SEN 794- April 22 2003

News and Reports 2003
 SCAT Electronic News 22 April 2003 issue 794


Table of Contents
=================
East Coast FAI Dates - Barron
" SREM CUP " - Raletic
GPS and FFF - Fantham
Re: Autostabs - Andressen
Contest dates - Perkins
Wot - whoo r u ? - Brokenspar
Honda 110 - McKeever

East Coast FAI Dates
=====================
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The Skyscraper Challenge for America's Cup FAI and National Cup AMA events
is indeed May 24/25 in Wawayanda, New York. The Mini Events (F1H,J,G) are
Saturday Morning. The Maxi Events (F1A,B,C) are Saturday late afternoon
and Sunday morning. Directions and further details are available from
me, Andrew Barron, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Competitors should also take note of the Eastern U.S. Free Flight Champs
in Ingleside, Maryland on May 3/4, run by Tom Kerr and Joe Wagner.



" SREM CUP "
=============
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Bulletin for World cup " SREM CUP " :

http://solair.eunet.yu/~raletic/

Best regards Milos Raletic

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.



GPS and FFF
===========
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Roger,

Free Flighters thinking of getting a GPS receiver might like to know that
Garmin have a new model. The geko 201 does what we need and is 65% of the
size and weight of the eTrex series. (There is a geko 101 but this doesn't
have the features we need). I've done a paper that explains the pros and
cons - see SEN 792 for details on how to get this, and several more papers,
in the BMFA Free Flight Forum from Martin Dilly. Yes this is a blatent
advertisment but I have no connection with any of the products mentioned.


Regards

Mike Fantham


Re: Autostabs
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Roger,

Mr Seagrave makes an interesting point about using feedback controls in FF.
Maynard Hill used such an approach, using the earth's natural electric field
to hold a horizontal attitude on his RC altitude record model. This was of
great value as when the model is a couple miles overhead, it's difficult to
control otherwise. In a writeup he described taping pliers at the tail and
it still flew w/o stalling.

It is my understanding that these feedback systems that continuously adjust
the attitude, speed etc are illegal if not immoral in FF. This was an issue
in the early electronic timers as the famous BlackMajik (sp?), especially
when applied to a continuously variable stab as used in F1A.

What I find more interesting is how design, adjustments and tweeking can
produce similar results to the feedback controls, not only for stability,
but to center models in thermals. So, without ounces, cubic inches and $$$
it is possible to make the simplest models perform as if they had a built-in
brain.

Keep up the good work,
H


Contest dates
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Roger

Regarding contests posted on the NFFS web site Master Schedule, to the best
of my knowledge all dates for 2003 are correct. It's great that contestants
are using the web site for info and also the Digest.

The effort to prepare the Master schedule for the web site falls under the
responsibility of the NFFS Competitions Committee (see the organizational
chart on the web site) and is posted by Alan Petersen. The information
obtained by the Committee is shared with the National Cup Administrator.
The NC contest schedule is also posted on the web site and is another
location to check the dates. Needless to say, always double check before
travel, whatever calendar being used.

The Master Schedule calendar is a big challenge to assemble. NFFS is
dependent on CDs and clubs and other official sources for early and correct
information about contests. The process has improved in recent years,
partly due to the National Cup and America Cup competitions stimulating
contest sponsors to obtain much earlier sanctions and publish dates in
advance for the convenience of fliers.

Users of the Master contest schedule might consider the effort required in
attempting to collect all of the needed information for 139 contests by the
end of January or early February each year, of course in errorless form. As
might be expected, even the official contact sources for specific contest
information are not always known or readily available. The scenario might
best be realized by reading the entire 2003 Master schedule in order to
appreciate the huge amount of information that changes each year and must be
confirmed, reconfirmed, proofed and reproofed before posting.

Any schedule errors, typos or discrepancies discovered should be reported
directly to the responsible party or parties -- for the web page, Allen
Petersen, or me, Bob Perkins, and for the Digest, Walt Rozelle. If you have
an immediate, urgent problem with a date, contact the CD listed for the
contest, or Alan Petersen, Bob Mattes, or me for assistance, preferably by
e-mail or by phone if nec.

Any help with the job of preparing the annual calendar would always be
appreciated but the time spent is long and the pay is nonexistent.

Bob Perkins


Wot - whoo r u ?
=================
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..Just a thought -
Much of your mail is signed by the sender with his email address. We do not
always know who is talking, by that code.

How to fix it ? Sign your name, guys.


Hardy

brokenspar ( ! )


Honda 110
=========
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Roger,

I have a Honda 110 in reasonably good condition that I will make someone a
good deal on. I'll throw in a Honda 90 in running but parts condition.
Anyone? Call (916) 967-8475. Thanks Roger, Mike McKeever


...................
Roger Morrell