Thumbtalk.

Once a thumber always a thumber,

I did start flying in the period of reeds, so thumbs.

We did use the equivalent, no reeds but electronic audio filters, in Europe (Schumacher, Germany) and because of the needed high speed TPM we did get very fast thumbs.

My thumbs have a great breadth in the distal phalanxes so I can easy press my thumb on the stick. They are also attached to such a mobile metacarpus, which also produces the needed opposability, that I can easy move my sticks in any position while keeping my transmitter in the palm of my hands.

Picture 1

I keep my transmitter in my hands with my right hand in some higher position to reach the full power and full left aileron position. During landings sometimes I place my right hand on some lower position so I still have a better control over aileron and throttle.

My first proportional transmitter I did held in side position so I did not see the antenna between me and the plane.

Weather

Also the weather had influence on the position of the transmitter,
Antenna vertical or square to the plane to have most range but also to keep the sticks dry in the rain.
When I do fly “in the sun” I can use the transmitter as a shield.

Picture 2

Because we did use “long antennas”, I even TLC, the CG of the (tile) transmitter was important, I always did want to have the sticks in most upwards location in the case. For that I did have my electronics on two circuit boards stacked together and mounted above the sticks.
To have easy full control I did use the shortest sticks (attention for play) and did mount them in most possible side ward positions in the case. To have a low Centre of gravity the battery was mounted in the most lowest position and beside the (heavy) loader which I also could use to load the battery of the plane. On this transmitter I did mount the antenna on the left side so I could keep the transmitter easy it in front of me, see also picture 1.

Picture 3

While I can use my new transmitter also “pinch style” I still fly with my thumbs because I learned it that way and they are F-A-S-T. My slow middle finger I use on the backside of my new transmitter to activate the trigger switch, the electronics do generate the repeated pulses to make pictures with a in flight camera. While not photographing the electronics still make pictures in a cycle time of minutes to keep the camera wake up.
Only thermal gliders I control sometimes in “pinch style” because the control actions never have to be fast. My new transmitter has a flexible antenna mounting, for that I still prefer my old ones in strong winds.
For the Oldest Taurus on Earth I am thinking about use my old tile transmitter for that, after some updating. I already have the sticks for that. Long antenna, strong wind? I prefer a straight mounted antenna on a tile model transmitter.

Footnote:
TPM = Thumb Pulse Modulation
TLC = Top Loaded Coil

Hanna loves my new transmitter, picture 4

Cees