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[U-33]

I'm building an r/c swan for a change, the electrical layout is as follows: 2 x 385 motors, two Mtroniks Micro Viper esc's and a 7.2v battery pack. Steering will be tank fashion via twin shafts. The idea is to mount the electrics in a wtc mounted under the swan as I don't want to cut into the body, it always looks horrible to me, and never seals any sense.


Now...the question: take a look at the attached pic, and tell me, will I be ok using my 2.4 Planet radio? The rx will be mounted as high as I can get it in the cylinder, just below the surface water line.


Rich

[inertia]

I wouldn't, Rich. Use 40 meg or find some way of fitting the receiver up in the swan's body. No point in building in problems.
DM

[U-33]

I thought you may say that, Dave...


Rich

[Time Bandit]

You have to bringt the antenna above the waterline otherwise it wonīt work.


Sadly but true, get an old 40MHz radio and donīt try to use it in saltwater even with 40 meg.

[U-33]

It does work ok to a point...I've had 2.4gHz stuff installed way below the surface in various boats, and only ever had the odd hiccup, and that's always been at a fair distance from me.


My Robbe Sea Jet had an Esky 2.4ghz rx installed on the hull bottom, under the rooster tail from the props...no problems.
My Tamiya USS Enterprise had a Planet 2.4ghz rx installed on the hull bottom...no problems.
My ProBoat air boat had a Planet 2.4ghz rx installed in a water tight box on the hull floor...no problems.


But, not wishing to push my luck with this one, I've installed my Graupner 40mhz radio.


Rich

[Bob K]

Three years ago my scout cruiser had its Planet T6 Rx mounted horizontally an inch above the water line on the ply lid over the battery compartment.  3/4 of the way across our lake it stopped responding.  Originally I thought it was because I had exceeded the quoted "do not 'fly' at 100 metres or greater".  Wrong.

I remounted the Rx vertically well up into the superstructure and since then range covers all the lake.  They do seem to like the aerial being well above the waterline for best results, especially at a distance.

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

I have the very same swan myself.  It's been sitting in the garden for years as I saw this problem.

The neck on mine had been saw off at the base to allow for a rotating head and I figured on water ingress as well.  A second thought on your problem might be to run the Ariel down his neck to your R/X.      That way , only a small entry hole would be required somewhere around his mouth.                      isn't modeling fun.


ken

[U-33]

Hi Ken,


Problem solved, I applied model sub technology...installed 40mHz radio, and ran the aerial out of one of the cylinder end caps, and taped it lengthwise along the cylinder. No holes drilled in the swan yet...


Mine has a rotating head, but it's ever so stiff, so I'll not be bothering with that. I'll post up some pictures of Flandersand  tomorrow.


(See what I did there...Flandersand...Flanders and Swan...I'll get me coat)


Rich

[U-33]

For our Ken...photo as promised.


Rich

[U-33]

Naff...wrong picture. Try these two Ken...shows the 40mHz rx installed and the aerial wire exit.


The two prop shafts will exit through the end cap, these will provide steering (tank fashion, via 2 x Mtroniks Micro Viper esc's) and motive power. If I've got it right, the cylinder will be a totally self contained unit, and should be removable as one item, complete with motors, shafts, battery, etc.
I've found two XL Terry clips which will be screwed and glued to the base of the swan, so the cylinder will just clip in and out of them.


Rich

[U-33]

The free space you can see at the forward end of the cylinder  is where the battery pack will be going.


Rich

[inertia]

Rich
Those shafts look a bit too close together for tank steering to work effectively. I reckon you need at least 3" (75mm) between them. Gold Star, incidentally, for fitting suppressors without being kicked!
Dave M

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

I like it.  A great idea but agree with the shafts being too close together.  Maybe an oval container would provide a wider unit,  as there is plenty of width available  ?


ken

[U-33]

Dave and Ken...all noted on the shafts being a bit close together, not much I can do about that because the cylinder is a dual purpose one, it's going into another boat as well. What I could possibly do is to fit two short shafts to exit the cylinder, then couple them up to a pair of angled shafts fixed to the swan's underside, to give me a wider spacing to the props?

Incidentally, a fellow model submariner named Paul Brassington has a diving duck with twin shafts, they are very close together, and that duck works as well as a live one!


Rich

[unbuiltnautilus]

Stick a pair of rudders behind the props, but fix them, angled inwards about 30 degrees. I did this on my last aircraft carrier...a Monteleone model about 30" long. No access for working rudders so i fitted the above set-up externally, with a couple of tapping screws, straight through the hull. Worked nicely. both motors would cancel out the rudder effect, but as you throttled back on one, the rudder effect would kick in on the other, turning the model. If it worked for an Italian Aircraft Carrier it should work for a Duck

[U-33]

Hi skip...


Yep, I think I know what you mean...that may well be a decent plan, I may well give that a go.


And it's not a duck...it's a swan!!   




Rich

[U-33]

Here's an interesting piece of video footage.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSBGE99Dz7M




Rich