RF8 Sim and Spektrum WS1000 Dongle

My Real Flight 8 (RF8) Horizon Hobby edition, and Spektrum WS1000 Dongle arrived the other day, and this morning I installed them. I purchased these as Phoenix RC Flight Sim has gone out of business and wil no longer be updated, and I have always wondered about the Real Flight sim. RF8 has been touted as the best RC Flight sim, and the Spektrum WS1000 Dongle allows wireless and effortless connection of any Spektrum transmitter for use with the RF8 sim.

I am rather disapointed.

They are both easy to install. The dongle has been criticized for having to push way hard on the bind switch on the end of the dongle while inserting the dongle into the USB port, but I had no such issues despite having done 3-4 binds. Install of the software was uneventful. I bound the dongle to my Spektrum DX7s at DSMX on the first try. I had created a new model using my default heli settings including 3-60 deg swash (Phoenix setup uses single servo swash), looking forward to using my own settings on my transmitter, but there is no guidance on what settings need to be on the transmiter.  I went through the Calibrate setup, and noticed that there was a lot of noisy signal crossover bwtween aileron and elevator, something I know is not happening on the transmitter (it flies Phoenix without this crossover noise). It also did not see most of the switches. Ok...

I explored the menus. I selected the default WS1000 Dongle as my controller. The setup us designed for 8 channels, but is supposed to work fine with less channels. The flight surfaces seemed fine and I took the default Timber 1.5M around. I noticed the the flaps are down. My flaps switch wasn't seen in Calibrate so no surprise its not doing anything. The Mix/Hold button on the transmitter causes the ailrons to deflect full right roll, I think flps down, and full throttle! Read the manual for clues, but still no idea how to get switches assigned when not seen by the software. Could not figure out how to get it to work right, so I just use the default U key for flaps. I also noticed the software put in a right roll on take off, but not in level flight, flies perfectly trimmed hands off. When I loop that crossover steps in and I have to roll left to keep the wings level. Yes, trims are zeroed. Annoying. Okay, lets try a heli. This thing is really a pain to fly helis in. The computer defaults to its own DR/Expo and throttle-pitch curves. Hold worked, but FMode freaked it out and it flips and crashes. So, one flight mode, touchy DR/Expo. I read how to disable the software Expo/DR and this made it manageable, but FMode still fails, and it seems to me its ignoring my DR/Expo settings. I tried several times to remap the switches, but its not happening. I played with settings, could not improve things. I bound my DX8 to the sim, and nothing changed. Several times it would not let me finish Calibration by keeping the Finish button gray, as I tried redoing that to make thw swithes and the roll thing stop. Went back to the DX7s on the defaults. Now Hold doesn't work and still one flight mode, even with using my transmitters settings. Everytime I calibrated it would give me a warning when I clikced finish, "You have calibrated only 6 of 8 axes, are ypu shpure you want to finish?" I have no idea... I moved everything Impossibly could, what two axes am I missing?

I went back to the Phoenix 5.5 and its model in my DX7s and it works fine. No crossover noise, all the switches work (all I was really looking for was Flaps), and my helis fly like real life with proper flight modes and Hold. 

To me the Phoenix is hands down the better flight sim.... I have a wireless dongle for Phoenix but it only has 4 channels, so I tend to use the PPM cable plugged into the trainer plug. This is what the RF8-WS1000 seems to offer, really onoy 4 channels; I must be doing something wrong. 

I expected more. I expected my Spektrum transmitters to work flawlessly with minimumfuss with the WS1000 Dongle and the sim. I expected not to have to make any fancy reassignments (turns out it won't let me reassign anything I need). Spektrum disappointed me with theire Alpha 6 stabikization system, and the complexity of programming the AS3X compared with far less costly Hobby King Orange stabilization systems. Now they have disappointed me with the RF8 Horizon Hobby addition and the Spektrum WS1000 Dongle. My Spektrum transmitters and the Spektrum WS1000 Dongle should work together out of the box, and RF8 should be able to play with Spektrum transmitters without fuss. Not much of an ask.

So I got no benefit out of $150 investment in RF8 and theSpektrum WS1000 dongle, over the now defunct Phoenix and its cable. I will try to find aircraft not included, I think I found an archive, and will call Horizon Hobby Customer Service to see if they can tweak my settings to get the DX7s to work properly.

Off to a slow start...

I started on the Spitfire, but wasn't very motivated to begin with. Curiously that was my mood when I started the first one three years ago.

I started on the left wing because it was on top in the box. First thing I noticed was that on that orignial build I had the servos for the left wing on the right wing and vice veraa. This put the control arm back on the wing instead of more centered, and I complained about short control arms not realizing until now what I had done!

I started off slow, not really into it, and took my time working through the usual build problems that occupy so much of our time and energy in a build, but that are the heart of why I enjoy builds: thinking problems through to a fairly good solution, making the least a messy effort as I can.

The box, with the decals on top createa a little excitment about finishing a beautiful model. Phoenix Models are always well boxed.

Like last time I used the CA hinges on the flap, and use Du-Bro small hinges on the aileron. What I noticed is how little support in the wing there is for the hinge.  Under the forward edge where the hinge slide in is about a 5mm wide bar, then the balsa skin. Most of the hinge is just hanging in the air inside there. I decided to epoxy the wing side to add support, and CA the flap side.

I felt last time that the control horns were a bit short, and found enough of these longer aluminum horns to use in all the wing servos. They are a bit bulky, but lite and sturdy. The Tactics us a Futaba spline and the horns are too. I think I had bought them for this purpose and forgotten about them.

Installed horn. This sucker is solid.

Used shrink to hold the internal plug of the aileron servo extension together.

The flap (left) and aileron (right) surfaces, servos and contol rods installed. I used the stock screws and back plate for the flap, instaled before I put the flap in, but on the aileron I started to, and really didn't want to deal with alignment of the screws and backplate, and then having to cut the really overly long screws. I always use CA to hold the control horn in place durimg installation, knowung its on the cote, and decided to use mid sized servo screws that don't come out the other side with CA. I am not sure I like this... there is a lot of load on the aileron horn. I may change to longer servo screws and see if they are long enough to backplate... we'll see. One problem I forsee is that the flaps and ailerons are goingnto be on a Y harness. This means I cannot sub trim them in the radio, and will need to made physical adjustments to get them equal in deflection. Small problem, but a problem nonetheless.

Slow start. But now I am super excited and can't wait to get back to work on it!

RC Aces Club, North Hampton, NH

Taking a look at a new flying club, RC Aces out of North Hampton, New Hampshire. The field looks great in photos, large, clean and well cared for, though membership is a bit steep in cost, it looks to be well worth it. While SNHRCC in Hudson is only 15 miles away, it take almost the same amount of time to get to each site. RC Aces is about 28 miles, both take 30-40 min drive time. I am impressed with the flat runways, wide field without obstruction, and relative lack of restrictions on flying times.

Gary Hoffman brought this to my attention as it is his new field, and it looks to be worth the trips. I will need to check it out as soon as the weather improves!

Well, it's about time.

October 15, 2017.  That's when I bought my second Phoenix Models Spitfire 0.46-0.55.

The first build (part 1, part 2 , part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6), was simple, with some serious time however, spent on getting the retracts right. The end was simple too... crashed on her maiden when she hit a tree during an otherwise perfect flight. That maiden and crash was in July 2016, and I took it hard. It took over a year for me to get over it, but I pulled the trigger during a Towers Hobbies sale in October 2017 on this second purchase. This model is such a great flier, I couldn't resist.  I got the 7 servos 5 days later. And for the next 492 days it sat at the end of the shelves in my workshop.

Excited by my recent success at getting the RCGF 10cc engine on the Stik to work again, and having the pain of the maiden-crash wane enough to allow me to want to try again, I opened the box with the box in it, and then unboxed the manual to review. Tomorrow I will start the build, and when the funds are available purchase the rest of the parts, including a RCGF 10cc gas engine. I am planning on using a Tech-Aero Ultra BEC (a nice design, UBEC and remote ignition cut out), and use a single Pulse 2S 5000 mAh LiPO as a receiver and ignition pack. I will use a single receiver switch and fuel port situated internally, and a Spektrum AR8010T 8 channel receiver. I may add a Hobby King Orange 3 axis stabilization system. Time and again impressed by simple setup and operation, and excellent functionmof the excellently priced, quality systems. I thought about using the Spektrum AS3X, but having had issues with the ill fated Spektrum Alpha 6 Stabilization System I trialed., and seeing lukewarm reviews with similar stories, I am not interested in using the 7 Channel AS3X system. I will be using Tactic TSX 47 Digital servos I purchased, and I happen to have the original servoless electric retracts from the original Spitfire that work fine. The powerplant will be a RCGF USA 10cc gas engine.

So, time to review my old build posts, and start collecting the parts. I plan to take this build slow and spread out the costs over the build weeks to come. Exciting!

Eureka! Stik is up for flight!

Yes!!!!  Success! The clue was that the engine was flooding at idle, fuel just spraying from the muffler. I suspected the metering side of the carb, so today reviewed a Walbro Diaphragm Carb video and confirmed that on the metering side I have the gasket in the wrong order. The gasket goes against the carb and the metering diaphragm over that. On the pump side the diaphragm goes against the carb and the gasket over that. I fixed the metering side and reinstalled the engine. Started on the first try!   The meter side is the lower one in the diagram below, which is pretty much the carb for the RCGF 10 and 15 cc engines. 

It's very cold outside, but I spent a few minutes tuning the engine. I didn't spend too much time, just got a decent albeit fast idle, smooth transition to full power and a decent high RPM. I had also read that the carb is too big for the 10cc motor, and fast throttle changes can cause loss of vacuum. This was solved by slowing the servo speed, like on landing gear and flaps. For starters I slowed it to 0.2s, and may slow it more once I get it tuned. I am going to wait for warmer weather before tuning it further. Right now I am just thrilled to have it back, occasional four cycling to boot!  Can't wait to rest that "Days Since Our Last Crash" Clock!

Stik still grounded. Flight Sim Updates

I have been leaving the RCGF 10cc engine on the Stik alone this winter, just not having the motivation with the cold, windy and snowy weather, to do anything about it.

I ruined it somehow...  It had been running fine, four cycling a lot despite good tuning and unable to extinguish it. I have since figured out that the RCGF ignition misses and that's why it was four cycling. I'll be replacing it, and am thinking about using an RCExcel ignition, or come other.

As described I took the engine apart to clean it and see if I could get it to run more cleanly. In the process I broke and then replaced the piston ring. I am confident the cylinder and spark are now fine. 

I also took apart and cleaned the carb. I flushed it, and it was pretty clean, the screen filter was clean. I changed all the gaskets. On the fuel diaphragm side I changed the metering diaphragm, and checked and cleaned the metering needle. I made sure that the metering lever was level with the top of the block. I put it all back together again. I am pretty sure I did this right, but this is one of the things I think is the major problem... the carb.

Today I rechecked the spark, and it's the same. I used a different Hall sensor, and it sparked the same, every few revs it misses, but it sparks.

I took it outside and tried starting it. I quickly noticed fuel spraying from the muffler. I drained the tank. I ran the starter and when it stopped spraying and then it coughed a couple of times! Clearly its super rich. Both needles are at 1-1/2 turns. This suggests something is wrong with the carb, likely the metering system.

I am going to give it one more shot, take apart and recheck the carb. If I can't get it running I am asking a gas skilled friend to take a look at it, and if he can't, then asking RCGF USA to fix it for a fee. I do plan to change the ignition, but I think something is wrong with the carb, and I should be able to fix rather than replace it.

 *****

Got some sim time in today. I learned that Phoenix Flight Sim ended with 5.5.1, and that the rumored Version 6 will not be coming out as the company has folded. This has been a great fight sim for me, and the free updates made it an incomparable bargain. 

Flying the sim made it clear that my skills have deteriorated over the winter of not flying. It didn't take long to get my fingers back, but I need to work the sim a lot more. I am flying off the Horizon Hobby Test Field. Flew planks and heli's today.

I am looking into getting the Horizon Hobby sponsored Real Flight simulator when I get some spending money. 

Flight sim time makes a difference!

I wonder if I should have started with XT60S...

I got some new 5S 5000mAh LiPOs from Turnigy and needed to remove the XT60s and replace them with EC5s. Everytime I kinda wish I had used XT60s. The EC5s I get vary in quality, so that whether or not the pins fit in the blue case is a gamble. None of these fit... I had use a prop drill to get them to paxs and use a touch of thin CA.

If it wasn't going to be a pain in the butt I wpuld swit h them all.