly and learn stunts with. Gary's method of "pinning" the landing is the best I've seen. [8D] I did mine a different way but it's much too complicated to worry about. Also like Barry said the control rods are way too wimpy to use. I'm surprised they come with the ARF. Several of us on here have made up carbon fiber ones so if you want info on that we can post it. I just got a new computer so I don't have the pics handy of the carbon fiber rods I made up otherwise I would have posted them. They work great and don't bend.

Hey Ron, Glad you averted a mishap with your Do! [X(] Arrrrggggghhhh! That would have terrible. Sounds like it's time for a new battery.
I would be flying but it's been raining here pretty much non stop since Friday. [>:][>:][>:][>:]

I am somewhat experienced in the carbon-fiber push rod, but only in the miniature. That's what they use for the UCD EP foamie. They have these little plastic pieces that CA to the ends of the rods and they (barely, with extreme care) press fit into the control horns (I've since moved to the Dubro mini connectors). They fit so tight that they would bind a bit. They actually squeaked! I had to tap my ail. stick now and then to release the binding and level out! Very durable pushrod for .040" stock. I do have a source for that and other sizes. What sized carbon do you use on this application? Is it glued or tapped into a clevis? Metal or nylon clevis? Fill me in guys, keeps them cards and letters coming! I would enjoy seeing any pics any one might have regarding the actual push rod project they did on the UCD.

I'm lovin' this! When ever I get into to something, I really get into something! Any pertinent info, including pics and video of and about the UCD .46 is highly sought after as I spend these "formative" hours with my Do. You're kind help and advice is appreciated! It's one of the things I have noticed, and generally the same goes for HAM radio operators, of which I am one, advice is plentiful! We are usually little boys in the bodies of grown men and we love to play with and take care of our toys! I might as well do all the beef-up and adjustments while I've got the hood up.

Just to add, I have given this hobby a couple years to see if (1) I could come home, more often than not, with a whole, undamaged airplane and (2) continue to enjoy it regardless (and sometimes because of) the mishaps! I have done both! I and I will do my best to keep you abreast of the progress! Thanks again guys, I feel like one of the bunch already!

Blisster

Blister, Here's the carbon fiber rod that I used....[link]http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJDP7&P=0[/link]. My LHS carries it too. What I did was to use a section of 2-56 threaded rod end. (about 2") I glued it into the rod with JB Weld and screwed it into these clevises.......[link]http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXWH32&P=7[/link]. Also I put on a 1/4" section of aluminum tube at the very end of the rod to keep the rod end from splitting. You can also get control rods and parts from Central Hobbies. [link]http://www.centralhobbies.com/control_linkage/pushrod3.htm[/link] They have titanium rod ends that are made for this. I go the cheap route myself and just make them.

Hey Gary, Do you still have that link to the weather site that you use. You posted it a while back but I can't seem to find it. Thanks

For my tail I went real lo-tech and cheap. I picked up some CF tube from the LHS with an ID just big enough for the smooth part of the .256 pushrods to slide through. I then used the stock .256 pushrods that came with the kit, slid them through the CF tubing up tight against the threads, put a drop of thin CA on the rod and let it run down to fasten the CF tube to the .256 rod, then bent the end in the correct spot for the stock connector and that's it. They're not as strong as the ones from central hobbies but this is the 3rd season on this plane with no problems.

yea Rob, here is the link: just type in your town on top



http://www.intellicast.com/IcastPage...&prodnav=d0_18

and Blisster, here are the pics of my carbon fiber rods i use on the 46 and they are at central hobbies at the link below:
they are the 5/32 with 2-56 titanium ends

http://www.centralhobbies.com/contro...e/pushrod2.htm

Thanks Gary for the link..... Ummmmm.... Thats' not the one though. It was one for pilots and it had wind speeds and that kind of stuff. Thanks. Rob

Hey Rob, if you just want windspeed, and if you (or a friend) have any electronics experience at all, there is a great anemometer project out on the net. It uses Easter eggs for wind cups and a one IC circuit ( plus 3 resisters and 3 capacitors) The chip is a frequency to voltage converter and is able to count pulses and turn them into a varying voltage gate to drive a meter. I used acetylene welding filler rod for my egg rotor frame and a motor from a CD-ROM drive for a combination bearing and signal source for the IC and it works great. Each turn of the motor (now wind vane) sends a pulse to the chip, the faster the pulse, the more voltage is allowed (from a 9v battery) to the meter. it deflects a needle on a micro-ammeter that I have calibrated from 30+ (pegs the needle) down to about 6 MPH (the lower limit for mine) which is well within limits of flying so I really don't need much more sensitivity. It cost me all of about $7 for the parts and would fit in the space of a basketball. I mounted the cd-rom motor onto a hunk of wood for a handle and the circuit is small enough that fits just nest to the rotor assembly at the top of the wood hunk. If windspeed is really all you are after, you want the windspeed where you're flying! Here is the link to the Easter egg anemometer project:

http://www.otherpower.com/anemometer.html

I have a friend that owns an old '60s wind guage that utilizes the floating ball technique. It is made of clear plastic and has several balls in a tube with a hole at the bottom and top. The wind goes through and depending on how many balls float you get your windspeed, from 5 to up to 30 MPH! It's the perfect guage for an r/cer but it's no longer available.[] If a fellow could stumble upon a box of those! Let's just say I'd trade my wife for two, one if that's all you had!

Hope someone likes the project!

Blisster

Thanks Blisster but I wasn't really interested in it at the field as much as in general. Gary had posted a web site some pages back and on there you can type in your zip code and select from various air fields in the area and it shows the weather predictions for rain, cloud ceiling, wind direction and speed. It seemed to be really accurate and projected it out for several days.

rcelement, I've used weather bug with good results for a couple of years now. It allows you to put in the zip code and then gives you the forecast and wind speed from the closest airport to the zip code you entered plus it's a free download.
http://www.weatherbug.com/

Hi Guys, If your into the ultimate carbon control set up check out www.petetindal.co.uk/acc.html

I have them on my "Do 46"and Moki 180 powered Funtana 90.
They hqave never let me down during Blenders Etc.

Mark

Hey all.... I really like the C. F. rods and titanium ends for Central hobbies, But
WoW they sure add up fast.... So I have been sticking to the old lo-tech 4-40 rods
they seem to give me all that I need with no problems to date....

I use to also use weather bug... But now just use Yahoo... They all seem about the
same..... But also to date.... The best is when I get up and look out the window
I have yet to be wrong with that method

I was checking/putting back together the Showtime after Gorilla glueing the stabs
on... First plane using that stuff, if it holds good, I sure like using it, just seems eaiser
to work with, and it fills the gaps, not sure it's a good test since there is not many parts
to glue on it.... Anyway, I started to put in this 4.8 1400mha 4c in the "Do" Then
started thinking.... Did I use one of the two new 6v, or did I use the "Do #1's) 6v????
This age thing sure is good... I usually date my bats as I get them.... But not so this
time:-(( I think I used the second bat in my Kat, so I pick it up from the floor and I'm
cycleing it now to get a % on it....

Anyone has an opinion on which charger may be a better choice??.....
Triton or Elite.............................

Ohhhh One more thing.... A Call for HELP.... I'm running out of tape to stick my ant on
the wing[:@]... Anyone see any problems in the pics below that might be the cause of
my intermittent glitch... Foam is off of the rec. for the pic.... Tailwires has no medal to
medal contact now...

here it is Rob

http://usairnet.com/cgi-bin/launch/c...t=Get+Forecast

gjeffers...

That's a great weather site. Thanks. The only thing I see wrong with it is it forecasts windy weather.

Thanks
Barry

I know we've discussed this before...but with the 12Z, flying two planes at once in a precision manner seems possible. I probably wouldn't do much in the way of low inverted passes or 3D...at least not at first. But it does keep the mind churning.

Could be fun. I'm still studying it.

thanks
Barry

Ron, I am having two visions that might be the answer to your glitching. My first vision is the one I would check first because I think it is the obvious answer. Bare with me since I'm new on the block and you may have been told this already but electronics is my field of work... I think there is something wrong with your antenna itself at the solder point in the receiver. You say it does intermittent crap when it hangs free yet it is solid when it is made immobile. Something is failing when the antenna moves. Either it is slightly loose at the solder point, or it is a cold solder (which can appear to be just fine), or the solder pad on the circuit board is cracked or otherwise failing to make contact. The same could be but, in your battery connections, if they are loose or dirty at all it can also raise resistance in the battery. Put a meter on the antenna tip and where it solders to the receiver and check continuity while wiggling the antenna wire. I would check from one end of the antenna to the other since there could even be a break somewhere in the insulation which could be anywhere along the length of the wire. A shortened antenna would work for a fair distance before getting glitchy.
The other way to clean up what you think might be external RF interference is to wrap any power and glitching channel wires through toroidal ferrites. It's essentially a small tube made of ferrite. You wrap the wire as many times as is possible around one side of the tube and plug it into the receiver as usual. The coil you make from turning the wires through the tubes is known as a choke and will quite literally "choke" any RF from being able to pass through the wires! It's an easy and cheap fix. I find these ferrites in junk electronics all the time and they are used in computer monitors extensively for another free source. You obviously want ferrites that are big enough to pass the plugs through and small enough to keep from adding too much weight. I've seen these chokes protecting wiring in $10k planes!
I hope this helps at all. Intermittant electronic problems can be a nightmare. I've seen components fails because they were a little too hot or too cold! Plus these parts are getting smaller just as I'm getting older and blinder! That really helps!
Hope you find it, just remember to recreate the conditions while checking the circuits and you'll likely find what's wrong. I hope so at least!
Good luck!
Blisster

Blisster... Thanks for your input....

I'm OK on your first point (I think)... As my ant. is never left hanging, I tape it
to the bottom on the fuse(no movement) with stops to prevent pulling on the reciever,
(the ant. wire looks brand new as it should be, It was just replaced by Hitec before this install)
and I've tried two other rec. and I get the same results...
But while I have it going towards the tail, it'll have a glitch, but none when I tape it to
my wing...... I checked all the connectors.. Their solid, and even taped together.. I really
cannot find any medal/medal movement after changing out the medal/medal on the tailwires
But there has to be something???? I've checked, relocated rec. and wiring and at about my
wits end.....( That's not very far[:-] )
I was thinking servo wires(Maybe) And was thinking of buying I think it's call the glitch buster...
It connects inbetween the servo wires and the receiver. Have you heard of that?? Guess it's the
same idea as your toroidal ferrites description?? So I can just get a tube made of ferrite and
wrap my tail servo wires aronud it as many times as possible(that would only be maybe 5-8 turns)
before it'll be to short to reach the rec.... Would that be enough???

I am somewhat familiar with a optical isolator. It converts the signal to light which is then read and reconverted on down the line to eliminate EMI. I saw a web page while checking into theis about a guy who was having problems with glitchy (jittery in his words) servos because of long runs with extensions. The isolator didn't help him at all however theses were JR servos and I am assuming that you are using Hitec from the receiver I see in your pic and it could make a difference. Still long runs can wreck havoc! The guy on the web site had to resort to sheilded (Different but the same end result as the torroid "chokes" I was talking about). He used twisted wire servo leads to kill the jitters. Are you having Aileron or tail jitters?
As for the antenna working in a 90 degree orient from the fuselage it very well could be a problem with something reacting to/with the antenna. It is changing polarity when you move it. I sure can't imagine what is in your plane that is interfereing with the antenna though. The only metal is in the servos, receiver and the motor. I have a Seagull .61 Extra 300s and I have heard several people say that they swore that the plane screwed with their antenna because of it actually has 3 aluminum tubes running the length of the plane with pushrods to the rudder and split elevators. I would almost believe that they just might be right. But the Do has only a motor and gear for measurable metal, so that one doesn't quite add up.
I also hate to say it, but since the antenna was just replaced, it almost gives it more of a chance that it was cold soldered or something else could be amiss with it. I would check it to be sure. You should be getting a servo lock and full comtrol for a mile! (actuallyI think Hitec says 5400 feet or something like that)

Ooops, forgot to reply about wire wraps. You most likely won't get more than 3 or 4 turns through the torroids unless you get large, heavy ones. You don't need more than a few turns to choke out the noise. The twisted servo wires (never seen any myself) sounds like the winning fix as long as it's an interference/noise problem, no added weight.

Thanks Gary! [8D] That's it. I won't lose it again.

Thanks Mark. I'll check that out. As long as it doesn't predict any wind it's a good website.

Thanks for the info Blisster..... I just bought some stock in scotch tape So I guess
I'll be taping the ant. to the wing for a while... When I do get a glitch its usually the Ails,
which what I'm told is the most common one that gets effected... But I had a few on the
elev.... People at the field, don't believe it's in the servos, or anything else but the tail
wire run to the reciever and that it's funny how on the same plane/setup.. One will work
no problem, then on another it can be a pain......

raideron, you may have already answered this but did you get the glitching without the tail wires? Maybe you could use kevlar for the tail bracing.