Transcend V10 16G USB disk

Write speed 15MB/s only. Better than same price products. But some early buyer claim a write speed of 25MB/s. Writing 700MB avi files take 50sec.

Boeing 787 Airliner

Windrider Boeing 787 1.6m wing span with hue fuselage!
Powered by Twin 700W EDF. Thrust 1.53g/W.

Spektrumizing Futaba T7CHP

A very good deal :USD110 for a spektrum modeule + AR7000 receiver. A single AR7000 cost more than US$100 in Hong Kong.

Espritmodel ships it fast and arrive in HK in less than 6 days.

Open up my legacy FF7. T7CHP has no module. Instead the FM board is inside the case. The 3 wires at the middle of the board are what we need:

red-GND, brown-Vcc, black- PPM signal.

The 4 wires at the bottom of the FM board only connects to the Tranier port and can be discarded.

Pinout for the spektrum module (with pin socket at the low bottom and facing you, count from the left: 1- PPM, 2-Vcc, 3- GND ) , pin 4 and 5 is not connected.

The specktrum module can be placed inside the case.
The FM antenna is removed and the spektrum strut is inserted with some modification of the case.
The end hole is cut/ enlarged to adapt the provided strut.
Now, the legacy FM T7CHP becomes 2.4G !

Remember to connect the SMA antenna connector before switching on the transmitter. Or you will toast the regulator within seconds!

Thanks to Horizon Hobby for their splendid customer service. They repair my burnt module as I forgot to connect the SMA connector before switching it on.

Freewing F35 Turbine like Jet

FPV plane#2 R.I.P.

Spektrum AR7000 out of radio range 1.4km , despite good video transmitter range with patch antenna. Plane held in fail safe mode in yaw gliding position and lost control for a total of 3 mintues till it crashed 400m off shore.

I should have a 2.4G reflector on hand.

Rafale Single 70mm EDF

The Wild Beast is definitely Monster for current! Average 70A @ 700W, Max 100A@ 1000W. The 25c lipo cannot keep voltage at more than 30c discharge

Using 3300mAh 3s 25c lipo, Hoffman Magnetic WIld beast, AP7000 clone fan


Weight reduced to 1300g

Easystar FPV crash

Just have a "out of 1 km video range" crash. So stupid I lost my orientation despite I am quite familiar with the surrounding. The video signal is getting weak and I tried to get a few yaw turn to get back my orientatin. Eventually it crashed after being blown downwind away from the video signal.

Fokker F27

Twin motor model.
I modified the wings such that they can be removable for easier storage.
The fuselage and paint is perfect.

It is powered by 2 towerpro 2408 1500kv motor at 15A @. Using 7x6 CW GWS propeller. T0tal thrust ~1100g with 3s lipo.
I use 3s 25c 3,300 mAH lipo and the C.G. is correct from the manual.

Maiden almost result in crash as banking left turn with rudder and aileron results in left wing stall. Luckily, it recovered from the stall as there is sufficent attitude. Initially think of BEC or aileron servo problem but benchtest nothing. It is not until the third flight that it happens again on rudder only yaw. The forth flight has another stall on taking off on slight elevator input. Damage was minimal as the take off height is only less than 1m.

1.2g video transmission interefering with 2.4g spektrum

As my FPV sometimes get no response or clumpsy response in air, I determine to range check all my receivers with video on.
Gears : DX7, AR 6100, AR 6100E , AR 7000
Ground test result:

1) 1.2g video transmission on and with spektrum DX7 binding switch pressed: (Factory recommended range ~30steps ~90feet)
AR 6100, 6100e - less than 15 steps (40feet).
Ar7000 - 30 steps (90 feet), no more or less

Binding switch not pressed : All have range >90feet.

2) The test was repeated with the video transmission power off, and binding switch pressed:
All have range >90 feet

Switching on sequence - 1) video transmission, receiver, 2) DX7, 3) RC recevier
Different video transmission channel was tested. Some channel has worse gliches (those close to 1.2g, e.g. 1.17, 1.20, 1.21) and shorter range.

Weird enough, in ground test, the out of range may result in knock off (no control at all) for 4-7 seconds, till the DX7 is move closer in range and wait for 4-7 seconds. It seems it is not simply out of range. I guess the receiver is masked by the strong signal from the 1.2 video transmitter and drop it is channel and run to seek for new channel again.

This concord with my experience of occasional clumpsy control !

Knock off Deans meets 100A

This is the result !

Goodbye! Busybee FPV

The last second flight results in loss of propeller mid flight, and result in safe glide landing. Then fit in another 1080 propeller (another knock out of GWS). Presuming same current drawn.

Likely the last flight has an ESC overheat problem and cut off the BEC. The spektrum receiver (brand new 6100) regain control after 3 seconds. You can see at the end of the video how the plane went into left yaw spiral and regain control. Unluckily, the wind was harsh and attemp to fly it back to shore failed. Second BEC cut result in total loss of control and dive into sea.

Range test before you fly !

Found my trusted Spektrum starts to loss some control when model is far away. Range check and scarced me that the range decrease to 15 feet when binding switch pressed down (originally 30 steps~90 feet) . Take apart the receiver and found the antenna was broken inside the heat shrink, that mask the breakage) . Resolder the antenna and the range test goes back to 90 feet.

My second FPV

1.2m glider, detachable wing. Looks like multiplex glider. The main wing is reinforced with 8mm fiberglass tube. I make 2 pieces of neodym magnet at the contact point of the 2 pieces, such that no tape is needed to have a quick installationin in flying field. The package indeed comes along with all the small things you need, including the Y-cable, push rod, linkages, ... The foam is better than EPO, a new foam material HPC?
The front compartment can handle 3s 2200mAh, 3s 800mAh, video transmitter ...

Wingspan : 1127mmLength : 830mm
Fuselage + electronics weight : 430g
3s 1500 + 3s 800mAh (for video ) :230g
Camera +Transmitter : 50g
Total flying weight: 800g
2200kv , 5" propeller
Handles wind much much better than my previous BusyBee FPV.
I did not make a pan/ tilt camera for time saving, and from my previous lesson of not using a separate UBEC for 5 servos operation.



The stock outrunner sucks and half of the magnets migrated.
Remember, this glider has relatively small aileron control surface. It needs very large travel in order to have sufficient control on roll axis. Not even dream to have a complete roll.

RICCS Mirage Maiden

This is a very successful maiden. Wing Load is small and it glides great even with 3s 2000mAh lipo. 64mm outrunner EDF hits 300W and the speed is over 120kph. I took away the landing gears and rudder servo. It rolls perfectly in the fuselage axis and can do a tight loop. The foam is strong and does not wag likes the SAPAC F16 in strong gust.

The only comment is the aspect ratio.

Yamaha Piano regulating and voicing maintainence

The main frame is removed with 3 screws only. This is much easiler than I thought. Yamaha design is great and it just stands itself on floor.
Grooves can be seen on most hammer after prolong use. This results in too loud, or too bright a note.

Close up of the grooves. It was said that longer than 1cm grooves needs "repair". I found mine is ~5mm and is causing too bright a note, comparing with new piano in shops.
A non destructive way is used to revive the hammer. Traditional way is needling the side and upper/ lower end of grooves/ 1mm under the thickness of hammer +/- sanding / dremel to remove the grooves.
I use a smarter way of steaming and light brushing of the hammer. This can loosen the fiber of the hammer as the steam can deeply penertrate the compacted hammer fiber. This is non destructive and faster than the hot iron method. Remember do not use the copper brush too harsh as it will remove too much fiber.

The cured hammer puffed up , in comparison with the adjacent grooved hammer. I found a few key are much deeply grooved that the steaming method may not be able to give satisfactory result. Anyway, the piano now sounds more pleasant after partial steaming. I intentionally not have the lowest and highest pitch hammers be steamed, as it was said these notes are less frequently played, and thus less worn.

1 hour job and let the hammer dry completely before reinstallation.