Rates and servo setup

Fri Aug 1 11:31:12 AKDT 2003

I have a couple rates...I have a High rate elevator for spin entry
only....This rate is 100% of the servo travel...I have a low rate Elevator
which is in the 85% range. The higher elevator just helps get the model
stalled...I spin on low rate.

I have a Higher rate aileron that is 100% throw....this is for the vertical
upline snaps only...There is one vertical upline snap and that is in the
F-03 sequence. My flying aileron rate in 90% this is what I do the entire
P-03 and all but one maneuver of the F-03 sequence on.

I have one rudder rate

By the way these rates are pretty mild compared to some....I am flying my
Smaragd with 11deg of aileron and about 10 deg of Elevator...About 30 deg of
rudder....on high elevator I think I get about 12-13deg and High aileron its
like 13 deg tops...maybe 14

So I have a little room for adjustment...as you attend contests at sea level
or 6000ft you need a few points of travel to adjust with to get the same
feel...I find at most its about a 10% swing....usually in the 5% range.

I have started limiting the adjustment to 85%...If I'm less than 85% on the
rate I look at changing the mechanical linkage. Unless I'm needed that extra
throw for a certain mode.

I have played with different conditions and different rates....The only
place I see a need for a special condition is Vertical Upline snaps and Spin
entries. On the upline snap I also have a higher idle...as I unlike some
guys chop the power on the upline for the snap. I found it helped some
things like heading and break(appearance or look) in the snap With power on
a upline negative snap will look very barrel like.....Especially one done on
center as in the F-03.....So I speed up the ailerons a little and then pull
some of my power out of it....this made for a clean snap.The problem is not
loosing too much energy...So an idle setting of about 25-30% power on the
same switch as the Higher rate aileron was easy to do.....So for the P-03
sequence I flip one switch other than my kill switch and its on the last
maneuver of the sequence....And in the Final schedule I flip 2 switches a
spin condition and a upline snap....by the way the spin condition has only a
larger throw on Elevator same aileron rate...and the upline snap has a
little higher aileron rate and a higher idle.....I use the Flight Modes of
the 10X and its easy to keep the changes straight. Actually its all 3 modes
are on one switch....its a 3 position switch....

In AMA pattern there are no upline snaps so the only mode I would use would
be for the Spin entry....This is not really even needed but adds a little
safety margin. If you enter the spin right you can get it stalled and a
clean break on low rate...but the extra little travel helps insure a good
break and stall..

Oh one more little switch I have active beside the kill switch. I have two
different throttle curves...one is a windy flight and one is a calm
flight....This is on a switch because the 10X allows me easy management of
the throttle curve...the difference is where my "cruise" flat spot is on the
curve....The windy one is about 5%-10% higher than the calm version.....just
gives a little more energy while still keeping the throttle stick in the
same spot. The end points stay all the same but the middle curve changes a
little.... Another way is to have 2 different models setup...One windy and
one calm....Then when you get ready to take off you decide which you
need....Sometimes conditions change in the air...thus the flex of the 10X
comes into play....Other radios can work around this also....I know the 8
ch's use a throttle to throttle curve mix to setup a curve....So you could
do two curve mixes if you have any left. The 9Z uses conditions and you just
pick a  new condition setup....the 10X is cool as all I have to do is say
put the throttle curve on the gear switch and it automatically gives me two
curves for it. No messing with the Flight modes or conditions....its one
touch of the screen and its all setup.

TN
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeff Hughes" <jhughes at hsonline.net>
To: <discussion at nsrca.org>; <discussion at nsrca.org>
Sent: Friday, August 01, 2003 2:07 PM
Subject: Re: servo question

>
> If I understand right, now you do not have high or low rates, just one
> rate that you fly everything?
>
> Jeff
>
> > Jon,
> >
> > you will be surprised at the precision you gain.....I was believe
> me....its
> > huge....60% low rates are killing the precision of your model. If
> you are
> > going to try to improve your flying you need to improve your setup.
> >
> > I have been doing this a long time and been fairly successful with
> it...and
> > just this past spring I found that I was not using the equipment to
> its
> > potential....my answer was well I'm close and my setup is clean and
> > neat....followed all the rules about square pushrod to the servo
> horn (not
> > the servo case but the arm)...and use stiff friction free
> linkages....and so
> > on...Well my low rates that I do everything on were down in the 60-
> 70%
> > range.
> >
> > I went in one hole on the servo arm and dialed out the control horns
> on the
> > surface...and man alive Rate values went up to 90 and 100%...hitting
> lines
> > and points became soooooo much easier. Servo pot wear was less of a
> factor
> > and yes my flying got better overnight! Huge improvements.
> >
> > I would have called BS on this before...I would have figured hey
> I've got a
> > good setup. What I did do was over compensate for lack of mechanical
> > advantage with speed and power of the servo....Now that I have the
> > mechanical advantage the speed and power of the servo are working
> for me.
> > Servos especially the performance servos we use in competition
> models are an
> > investment. Whether its a $70 4131 or a $100 digital you are paying
> for the
> > performance of the servo....Why would you short change the servo by
> sticking
> > it in a position where its working so hard just to maintain. Give it
> the
> > right setup and environment and you will be able to feel the
> difference too.
> >
> > Troy Newman
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Jon Uhler" <juhler at bellsouth.net>
> > To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
> > Sent: Friday, August 01, 2003 12:27 PM
> > Subject: re: servo question
> >
> >
> > > Troy,
> > >
> > > Good point on it not being just a IMAC thing.
> > >
> > > I guess I haven't bother getting really crazy on the Focus set up
> yet
> > cause it is not needed for Sportsman.  I wanted a simple, easy setup
> so I
> > could concentrate more on flying and learning the ropes.  As I start
> to
> > practice other schedules I will need to work on my radio set up.
> > >
> > > I was talking to Larry recently about his Focus set up and
> discovered that
> > for Sportsman, I didn't even need to set up a dual rate on the
> elevator or
> > ailerons.  I plan on making a copy of the model memory and start
> tweaking
> > it....
> > >
> > > Jon
> > >
> > > =====================================
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> > > #
> > >
> > >
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> >
> >
>
> -- 
> CoreComm Webmail.
> http://home.core.com
>
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