johnpatron

I recently purchased the new Toytronix "Hawk-3" all-in-one foam electric airplane pkg. The plane has two servos for elevator and rudder, plus a built-in ESC for it's 380 motor. However, to keep the price down, the Tx (27mhz) has only 2 gimbals for the elevator and rudder and only an on/off switch for the motor.
Can I buy a slide switch from Radio Shack and switch it with the Tx's on/off switch to give me a motor throttle control? Or does the Tx have to have a third variable circuit already built in before I can get variable motor control? (P.S., I'm a greyhaired newby to the R/C field, but can handle a pretty good soldering gun to do the Tx mod--just need to know if it's possible.) Thanks, guys.
(I also posted this in the Park Flyer Forum) BTW, I'm on a
meager disability income, so please be nice and not tell me to go out and buy another radio system.

Rodney

I can't say for sure as I have not looked at your particular setup. I suspect that, to keep costs down, the built in throttle 0n/off is a design integral with the receiver and will only go on/off. To get proportional throttle, you need a speed control device which is usually a separate device plugged into the throttle channel. You can not easily (if at all) modify what you have for proportional control. You would have to put in your own receiver and associated electronics to do that.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

I would have to agree with Rodney. It is very likely that what you called an ESC is not an Electronic speed control at all but was commonly called at one time a electronnic switch. Which if that is the case it makes no differance what you do to the Tx.

I can only suggest that you enjoy your airplane as designed and you will be wanting to move on in a short time anyway.

thomasb

There are R/C'ers that are hacking the low cost toy R/C models to enhance them. I have not seen info specific to the ToyTronix models, but here are some related links that will fill you in on what sort of things that others are doing:

http://yosho.port5.com/
http://pease1.sr.unh.edu/aew/rc/cannedheat/
http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/bhabbott/tyco.html

But I agree with the other comments -- just have fun with what you have.

johnpatron

Thanks for your replies, fellows, but the Importer (Toytronix) specifically told me that the ESC is a TRUE ESC and WILL give variable speed control to the motor IF another Tx with a variable throttle control is used, so I know that the ESC is in there. The Rx is also a true 3-channel receiver. Now, If a knowledgeable radio enthusiast would let me know whether a variable switch wired in place of the Tx on/off will give me the variable signal to the Rx (which will automatically pass on the variable signals to the ESC) or whether the Tx itself has to have a variable throttle circuitry in order to transmit the variable signals to the throttle channel on the Rx. Thanks. John Patron