I'd like to build one for my JR. Windows 98SE. I've built one, but it's parallel and my PC doesn't like it.

JetSD,
Just go to the official FMS Forum and read Serial PPM Interface group:
http://cgi.ethz.ch/~mmoeller/cgi-bin...fff;act=SF;f=5

There's plenty of information there. Steve Lewin diagram works fine with both JR and Futaba/Hitec. Airtronics needs just a minor modification.

Hope this helps,
Boris

I have spent at least an hour tring to find instructions to make a cable for an FMS & Futaba. (found Great instructions for a Parallel but not serial which is what I think I must have for windows XP) I think I found one at a German site but could not read it. Can anyone please help. thanks

Goldwing,
Neither simple parallel, nor simple serial cable will do.

Only two types of cables will work under XP:

1) PIC-based serial cable (go to FMS Forums, they have a group for PIC-interfaces). Pro: 8 proportional cahnnels; con: the cable only works with FMS and isn't compatible with anything else.

2) TX-to-Joystick interfaces (either gameport- or USB-joysticks). Pro: works with any Windows application (FMS, RealFlight, etc.); con: only provides 4 proportional and 4 discrete channels.

Hope this helps,
Boris

If you are interested in a PIC-based serial cable, you can get a complete kit of parts from Ken Hewitt, see “Ordering Complete Kit of Parts”:

http://www.welwyn.demon.co.uk/fms_lead/fms_lead.htm

I built two of these interfaces. They are fun to build and they work great (smooth - no glitches). You have to be able to read resistor color codes, but this is quite simple – see:

http://webhome.idirect.com/~jadams/e...stor_codes.htm

The PIC controller comes pre-programmed. The circuit only has about 13 parts to solder together and all the necessary parts are included for ~$15.00 shipped. I paid by PayPal. It took less than a week to receive the kits here in the U.S (NJ). All you need are some basic tools (soldering iron and the like).

It would be tough for me to build a PIC-based cable for less (e.g., a PIC programmer is needed to program the chip). Perhaps you have a PIC programmer available to you. In that case, you can build one of the other PIC-based cables out there on the web. Anyway, I am not affiliated with Ken Hewitt.

Good Luck,
Moses

Thanks for the info on the cables. Do you know where to buy a complete PIC cable rather then a kit to make one? Have you ever used the audio jack cable? Do they work?

I tried to use a radio jack cable and had no luck at all. It seems that idea is good, but its implementation leaves much to be desired.

Goldwing, here is one possible source for ready-made cables (again though Ken Hewitt). The PIC based serial cable is $20.00 including shipping - ready to go. There are also cables set up for a USB interface and game port interface (these cost more). Plenty of info is available on the web site. Anyway, I have not tried any of these cables but the PIC based cable looks the same as the kits I got from Ken (and they work just fine). See:

http://www.rc-electronics.co.uk/index.htm

There are probably other sources as well.

Good luck,
Moses

Thanks to all! I just PayPal'd an order to Ken Hewitt for the JR PIC to FMS interface....for $20, it's not worth fudging around the workshop....I'll post back about how it works...

I just finished my order for the FMS cable Friday. I wonder how long it will take to get here?

Let you know how it goes

Goldwing, Ken will send you a message identifying the ship date. I have my channel mapping set as follows (under the Controls menu):

Aileron – Ch1
Elevator – Ch2
Throttle – Ch3
Rudder – Ch4
Tail – Ch4
Nick – Ch2
Roll – Ch1
Pitch-Ch3

I have all channels set to normal on the radio and reverse in FMS. I also have the crystal removed from the radio (the NiCd battery lasts pretty long since no RF is generated by the radio).

Good luck,
Moses

Hi Folks

I have the RC Trainer Joystick Interface it works great. Also I was wondering if you can tell me how to make the plane spin.

Filtr, your post looked lonely, albeit a bit off topic. I’m not an expert on 3D aerobatics. I’m not sure how well FMS can emulate complex maneuvers such as flat spins and the like (I have not yet mastered these). Still working on my torque rolls. Part of the issue is definitely related to the set-up of the model. Take a look at the RC-Sim.de site (in German but you can get to the download area easy enough):

http://www.rc-sim.de/index1.htm

See the download section under “Flugzeuge” - 16 download pages.

This site has hundreds of FMS planes you can download. Some of these have real aggressive characteristics and can probably do most 3D maneuvers (with practice). See for example the third download page (FMS Flugzeuge 3), the Fun11 plane. This is a “profile fuselage” plane that can do all kinds of 3D stuff like knife edge loops using rudder only and the like. I have been toying around with the idea of getting this type of plane down the road a bit (e.g., Morris Hobbies Fun Design, Morris The Knife, Su-Do-Khoi, Tower Hobbies Fun 51 ..).

There is also a program call Par Designer that helps in editing FMS “.par” files so that you can modify the characteristics of FMS models. This can help you set-up the planes to fly more to your liking. You can add ailerons to models that only have rudder control, increase control throws, add power, remove dihedral effect and the like. See:

http://www.interq.or.jp/japan/cyber/...asequoia_e.htm

Good luck
Moses

I just received my cable and it works great! I thought it would take a couple of weeks but only a week!

Question: I down loaded airplanes (Thank you for the site Moses) but how do I get the pics in the select plane area?

Hi Moses

Thanks for the help

Goldwing, glad the cable is working for you.

When adding new models, you often need to create a preview file. FMS preview files are jpg images (resolution around 200 by 200) and have a file name that ends in “_prv”. The exact resolution is not that critical.

For the fun11 plane, you can use the image from the rc-sim.de site (since it is a jpg image). Go back to the download page and right click on the picture. Select “save picture as” and save it as fun11_prv. Save the file in the “models” sub directory (typically c:\Program Files\fms\models). That’s all there is to it.

You can also create your own preview files using FMS. Open up the Windows Paint program. Start FMS and select the plane in question. Fly the plane in chase camera mode. Dive and pull up on the elevator to get a nice view of the plane. Hit the print screen key to capture the screen. You may have to hit print screen a few times to get a good shot. You now have a screen shot of the plane saved in scratch pad memory. Next, we clean it up a bit … so …

Hop over to the paint program and paste the screen shot (Ctrl-V). Use the select tool (upper right icon) to draw a box around a nice image of the plane. If the image of the plane is small enough then just make the box 200 x 200 and hit Ctrl-C (copy). For larger images, make the box larger (but generally square) and then resize to 200 by 200 (after you first select the area in question grab the the lower right corner of the box and drag to 200 x 200) and hit Ctrl-C (copy). Now you have a resized image at about 200 x 200 in scratch pad memory.

Hit Ctrl-N to get a clean screen. Do not save any files at this point. Once you have a clean screen, hit Ctrl-V (paste) and you have your nice clean resized image. This is what the image will look like as an FMS preview image. Save the image as a jpg file in the models sub-direcory. The file name must match the name of the plane with the “_prv” ending added on. Do not save as a bmp, this will not work. Anyway, I have made literally hundreds of these preview files using this method. It only takes about a minute or so to create a preview file once you get the hang of it.

Good luck,
Moses

Gentlemen - received my PIC interface today, running a Celeron 400, with Win 98 OS, no 3D card, but using Direct X 8.0....this works better than I expected. I now have a sim with great scenery options (although I seem to keep flying into the Swiss Alps at sunset!), using my JR 10X, and it is outstanding. As close to flying my GP Pitts as I'll come, I think, without going to the field! This is one of the best $20 I've spent in the hobby in a LONG time (Ken Hewitt's cable was $19.95, and that included Air shipping from UK !)

Or anyone else using Ken's pic interface, has anyone tried a serial-usb adapter to see if it works? I was going to order the usb interface, but it would limit me to my laptop. I guess the serial would be ok anyway since it works with all windoze versions. I did find one usb interface that works with both fms and pre-flight though.

Thanks
Jerry