SEN 750 - 24 Oct 2002
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SCAT Electronic News 24 October 2002 issue 750
Table of Contents
=================
Am Cup 2002 / New Event ? - Biggles
USFFC / Am Cup 2002 clarification - Parker
ONCE AGAIN TEXAS HAS BEEN STEPED ON ! - Wood
Reed Bridge - Morris
hlg composite materials question
Improvements right on the Button - Gregorie
A Switch in Time - EOB
Rounds - Biggles
Am Cup 2002 / New Event ?
=========================
Jim / Tom / SEN,
* I have some questions with reference to the following recent
announcement in SEN:
AmCup of 2002 USFFC
===================
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Due to the cancellation of the Nevada contest, the USFFC has been granted
AmCup sanction for 2002.
1) The America's Cup Rules state that ..."contest sanction fee is
required on or before April 1st of current schedule year" (implying a
1 day deadline metric) - were these fees paid ?
2) In the event of ..."rescheduling or cancellation" ..."A 30 day
advance notice is recommended" (counting today, this is only 17 / 18
days advanced notice)
3) No mention is made of the Rules Committee's ability to add "new"
events to the calendar during the course of a year - what
authorization is needed for such action and for the scores from this
event to really count, and for them to stand in the event of protests
from those competitors unable to attend at such short notice ?
* So, is this in fact a "new" event, or is this the "re-scheduling"
of the original "South West FAI Meet" at a new location ? If so at
which location will the points be scored ? (As a precedent, where
were the points counted for last year's Canada Cup at Lost Hills,
which clearly was not held at the legitimate location ?)
* I think you will need to deliberate these issues carefully and
make your decisions quite clear well ahead of time before the F/F
Champs, so as not to cause any confusion to the results of this
year's ongoing America's Cup event.
- Respectfully,
Biggles
USFFC / Am Cup 2002 clarification
==================================
All,
Clarification was requested with regard to the recent addition of the 2002
USFFCs to the Am Cup schedule.
1.The sanction fee was waved for this cycle. The addition of the USFFC was
initiated by the SCAT (me). That is I contacted the USFFs CDs (Mike and Kevin
Keller) and asked if we could make the USFF an Am Cup event for his year.
Although not asked, if curious, check out my AmCup standings to see if
I have a personal interest in making this decision.
2. The AmCup rule 1.c states "A 30-day advanced notice is recommended". It took
longer than plan to get the agreements in order. The 17 / 18 day notice we
believe is sufficient but we understand we may receive some complaints from
those where this is not enough time to make appropriate travel plans.
No I did not contact Dick Wood! We believe the benefits out weighed these
potential negatives.
3.Authorization consisted of me contacting the SCAT officers and board members
and obtaining consensus on this matter. With regard to if this is a new or
rescheduled event. It does not matter and so needs not be defined. What matters
is how this contest will be scored which I believe is the jest of your question.
Rule 4, which deals with how contest scores are counted refers only to the site.
In other words, the 2002 USFFC will be scored as a Lost Hills contest.
I hope this clarifies the situation and that this great Oct. weather continues
into Nov.
Thermals,
Jim Parker
ONCE AGAIN TEXAS HAS BEEN STEPED ON !
=====================================
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If I have my dates correct the USFFC contest has been scheduled on the
same dates as the Texas Contest at Seguin. (SCAT EN 22Oct02 issue 749)
They have been on the schedule all year and are now to be deprived to
any hope of long distance competitors from California by the
scheduling of an Americas Cup event in California on the same date.
I would like to attend both events but I can't drive fast enough.
Sorry about that Texas.
your friend,
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Reed Bridge
===========
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Jim,
You might try a small capacitor across the points of the reed switch. I have
found this effective in some cases in relieving this kind of problem.
Gil
hlg composite materials question
================================
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Can any one confirm to me the current situation both here in the UK and
further afield in respect of composite materials being used for stabs/ fins
and wings etc on hlgs?
Are we or are we not allowed to use a stab or wing or fin made of a
composite material on a hlg/clg? I understood the rule here that the wing
had to be constructed by the flier and that way it did not contravene the
rules. It stated nothing else I believe about a stab/fin. Am I wrong ? Can
anyone provide me with a complete list of the rules both here and abroad
please.
Heard from a modeller also that if I was to fly with a hlg with something
like a composite stab or part in competition here , I would be disqualified
- is that true?
Kev
Improvements right on the Button
================================
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This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. wrote:
> After some experiments, I was able to see a false switch opening on my
> ohm meter. I got with Ken Bauer who was able to clearly see these
> occasional false switch opening on an oscilloscope. The false openings
> lasts only 1-4 milli-seconds. We determined this was caused by the
> shock of the hook keeper hitting the hook body.
>
When M&K first showed me the 'electric hook' (with reed switches)
they warned me that they had a lot of problems with switch bounce. I
think this is made worse because the separation between a reed switch
and its controlling magnet is never very large with the M&K hook
geometry and switch placement, so the remaining magnetic force on the
reed switch will be equivalent to weakening the spring in the reed.
The effect will be to encourage contact bounce.
Note that both the BS-1 and BS-2 Basic Stamps have a BUTTON command
to read and debounce a switch.
HTH
Martin Gregorie
A Switch in Time
================
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Mr SCAT,
I read with interest the note from Jim Parker on switch
bouncing and your response. I'm aware of the this
concern but haven't had a problem myself. I use the
Danish timer from Torlief Jensen and it too has some
nifty software (or is that firmware/floppyware ?) that
puts a similar 'delay' into the timing system so I've
had a perfect system so far. I'm not sure a reed switch
system would work up here in Scotland due to the often
ignored Haggis phenomina.
Chris Edge
Rounds
=======
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Some Thoughts on Mini Rounds:
o For those wanting to go home early, Mini FAI contests are already
2 hours shorter than the "Maxi" events, because there are 2 fewer
rounds.
o However, I do not understand why Mini flyers should only be given
75% of the round time to make their flights ? Does picking lift for
the Mini classes only take three quarters of the time compared to the
larger classes?
o Admittedly the max is one minute shorter, so a 59 minute round
might seem appropriate, or 58 minutes if buddying up with someone as
a timekeeper.
o And what about the time to retrieve ? Maybe that only takes two
thirds as long if you compare the max times. On a motorcycle that
would take two minutes instead of three, so now we're down to 56
minute rounds.
o But considering that these models are only half the weight, they
come down more slowly in the thermal and therefore go much further -
not to mention that they are also half the size, so it could take
twice as long to find them. Now I'm beginning to think we should
increase the round time ?
o The only outcome I can see from shorter rounds is that the flyoffs
start that much sooner, ie nearer to midday, which is inappropriate
for the thermal activity to be expected at that time of day.
o Shortening the round time has also effectively prevented
competitors from attempting to fly more than one class, which many
like to do. And will shorter rounds encourage Junior participation,
unless they also have a licence to ride the mandatory motorcycle ?
o My personal preference is for one hour rounds, especially if there
is any degree of wind, which I believe is the correct pace for an FAI
event and helps prevent the contest becoming a motorized race to make
flights.
Biggles
.................
Roger Morrell
