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Category: Archive Jan-Nov 2016

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1. Online Fab Feb Entry Form
2. Fab Feb Update
3. Chart Plotting Thermistor 
   
4. North American World Cup Event
5. LiPos

Fab Feb Update

This issue has the Event Flyer for the North American Cup plus the entry  form.  It also has the way to enter the Fab Feb events through an  online form .  For sportsmen from outside the USA and Canada who are attending the events , which is most of you, it is very important to enter this online because as part of the online entry we will get the information needed to do the associate AMA Membership, also referred to as “American Insurance”. It is easier to do this information in advance before you leave home and will have the form ready for you at Lost Hills.

This year saw the opening of a new restaurant in Lost Hills called Gabby’s . It is in the town of Lost Hills, not at the Freeway. This restaurant also runs food trucks so we are planning to use them to provide lunch on the field that you can buy.

The one big event that is part of the Fab Feb tradition and has even spread as the World Champs in Mongolia is the Ladies Team Party.  This social event will be on Tuesday 9 February. The organizer is Janna Van Nest and the local ladies help her in hosting this event.  All ladies are very welcome.  This event will be held on the field starting mid morning. Details will follow.  To answer one of the questions we got last time – what is the dress code – the answer is whatever you think is Lost Hills appropriate, i.e. informal.  So no need to pack a special outfit, just show up and enjoy yourself.

We need to mention that we got formal permission to use some of the property adjacent to the North side of our field.  Because this is not our land we need to respectful of that and clean up after we have been on the land.  The effectively lengthens the field by well over a mile, reducing the effect of the Pistachio trees.

This past year SCAT has been working with the community in Lost Hills.  During the Ike on the Sunday we are planning a special CLG event for the Lost Hills kids so if you are free extra time keeper/coaches  are welcome.  In addition we have found a very nice location in Lost Hills to hold the America’s Cup banquet rather than at various locations in Wasco we have used in the past with a different caterer.  This is much closer as well as being much nicer.   Non-America’s Cup contenders are very welcome to come and socialize.

The flat terrain of Lost Hills make it very suitable for using Golf Carts for retrieval. People have used :

ALL CARTS

1636 S UNION AVE
Bakersfield, CA 93307

(661) 836-9800

CHART PLOTTING THERMISTOR – APP BASED FOR PHONE OR TABLET – NEW PRODUCT PRE ANNOUNCEMENT

This year I have been working with a specialist Environmental Technology company to develop a thermistor that charts wind speed and temperature transmitting by Bluetooth to your Apple or Android device. Progress has been good and I am expecting to have an Apple based prototype to display at Lost Hills. The app currently displays instant temperature to one degree and graphs wind speed to 1/10^th unit (m/sec, mph, knots) over the last two minutes or one hour, updating every two seconds - so more than the basics are in place already. The hardware is reliable and precise and we are currently upgrading the sensor unit to increase the temperature sensitivity to 1/10^th degree (C, F.)

Roger Morrell is advising on technical developments drawing from his experience in FIB flying and knowledge of electronics.

SPECIFICATIONS are along the following lines
HARDWARE – cup type anemometer designed to be pole mounted. Temperature probe can be set by extension cord remote to the transmitter base. The battery operated unit transmits up to 100m by Bluetooth updating every two seconds. Unit has unique code and can be read by multiple devices (in a team for example).
SOFTWARE – app is customisable for C/F degrees and wind to m/sec knots or mph. 
App will have two graphs on landscape display- upper one displaying wind speed and weighted average wind speed (different colours). Lower graph temperature and rolling weighted average temperature. Graphs self-scaling. Ability to quickly change graph time for 2, 5, 10, 20, 40, 60 and 120 minutes.
Screen also shows in large numbers the current temperature and wind speed (to 1/10^th of a unit.)

The unit will then have all the advantages of current manual chart recorders without the downside of mechanics and batteries etc. Ideal for F1B and F1C and I guess anyone not circle towing. Two units could be used to show the approach of a thermal (one 50 - 100m upwind and one on the flightline.)

In summary the hardware development is approaching completion. The software requires some investment to complete. To these ends I am seeking expression of interest to know that there is at least a big enough market to cover the development costs.  The cost of the unit is anticipated to be USD $400.

I need ten people to commit to the project in order for it to progress further. Committing now will lock in a price of USD $300 (a saving of USD $100 on the anticipated price.) This is limited to the first ten Expressions of Interest. If the unit does not get into production then funds will not be required.

I would also be interested in hearing from people who would be looking at buying a unit once it’s in production to get some idea of the market size for an initial production batch.

Future ideas - An alarm that can be activated if the wind exceeds 9m/sec for 20 seconds or more (useful for Contest Director use).Individual adaptions may be possible based on crowd funding

Note – shelter for thermistor, pole and mounts and phone or tablet are not included.

Photos available at http://imgur.com/a/SFreR

For further information please contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 Antony Koerbin

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