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aeajr
477 Posts |
 Posted - 08/28/2006 : 6:57:30 PM
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Choosing a Sailplane Radio - What to Consider
by Ed Anderson
aeajr on the forums
Updated September 2012
This is being written for the new or relatively new sailplane/glider pilots who are interested in flying thermal duration sailplanes and need some advice about radios. I will make a few comments on slope planes, but these are not the main focus of the article.
This discussion is going to be more about points of consideration rather than which is the best radio. The "best" is always that one that is just a few $$ out of your price range or the one that is going to be released next year. Whatever you get, there will always be one that is better at a higher price or that will be released the month after you get yours. So let's throw away that "best" idea. Let's focus on what features and functions you might like to have and their relative importance. Others will have opinions that differ from mine as there is no one right answer. But at least this can get you thinking.
If you want to ask questions about specific radios, or if you want to share your budget and your goals, I and others can make specific recommendations, but don't be surprised if we don't all recommend the same thing. We each have our opinions.
If you are the club champ or the radio wizard in your group, turn the page because this is not for you. However if you don't mind reading though, you may wish to add your comments. Others will benefit from you knowledge, insights and experience. I am not sensitive, so feel free to disagree, but please keep the comments polite. Flame wars benefit no one.
Ultimately, the recommendations I make are based on people's budget and goals. I try to understand how much they have to spend and where they want this radio to take them. Then I try to focus them on the key decision points I will outline below.
For new flyers, the goals may be more modest, so the introductory radios may be fine for you. However, if you are committed and plan to push ahead aggressively AND you have the budget, then you may want to step into one of the more advanced radios. In my opinion you cannot buy too much radio, but you can buy too little.
Standard vs. Computer Radios
I will not be considering any standard radios during this discussion. Standard radios don't have model memories and have little if any surface mixing. Some include V tail and Delta wing but that is about it. But a 3 channel standard radio will certainly get you into the air. They may meet the lifetime needs of a glider pilot who is interested in casual weekend flying of simple rudder/elevator, or even rudder/elevator/spoiler gliders. I flew my first sailplane, a Spirit RES glider, with a standard 3 channel radio. It came as part of an RTF package, I did not buy that 3 channel radio by itself. I don't use it anymore.
You can certainly fly full house sailplanes on a 4 channel standard radio and have a lifetime of soaring enjoyment. Never let anyone tell you that you MUST have a hot shot computer radio to fly gliders/sailplanes because it just isn't true. I have several standard radios that I have used to fly gliders, both thermal and slope. However I have since moved them all over to computer radios for convenience and for enhanced control.
The standard radios, like my old typewriter, pretty much gather dust and will likely be given to friends to help them get started. If you want more on this subject you may wish to read the content at this link: Don't Buy a Standard Radio
http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4454
What computer radios provide are options and opportunities for those who want them. They offer features that can make set-up faster and easier and can make it very convenient to move between several planes. From an actual flying point of view, they can help you get the most out of your glider as well as help reduce the workload of the pilot so s/he can focus on the glider and the conditions rather than manipulation of the surfaces. Believe me, commercial airline pilots have plenty of computer power to help them fly. Since the price of a computer radio is so reasonable, why shouldn't you have the same advantage?
I wrote an article on The Economics of Upgrading a 72 MHz sailplane radio to 2.4 GHz. It discusses the options of buying a new radio or upgrading a used sailplane radio to 2.4 GHz. ESL Newsletter April 2012. You may find it of interest after you read this article.
Go to the third post
http://www.flyesl.org/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=453
Let's Start with the Basics
Sailplanes and gliders, which I will use interchangeably, come in a variety of configurations. The simplest are the rudder/elevator model that have dihedral or polyhedral in the wings. They have been the favorite trainers for years but don't write them off as being just for beginners. Many people find a lifetime of enjoyment flying R/E gliders.
To R/E we can add spoilers. These carry the RES designation. You can also find REF planes which add flaps to rudder/elevator controls. And there are aileron/elevator planes, A/E, which are more common on the slope than as thermal ships.
When we have a combination of ailerons, elevator, rudder and flaps, A/E/R/F, we call this a full house sailplane. It is these full house sailplanes that create the desire to have special sailplane/glider programming in your radio. We will discuss later how that programming may be used.
You can have a glider that has flaps and spoilers, or ailerons and spoilers without flaps, but this is unusual. Some of the scale gliders have these configurations.
Of course, you can have a motor. If you have a motor I will assume that it is used as an alternative to a winch or hi-start and that you will only be using to get to altitude. Therefore it could be controlled by an on/off switch rather than the left control stick. We will likely be using that "throttle" stick for glide path control on RES, REF and full house gliders rather than the motor.
How Many Channels?
While there are some interesting four and five channel computer radios, I am going to recommend you get a computer radios with six or more channels. I don't see any real benefit for having less than six channels, as the cost difference is small and the benefits of 6 or more channels is high. Even if you are flying a rudder elevator sailplane today, next year you may be adding spoilers or flaps or going to a full house plane in the future, so get a radio that can handle that so you aren't going back to the radio market right away.
Here is a typical channel breakdown, how many and what they are used to control. These apply to electrics, glow, gas and gliders.
Rudder - 1 to 2
Elevator - 1 or 2
Ailerons - 1 to 4
Spoilers - 1 or 2
Flaps - 1 to 4
Tow hook - 1
Landing gear - 1
Motor - 1
Other - 1
That makes 4, 5, 6, up to 18 channels depending on what kind of sailplane plane you have and how you set it up. So how many do you need?
In my opinion, most sport flyers will be well served for a long time with a 6 channel entry to mid level sport computer radio. Most e-glider pilots will want a minimum of 7 channels. If you are a more serious sailplane pilot or contest flyer you will see that most of the advanced sailplane/glider radios have 8 or more channels, sailplane/glider programming and support for at least four servo wing. We will discuss four servo wings later as I am talking about how the radio addresses those servos, not how many you have.
Basic Features
Most currently available new computer radios offer the following features. Regardless of what you are flying, I highly recommend your radio have these features.
* Model Memories
* Low Battery Warning
* Trims on the channels controlled by the stick(s).
* Timer (one or more)
* End Point Adjustment/Adjustable Travel Volume
* Dual Rates on ailerons and elevator; rudder is optional.
* Elevon/delta wing and V-tail mixes
Minimum Recommended Surface Mixes
After model memories, surface mixes are one of the great features that computer radios bring to the game. Input to one control can move 2 or more servos in a coordinated fashion to create the kind of surface control you are looking for. This can reduce the pilot's workload while providing very consistent behavior. In most cases, when it makes sense, these mixes can be overridden during the flight or can be turned on and off.
Where two surfaces are listed, the first is the master and the second follows, sometimes called the slave channel. I will discuss these in more detail later, but wanted to get the list part stated up front as people are usually looking for these lists. Most are focused on planes with ailerons or full house planes, but I note where even simpler planes can benefit.
The following list is what I would consider the minimum set I would want in a radio that would be used for flying sailplanes, be it thermal or slope. These minimum mixes may be available under the “airplane” menu and may not be called out specifically for sailplanes. Even entry level computer radios are likely to have these.
* Exponential on aileron and elevator. Rudder would be a plus. (all gliders)
* Flapperon/Spoileron - requires two aileron servos on separate channels
* Aileron differential - requires two aileron servos on separate channels
* Aileron-rudder mix (coordinated turns)
* Flap or spoiler to elevator mixing for landing and glide path control. This can be very useful on RES, REF or full house planes and aileron only planes that are set-up for flapperons.
The goal of these mixes is to make the glider easier to fly more smoothly or more efficiently with less drag and more controllability. In addition we gain some level of glide path control to assist with landing accuracy or to help us get out of booming thermals. The landing mixes can also be helpful to slope pilots to land their glides in tight slope sites. With these tools you can have a more enjoyable sport flying experience or be more competitive than would be easily achievable with a standard radio.
Glider Mixes and Flight Modes
Now we are getting to mixes that would normally be implemented with specific glider/sailplane programming. These are usually used on gliders that have ailerons or ailerons and flaps (full house) rather than R/E or RES gliders. Some of these may be able to be implemented by using your user mixes on a radio that does not have glider programming, but it can get complicated. I don't consider those glider/sailplane radios, but you can make them work to some degree.
Flight modes can be thought of as changing your radio set-up to meet the needs of a specific situation. They often involve a change to the shape of the wing to better meet a special situation. You can think of your normal flying set-up as your cruise mode. All of your settings are based on your basic flying needs while you cruise around the sky looking for lift.
Flight modes might include launch, thermal, reflex, landing and perhaps others. As you can see by the names, these are modes of flying that occur under special situations other than when you are cruising. These modes would typically be controlled by a switch which may move surfaces to presets, change expo or surface rates and might even modify other settings from your normal cruise mode.
An example of a launch mode mix would depend on what kind of a glider you are flying. If this is a winch or hi-start launched glider you might drop the flaps 20 degrees and the ailerons 20 degrees giving your wing a more under cambered shape. This might also include some up or down elevator, depending on your glider. This generates tons of lift but also creates more drag. While this might be detrimental during normal fight, when you have the force of the hi-start or the winch pulling your plane up, you can afford this extra drag to gain higher launches. Once you are off the line you turn off launch mode which puts you back in cruise mode.
If this is a discus launched glider, DLG, you might have a launch setting that includes a slight bit of up elevator and maybe a tiny bit of rudder mixed in to help get the launch straight. This would be controlled on a switch that is convenient to your non throwing hand so you can flip the launch mix off just after release of the DLG. Some people like this to be a spring loaded switch that can just be released upon launch. What mix and what switch you use is going to be specific to you and your glider but if you throw with your right hand you would typically want this switch by your left index finger.
Flight modes could change how you use one of your control sticks. For example you might have your left stick controlling the throttle of an e-glider during your launch mode then flip a switch to cruise and the throttle would no longer respond to the left stick. That left stick might now be responsible for your landing mix. The motor would no longer respond to the left stick.
You could go through the entire flight and not use all of these modes but they give you that extra measure of control or convenience when you want it.
How sophisticated and complex these modes will be depends on the software in your radio. The degree of control you have could be thought of as the difference between a basic sailplane radio and an advanced sailplane radio.
The Four Servo Wing
Clearly a four servo wing is of little importance on a 2 servo wing such as the typical DLG or many aileron only slope gliders. But if you plan to fly full house (R/E/A/F) gliders in the future you may want this ability.
One of the features that I feel sets apart the "sport radios" from the "advanced" radios is the ability to directly address all four or more wing servos, each on its own channel. The sport radios can fly a plane with 4 servos in the wing, but they require that the flaps be on one channel through the use of a Y cable. This means that you have 4 servos but you are controlling them on three channels. You don't have individual control of each flap servo.
Where the 4 servo wing support comes in handy is in trimming and in aileron-flap mixing. There may be others, but these are where I have used this capability. Typically you don't find this on a radio with less than seven channels, and most have eight or more channels. Read the manual or the specs and look for this feature. If you don't see it mentioned, look for how flaps are set-up. If both flap servos are assigned to the same channel, you don't have 4 wing servo control.
When you have both flaps on a Y cable you must trim them mechanically to get them synchronized. This is not hard but it is time consuming. It is very important that the flaps move together. Flap trimming can be done using servo arm/control horn arm placement. Then you can trim the flaps together using the radio to get that final zero point and the end point for down flaps.
However if you can address each flap individually from the radio you can do final trimming from the radio, which is a great convenience. You can also use an aileron/flap mix to have the flaps follow the ailerons for more, or smoother roll authority. I use this on my full house gliders when I am flying in windy or gusty conditions. This would be useful on the slope for aerobatics. This is not a necessary feature but if you are going to invest in a "serious" sailplane radio, you will want to be able to address the four wing servos individually.
Let's Take a Flight
Let's walk through a flight and see where some of this mix stuff might be used. We have our plane set up on a 7-9 channel computer radio. We have the following features and mixes enabled and active all the time.
Time to launch!
- We flip that switch for our launch setting for our winch/hi-start launched glider. Flaps come down maybe 20 degrees and the ailerons come down 10 degrees. We launch the plane and send it up the launch line. At the top of the launch we will turn this off so that we are in normal cruise mode. We are now 400-600 feet up and looking for lift.
On a DLG we set our launch setting, get a little up elevator, spin and throw. The launch mix is released almost as soon as we throw as it is only there to get the glider to rotate from the horizonal to the proper climb angle.
Let's go hunting!
We spot some lift and we start to circle. We might flip on our thermal camber mix to droop the trailing edge. Or perhaps an Elevator-flap mix, so when we pull up elevator we get a tiny bit of flap/flapperon to help us climb smoothly in a thermal. We might activate both with the flip of a single switch.
We lose the lift so we turn off our thermal mix and go hunting again.
We hit some fast falling air; sink. We want to run through the sink, so we flip our camber/reflex preset and the flaps and ailerons or flapperons move up a little to reflex position and the plane moves quickly through the sink. When we are in more buoyant air we flip this off.
We catch some lift and circle up again. We turn our thermaling mix on.
We have been in this thermal for 20 minutes or so. Time to head home and prepare to land.
During our return run we will fly in cruise or we might turn on that reflex preset again to help us penetrate through the head wind. Remember we have no motor so we are flying upwind in a glide.
As we approach the field we want to have more energy than we need to make it to the landing mark because a gust might hit us, or we might hit some sink and lose altitude fast, causing us to fall short. So it is best to come in with more energy than we need.
As we get close to the landing zone and are confident, we can start to use that flap-elevator landing mix, or, if we have spoilers we might use a spoiler-elevator mix. Another option would be the crow (butterfly) mix, to help us slow down and bleed off altitude without gaining too much speed.
As we judge our speed we may vary our landing mix. If it is on a variable control, such as the left stick, we can make small adjustments. If it is on a switch we may have off, 50% and 100% landing mix settings. We adjust according to what our radio allows us to do.
If we have judged the wind, the plane and the field correctly, and have used our radio with skill, we come to a nice soft landing right on the mark, or catch the glider in our hand and score this as a successful flight.
Cool?
Frequency Options and Opportunities 2.4 GHz and 72 MHz
This section is primarily for people who may be buying used equipment or who may be traveling outside of North America. If you are not one of these you can skip straight to the summary.
Virtually all new radios being sold in the USA are based on the 2.4 GHz system so you don't need to worry about 72 MHz. So, if you are buying a new radio, you can skip this section and go right to the summary.
In North America there are two primary radio bands for RC flying, 72 MHz and 2.4 GHz. There are others, but these are the most popular. The terms spread spectrum and 2.4 GHz are sometimes used interchangeably. This is not technically correct but for practical purposes you can consider them the same thing. The new 2.4 GHz radio systems have several advantages over the older 72 MHz systems.
Channel conflict is handled automatically. On 72 MHz you have to be careful not to fly on the same channel as another pilot. The 2.4 GHz radios handle this automatically. As such, they avoid "frequency conflict" at the field. When two 72 MHz pilots have planes on the same channel one has to wait while the other one flies. On 2.4 this problem goes away.
One installation situation to note has to do with carbon fiber fuselages. Because a 72 MHz antenna is over 39" long, it can be easily installed to avoid the signal blocking nature of carbon fiber. However 2.4 GHz receivers have very short antenna of just a few inches. It is much harder to get these outside the carbon fuselage, but it can be done. While advances are being made in this area, if you are planning to fly a plane with a carbon fuselage, you should be careful about how you install any radio system to be sure the signal is not blocked.
Note that many airplane makers are now modifying their designs to make them more 2.4GHz friendly. They are reducing the amount of carbon in the design by using other high strength materials. So this problem should be reduced over time.
There are other benefits with 2.4 GHz and new features are being added to the new radios all the time. But it is clear that 2.4 GHz is the wave of the future. Virtually all new radios are being released on 2.4. If you are new to RC flying, or looking to upgrade your radio system, you should give 2.4 GHz very serious consideration.
72 MHz Radio Systems are primarily for people buying used equipment. Note that many 72 MHz radios can be upgraded to 2.4 GHz via an add in module. I discuss this in another article.
http://www.rcsoaringdigest.com/pdfs/RCSD-2012/RCSD-2012-07.pdf
The 72 MHz market is falling off fast. This is leading to a very big used market for old 72 MHz stuff so there should be ample supply of used 72 MHz receivers and such for many years to come. If you do have, or are buying a 72 MHz radio, here are some things you will want to know.
* Channels
* Frequency band
* Signal shift
* PCM
Channel changing on 72 MHz radios comes in handy if you are flying at a busy field and frequently run into conflicts that would keep you on the ground. If you can change the channel of your 72 MHz radio and receiver, you can switch to an unused channel and continue to fly. This is typically accomplished either by changing a channel module on the radio or by the use of a frequency synthesizer. Either way, the change takes a few seconds. Put a matching crystal in your receiver and you are good to go!
This can be extremely valuable if you do any serious contest flying as participation at some contests mandate no more than one flyer per 72 MHz channel. If someone else registers on your channel first, you may be locked out. If you can change channels, you simply switch to an open channel.
If you tend to travel to other countries to compete, your home frequency, such as 72 MHz in North America, may not be permissible in that country. In the UK, for example, they fly in 35 MHz. In France and Japan they have rules about 2.4 GHz radios that some US based 2.4 systems may not meet. Basically check before you go to be sure you can use your radio.
On 72 MHz, signal shift or shift select, is the ability to switch between positive and negative shift. Shift simply describes how the 72 MHz signal is encoded. I am not going to go any deeper into than that. Shift select becomes valuable primarily in the purchase of used equipment. Traditionally Hitec and Futaba are on negative shift. JR and Airtronics are positive shift.
PCM on 72 MHz is a special signal process that many fliers feel give them superior control and glitch resistance. PCM is specific to a radio brand, so you can't use a Hitec PCM receiver with a Futaba PCM radio. Nuff said about that, especially since the world is going 2.4.
Summary
While you can fly most sailplanes on a simple 3-5 channel standard radio, the use of a computer radio can provide enhanced control. When looking for a radio to fly your airplane or glider consider your goals and ambitions for your flying. Consider the types of planes you will be flying and which features your radio might need. Only then can you start to determine which radio is right for you at a price you can afford.
It takes time and work to learn how to use the advanced features of any radio and how they work with your aircraft. However you can still use most of these advanced radios as simple 4 channel radios in the beginning. If you can afford the investment, having those advanced features my allow you to move into the more advance flying more quickly.
If you are a sport pilot or a casual contest flyer out to have some soaring fun on a budget, a 6 channel entry level or mid range sport computer radio is probably all you need. If you are flying full house gliders and you want to get all you can out of them for sport or contest flying, then buy a feature rich sailplane radio of 7 or more channels that has 4 wing servo support and includes sailplane mixes. You will pay more up front but your radio will carry you further into the future.
Consider your needs, wants, desires and your budget. Buy all the radio you can afford today, then learn to use it and go enjoy flying your sailplane.
Hope this is helpful.
Clear Skies and Safe Flying!
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Here are some additional resources that you may also find helpful.
Setting Surface Throws
http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&id=36
The Importance of Range Checks
http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&id=34
> Dual Rates and Exponential Explained
http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&id=26
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=331087
What you need to know about receivers
http://www.flyesl.org/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=258
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4467764/anchors_4473239/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#4473239
> Trailing edge camber adjustments - Best Practices
> http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=403126
This is more for competition pilots, but if you like to look at some of the advanced stuff, this might be fun. It is a translation, so take your time as you read it.
http://www.gliders.dk/triming_and_setup_of_a_glider_wi_eng.htm
Low cost sailplane radios � RC Soaring Digest
Two part series � July and August 2012
Part 1 - Upgrading 72 MH Sailplane Radios
http://www.rcsoaringdigest.com/pdfs/RCSD-2012/RCSD-2012-07.pdf
Part 2 - Low Cost Sailplane Radio
http://www.rcsoaringdigest.com/pdfs/RCSD-2012/RCSD-2012-08.pdf |
Best regards,
Ed Anderson
Long Island Silent Flyers
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Edited by - aeajr on 07/14/2011 09:02:39 AM |
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lincoln
49 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2009 : 5:53:10 PM
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Wow! You must type a lot faster than I do, and I'm not terribly slow.
First off, although I didn't read all of it, it's hard to go wrong with Ed's advice. However, I think standard radios, and RES models, don't get enough respect. Of course they go together. If your spoilers aren't oversized, you don't even need elevator compensation for the spoiler, as this is reasonably easy to provide yourself by holding some up.
If you go with RES and a simple radio, both the glider and the radio will take much less effort to set up. They'll also cost you less. Many years ago I came in first for the year in Sportsman flying a 2 meter RES glider (Sagitta 600) with a simple 4 channel radio against a whole bunch of people flying stuff like the 134 inch, aileron and flap Windsong. Remember, no matter how high tech you go, you cannot do better than a max with 100 landing points.
Having said that, if you MUST go full house, I think a very useful mix gradually transitions to reverse aileron differential as you feed in CROW. This retains your ability to turn, at least somewhat. Otherwise you may find it's as if you don't have any ailerons during your approach. I don't know what radios can do this now, but the Vision did.
I don't think more than a little aileron to rudder mix is justified, since sometimes you're using rudder into the turn and aileron out. I use just a bit, but I'm generally ok with no mix.
Differential isn't always a good thing. It's only correct around one airspeed (or, rather, lift coefficient). If you're going faster, it will yaw you too far INTO the turn. As it kicks in, it will act like a bit of down elevator as well. So it's probably a good idea not to go overboard, although I admit I once had a glider with no separate rudder servo, just a mechanical coupling, and it flew reasonably well. |
Lincoln Ross |
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aeajr
477 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2010 : 10:23:06 AM
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Special considerations for HLG/DLG
When I wrote the original article above I had not been flying hand launch or discus launched gliders, or at least not much. So I want to add a few quick thoughts on the topics specifically focused on hand launched and discus launched gliders.
1) Launch presets
Most pure gliders benefit from some kind of launch mode or launch presets. This means that certain surfaces are moved to a predetermined position. On my winched planes this might be flaps and ailerons down 15% on launch and may involve some elevator preset too. I set them to this position by flipping a switch. At the top of the launch, I flip the switch off and the surfaces go to neutral. Where the control is located is dictated by the radio's programming or may be assignable according to your preferences. However most of us can get used to whatever we have available on our radios.
For hand launched and discus launched gliders it is different. A common launch preset is to have some up elevator available on release. As you launch your DLG you don't want to throw it up, but out. This provides a more efficient use of the spin and it helps avoid tip strikes. However you want the plane to climb, so a momentary application of up elevator might be helpful.
Many pilots set the launch preset, a little up elevator, on a switch that is spring loaded. This is usually the spring loaded trainer switch, if you have one. If you throw your DLG with your right hand, then the preferred position for this switch would be on the top left rear of the radio where the left index finger can reach it easily. So you might want to look for a radio that has the trainer switch on the top left and insure you can assign a mix to that switch.
However, a spring loaded switch is not required. When I first started DLG, my radio had the spring loaded switch on the top right. As a result I put my launch preset on a standard 2 way switch on the top left. I would set it back, away from me, then start my turn, giving me a little up elevator. Just after release I would flip the switch toward me, turning off the preset. This has a similar effect to releasing a spring loaded switch.
I find either as acceptable, you may not. But whether the switch is spring-loaded or not, you will want a switch to which you can assign a launch preset. Naturally if you throw with your left hand then this switch is going to need to be on the top right.
2) Camber presets vs. variable camber
Some HL pilots, such as myself, prefer our camber settings on presets/offsets that are switch controlled. Others prefer to use the left stick or a side slider to get variable camber settings. Either works as long as your radio supports this.
The presets I have, other than launch are:
Reflex
Normal/float
Thermal.
Landing
How your surfaces are set for each condition will depend on your airfoil. My primary DLG is a Polecat Aero XP-5 with a Drela Airfoil. How I have these set is not important.
What is important is that I use presets for all of these. I don't use any variable camber settings or controls. My left stick is not used during my DLG flights other than to control the rudder. And that is one of the reasons I use presets. I don't want my rudder movements to have a chance to change my camber settings. I find this to be more of a concern on my DLGs than on my hi-start or winched planes because I rarely catch my big planes in competition. But I try to catch my DLG all the time, so that means I have one hand on the radio and may be working the rudder as I reach to catch the plane.
I have tried my side slider, for full variable camber, but felt I was spending more time hunting for the right setting then I should. So I went to presets. Each of these presets is on a switch. Normal/float, reflex and landing are on the same 3 way switch which is a default on my radio so it makes this easy as these three are mutually exclusive. I would never have two of them on at the same time. My thermal setting is on a switch by itself. I suppose if I had a 4 way switch I would have them all one switch but I don't have a 4 way switch. I have used my thermal setting for landings, at times, when I don't want the strong stopping power of my landing mix.
For all of these mixes I have the option of adding some elevator into the mix, according to my preferences. I find this valuable and would suggest that you look at the mixes on any radio you are considering and insure that you can add elevator to the mix either as a standard feature or by utilizing user programmable mixes.
More sophisticated pilots may have more settings, more conditions or more complex mixes, but this is all I use for my DLGs. The point is not whether these are the right mixes, but how one can use switches to accomplish these conditions, where they might be located and how this might influence your choice of radio.
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Best regards,
Ed Anderson
Long Island Silent Flyers
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aeajr
477 Posts |
Posted - 09/27/2010 : 3:48:41 PM
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Here is a link to an article about mixing for full house sailplanes that you may find useful. While it is from 1995, it is a good intro to the types of mixes we use and why.
http://www.orlandobuzzards.org/?page_id=892
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Best regards,
Ed Anderson
Long Island Silent Flyers
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Edited by - aeajr on 05/03/2011 3:52:56 PM |
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aeajr
477 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2011 : 09:04:16 AM
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Radios to Consider
Updated January 2012
There are many radios that would qualify as sailplane radios and I do not pretend to have tried them all. However, now that you are armed with a little knowledge you might want to take a look at some actual sailplane radios.
Spektrum, while a leader in the 2.4 GHz radio market, does not have a sailplane radio. However JR uses the same 2.4 GHz system so you can look at the Spektrum and JR radios as part of the same family with JR having the sailplane market covered.
JR 11X 2.4 GHz - JR's newest sailplane radio. http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=JRP1100X
JR 9503 2.4 GHz with 9 channel receiver - This replaced the extremely popular JR 9303 and X9303 radios.
http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/x9503-2-4-heli-tx-with-r921x-rx-no-servos-md2-JRP2935X
Airtronics SD-10G 2.4 GHz with 7 channel receiver– $399 - Has a reputation for being a good sailplane radio that is very easy to set-up.
http://www.hobbypeople.net/index.php/airtronics-sd-10g-10-ch-2-4g-computer-radio-w-7-ch-rx700-rx.html
Hitec Aurora 9 - A9 been getting a lot of positive chatter on the sailplane forums.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXXCZ5&P=ML
Futaba 8FG Super with 14 channel
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXAVCN&P=ML
Reference threads on 8FG
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472969
Futaba 10C replaced the popular 9C super.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXWVT5&P=ML
Used Radios to Consider
If you need to try and save some money you may be able to find a great deal on a used sailplane radio. There are a lot of models that I could list, but I will only provide a few for your consideration.
The older JR 9303 (72 MHz) or X9303 (2.4 GHz)
http://www.jrradios.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=JRP9240**
These were very popular so they are readily available in the used market. If you buy a used JR 9303 it can be converted to 2.4 GHz using a Spektrum module, FrSky or one of a number of third party modules.
Futaba 9C and 9C Super
http://www.futabarc.com/downloads/manual-9c.html
http://www.futabarc.com/systems/feature-compare.html
- (I fly the 9C Super) These are no longer made, but the 9C and 9C Super were very popular so there are a lot of used ones around at good prices. These are good midrange sailplane radios. Not as advanced as some, yet still very capable for all but the most demanding sailplane pilots. They can be converted to 2.4 GHz with a Futaba FASST, Spektrum, FrSky or other 2.4 GHz module.
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Best regards,
Ed Anderson
Long Island Silent Flyers
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Edited by - aeajr on 07/19/2011 8:45:39 PM |
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aeajr
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Choosing a Sailplane Radio - What to Consider
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