SCAT Electronic News 10 Feb 1999
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- Category: Archive 1999
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SCAT Electronic News 10 Feb 1999
Table of Contents
=================
Little Noise from Hardy
Palm Pilot News
Rules Comment
Mike's timecard
Rules - there is no Pampas left ?
Electric Bike
2001 World Champs Down Under
Little Noise from Hardy
=======================
Roger !
I saw in the general rules proposals a new and overall proposal to again
specify noise limits; Decibles at x meters etc. " all catarories"
That's us!
I was waiting for more traffic on this subject on your 'News', but see
none.
Your files may be easier to access, please take a look.
Hardy
Palm Pilot News
===============
From Martyn Cowley
FYI, following news clip:
Yesterday Motorola and Cisco Systems (god of network/Interenet routers) =
joined forces promising to spend $1 Billion in the next 5 years to create =
a worldwide Wireless Internet information system.
A newsclip can be found at:
http://www.wired.com:80/news/news/business/story/17794.html
The PalmPilot VII will be debuting shortly with full time wireless =
internet capability.
Obviously wireless is the future.
Not sure of the significance of this event, or how we will use it to =
our advantage, but maybe we can hop on the internet during a contest and =
download the winning trim settings from a central database ?
Pam Pilot source
A good mail order soure is MicroWarehouse at www.warehouse.com
1 800 397 8508 they cuttent have a 'Web' special for $249 for a Palm III
[Explanation .. the reason for the interest in the Palm Pilot is that
it is the programming device for BlackMagic electronic timers]
Rules Comment
=============
Roger:
As someone who has been around FF all my life and has just returned from a 10
year layoff, I don't recognize much of what is called FF anymore. There was a
time where part of the challenge of FF (and what made us, as FF'ers, perceived
as advanced hobbyists in comparison to r/c and u/c) was the ability to trim a
model to fly within a huge speed envelope in a controlled manner without any
"outside" intervention. I see very little difference in flying a model with
timer actuated auto-surfaces and r/c. When I mentioned this to a flying buddy
of mine, he asked how I would draw the line between, for example, torque
activated surfaces in F1B and timer actuated surfaces. I believe there is a
huge difference in reliability and consistency between the two, but still
would like to bring back the challenge of "true Free Flight" and not allow any
auto-surfaces except for DT.
Would this be a step back in the advancement of FF? No, I believe it would be
a step forward. Look through some of the old NFFS Sympo's and compare the
articles to those of today. It seems to me that they contained much more
aerodynamic theory and less of electronics and bunt angles. We used to carve
our prop blades with an eye towards flaring, now we have VP prop hubs. There
were debates over climbing to the right or left, straight climbs or spiral
climbs, open glides or tight glides, wing warps or flat, etc. It won't be too
long until there will be electronic thermal detectors on board our models that
will center them automatically or, better (worse) yet, steer them clear of
downers.
Would going to "DT only" obsolete "all" models. I don't think so. Tie down
the wing, possibly build a new stab and fin, rethink the prop and # of
strands, and most F1B's would be useable. However, I don't think it would be
too long before a new generation of models would be designed and built. I am
not as sure how it would effect F1A, but I agree with Gil's comments that were
just posted on F1C.
Whatever happens with the rules, I will be building locked-up models and
competing with them, even against full auto-surface models, because that is
what challenges me. Programming timers and calculating to the 100th of a
second as to when the auto rudder kicks in is not for me. Is it for you? Is
that why you enjoy FF? Is that why so many are buying their models instead of
building? I don't think that we should outlaw buying but, I believe those
that build their own will have an advantage if models are locked-up.
[Comment - Rey just a comment on this paragraph - there are people who like
building complex details into their models.. even if they would be
better off with a simpler model. There are some flyers who think
they will mess up less with a simpler model so fly that way.
As someone who makes electronic timers etc, I understand very well
even if some others do not, that the electrons do not make it glide better
and the model design is important.
I do not think that the complexity or not of F1a and F1B really
discourages people. You can do quite well with a Czechmate in F1A
or Tilka [or the new Vivchar 'I built it myself' Ultra simple model]
in F1B. ]
Just my 2 cents,
Rey
PS Roger, if this is way off base, please don't post to the board. I don't
want to get relegated to the far corner of the flying field!
[I think it is important to let all interested express their opinions]
Mike's timecard
===============
Roger,
I was late handing in Mike's timecard, but I did time his 7th round
max, and did (eventually) hand the card in to Norm who entered the score
on the hand written results sheet I know Mike would appreciate his
score being corrected thanks.
Martyn
[ OK we will fix it up for Mike]
Rules - is there non pampas no more ?
=====================================
From: "daniel iele"
Dear Roger:
Regarding the rules change saga, I think that we must first clearly
identify Free flight problems, then see if a rule change can help to solve
them.
In my opinion there are two major problems:
1=Lack of fields large enough
for 3 min flying (not talking about 7 min) .
2=The high degree of
construction's complexity needed to have a model with a decent competitive
chance.
Accepting these circumstances as true, decreasing number of competitors is
the logical consecuence of mentioned problems.
It's very little what we can do about the first problem (Free flight
sites), in addition, we must believe that this problem will become worse
each year. And this situation will not be solved with 5 grams less rubber or
better timing systems for F1C .
Not completely endorsing it, I feel that the Italian proposal makes a good
approach in the "complexity" problem, but falls short about the "lack of
suitable flying sites" part . In 3 min on a windy day a thermalling model
covers more ground than most fields have, as everybody knows.
Going a step forward, in my humble opinion, and not wishing to start a
"Flame war", some kind of radio control assistance only in order to keep
models within the field's limits and timekeepers view,
would be a another step in the right direction. I am thinking on
something like a very simple one channel
only small rudder tab of fixed dimensions, that could be activated past,say,
2/3 of the max time (3, 5 or 7 min).
Yes, I am hearing you, offended purists, but believe me, the problem is
serious, the activity is disappearing in a number of countries. A big number
of them can't organize a FAI championship because they don't have a
suitable field on all it's surface.
Please, think about that.
Regards
Daniel Iele
Charger Electric Bike
=====================
Roger,
FYI, I will have a Charger Electric bike at Max Men this weekend if
anyone is interested in seeing / trying one. Louis Joyner just got one
and may run a review in his F/F column, on suitability for retrieving.
The Charger bike has nominally a 20 mile range, and even when the battery
is discharged, it still works as a bicycle to get you back home.
2001 World Champs Down Under
============================
Roger,
I have finally loaded the Web page for our proposal, the
proposal address is as follows.
http://www.users.bigpond.com/bill_east/index.html
Please email me if there are any questions that have not
been outlined or fully understood.
Bill East
....................................
Roger Morrell
