RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

In another post here in Unusual RC I had reported about starting to use my Spektrum DX6 for RC Skydiving. At the present time I have about 50 drops on my RC Skydiver called Little Juan and about 30 drops on Small Juan using the Spektrum DX6. The radio has worked flawlessly. I haven't had any control problems at all. The only Dirt Dive I've had since using the Spektrum was because of a dead battery pack. That's what I get for buying a cheap battery pack!! I know it doesn't set any kind of altitude record but my highest drop altitude has been 1620 feet. There are other posts that have shown the range of the Spektrum to be much further than this. I have also just changed my TX & RX on my Senior Telemaster over to a Spektrum DX7. I am using an Avocet hiking watch to measure the drop altitude. I set the altimeter to zero before each drop and then after the airplane lands take the watch out of the fuel tank compartment and read the altitude my RC Skydiver was dropped from.

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

:D Hey fellow jumpers this is goldenknight1 back on line and computer is working. I wish to thank everyone for your quick response to my thread on rc skdydiving forum, I am really sorry it took so long but I am going to find out the status of my request and will let you all know the answer as soon as I can. AGAIN THANK YOU ALL FOR THE REPLYS POSTED AND KEEP IT UP.
GOLDENKNIGHT1
:D

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

jUAN i AM BACK ON LINE TURKEY ! NOW YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO HIDE NOW

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

Goldenknight1,
Good to have you back online. Guess I'll have to go out of the country to hide now.
Juan

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

Good idea on recording drop heights there, Juan ^^

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

Spinbotz,
Thanks for your comments about my altimeter watch. I like using it because it tell exactly what altitude I dropped my jumper from instead of making a guess. I bought the Avocet at one of the local Outdoor sports shop back in the early 90's. I got the idea about using an altimeter from an article in Flying Models magazine. For your information the watch runs about $185.00 now. I also like using a Skydivers Log Book to record the drops that my jumpers have made. It's kind of a carry over from my old skydiving days. I picked up my log books from the local skydiving center here and I think that they cost something like $2.50. Below is a URL for Para-gear and they sell them for $1.95 plus postage. Keeping a log book I can go back and see where I've dropped my jumpers and friends that I have made drops with.

http://www.paragear.com/templates/pa...vel=2&parent=6

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

Just out of curiosity how many of you with RC Skyders were also skydivers (are still are skydiving), or served in the military airborne? Myself I started skydiving in 1962 and made my last skydive in 1970. I was also with the 82nd Airborne Division where I did static line jumps. Along the way I was also a HALO jumper and instructor. I got into RC Skydiving when I saw and ad for a Radio Controlled Skydiver. I think I would have gotten into RC Skydiving even without having jumped myself.

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

[8D] rc maniac119 this is the place to be. this is goldenknight1 thanking you personally for the quick response, blue skies and fair winds to you:D

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

have been jumping since I was 20 years old in 82 airborne and was with goldenknights for 3 years at age 23 joined green berets did halo's like juan and served in viet nam for 32 months and quit jumping last year at the young age of 70. Come on and join the fun and lets jump
goldenknight1

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

Hello to all of the jumpers over other side of the Pacific and Atlantic let your freinds who are also jumping know about rc universe and our forum. We would really like to hear from everyone and what kind of canopies you use and some pictures of your jumpers in flight and landing, we are always looking for new ways of competition and how you score your jumps. Blue Skies and keep the wind in your face!!!!! :D goldenknight1

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

We'll give this a shot and see how it goes. If you guys can sustain and grow it we'll be happy to give you a spot to squat.

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

Plane Insane,
Thank you very much. Sure do appreciate it!!
JuanF

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

plane insane: thank you very much we will make this forum work you watch and see. best regards to you and rc universe for the chance to show how much it will be used . goldenknight1

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

OK GUYS WE HAVE OUR FORUM, WE USE IT AND I DO MEAN USE IT OR WE WILL LOSE IT GET THE WORD OUT TO EVERYONE YOU TALK WITH ABOUT RC SKYDIVING AND START POSTING PICTURES OF YOU JUMPERS AND TELL US WHAT TYPE AIRCRAFT THAT YOU USE FOR DROP PLANE, AND IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH YOUR EQUIPMENT GET ON THE FORUM AND TALK ABOUT IT THIS IS HOW IT WILL PAY OFF, I HAVE BEEN RC SKYDIVING FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS AND I STILL LEARN THINGS WHEN READING ALL THE POST THAT ARE SUBMITTED ON RC SKYDIVING. SO COME LET SHOW PLANE INSANE THAT WE NEED THIS FORUM :D:D:D[>:]

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

THIS IS AN UPDATE WE NOW HAVE A FORUM
OK GUYS WE HAVE OUR FORUM SO LETS START USING IT NOW. GO TO UNUSUAL RC AND YOU WILL SEE RE: RC SKYDIVING FORUM

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

Thanks Bob for sending me the email about this forum. I think its a great idea. Count me in as an interested member![8D]

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

yikes, I'd better get some pics posted of my duel purpose skydiver paramotorist..O.O;;;

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

[8D] come on spinbotz let us see what you have been building thru the winter, and how is the chute I sent you working out? [X(]:)

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

Juanf,

Another skydiver here. I made my first jump in '73. 5 second ff under a paracommander. Last jump was about 5 years ago. I have a bit of age and weight on me and I became concerned about how long it would take to heal if I got hurt. Still have my rig. If I can drop a bit of weight I might get in one or two more.

I have a micro skydiver and have had him up to about 800 ft. Last year he spent a couple of months lost. Fortunately he finally came down in a back yard and was returned to me. Almost no damage from the long exposure to the elements. Dead battery and a broken leg. He is flying again.

Interesting about using your altimeter watch. Check out: http://www.hexpertsystems.com/zlog/
They have an electronic altimeter that plugs into a receiver port. I have one and they are very nice. Small and light enough to put into a medium sized skydiver. Too big for my micro so I put it into the plane.

I find some of the terminology used here in the forum interesting. To me dirt dive always meant a group of skydivers walking through a relative work jump on the ground.

Glen

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

Glen,
When I made my first Skydive it was a static line jump. That was using a surplus US Air Force 28' flat circular canopy. From that I went to a 28' flat circular Pioneer company lo-porosity canopy and finally to the Para-commander. Never did jump and squares. Still get the urge to jump once in awhile. The only difference between a Jump Story and a Fairy tale; One starts out: "Once upon a time..." and the other starts out: "There I was at 12,500 feet...".

My lost jumper story: I was in Las Vegas for an RC Skydiving contest and Small Juan did a dirt dive. This was in the month of April 73 and he wasn't found until November of 73. He was sent back home. I cleaned up his parachute, washed all the mud and dirt off. Cycled his battery and everything worked fine.

I read the review about the electronic altimiter you are using. I noticed in the article that you can use an auxilary function to cause the altimeter to "spike". Could you possibly put the altimeter in the jumper and "spike" it so it would indicate his opening altitude. At the present time with my altimeter watch all I can record is the drop altitude. It would be nice to know his opening altitude.

Yeah in RC Skydiving "Dirt Dive" is something you don't want to do!! Every sport has its own language.

Were you guys still playing "Cardinal Puff"?

Juan

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

Hi Guy's

Well, we tried out Wesley's new jump plane "Lift Meister" Sunday. The first flight for the plane went well, took off, trimmed it in, flew around a few minutes, landed and checked the plane over everything looked good.

Loaded two jumpers, took off, plane needs more power (has a 45cc gasser) flew around gaining altitude.
Turned plane into the wind and it looked like slow motion, it was still gaining altitude but none too fast.

Made another circle getting high enough for the drop, cut throttle, hit switch to drop left jumper and away he went, hit switch to drop right jumper..........nothing! Worked the switch a few more times, still no drop, did a fly by and discovered that the jumper released from the drop box but was hung by one of the lines.
Proceeded to fly around gaining altitude again, tried to shake the jumper off using the ailerons with no success.
Thats when I should have landed, but noooooo, I continued to try to shake it off.
Then the chute comes open, the jumper releases, but only to become reattached to the tail of the plane.
Now, I have a brand new plane, that doesen't belong to me, flying around with a skydiver hooked on the tail.
Luckily the plane is large enough that it was still somewhat controllable with the drag chute.
I made a turn down wind and almost lost it when the diver pendulemed and turned the plane into some what of a very slow knife edge, got on the rudder and leveled it back out.
I then got it turned back into the wind and working the throttle and elevator got it to settle down and start a slow desent.
Finally got it on the ground with the only damage being a slight bend in the landing gear.

That was enough excitement for one day!!

GaryV

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

Nice flight Gary!!!! Can't wait for your 2nd flight!!!
Jim

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

Garyv I just read your report on lift meister, glad to hear you saved the aircraft. I am just starting to put my lift meister together. You said you have a 45CC gasser on it? what prop are you using I have the same type engine for mine . Will be swinging a 20/6 prop on it test runs rpm detecter shows mine turning at it's best 6250 rpm's do not have thrust gage have no idea of pounds of thrust. Also what was final weight of your LM?

BOB goldenknight1[:o][:o]

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

Hi Ya'll,
Gary, that was quite a save---good show!!! I have been jumping 2 days this week. Went to Hodges Hobbies Wed and let Mac (the B-29 man) test fly the LM with 2 Mikes & a Charly on board. I have an Evolution 35cc with tuned pipe running a 19-8W APC prop turning 8000 RPM. It puuurs like a kitten! The take off is long and climb out is kinda slow but it carried tha load to jump Alt without too much delay. On Sat I went to a big Spring Flyin at the Macon, Ga club field. Made 2 jumps with the same load, 2 Mikes & 1 Charly. First flt we dropped at 776 ft and all jumpers hit the field close to the pilot in a 10-12 mph 45 degree crosswind. Just before the 2nd demo, the wind picked up to 15mph+ but we jumped anyway from 996 ft. Delayed the opening and hit the runway again with 1 Mike. The Charly had a line tangeled around an arm and just slowly circled with no control. It drifted across the road and landed between trees. The Mike I flew with the flag landed in the pits in front of the announcer. Wasn't getting any penetration at all with the flag hanging down. Just held it into the wind and let it rip. The crowd thought the landing was planned that way and loved it. Glad it didn't hit anyone or any parked planes.Wheeeeu! I talked to two other LM owners and neither was too impressed with the kit. One had his at the field and dropped 10 lbs of candy for the kids. Don't know what engine he has but it was noisy! I am using the Winged Shadow How High Altimeter with the See How gizmo to read the alt. It works pretty good. The photo shows the "Jump" Meister loaded and ready for the 2nd demo. Two more Flyins this month so I will be getting a lot of practice for the Somerset rally!! Ya'll look out!!!! Jim

RE: RC SKDIVING FORUM
 

:D RC SKDIVER:
That is a pretty good load on you meister, what do you figure your total load was. I will be using a quadra 45 CC on mine swinging a 20/6 top flite prop. I have weighed my two jumpers and total wt. is 5 1/4 pounds should be doing test drops this week end will let you know the results saterday evening.[8D][8D]:D

goldenknight1
bob