Worth a Closer Look - 2011/03

14 MODEL AVIATION
Have you ever wondered about the airspeed of your aircraft?
Maybe you’re simply curious or you want to confirm that your new
model is Park Pilot Program-legal. Since we find ourselves asking
the latter question quite often, we were excited to see the release of
a radar unit that will fit in our pocket.
This nifty device is roughly the size of a cell phone and weighs
approximately 4.5 ounces. It is capable of measuring speeds from 7-
375 mph with an accuracy of +/- 1 mph. The Pocket Radar has an
advertised range of a half mile for cars and 120 feet for a baseball.
Since model airplanes fall somewhere in between, it is perfect for
our use in most cases.
To take a measurement of an airplane in flight, hold the unit as
if you were taking a picture of the model with a cell phone.
Simply press and release the red button and the speed will be
displayed. You can also hold down the button to take readings
every three-quarters of a second. The unit will display the last 10
readings.
The Pocket Radar is a Doppler speed radar system that emits a
small pulse of radio waves in an invisible focused beam, similar to
that of a flashlight. When the radio wave hits the model, a small
amount reflects back to the unit that is providing the speed.
Keeping this in mind, we found that measuring an aircraft at a
10°-15° angle worked fine. One of the airplanes we tested for
speed was a 29.5-inch-wingspan Yak-54 that was repeatedly
clocked at between 29 and 30 mph in straight, level flight.
Our test unit came with a 65 mph tuning fork and we were able
to take several reading at either 64 or 65 mph, proving that the
unit is indeed accurate to within 1 mph.
We are looking forward to testing more models as our Indiana
weather improves and have been impressed thus far with the
Pocket Radar.
Pocket Radar: 3535 Industrial Dr. Ste. A4, Santa Rosa CA
95403; Tel.: (888) 381-2672; Web site: www.pocketradar.com
Electric power systems are
getting smaller and lighter
these days, so it stands to
reason that chargers would
follow suit. The Super
Brain Palm Charger
from Model Rectifier
Corporation is one
of the smallest we
have seen.
Don’t let
this little
purveyor of
power fool you; it
packs plenty of
features, with a 5-amp
maximum output. The Palm Charger is fully capable of charging
up to 10-cell Ni-Cd/NiMH packs and 12-volt lead-acid/gel-cell
batteries, and it balance-charges one- to four-cell Li-Poly, Li-ion,
and LiFe battery packs.
A 2-inch backlit LCD screen provides data on amps, volts,
charge time, cell type, cell count, and individual cell voltage. If
that’s not enough information for you, simply connect the Palm
Charger to your PC using a USB cable (not included) and you can
graph and monitor your battery pack’s performance while
charging. This allows you to set up unlimited battery profiles with
color-coded displays to test and
monitor battery life.
Programming is extremely
easy using the four buttons
located on
the front of
the unit.
The menu
button
allows you
to get to
your
desired
selection, and the up and down arrows allow you to change
parameters. When you are ready to charge, press the red “start”
button.
The Palm Charger includes a power supply for AC/DC
operation. It is also equipped with a standard XH spaced balance
board that can be used with Align, E-flite, ElectriFly, RFI,
Venom, Tenergy, and other popular Li-Poly batteries. Standard
alligator clips are used for the charge leads.
At a price point of less than $80, the Super Brain Palm
Charger is a great value and its AC/DC versatility and small size
make it a unit you can take anywhere.
Model Rectifier Corporation: 80 Newfield Ave., Edison NJ
08837; Tel.: (732) 225-2100; Web site: www.modelrec.com
Worth a Closer Look
Pocket Radar
Portable Charging
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Of all the things that
affect how well we fly our
models, weather is at the top
of the list. And of everything
Mother Nature can throw at
us, figuring out the wind is
most important. Although
there are accurate wind
meters on the market, there
is a new, inexpensive App
that might work for you if
you own an iPhone.
Wind Vane is simple;
after installing it, there’s
little for you to do. When
run, it asks for your current
GPS location and then
accesses the closest US
weather station to provide
precise, real-time wind
direction and speed.
Wind Vane can display the wind speed in mph, knots, or
kilometers per hour. This application also has a built-in compass
so you can see the wind direction relative to true or magnetic
north. You’ll see the compass and wind information update as
you rotate the phone.
Why choose Wind Vane instead of other wind-speed Apps?
Rather than using sound algorithms with the iPhone microphone,
it uses up-to-date weather-station data, which is more accurate
and trusted throughout the weather community nationwide.
This application will work on an iPhone 3GS and later
versions, because it requires a compass. Internet connectivity is
needed to display the wind. Wind Vane is 99¢ and is available
from the Apples iTunes App Store at www.apple.com/itunes.
Code Stork: www.codestork.com. MA
March 2011 15
Worth a Closer Look
If you never want to worry about a fuel leak, this heavy-duty
system will exceed your wishes. Yes, it’s “bling” for a part of the
model that might never be seen, but peace of mind is priceless.
Sullivan fuel systems are engineered to be the best you can buy.
Every component is designed to be simple to install and
unbreakable under normal conditions. More than 300 products
dedicated to the aeromodeling community are available under the
Sullivan flag.
The company’s new fuel stopper kit features a new stopper
material that is resistant to all fuel types, including gasoline, glow
fuel, and smoke oil. The machined-aluminum blue cap and washer
that are threaded 4-40 for extra tightening torque are ideal for highpressure
systems.
For roughly $17 the HD Multi Fuel Stopper Kit (item S469)
includes two sets of 1/8-inch and 5/32-inch brass tubes, clunk, and 4-
40 screw. This kit fits most popular tank sizes and all Sullivan
tanks.
Sullivan Products: One North Haven St., Baltimore MD 21224;
Tel.: (410) 732-3500; Web site: www.
sullivanproducts.com
See page 163 for submission guidelines
Master the Wind
explains how control surfaces work to guide models in flight.
Disc 2 delves into more advanced aircraft; electric-ducted-fanpowered
jets are one of the subjects of discussion. Also covered in
this segment are electric conversions of larger models, multiengine
variants, and 3-D airplanes. The footage on this disc is from an
electric event, and the pilots discuss their aircraft with Mike.
Disc 3, titled Masterclass, focuses mostly on scratch-built Scale
models. This installment features a flight video and commentary
from the pilots who build and fly these airplanes.
We found Electric Flight to provide a nice overview of electricpowered
aircraft with beginner-friendly information. Although
basic construction techniques are pointed out in this release, it is
not intended to be a step-by-step assembly guide, but rather an
introduction to all things electric.
This DVD set was produced in England, and it gives viewers an
idea of what is happening with electric modeling overseas. It is
available in both PAL and NTSC formats, allowing viewers in the
US to watch it.
Traplet Publications Ltd.: Traplet House, Pendragon Close,
Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 1GA, England; US Tel.: (217)
355-2970; Web site: www.traplet.com
Electric An Ultimate Stopper Flight, continued
Whether you are just getting into RC or are interested in
learning more about
electric-powered
aircraft, the new Electric
Flight 3-Disc Box Set is
worth a closer look.
Mike Nott, editor of
Quiet & Electric Flight
International, guides
viewers, with insight
into basic RTFs and
ARFs and more
advanced scratch-built
models.
Disc 1 contains an
overview of electric
airplanes and the types
of materials used in
their construction, and it
covers the basic
functionality of radio
gear, speed controllers,
and motors. Mike also
Electric Flight
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