Transmitter Mod – No More Thumb Cramps for Gramps

About the throttle stick ratchet action. That ratchet is a real problem for heli pilots. My stable hover altitude is between two notches. The ratchet is fine for airplanes, but for the rest of us, there are three remedies. Pick one. Remove the back cover of the transmitter. Loosen the screw that holds the brass spring blade that makes the throttle all ratchety. That’s fix #1. But the screw is not tight. Maybe that’s not too good. While the screw is loose, use needle nose pliers and smush the jog in the end of the spring blade so it does not engage the teeth. Now tighten the screw. That’s #2. Or you can remove the spring blade and turn it over and re-install it. That’s #3. Pick one and tighten the screw and put the transmitter back together. Aggravation gone. Cost, nothing.


There was an article discussing the removal of the springs that hold the transmitter sticks on-center. The author recommends removing the springs. Do they actually help us poor stupid humans fly? I dunno. I do know that I fight them all the time. Maybe I wish they weren’t there at all. Hmmm. I'd sort of like something to center the sticks when I start up, but I guess that's just a crutch. Take the back off of the transmitter. Note where the springs are fastened and note that the spring mounts are hooked to little tabs. And the tabs can be adjusted using the screws all bright and shiny. As you screw the screws, the spring relaxes. When you screw the screws all the way, there is just the slightest amount of pull from the springs. Just enough to let you know where the center is for the stick, but you don’t have to fight it. That’s where my transmitter is set. I’m happy. Happy is good.

And fuses are no doubt a very good idea, although I don't use them. I'm not arrogant. I'm lazy.