Frequently Asked Questions - 2010/06

Update on technology for the author’s Scratch-One
Bob Aberle | baberle@? Frequently Asked Questions optonline.net
June 2010 73
Also included in this column:
• Collectair aviation art and artifacts
• Vintage RC plans
• Aurora transmitter charger and battery
• Follow-up on CA bottle tips
• Follow-up on separating Deans Ultra
connectors
Above: Along the lef t border on the wonderful
Collectair Web site are the various aircraft categories
you can access with the click of your mouse.
Bob holds his 2004 Scratch-One trainer. It employed a brushed
motor, NiMH batteries, and 72 MHz RC system. The updated
version is lighter and flies much longer on a charge.
Right: Through Vintage R/C Plans, Frank Novack sells
the old Sid Morgan plans and those acquired from
other sources.
PLEASE WRITE in with your questions; that is the only way we
can keep this column format going. When referring to questions and
answers that have been published (for follow-ups), provide the
number as a reference.
References to addresses and Web sites are placed in a group,
separate from the text, at the end of this column under “Sources.”
Q449: “A few years back I built your Scratch-One trainer design
that was published in MA. I recently decided to build another one to
try to get my grandson interested in the hobby.
“I realized as I started this new project that a lot of our
technology has changed over the past five years. So my question to
you now is; do you have any recommended updates for the Scratch-
One?”
A449: My Scratch-One design was included in the multipart “From
the Ground Up” feature series that began in MA in 2004. It was a
joint venture between MA’s Sport Aviator Editor Frank Granelli
(covering fueled models) and me (covering electric power). The
series is still posted on the AMA Web site. The Web address for the
complete index is in the “Sources” list.
Several times last year, readers asked if I had any updates for my
Scratch-One design. To satisfy those inquiries, I wrote a brief article
covering all the technology that has emerged in the last five years.
That article mentioned brushless motors, companion brushless
06sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 4/23/10 9:09 AM Page 73
museum. You owe it
to yourself to visit
this site and search
around thoroughly.
There are sections
featuring vintage
model airplane kits,
vintage model
engines, plastic
aircraft kits of the
1950s and 1960s,
aviation book
references, World
War II stories, and
“early bird aviators.” Another area is the
“Friend or Foe? Museum” of aircraft
recognition. Have a look!
Q451: “I remember years ago that there was a
plan service known as Sid Morgan Plans. I
used to see monthly advertisements for this
service in several of our hobby magazines. Is
this service still available or was it picked up
by someone else under a new name?”
A451: I’m into my sixth year of doing this
column and am getting close to 500 questions
and answers. As such, it is possible for me to
repeat myself and not realize it. I remember
answering this question, but it must have been
quite awhile ago.
The Sid Morgan Plan Service, which was
in business for at least 20 years, ended up with
Frank Novack of Howell, Michigan. Now
Frank operates this business as “Vintage R/C
Plans.” Contact information is in the
“Sources” list.
The connection is that Frank’s wife’s
uncle was Sid Morgan, who had a large
collection of RC scale plans. Then, in later
years, he picked up the wonderful “Custom
Line” plans collection done by Robert
Sweitzer.
I have Bob’s Aeronca 7AC Champion
plans, and they are super-detailed in every
respect. Look up Frank’s Web site and see
what he has to offer.
Q452: “I own a new Hitec Aurora-9 RC
system. I think it’s great and I’m enjoying
every minute while learning to use it. But I
have noticed several things involving the
transmitter charger and battery that I am
curious about.
“First the charger plug is not the standard
variety. Second I can’t seem to get the
charger’s transmitter LED indicator to glow.
Third, I seem to quickly run out of
transmitter battery power. Have you heard
anything about these issues?”
A452: I received one of the first Aurora
systems, which Hitec RCD distributes, in
August last year. I flew a new model design
with it at the NEAT (Northeast Electric
Aircraft Technology) Fair in September.
The Aurora transmitter is powered by a
six-cell (not eight), 1300 mAh NiMH
battery pack. To avoid confusion between a
six- or eight-cell pack, the Hitec engineers
employed a different, or you might say
“nonstandard,” charging plug. If you
attempted to plug an eight-cell charger into
the Aurora, it would not fit.
That’s a good idea, but one of the
problems with the first chargers supplied is
that if the pack had more than half charge,
the red LED indicator on the charger would
not glow. Even below half charge, the red
glow was barely visible.
It took me awhile to realize that my
74 MODEL AVIATION
Above: Lower rear portion of the Hitec
Aurora 9 2.4 GHz RC transmitter contains
the charger port, which is intentionally a
unique size. This transmitter employs a sixcell
battery pack. The right side contains a
trainer cable jack that is identical to the
charge port.
Right: Instead of Vaseline
to help separate Deans
Ultra connectors, many
readers suggested using
Dielectric Grease. Bob
purchased the brand
shown at Ace Hardware.
Below: Batteries America
supplies a six-cell pack of
2000 mAh Eneloop cells. It
comes wired for the Hitec
Aurora 9 transmitter and
fits perfectly in the battery
compartment. Eneloop
cells will hold 80% charge
for up to a year.
A source of these yellow CA
cement dispenser tips is in
England. They cost 20¢ each and
can easily be ordered by mail.
ESCs, Li-Poly battery packs, Lithium
battery chargers, and 2.4 GHz digital spread
spectrum RC systems. And I included a list
of suggested new equipment that you could
purchase at a reasonable cost.
One reader thanked me for the
information I supplied and suggested that I
have it published in MA. I passed on this
information to Editor Michael Ramsey, who
acted on the suggestion immediately.
The “Scratch-One Technical Update”
was added to the original article on the Web
site as Part 9B, page 5. The Internet address
to use to access this feature is in the
“Sources” list.
The equipment I recommended in this
follow-up is strictly a guide. There are many
combinations of motors, ESCs, batteries,
and RC systems that would work equally
well.
Aero Craft Ltd. still sells a package
containing the balsa wood necessary for you
to construct a Scratch-One. There are no
wing ribs to cut for this design. It is simple
to build and is excellent as a first-time
scratch-built aircraft.
Q450: “Bob I know this isn’t really a
question, but I wanted to mention something
important that I came across that I feel
would be really appreciated by your readers.
It involves a website that almost looks like
an ‘on-line museum.’
Take a look and see what you think!”
A450: Since that wasn’t a question, it won’t
get an answer. But there are times when
readers contact me with interesting
information about our hobby that is worth
passing on. This is not your usual entry, but
it provides information about something you
might enjoy.
My old friend, Syd Krivin of upstate
New York, mentioned a Web site for
Collectair Aviation Art and Artifacts. The
address is in the “Sources” guide.
As mentioned, this is similar to an online
06sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 4/23/10 9:11 AM Page 74
transmitter battery was fully charged
because the LCD screen read 100%. Hitec
picked up on this problem; by the time you
read this, a new charger will have been
substituted and the indicator will glow
brightly.
On one occasion I charged my Aurora
transmitter overnight, and the next morning
it indicated that it was only 65% charged.
While pondering this, I noticed that I had
accidentally plugged the charger into the
trainer jack, which is located on the rightside
rear of the transmitter case. Nothing was
damaged, but the battery wasn’t charged.
Now that the red LED glows brightly, it
would be obvious when I plugged the
charger into the wrong jack. I still think the
jacks should be different.
I also noticed that my battery tended to
run down rapidly. This might have been a
function of too much current drain (which is
not the case), a bad battery, or a battery with
too little capacity to handle the job.
I found that the supplied NiMH battery
likes to be exercised or cycled when
received. I cycled it a few times, and the
capacity did improve.
I have seen an advertisement indicating
that Batteries America now supplies six-cell
battery packs made from 2000 mAh Eneloop
cells. These are NiMH and have the property
of maintaining 80% or more charge for up to
a year.
The packs that Batteries America sells
come with the mating Hitec transmitter
battery connector, and a pack fits perfectly
into the rear of the Aurora transmitter. If you
do a lot of flying, you might want to
consider this.
If you do go to a 2000 mAh pack, you
will have to charge it at 200 mA for at least
14 hours. You should not use the supplied
charger and then double the charging time
instead.
76 MODEL AVIATION
I understand that Hitec is going to supply
this system with a higher-capacity battery
pack in the future. So you should have no
problems.
Follow-Up to 428 (January 2010 MA, page
77): This question and answer mentioned a
tapered plastic tip that fits over the end of a
CA-Sucker-type tube. I didn’t know of a
supply source for the yellow tips when I
submitted my column.
James McAlpine of West London Models
of Harlington, Middlesex, England, sent me
an e-mail telling me that he carries these CA
tips and that they cost 20¢ each. I’ve included
his contact information in the “Sources” list.
James also sells the “sucker” bulbs.
Follow-Up to Follow-Up to 418 (February
2010 MA, pages 91-92): The original
question and answer involved a scheme to
help separate the popular Deans Ultra
connectors’ halves. The follow-up
suggested using common Vaseline on the
connector pins, because IBM had used that
technique for many years.
Quite a few readers wrote in to let me
know about something better, called
“Dielectric Grease.” There are many sources
for this material.
I found the Permatex brand (catalog item
81150) at a local Ace Hardware store. A
small tube costs $5, but for this kind of
application it should last a long time. MA
Sources:
“From the Ground Up” Index
www.modelaircraft.org/mag/FTGU/titlespa
geftgu.htm
“Scratch-One Technical Update”
www.modelaircraft.org/mag/FTGU/Part9b/
9Bmain5.html
Aero Craft
(631) 369-9319
www.aerocraftrc.com
Collectair Aviation Art and Artifacts
(805) 560-1323
www.collectair.com
Vintage R/C Plans
(810) 227-1174
www.vintagercplans.com
Hitec RCD
(858) 748-6948
www.hitecrcd.com
Batteries America
(800) 308-4805
www.batteriesamerica.com
West London Models
020 8897 2326
www.westlondonmodels.com
Permatex
(860) 543-7500
www.permatex.com