Topic: Theoretical Transmitter design !?! (Read 15838 times)

Colin Bishop · « **Reply #50 on:** July 15, 2012, 11:19:25 pm »

I still have a couple of Futaba 27 meg wheel TXs. They work fine and I've always preferred them to conventional sticks.

Colin

BrianB6 · « **Reply #51 on:** July 16, 2012, 02:28:28 am »

Hi Martin
This was my attempt in the 70's and is still going.
The wheel was turned from a piece of 100+ year old mahogany toilet seat

but any hardwood will do!
The axle is threaded and screws into a thick brass plate glued to the inside of the Tx box.
The other parts are various bits of brass flat and tube.
The white connecting piece is just a length of spring curtain rod and is the only part that has had to be replaced when the end rusted off.

I also replaced the end of the throttle lever with a piece of turned perspex as the original futaba one was to long and uncomfortable
I have also converted a 2.4 gig Tx. to left hand drive with a wheel which is somewhere on the forum.

Umi_Ryuzuki · « **Reply #52 on:** July 16, 2012, 04:16:36 am »

I have had one or two friends do that to their transmitters.

This one is a Futaba belonging to Bob Pauliny.

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #53 on:** July 16, 2012, 11:26:04 am »

Interesting, that everyone, thanks.

I was musing this subject while being humiliated into last yesterday while running a steering course at Wicksteed - http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=38319.msg382686#msg382686

I seem to remember an old article in one of the magazines stating that you don't have issues with a 'wheeled' rudder / transmitter as you always turn the wheel in the direction you want the boat to turn (whereas a 'stick' is reversed when the boat is coming towards you) - does anyone remember that article? I seem to recall it had transmitter conversion guidance.... Glynn Guest maybe ......'Radio Controlled Model Boats' magazine even?!?

I've been browsing various transmitters - I could convert a "pistol grip" transmitter and "move" the 'trigger' throttle to a 'stick throttle' and keep the wheel - or convert a 'two stick' transmitter to ' one stick and a wheel'.......

.... just thinking aloud....

Chameo · « **Reply #54 on:** July 16, 2012, 12:14:45 pm »

I really like my stick transmitters for helis and planes but for cars and boats I prefer a pistol grip transmitter. I have no need to convert the trigger into a stick, the trigger throttle works perfect for me.
A few month ago I bought a 3 channel FlySky GT3B pistol grip transmitter an converted it into an 8 channel transmitter by simply changing the firmware. So with this modification there are still enough channels left for additional functions.

Circlip · « **Reply #55 on:** July 16, 2012, 01:54:32 pm »

Quote

I seem to remember an old article in one of the magazines stating that you don't have issues with a 'wheeled' rudder / transmitter as you always turn the wheel in the direction you want the boat to turn (whereas a 'stick' is reversed when the boat is coming towards you

Errrr, a wheel acts just the same. Left (Port) is always left (Port) to the model.

Regards Ian

Colin Bishop · « **Reply #56 on:** July 16, 2012, 02:06:49 pm »

Obviously it's a matter of preference but I do find steering to be more instinctive with a wheel compared with sticks. But I suppose it's just something you get used to with practice.

I think you can get 'mirror effect' co-ordination problems when the model is coming towards you and that is what Martin was referring to.

Colin

Circlip · « **Reply #57 on:** July 16, 2012, 02:12:12 pm »

? Left hand down is left hand down Colin

Don't matter whether a stick or a wheel.

Regards Ian.

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #58 on:** July 16, 2012, 02:17:12 pm »

I think the theory is the boat will always turn in the direction you turn the wheel.....

Circlip · « **Reply #59 on:** July 16, 2012, 02:24:39 pm »

And it always goes in the direction you point the stick, (unless you flick the servo reverse switches)

Regards Ian.

Kim · « **Reply #60 on:** July 16, 2012, 03:20:33 pm »

Hi Martin,

I’m currently trying to upgrade my transmitter to 2.4ghz at the moment.

Regards the steering when coming towards and steering away –

If you sail your boat thumb at the top of the wheel when sailing away and thumb at the bottom of the wheel when sailing towards you sometimes the boat goes where you expect it to lol.

I have looked into producing this type of transmitter commercially but not sure of the demand for such a transmitter?

Regards,
Kim

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #61 on:** July 16, 2012, 05:35:26 pm »

I think if someone could come up with a cheap / clever after-market 'mechanical conversion', a'la BrianB6's below (above),
I think a few people maybe interested to try it out... shouldn't be too hard and wouldn't effect the transmitter warranty!

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #62 on:** July 16, 2012, 05:57:14 pm »

Found it!!! ... now ask me the name of someone I meet earlier today and i couldn't tell you, articles about model boats from 22 years ago and i can find a saved scan.... that says something rather worrying about me doesn't it.... think I'll go give my good lady a hug after this... she's a great gal really... almost part of the family now!

Anyway, the article was a series in Radio Controlled Boat Modeller, Nov / Dec 1990.

( If you looking in Glynn, I hope I'm not taking a liberty showing a couple of bits! Martin. )

Colin Bishop · « **Reply #63 on:** July 16, 2012, 07:00:43 pm »

Quote

Left hand down is left hand down Colin Don't matter whether a stick or a wheel.

Of course Ian, but what we are talking about here is a perception issue and not everybody's brains are wired alike. For example, some people find it really hard to get to grips with using a tiller on a yacht as opposed to steering a motorboat with a wheel. Not everyone was created equal unfortunately!

Likewise, many people don't like driving on the Continent and negotiating roundabouts the 'wrong' way. In my case I seem to have a mental switch that clicks to 'continental mode' when I drive off the ferry.

Colin

BrianB6 · « **Reply #64 on:** July 17, 2012, 12:15:22 am »

Much easier to control a boat with a wheel especially if you have spokes at top, bottom, left and right.
Just use the spoke that points in the same direction as the boat is heading.
Although mine only has 2 spokes it is still much easier to imagine this and how often is the boat heading straight towards you.

U-33 · « **Reply #65 on:** July 17, 2012, 09:35:38 am »

AMS member Paul Brassington designed and built both of these two tx's...one for his sub and one for his amazing sinking/folding coaster.

RAAArtyGunner · « **Reply #66 on:** July 17, 2012, 11:56:23 am »

Quote from: Martin - Admin on July 16, 2012, 05:35:26 pm

I think if someone could come up with a cheap / clever after-market 'mechanical conversion', a'la BrianB6's below (above),
I think a few people maybe interested to try it out... shouldn't be too hard and wouldn't effect the transmitter warranty!

Now that is a reasonable and practical question the answer is??????????????????

essex2visuvesi · « **Reply #67 on:** July 17, 2012, 12:54:01 pm »

Quote from: Martin - Admin on July 16, 2012, 05:35:26 pm

I think if someone could come up with a cheap / clever after-market 'mechanical conversion', a'la BrianB6's below (above),
I think a few people maybe interested to try it out... shouldn't be too hard and wouldn't effect the transmitter warranty!

Its certainly do-able... the problem is that you would need to manufacure one for each model of TX

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #68 on:** July 17, 2012, 02:37:33 pm »

I was thinking of a "stick" or "clamp" on sort of device or even a wheel that sit over the entire stick assembly so all the workings are hidden under the wheel... come on chaps, thinking caps on!

roycv · « **Reply #69 on:** July 17, 2012, 03:23:26 pm »

Hi, referring back to my original response.
You will have to do a little experimenting first.

Here is a 3 turn potentiometer 5000 ohms in value. Connect the wires from the potentiometer in the TX. to this pot'. You can remove the gibbons from the TX. substitute a bracket to support the pot, stick a ships wheel on the spindle.

It may need a little tweeking but you should have a wheel that turns around twice or so for operating the rudder. You may need a 2000 ohm resistor at each end of the pot to limit electrical travel. i.e. connect a 2000 ohm resistor to each of the terminals of the pot and then connect the TX wires to these. leaving the centre wire on the new pot. A 2 k resistor costs a penny or so.
The pot in this case is £12.60 but it might be worth seeing they are any cheaper. Again if you do not get enough movement extend as above.
I can't guarantee success for you but it worked for me.

You could also use a standard pot with 270 degrees movement and that would give a limited turn. This would be cheaper.

http://UK.Darnell.com/ecosystems/MW22b-3-5k/potentiometer-3-turn-5ohm-0-7w/DP/1307130

Good luck,
Roy

HawkEye · « **Reply #70 on:** July 17, 2012, 05:21:45 pm »

Someone drew up a U.S. patent for a simple add on device in 1989

, here's the details - http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4882942.pdf

HawkEye

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #71 on:** July 17, 2012, 08:01:41 pm »

How on earth did you find that!

HawkEye · « **Reply #72 on:** July 17, 2012, 08:29:59 pm »

Quote from: Martin - Admin on July 17, 2012, 08:01:41 pm

How on earth did you find that!

Ah ! Google is your friend

( as well as spying on everywhere you go and everything you do on the net ! )

HawkEye

malcolmfrary · « **Reply #73 on:** July 17, 2012, 10:06:17 pm »

I do like the "a fork shaped lever extending therefrom". Super bit of late Victorian prose. Perhaps - "Google is your fiend"?
It should be feasible to gear that arrangement to give a generous amount of turn for the required stick throw and use it as a clip-on for a regular transmitter rather than using a multi-turn pot. 10 turn pot = 3 and a bit turns in the middle of the travel gives normal lock to lock.

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #74 on:** July 17, 2012, 10:34:21 pm »

How much "throw" (rotation) do you get on a wheel / pistol grip Tx?

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