Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

JPEE,

Very nice video of your flying...I saw some of your forward inverted and you seemed very comfortable, even in the turns. Well done. That 700 is extremely easy to see (and hear ) and I am amazed with the plug-in the back so you don't have to remove the canopy. So nice.

Any news on the guy who lost his plane?

Been windy here as well so no flying. No problem though as I got my P40 in. I ordered it though my LHS so to support them...they were feeling a bit neglected with all my online orders for my Protos lately.

I must say that GWS did a lot of improvements with their kits since my Zero build many moons ago. Details such as panel lines and cockpit, 2 piece wing, beveled control surfaces just to name a few have been added. Plus there are tons of build threads so lots of extra tips when needed.

Hi Glenn,

Glad your doing alright and enjoying some nice weather. You may want to dust off the old mcpx and give her a spin up just to refresh the old muscle memory.

Mark

evdreamer

Mark,

That is good you got the protos out some more.

Your new plane looks good.

Glenn,

That is good you are getting some nice weather. The temps are getting better here.

John,

It looked like a nice day to fly in the video.

I don't have much new going on. I have been pretty busy with work and school. My digital class is over for the semester and now I am in an EM wave and optics class. I enjoyed the digital class, since that is my favorite area of electrical engineering so far. Spring break starts next week, so I would like to work on my electronic projects again if I am not overloaded with homework. I have been thinking about working with my graphical LCD's again and trying to incorporate some 3D looking objects with my projects.

Nick

JPEE

Hi Boy's,

Not much going on here. Rain or clouds for the next 8 days.

I brought home our quads from the other house and have been giving them a pre-flight LOL. Next week we are going out to Quartzite AZ (410 miles) to meet with some nice people from RC Groups that I interact with daily. There is this little town there where thousands of snow birds come every year and park in RV Parks or just park in the desert there for free.... to spend their winters away from snowy states like Oregon and Lincoln LOL. So there is a wide variety of dune buggy or motorcycle riding back into the mountains to the old gold mines and buildings. Then they have a class A RC field too so many of the guys fly. So we are loading up and old JPEE is ah-goin to fly and ride a few days.

I'll post some pics while there.

evdreamer

John,

It sounds like you will be having a fun time.

Spring break has finally arrived! I got some electronics to mess around with on break. My new project is a 7 cell LiPo monitor. It has been a rough beginning. I decided to try a new way to interface with my simple LCD's and that took a long time to figure out. Then I was having problems getting my new microcontroller to work. Right now I am having trouble getting one of the components to work like it should. I wrote most of the code and just need to get the hardware to work.

Nick

JPEE

Hello Nick,

Glad you're on spring break! Really sorry to hear that your project is giving you so much trouble. Perhaps reviewing your input now that you're on vacation, and have a little time to clear your head will help and bring your project to where you want it.

Hey correction my trip is only 272 miles away not 400 miles as posted above. I hate to be wrong lol.

Enjoy some piece and quite and no stress for this next week.

John

evdreamer

John,

I got my Voltmeter working today on a 2cell LiPo. I couldn't get some of the features to work on my microcontroller, so I had to improvise with parts that I had. The accuracy isn't too bad for the imprecise parts that I had on hand. Maybe over the summer I can get a circuit board made for this.

Nick

JPEE

Hello Nick,

Congrats on voltmeter! I know you hate it when something won't work as you planned and built it, but you prevailed! Kind-ah neat you could accomplish that task with "just" some parts you had on hand.

We are in AZ and I have been flying here around the catus! LOL really. I'll post when I get back. WIFI sucks on the road.


Smiles JPEE

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

Hi guys,

Nice to hear everyone is having a great time...Nick on Spring Break and JPEE galavanting on his 4 wheeler across some Arizona desert!

Not too much going on around here...been fighting off some cold bugs the past week so not too much energy to do a lot. Being sick sucks. []

Mark

rotarydoc

Hey guys,

Just checkin' in ....

Nick,

Glad to hear spring break is finally here for ya...hope you are enjoying it, sounds like you have some cool new electronic projects going on...enjoy your time off, you deserve it!

How's your new phone doing?

JPEE,

Glad to hear you are out in the cactus land...hope you are having a blast on the quads and what not...sounds too hot for me!

Mark,

Hope you have a speedy recovery, and feel better soon...I have been lucky, missed the cold bug this past winter, and so far, so good...

Not much going on here...looks like I'll have to break out the lawnmower soon....crazy, it's still March!

I wanted to get on the sim this weekend, but the time just seems to fly by on the weekends, never got the chance.

Hopefully soon, and it'll get the heli juices flowing....

The weather here is back to normal, about 65 or so for a high...and I'm glad...it was too hot, too soon here this year!

Take care guys,

Glenn

evdreamer

Mark,

Sorry you have been sick.

Glenn,

Spring break came and went too quick. I worked most of the break, so that wasn't too fun. I put off doing most of my homework working on my Voltmeter, so I will have to catch up on that the next few days. I want to try using some different components on the Voltmeter to use less energy. I am done writing all the code, so the easy part is done.

I didn't get a new phone. I have the old flip phone/non smart phone Razor. When I wrote that I didn't realize Motorola came out with a smart phone also called a Razor.

It sounds like you have some nice weather.

Nick

JPEE

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAanJ-Pr89s[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GreRShXP2lY[/youtube]


Here are few pic's from our trip to Quartzite in AZ which is 272 miles from home. We went to meet Mr. FAST PHIL from my RC Groups Forum I am on. He really is a great guy and his wife of course is sweet. They showed us the ropes out there. It was a 5 hour drive pulling my 27 foot Toy Hauler at 10 miles per gallon. We went shooting one day, he took us on a 40 miles quad ride up to old abandoned Gold mines which we promptly walking into till we reached the end. And of course a day of flying in the "great outdoors"! We had a great time and came home Sat afternoon and then Sunday it rained 2"+!!!! We just made it hey.

I wish you guys would drop by over to RC Groups and say hi! Dave and most of the guys there are the same group that left RCU and they a great bunch.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1209917

Take care guys, Old JPEE back atcha

btw I am helping my friend build a 700e. I took 30 photos of mine today and sent those home with him. You know they don't show you wire routing such.

evdreamer

John,

That sounds like a cool place and it looked like a lot of fun.

Nick

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

JPEE,

You may as well give in and get the Blade mQX from Horizon: [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/blade-mqx-bnf-BLH7580]Quad[/link]

That was really some interesting video...I thought the heli Phil was flying was a 500 size but I saw your caption was a 450...the scale body really adds to the size of the heli.

It looked like you and the misses really had a great time out there. You know seeing these pictures doesn't make my work week any easier...thanks a lot!! Seriously though, I'm glad that your enjoying your retirement...you my friend are living the dream.

Been a bit busy with the P40 build so been slacking with heli flying and online stuff. I hope to maiden the P40 tomorrow morning if I can finish the electronics tonight. I'm also installing landing gear on this one so no more hand launches and belly landings...actual take off and landing for now on.

Other than that not too much going on. Take care all,

Mark

evdreamer

Mark,

Were you able to maiden the P40 yet?

Earlier this week the temps got up to the mid 90's. It felt like we skipped spring and went straight to Summer.

I might get to film a golf course the weekend of the 21st if the weather is good.

Nick

JPEE

Hey Guys,

Mark, the Eflite ship appears to work well but far to small for me. I have my eyes on something a little bigger he he he. You have not responded but I hope you got through your P 40 maiden in and all went well.

Nick, I hope you get to fly at the golf course and get some video in, now that would coolieo!

I got to fly a bit on Tuesday. At one point after I sat around for a while waiting for the skies opened up, the haze and clouds parted and I went up. Boyz it was the perfect storm for me. I flew my 500 harder, faster, and more stunts than I have ever done before. Again the perfect storm!! But I did crank up my head speed to something unbelievable and that allowed me to pull off some great rainbows and some inverted rolls and flying on a level plain and then go inverted and fly like that then come back up and break into a roll cork screw. The perfect storm it was for me yes yes yes.

Then a guy I know that is a superb pilot came in with a new 500 Pro with the Aligns DFC head, Kont 80, monster Scorpion and BeastX with the latest version firmware. Well let me tell you that sucker flew like nothing I have seen. He was told as he was building to fly it wide OPEN and he did. Just instant reactions with a 4.5 minute flight. He kept telling me : it flys like my 700. Then a shocker......... He insisted I fly this pup. I said no no no but he fired her up and handed me the radio and take it! Boyz I just flew her slow and carefully and he was yelling roll it roll it......... No way, but he was right, it felt just like my 700!! What a day I had, I and still realling a bit.

John

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

Nick and JPEE,

Sorry this is going to be short but I am off to work right now but suffice it to say I did get the P40 maiden in. More later...

Mark

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

Hi guys,

Finally got a chance to finish my maiden story...the maiden went well. The plane took off in a short time so my power system that I was questioning was more than sufficient. My landing was, well, it will need some work...got used to belly landing.

The second flight was very short...if you know about stick mounted motors you need to secure the gearbox to the stick with a screw. In my haste to get the maiden in I totally forgot about that tiny screw and my second flight was cut short by the motor/gearbox coming off the stick. I was actually amazed at how it floats (even with the motor hanging off the front ) and it landed in the grass so no real damage was done to the plane. I got real lucky as the only thing needed was a new gearbox and motor shaft...and fill in the gash the prop made in the side of the plane. And can you believe as I was packing up I noticed the throttle hold switch was in the up position...I guess I hit it by instinct the moment I saw the motor come off.

Nick,

Sorry you were having a heat wave...we also had temps in the 90's last week but I think we are more used to that then you guys are. Temps seem to be more close to normal now so looking forward to getting some flying in the next few days.

Did you fit the Whiplash already with a camera rack for the videoing?

JPEE,

Eyes on something bigger aye? What do you have in mind...just curious?

Glad that you had one of those perfect flying days...the 700 FBL seems to be taking your skills to the next few levels - rainbows and inverted manuevers...congrats.

That 500 sounded like it was made to rip...I would be shaking to fly it too just knowing all that it had.

Mark

evdreamer

Happy Easter everyone.

John,

That is cool you had a great day flying a few days ago.

Mark,

That is good your maiden went well. I wonder how many airplane only pilots would have hit throttle hold in your situation.

The guys I am working with are using a GoPro camera and we attached it to the front of the Whiplash in January. It balances it out great without the canopy on. I did some test flights with the GoPro at their place. The video turned out great and the Whiplash had no problems lifting the camera. I just need to work on not filming the shadow of the heli.

Nick

JPEE

Hello Nick hello Mark,

Happy Easter to you both. Mark that is really some story with your motor breaking loose and hanging down the nose, that happened to my friend Bob with a piper cub that the motor was hanging down in the front wheel tangled and he came in and glided and made a safe landing it was unbelievable. Further, we had a camera on the upper wing of the little Cessna and you could see that the motor came off and was hanging and gone from the front of the plane and it was pretty neat.
Nick if you get a chance and can take a snapshot of how you mount the camera on the front of your helicopter I would really like to see what process you're using. Good luck to you both and have a good Easter.

John

rotarydoc

Hey guys,

Just checkin' in , and keeping up with the latest on the thread....

JPEE,

Looks like you had a great time out in the desert there, what with the helis, quads, and the guns too! I see Judy was out having some fun as well....great for you all!

Congrats on your "super" 500 flight...nice on those days where everything just clicks and goes well....helps you forget about the bad days...we all know how up and down this hobby can be!

Mark,

Congrats on the P-40 maiden, even if the motor was hangin' off the front...at least you did (subconciously?) hit the throttle hold though!

Hope you can get it back up in the air soon...

I had quite a heat wave here as well awhile back...but things are pretty much back to normal.

Nick,

Congrats on your golf course filming project, sounds like it's going really well for ya...

All this time I thought you had a new Moto Razr....oh well, I have one of the original ones too, in my pocket right now, in fact...they are still pretty decent phones even now, mine's stlll working great...


I got on the sim for the first time in ages over the weekend, and actually got the MCPX out and charged the packs...but it's way too windy here the last couple of days...but maybe I'll get the MCPX out for next weekend...

Stuff came back pretty fast on the sim...I stayed with upright flying for the most part, I don't want a repeat of last year...when I concentrated so much on inverted, that I actually had a very hard time flying upright!

In case anyone is interested, I have the Gaui 200 up for sale on eBay...PM me if you need a link, I don't think we are supposed to advertise stuff on the forum...so far, it's going cheap....

Talk to you guys later on, hope everyone had a nice Easter...

Glenn

evdreamer

John,

The next time I meet with the guys I am working with I will try to take a picture of the camera setup.

I thought you might like this. Some computer engineer students at my school designed an autonomous quad helicopter for their senior design class. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO-bO...tUGXUomEwNKh-Q

Glenn,

That is good you had a chance to fly on the sim again.

Nick

JPEE

Hello Nick,

A very interesting link to say the least. A bunch bright young people there. It would be cool if you could get tied into that group! And Yes! it would be cool to get a picture of your heli with camera if you ever get the chance.

John

COLD and rain

evdreamer

Guys,

There were some intense storms here last night.

I got inducted into one of my schools honor societies today.

I also worked on the hardware for my cell Voltmeter. I opened up two of my chargers to see what type of chips they were using. I thought I was using a design similar to theirs, but mine is completely different.

JPEE

Hello Nick,

Congratulations on being inducted into the honor society.

That is a cool idea to open up your chargers to see what chips are inside of those that you might possibly be able to get some information from. Glad you're getting some spare time to play with your program and hardware that has to be as I've always said in the past very rewarding for you!

Today I charged seven packs, 3 for the number 700 and 4 packs for the 500. I will be very happy if I get to fly all seven packs, that's quite enough for the day for me.

John

rotarydoc

Nick,

I was thinking of you when I heard about the tornadoes....glad you are OK, and weren't in the path of any of them...

Congrats on being inducted into the honor society, great work!

JPEE,

Hope you get to fly your 7 packs soon...

Not much new here, except HOT weather, about 85 today....

See you guys later...

Glenn