Worth a Closer Look
Portable Charging
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
Pocket Radar
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 readings 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
An Ultimate Stopper
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 high-pressure 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
Electric Flight
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 explains how control surfaces work to guide models in flight.
Disc 2 delves into more advanced aircraft; electric-ducted-fan-powered 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 electric-powered 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
Master the Wind
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 Apple's iTunes App Store at www.apple.com/itunes.
Code Stork: www.codestork.com. MJ
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
