want to use landing gear switch to activate and deactivate servos
 

I want to try and use the landing gear switch on the transmitter to activate one servo and deactivate another. Any ideas how this can be done in a light weight electronic switch of some sort.

Thanks,
Alex.

RE: want to use landing gear switch to activate and deactivate servos
 

Can you describe in more detail what you want to do, and what transmitter you have? It may be possible to program the function into your transmitter if it has the capability...Chris

RE: want to use landing gear switch to activate and deactivate servos
 

Its for some special aircraft controls. I want one control to operate while deactivating the other and toggle between the two with the gear switch but have the two controls operate on the same stick. I wanted to keep it simple and try to use a non computer radio like a skysport 6. Will a new reasonably priced computer radio accomplish this switching? I have been eyeballing the FASST systems.

Thanks for the reply,
Alex.

RE: want to use landing gear switch to activate and deactivate servos
 

I don't know about FASST systems, but I think a DX7 would be able to use one mix to negate the function of one control, and a second mix to invoke the use of another, both mixes operated from the same switch. So you would if effect turn off one thing and turn on another with a single switch. Is that what you had in mind?

RE: want to use landing gear switch to activate and deactivate servos
 

Yeah thats what I am going for. I will have to look into the DX7's mixing capabilities.
Thanks,
Alex.

RE: want to use landing gear switch to activate and deactivate servos
 

I expect that Futaba radios can do the same thing too.

Actually, I had planned to do something similar - I have an Electristar with video camera mounts under the wing, which I want to be able to pan using a small servo on each camera. I want to be able to do a flyby whilst panning the camera onto the pit area of the field to get the spectators etc. I am thinking of programming mixes to furn off the rudder (I don't want the plane to yaw during the video shot), and instead use the rudder stick to pan the cameras. (Obviously, with this type of plane use of the rudder is not essential at all times).

Any thoughts?...Chris

RE: want to use landing gear switch to activate and deactivate servos
 

I don't see how you will be able to determine the panning orientation of the cameras while in the air unless you have some sort of real time feed from the cameras. I would just mount the cameras fixed and point the plane/cameras where you want the shot. If you are talking live feed and or still want the panning ability, I would use the flap control on the radio. Unlike a stick input it would not need a constant input to remain in the desired position. You would turn the flap knob on the radio to the position you want and leave it or adjust as needed. I am assuming your radio utilizes some sort of resistance knob as a flap control. My radios do but are 8 or 9 years old too lol.

Hope this helps,
Alex.

RE: want to use landing gear switch to activate and deactivate servos
 

Good points. My idea for sighting the camera is to use a laser pointer attached to it, so that there is a chance that I will be able to tell when the camera is pointing towards the pit area (where I & others will be standing, hence the laser will be pointed at us.) I ordered a pointer from Ebay for about $3 to experiment with. I find the biggest problem with getting a good video shot from a plane near the ground is lining it up and NOT putting too many control inputs into the plane.

Of course like everyone else, my goal is eventually FPV, so that the plane can be flown from goggles or a monitor some of the time.

I'm still curious to know exactly what functions you want to toggle between?