Lost plane device
 

Someone gave me a lost plane device made to make a noise to help find a lost plane. At least that is how it was explained to me. No info on how to hook it up came with it. It appears to go into the electronics between ????. My best guess is between the receiver and a servo. I expect to have extra channels, would such a device work if simply plugged into the Rx and the activated when the channel is made live with the Tx? It has male and female servo plugs.

Anyone know how to set this thing up?

RE: Lost plane device
 

i believe that it is plugged into a channel then the servo into that plug. mine is plugged onto my aileron channel. because mine is like when the channel isnt used for more then a minuet or so the alarm goes off, so i figured if i crash the aileron wont be moving and when i had it hooked up to my throttle channel it would go off all the time because im not allways moving the throttle controls....hope this helps...

RE: Lost plane device
 

is it an air alert ?

RE: Lost plane device
 

The instructions say to plug it between the receiver and the throttle servo but I use them between the receiver and the aileron servo.

If the receiver is on and no command is given to that servo in 15 sec the device starts a beep beep beep sound every 3 sec. It does this for about 15 sec and if no signal is given to the servo, the beeper then changes to a beep about every 3 sec. The only way to make it quit is to turn the receiver off.

Works pretty nice after you get used to it.
I mount it inside the plane with the beeper sticking through the fuselage.

Helps to find your plane in the vegetation like clover and corn, beans, & wheat

RE: Lost plane device
 

I haven't the faintest idea. What's an Air Alert?

RE: Lost plane device
 

Thanks y'all, I'll try it that way........it sounds likely to me.

RE: Lost plane device
 

one of these, or something like it http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...0335&search=Go

RE: Lost plane device
 

Here it is. I have 4 or them

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXSZ87&P=ML

RE: Lost plane device
 

i guess it would work in any spot

RE: Lost plane device
 

If you don't mind me jumping in on this thread, how loud is the beebing? can you hear it 20 feet away? 50?

Thanks

Jon

RE: Lost plane device
 

A lost plane device does not always work. If it depends on the receiver battery for power, in a crash this is often disconnected. There are some that contain their own power supply at an added complexity and weight penalty. None will work with the newer 2.4GHz units that have fail safe as, the signal between the fail safe unit appears to be correct even though the RF link has failed as the fail safe consists of continiously sending a pulse train to the device that is exactly like the last valid signal before signal loss. PCM systems might also not work for the same reasons if fail safe is set up.

RE: Lost plane device
 

I'm and older guy and I can only hear it about 50' away.

It's a pizzeo type buzzer and some people with hearing damage may not be able to hear it?

RE: Lost plane device
 

Here's a more sophisticated system that I have.
EDIT
http://www.walstonretrieval.com/main.htm

It has it's own little self contained transmitter of 225 mhz. Uses two little disk type batteries and they will run for 200 hrs in the transmitter from new.

It will not be affected by whatever may happen to the airplane radio.

Also PCM and 2.4 Ghz will not effect it.

You have to pay for your thrills though

RE: Lost plane device
 

The original Hobbico lost plane device should work as well with PCM and 2.4 Ghz radios as the FM analog types.

The device looks for a change in the signal to reset it's timer. If the signal stays steady, the device will time out and start beeping.

I must say the the thing is frustrating at first. Before you get your plane started and taxiing out the darn thing is giving the warning and I have to move the ailerons to reset the timer before take off. You get used to it after a few flights. Every time you get close to the transmitter, you wiggle the ailerons.

I suppose on a three channel outfit you would hook it into the rudder channel?

RE: Lost plane device
 

The one I have looks a little different & has no info on it. I don't think it will work like the Air Alert. That sounds interesting anyway.

RE: Lost plane device
 

W8YE
That sounds interesting too. Tell us more about it.

RE: Lost plane device
 

The Walston device can be used to find you model up to 20 miles away.

BTW there are some other brands out there somewhat like the Walston.

You have a three element Yagi directional antenna that will point to the airplane when the signal is loudest.

The little transmitter only gives out a a "click" about ever 2 seconds.

The click has to be nulled out except when you are directed right at the target. So as you get closer to your plane, you will have to turn the gain of the receiver down so as to stay right on track.

The Walston and others like it were intended for Free Flight type Gliders, Gas, and rubber powered models. Also model rocket guys use them. Where I fly R/C there are a group of S.A.M. old timers that fly and some of these guys have the transmitter type retrieval systems.

I've practiced some with mine but have never lost a plane while actually using the retrieval system.

My wife hid a transmitter in a junk box in the far corner of the house, I found the little thing with the antenna. It only weighs a couple grams.

RE: Lost plane device
 

The hobico "air alert" say it is only for 4.8 volt packs, I am running all 6 volt packs in my planes, it does not work with these voltage packs.
does anyone know a way to use them with the 6 volt pack, I am only interested is using the device to find a downed plane not for low voltage.</p>

RE: Lost plane device
 

use silicon diodes in series with the power wire to the alert device to drop the voltage down to 4.8. Each diode will drop .7v

RE: Lost plane device
 

I have a coupe of planes with the GWS BeFound in them. Never had to use them yet but do enjoy flipping them on with a spare switch and doing a low flyby and having people ask if my plane is beeping....
I say: No dont think so. :D

RE: Lost plane device
 

Sounds alot like a radio directional finder

RE: Lost plane device
 

It just makes a beeping sound if the radio channel that it is connected to stays idle for 20 sec. so you can find your plane in the corn or woods. You can only hear it 50' away but often that is good enough.

RE: Lost plane device
 

Thanks, can I find these at radio shack?

RE: Lost plane device
 

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...LXSZ87&amp;P=7

RE: Lost plane device
 

I don't think this is a Radio Shack type device. Someone, I'm sure knows where to get one.

CGr.

Post Script: I started to post this when a phone call came in. Looks like someone has a location (Tower) to find this gizmo.

CGr.