PLEASE WRITE
in with your
questions, since that
is the only way we
can keep this
column format
going. When
referring to
published Qs and As
(for follow-ups),
always provide the number as a reference.
References to addresses and Web sites
are now placed in a group, separate from the
text, at the end of this column under
“Sources.”
Q400: “I have noted for a long time that
most RC system manufacturers offer
protective cases for their transmitters. They
seem to be on the expensive side so I was
wondering if it was worth the price to add
some protection for my RC transmitter.
Bob, do you use a case yourself?”
June 2009 83
? Frequently Asked Questions Bob Aberle | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• Don’s Hobby Shop
• CBA II software update
• Stripped glow plug threads
Above: Global Hobby’s
transmitter case for Airtronics’
RDS8000 measures 14 x 10 x 5
inches and costs $39.95. Storing a
transmitter is protection against
accidental damage.
Right: The case includes a
custom-made foam interior.
Even a short 2.4 GHz spread
spectrum antenna fits
perfectly. Use the case
whenever the transmitter is
not in use.
Wire Bundle Keepers, shown on
the Don’s Hobby Shop Web site,
allow you to keep everything neat
and organized inside of a fuselage.
An electronic kill switch can be plugged into
an extra channel function on your RC
receiver. If your throttle servo fails, this
switch can stop your engine.
A deflection meter can be attached to a
control surface and provide measurement in
degrees of surface movement. This is
especially helpful in dual rate programming.
Transmitter cases
06sig3.QXD 4/22/09 12:22 PM Page 83
84 MODEL AVIATION
The West Mountain Radio CBA II (upper left) can perform a discharge/capacity test on a
Ni-Cd battery pack that has been removed from an RC transmitter.
A CBA II capacity test can graph its discharge results. As shown, a 600 mAh-rated Ni-Cd
battery pack tested at 696 mAh; it’s okay to fly.
A400: Until this past year, I never used a
case to transport my RC transmitters. On
some occasions I’ve taken as many as three
transmitters with me to the flying field. I
never had a problem until last June.
I had returned from a flying session at
the SEFLI (Silent Electric Flyers of Long
Island) club field and was pleased with the
flights I had put on my new Horizon Hobby
E-flite DHC-2 Beaver. As I unloaded my
car, I noticed that the lawn sprinkler was not
turned on.
I carelessly placed my new Airtronics
RDS8000 transmitter on the hood of my
wife’s car and went over to turn on the
sprinkler control. Soon I heard a loud crash
and realized that the transmitter had slipped
off of the hood and fallen on the concrete
garage floor with the control sticks facing
downward. The left-side (throttle/rudder)
stick assembly was hopelessly damaged.
I sent the transmitter back to Airtronics
for repair. It was returned in a week, and the
price was certainly fair, considering that my
stupidity caused the problem.
A short while later, a box came from
Mike Greenshields of Global Hobby (which
is distributed by Hobby People). In it was a
transmitter case designed to fit my
Airtronics RDS8000 transmitter. The note
with the case said that I better use it so I
don’t damage my transmitter again. I have
used that case and have since purchased
three others for my primary RC transmitters.
The container intended for an RDS8000
is the Flight Leader Aluminum Case for a
single transmitter, and it’s catalog item
404101. The price is $39.95. The soft-rubber
insert provides plenty of protection. It also
helps keep switch settings in the correct
positions.
Since these cases are often custom-made
for each transmitter, you would be best off
buying your case from your transmitter’s
manufacturer.
Q401: “For quite a few years you published
a quarterly column in Flying Models known
as ‘Bob Aberle’s RC Digest.’ In that column
you mentioned numerous small accessory
items that normally might not get much
magazine attention.
“Recently I looked up the Web site for
Don’s Hobby Shop of Salina, KS and
found under the ‘Accessory Section’
literally loads of interesting items for the
general modeler. I would suggest you
mention this in your column.”
A401: In effect, MA provides the same
service that I did years ago with the
“Digest.” In the front of every issue is a
two-page section called “Worth a Closer
Look.” It contains brief editorial picks to
alert the AMA membership of new
products.
Then at the rear of each issue is a
section called “Modelers Mall.” It also
introduces you to new products but is based
on information that the manufacturer or
dealer provides.
Even though this column’s format is
basically questions and answers, I
encourage readers to write in with
suggestions and even provide new-product
information that may not be readily
available to everyone.
I went to Don’s Hobby Shop’s Web site
and then to the accessory section. I was
pleasantly surprised. It took me a half-hour to
scan through a variety of hobby goodies that
had many and varied applications. I urge you
to do the same!
A few products caught my attention,
the first of which was the Wire Bundle
Keepers. Their purpose is to attach such
things as cables, control rods, and
06sig3.QXD 4/22/09 12:24 PM Page 84
antennas to the inside of your fuselage.
This helps eliminate clutter and prevents
loose wires from jamming up servos.
The second item is a deflection meter,
or throw meter, that attaches to your
model’s control surface and then provides a
reading in degrees as the surface is
actuated. This could prove to be helpful
when setting dual rate control-surface
positions.
The third item is an optically isolated
“kill” switch that allows you to kill, or cut
off, your aircraft’s engine from a spare
channel on your RC receiver if your
throttle servo malfunctions. You could use
the retract switch on your transmitter if it
were available.
Q402: “I have been using the West
Mountain Radio CBA-II battery analyzer
and tester for some time and with excellent
results. I recently learned from a local flyer
that West Mountain Radio now is offering,
free, new Version 2.0 software for the
CBA-II. Do you have any experience with
this revised software?”
A402: Del Schier of West Mountain Radio
contacted me and made me aware of the
new CBA II (Computerized Battery
Analyzer) Version 2 software update. It is
free to all existing CBA II owners, who can
download it from the company’s Web site.
There are many advantages to using this
new software. It is more efficient with
lower computer CPU (central processing
unit) usage, has faster current ramp-up,
provides more accurate temperature
readings, and features user-editable and
recallable battery-test profiles and new
graph styles in watt-hours and minutes, to
name a few.
I used the Version 2 software for a
couple of days before including the info in
this column, and there was one feature I
found to be profoundly thoughtful. While
running a discharge test on your PC, you
can click on the “standby box” in the upper
right corner. The test will continue, but
your graph is suppressed so you can use
your PC for other functions.
I was surprised when a club member
told me that he didn’t perform many
discharge tests on his batteries because it
tied up his PC for hours at a time. That
doesn’t have to happen.
While on this subject, I’ll stress, again,
the need to regularly test your RC
transmitter batteries. Whether they are the
traditional Ni-Cd or NiMH or the new Li-
Poly packs, these packs should be tested.
The same thing applies to your four- and
five-cell airborne RC receiver/servo
batteries. You can’t assume that battery
cells will go on working forever.
The current success with 2.4 GHz
digital spread spectrum radios has led some
modelers to feel that these systems are
invincible. That is not the case; all
transmitter and receiver batteries should be
tested regularly.
Testing batteries isn’t as important with
electric power. In most cases, if you have a
bad cell or a pack with minimal capacity,
the model won’t get off of the ground. If it
does, it won’t stay in the air for long. Being
able to fly is a “self test” for these kinds of
batteries. However, you can still run
discharge tests on these batteries if you
want.
In addition to this Version 2 upgrade,
West Mountain Radio has put considerable
development time into a new “PRO”
version. This full-featured software is
intended for the professional user. I won’t
tell you how much this PRO version
software costs, but it isn’t going to be
cheap.
The PRO software lets you program
automatic-duty cycle testing, you can
regulate constant power discharging, you
have access to temperature graphing with a
recovery time option, and you can even
place user notes on the graphs. It has more
features that you can read about on the
Web site.
MA’s “The Battery Clinic” columnist,
Red Scholefield, has this new PRO version
software and will be reporting on his
experience with it. Look for his coverage in
a future issue of the magazine.
Q403: “I have an expensive glow fueled
engine and I hate to admit it but in the
process of replacing a burned out glow
plug I ended up stripping the threads. I can
no longer install a glow plug in this engine.
So essentially it is ruined and can no longer
be operated.
“I know there are repair techniques
available in the automotive industry, what
recourse do I have for my model engine?”
A403: You have to look at those small
classified advertisements that are published
on the last few pages of several popular
model magazines. I found an ad in the
December 2008 Model Airplane News,
page 131, that was titled “Stripped Glow
Plug Threads.” To my surprise, longtime
engine expert Clarence Lee offers this
service.
The “fix” usually involves installing a
Heli-Coil stainless-steel insert. The hole in
the top of the engine’s cylinder head is
enlarged and rethreaded. Then the insert is
placed in these new threads, and the glow
plug goes into the insert. Clarence offers
other services in the area of engine repair. MA
Sources:
Hobby People
(800) 854-8471
www.hobbypeople.net
Don’s Hobby Shop
(800) 972-6273
www.donshobbyshop.com
West Mountain Radio
(203) 853-8080
www.westmountainradio.com
Clarence Lee Engine Service
(818) 352-3766
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/06
Page Numbers: 83,84,85
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/06
Page Numbers: 83,84,85
PLEASE WRITE
in with your
questions, since that
is the only way we
can keep this
column format
going. When
referring to
published Qs and As
(for follow-ups),
always provide the number as a reference.
References to addresses and Web sites
are now placed in a group, separate from the
text, at the end of this column under
“Sources.”
Q400: “I have noted for a long time that
most RC system manufacturers offer
protective cases for their transmitters. They
seem to be on the expensive side so I was
wondering if it was worth the price to add
some protection for my RC transmitter.
Bob, do you use a case yourself?”
June 2009 83
? Frequently Asked Questions Bob Aberle | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• Don’s Hobby Shop
• CBA II software update
• Stripped glow plug threads
Above: Global Hobby’s
transmitter case for Airtronics’
RDS8000 measures 14 x 10 x 5
inches and costs $39.95. Storing a
transmitter is protection against
accidental damage.
Right: The case includes a
custom-made foam interior.
Even a short 2.4 GHz spread
spectrum antenna fits
perfectly. Use the case
whenever the transmitter is
not in use.
Wire Bundle Keepers, shown on
the Don’s Hobby Shop Web site,
allow you to keep everything neat
and organized inside of a fuselage.
An electronic kill switch can be plugged into
an extra channel function on your RC
receiver. If your throttle servo fails, this
switch can stop your engine.
A deflection meter can be attached to a
control surface and provide measurement in
degrees of surface movement. This is
especially helpful in dual rate programming.
Transmitter cases
06sig3.QXD 4/22/09 12:22 PM Page 83
84 MODEL AVIATION
The West Mountain Radio CBA II (upper left) can perform a discharge/capacity test on a
Ni-Cd battery pack that has been removed from an RC transmitter.
A CBA II capacity test can graph its discharge results. As shown, a 600 mAh-rated Ni-Cd
battery pack tested at 696 mAh; it’s okay to fly.
A400: Until this past year, I never used a
case to transport my RC transmitters. On
some occasions I’ve taken as many as three
transmitters with me to the flying field. I
never had a problem until last June.
I had returned from a flying session at
the SEFLI (Silent Electric Flyers of Long
Island) club field and was pleased with the
flights I had put on my new Horizon Hobby
E-flite DHC-2 Beaver. As I unloaded my
car, I noticed that the lawn sprinkler was not
turned on.
I carelessly placed my new Airtronics
RDS8000 transmitter on the hood of my
wife’s car and went over to turn on the
sprinkler control. Soon I heard a loud crash
and realized that the transmitter had slipped
off of the hood and fallen on the concrete
garage floor with the control sticks facing
downward. The left-side (throttle/rudder)
stick assembly was hopelessly damaged.
I sent the transmitter back to Airtronics
for repair. It was returned in a week, and the
price was certainly fair, considering that my
stupidity caused the problem.
A short while later, a box came from
Mike Greenshields of Global Hobby (which
is distributed by Hobby People). In it was a
transmitter case designed to fit my
Airtronics RDS8000 transmitter. The note
with the case said that I better use it so I
don’t damage my transmitter again. I have
used that case and have since purchased
three others for my primary RC transmitters.
The container intended for an RDS8000
is the Flight Leader Aluminum Case for a
single transmitter, and it’s catalog item
404101. The price is $39.95. The soft-rubber
insert provides plenty of protection. It also
helps keep switch settings in the correct
positions.
Since these cases are often custom-made
for each transmitter, you would be best off
buying your case from your transmitter’s
manufacturer.
Q401: “For quite a few years you published
a quarterly column in Flying Models known
as ‘Bob Aberle’s RC Digest.’ In that column
you mentioned numerous small accessory
items that normally might not get much
magazine attention.
“Recently I looked up the Web site for
Don’s Hobby Shop of Salina, KS and
found under the ‘Accessory Section’
literally loads of interesting items for the
general modeler. I would suggest you
mention this in your column.”
A401: In effect, MA provides the same
service that I did years ago with the
“Digest.” In the front of every issue is a
two-page section called “Worth a Closer
Look.” It contains brief editorial picks to
alert the AMA membership of new
products.
Then at the rear of each issue is a
section called “Modelers Mall.” It also
introduces you to new products but is based
on information that the manufacturer or
dealer provides.
Even though this column’s format is
basically questions and answers, I
encourage readers to write in with
suggestions and even provide new-product
information that may not be readily
available to everyone.
I went to Don’s Hobby Shop’s Web site
and then to the accessory section. I was
pleasantly surprised. It took me a half-hour to
scan through a variety of hobby goodies that
had many and varied applications. I urge you
to do the same!
A few products caught my attention,
the first of which was the Wire Bundle
Keepers. Their purpose is to attach such
things as cables, control rods, and
06sig3.QXD 4/22/09 12:24 PM Page 84
antennas to the inside of your fuselage.
This helps eliminate clutter and prevents
loose wires from jamming up servos.
The second item is a deflection meter,
or throw meter, that attaches to your
model’s control surface and then provides a
reading in degrees as the surface is
actuated. This could prove to be helpful
when setting dual rate control-surface
positions.
The third item is an optically isolated
“kill” switch that allows you to kill, or cut
off, your aircraft’s engine from a spare
channel on your RC receiver if your
throttle servo malfunctions. You could use
the retract switch on your transmitter if it
were available.
Q402: “I have been using the West
Mountain Radio CBA-II battery analyzer
and tester for some time and with excellent
results. I recently learned from a local flyer
that West Mountain Radio now is offering,
free, new Version 2.0 software for the
CBA-II. Do you have any experience with
this revised software?”
A402: Del Schier of West Mountain Radio
contacted me and made me aware of the
new CBA II (Computerized Battery
Analyzer) Version 2 software update. It is
free to all existing CBA II owners, who can
download it from the company’s Web site.
There are many advantages to using this
new software. It is more efficient with
lower computer CPU (central processing
unit) usage, has faster current ramp-up,
provides more accurate temperature
readings, and features user-editable and
recallable battery-test profiles and new
graph styles in watt-hours and minutes, to
name a few.
I used the Version 2 software for a
couple of days before including the info in
this column, and there was one feature I
found to be profoundly thoughtful. While
running a discharge test on your PC, you
can click on the “standby box” in the upper
right corner. The test will continue, but
your graph is suppressed so you can use
your PC for other functions.
I was surprised when a club member
told me that he didn’t perform many
discharge tests on his batteries because it
tied up his PC for hours at a time. That
doesn’t have to happen.
While on this subject, I’ll stress, again,
the need to regularly test your RC
transmitter batteries. Whether they are the
traditional Ni-Cd or NiMH or the new Li-
Poly packs, these packs should be tested.
The same thing applies to your four- and
five-cell airborne RC receiver/servo
batteries. You can’t assume that battery
cells will go on working forever.
The current success with 2.4 GHz
digital spread spectrum radios has led some
modelers to feel that these systems are
invincible. That is not the case; all
transmitter and receiver batteries should be
tested regularly.
Testing batteries isn’t as important with
electric power. In most cases, if you have a
bad cell or a pack with minimal capacity,
the model won’t get off of the ground. If it
does, it won’t stay in the air for long. Being
able to fly is a “self test” for these kinds of
batteries. However, you can still run
discharge tests on these batteries if you
want.
In addition to this Version 2 upgrade,
West Mountain Radio has put considerable
development time into a new “PRO”
version. This full-featured software is
intended for the professional user. I won’t
tell you how much this PRO version
software costs, but it isn’t going to be
cheap.
The PRO software lets you program
automatic-duty cycle testing, you can
regulate constant power discharging, you
have access to temperature graphing with a
recovery time option, and you can even
place user notes on the graphs. It has more
features that you can read about on the
Web site.
MA’s “The Battery Clinic” columnist,
Red Scholefield, has this new PRO version
software and will be reporting on his
experience with it. Look for his coverage in
a future issue of the magazine.
Q403: “I have an expensive glow fueled
engine and I hate to admit it but in the
process of replacing a burned out glow
plug I ended up stripping the threads. I can
no longer install a glow plug in this engine.
So essentially it is ruined and can no longer
be operated.
“I know there are repair techniques
available in the automotive industry, what
recourse do I have for my model engine?”
A403: You have to look at those small
classified advertisements that are published
on the last few pages of several popular
model magazines. I found an ad in the
December 2008 Model Airplane News,
page 131, that was titled “Stripped Glow
Plug Threads.” To my surprise, longtime
engine expert Clarence Lee offers this
service.
The “fix” usually involves installing a
Heli-Coil stainless-steel insert. The hole in
the top of the engine’s cylinder head is
enlarged and rethreaded. Then the insert is
placed in these new threads, and the glow
plug goes into the insert. Clarence offers
other services in the area of engine repair. MA
Sources:
Hobby People
(800) 854-8471
www.hobbypeople.net
Don’s Hobby Shop
(800) 972-6273
www.donshobbyshop.com
West Mountain Radio
(203) 853-8080
www.westmountainradio.com
Clarence Lee Engine Service
(818) 352-3766
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/06
Page Numbers: 83,84,85
PLEASE WRITE
in with your
questions, since that
is the only way we
can keep this
column format
going. When
referring to
published Qs and As
(for follow-ups),
always provide the number as a reference.
References to addresses and Web sites
are now placed in a group, separate from the
text, at the end of this column under
“Sources.”
Q400: “I have noted for a long time that
most RC system manufacturers offer
protective cases for their transmitters. They
seem to be on the expensive side so I was
wondering if it was worth the price to add
some protection for my RC transmitter.
Bob, do you use a case yourself?”
June 2009 83
? Frequently Asked Questions Bob Aberle | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• Don’s Hobby Shop
• CBA II software update
• Stripped glow plug threads
Above: Global Hobby’s
transmitter case for Airtronics’
RDS8000 measures 14 x 10 x 5
inches and costs $39.95. Storing a
transmitter is protection against
accidental damage.
Right: The case includes a
custom-made foam interior.
Even a short 2.4 GHz spread
spectrum antenna fits
perfectly. Use the case
whenever the transmitter is
not in use.
Wire Bundle Keepers, shown on
the Don’s Hobby Shop Web site,
allow you to keep everything neat
and organized inside of a fuselage.
An electronic kill switch can be plugged into
an extra channel function on your RC
receiver. If your throttle servo fails, this
switch can stop your engine.
A deflection meter can be attached to a
control surface and provide measurement in
degrees of surface movement. This is
especially helpful in dual rate programming.
Transmitter cases
06sig3.QXD 4/22/09 12:22 PM Page 83
84 MODEL AVIATION
The West Mountain Radio CBA II (upper left) can perform a discharge/capacity test on a
Ni-Cd battery pack that has been removed from an RC transmitter.
A CBA II capacity test can graph its discharge results. As shown, a 600 mAh-rated Ni-Cd
battery pack tested at 696 mAh; it’s okay to fly.
A400: Until this past year, I never used a
case to transport my RC transmitters. On
some occasions I’ve taken as many as three
transmitters with me to the flying field. I
never had a problem until last June.
I had returned from a flying session at
the SEFLI (Silent Electric Flyers of Long
Island) club field and was pleased with the
flights I had put on my new Horizon Hobby
E-flite DHC-2 Beaver. As I unloaded my
car, I noticed that the lawn sprinkler was not
turned on.
I carelessly placed my new Airtronics
RDS8000 transmitter on the hood of my
wife’s car and went over to turn on the
sprinkler control. Soon I heard a loud crash
and realized that the transmitter had slipped
off of the hood and fallen on the concrete
garage floor with the control sticks facing
downward. The left-side (throttle/rudder)
stick assembly was hopelessly damaged.
I sent the transmitter back to Airtronics
for repair. It was returned in a week, and the
price was certainly fair, considering that my
stupidity caused the problem.
A short while later, a box came from
Mike Greenshields of Global Hobby (which
is distributed by Hobby People). In it was a
transmitter case designed to fit my
Airtronics RDS8000 transmitter. The note
with the case said that I better use it so I
don’t damage my transmitter again. I have
used that case and have since purchased
three others for my primary RC transmitters.
The container intended for an RDS8000
is the Flight Leader Aluminum Case for a
single transmitter, and it’s catalog item
404101. The price is $39.95. The soft-rubber
insert provides plenty of protection. It also
helps keep switch settings in the correct
positions.
Since these cases are often custom-made
for each transmitter, you would be best off
buying your case from your transmitter’s
manufacturer.
Q401: “For quite a few years you published
a quarterly column in Flying Models known
as ‘Bob Aberle’s RC Digest.’ In that column
you mentioned numerous small accessory
items that normally might not get much
magazine attention.
“Recently I looked up the Web site for
Don’s Hobby Shop of Salina, KS and
found under the ‘Accessory Section’
literally loads of interesting items for the
general modeler. I would suggest you
mention this in your column.”
A401: In effect, MA provides the same
service that I did years ago with the
“Digest.” In the front of every issue is a
two-page section called “Worth a Closer
Look.” It contains brief editorial picks to
alert the AMA membership of new
products.
Then at the rear of each issue is a
section called “Modelers Mall.” It also
introduces you to new products but is based
on information that the manufacturer or
dealer provides.
Even though this column’s format is
basically questions and answers, I
encourage readers to write in with
suggestions and even provide new-product
information that may not be readily
available to everyone.
I went to Don’s Hobby Shop’s Web site
and then to the accessory section. I was
pleasantly surprised. It took me a half-hour to
scan through a variety of hobby goodies that
had many and varied applications. I urge you
to do the same!
A few products caught my attention,
the first of which was the Wire Bundle
Keepers. Their purpose is to attach such
things as cables, control rods, and
06sig3.QXD 4/22/09 12:24 PM Page 84
antennas to the inside of your fuselage.
This helps eliminate clutter and prevents
loose wires from jamming up servos.
The second item is a deflection meter,
or throw meter, that attaches to your
model’s control surface and then provides a
reading in degrees as the surface is
actuated. This could prove to be helpful
when setting dual rate control-surface
positions.
The third item is an optically isolated
“kill” switch that allows you to kill, or cut
off, your aircraft’s engine from a spare
channel on your RC receiver if your
throttle servo malfunctions. You could use
the retract switch on your transmitter if it
were available.
Q402: “I have been using the West
Mountain Radio CBA-II battery analyzer
and tester for some time and with excellent
results. I recently learned from a local flyer
that West Mountain Radio now is offering,
free, new Version 2.0 software for the
CBA-II. Do you have any experience with
this revised software?”
A402: Del Schier of West Mountain Radio
contacted me and made me aware of the
new CBA II (Computerized Battery
Analyzer) Version 2 software update. It is
free to all existing CBA II owners, who can
download it from the company’s Web site.
There are many advantages to using this
new software. It is more efficient with
lower computer CPU (central processing
unit) usage, has faster current ramp-up,
provides more accurate temperature
readings, and features user-editable and
recallable battery-test profiles and new
graph styles in watt-hours and minutes, to
name a few.
I used the Version 2 software for a
couple of days before including the info in
this column, and there was one feature I
found to be profoundly thoughtful. While
running a discharge test on your PC, you
can click on the “standby box” in the upper
right corner. The test will continue, but
your graph is suppressed so you can use
your PC for other functions.
I was surprised when a club member
told me that he didn’t perform many
discharge tests on his batteries because it
tied up his PC for hours at a time. That
doesn’t have to happen.
While on this subject, I’ll stress, again,
the need to regularly test your RC
transmitter batteries. Whether they are the
traditional Ni-Cd or NiMH or the new Li-
Poly packs, these packs should be tested.
The same thing applies to your four- and
five-cell airborne RC receiver/servo
batteries. You can’t assume that battery
cells will go on working forever.
The current success with 2.4 GHz
digital spread spectrum radios has led some
modelers to feel that these systems are
invincible. That is not the case; all
transmitter and receiver batteries should be
tested regularly.
Testing batteries isn’t as important with
electric power. In most cases, if you have a
bad cell or a pack with minimal capacity,
the model won’t get off of the ground. If it
does, it won’t stay in the air for long. Being
able to fly is a “self test” for these kinds of
batteries. However, you can still run
discharge tests on these batteries if you
want.
In addition to this Version 2 upgrade,
West Mountain Radio has put considerable
development time into a new “PRO”
version. This full-featured software is
intended for the professional user. I won’t
tell you how much this PRO version
software costs, but it isn’t going to be
cheap.
The PRO software lets you program
automatic-duty cycle testing, you can
regulate constant power discharging, you
have access to temperature graphing with a
recovery time option, and you can even
place user notes on the graphs. It has more
features that you can read about on the
Web site.
MA’s “The Battery Clinic” columnist,
Red Scholefield, has this new PRO version
software and will be reporting on his
experience with it. Look for his coverage in
a future issue of the magazine.
Q403: “I have an expensive glow fueled
engine and I hate to admit it but in the
process of replacing a burned out glow
plug I ended up stripping the threads. I can
no longer install a glow plug in this engine.
So essentially it is ruined and can no longer
be operated.
“I know there are repair techniques
available in the automotive industry, what
recourse do I have for my model engine?”
A403: You have to look at those small
classified advertisements that are published
on the last few pages of several popular
model magazines. I found an ad in the
December 2008 Model Airplane News,
page 131, that was titled “Stripped Glow
Plug Threads.” To my surprise, longtime
engine expert Clarence Lee offers this
service.
The “fix” usually involves installing a
Heli-Coil stainless-steel insert. The hole in
the top of the engine’s cylinder head is
enlarged and rethreaded. Then the insert is
placed in these new threads, and the glow
plug goes into the insert. Clarence offers
other services in the area of engine repair. MA
Sources:
Hobby People
(800) 854-8471
www.hobbypeople.net
Don’s Hobby Shop
(800) 972-6273
www.donshobbyshop.com
West Mountain Radio
(203) 853-8080
www.westmountainradio.com
Clarence Lee Engine Service
(818) 352-3766