Radio Control or R/C is sometimes very frustrating. Right now I have a "Big Stik" airplane with a Magnum .91 four cycle engine on it. The Magnum is not running well, no apparent reason but there has got to be something somewhere leading to the problem.
A while back I found the "clunk" in the fuel tank had come lose. The clunk is simply a chuck of metal, usually chrome plated with a nipple on one end to connect to fuel line and the other is open to suck up fuel. The clunk serves to always be in the bottom of the tank (which when inverted can be the top of the tank inverted or on the bottom relative to earth - gravity takes care of the job of moving the clunk around). The fuel line acts to be limber so it can move side to side or top to bottom and infinite locations in between. It works, it is simple and is rarely a problem. But since it came off, it was a problem necessitating removal of the tank and investigating the problem. Found it and fixed it.
But the airplane had sat down prematurely, and ripped out the main landing gear. So I had to spend time getting that back in place and glued and reinforced with fibre glass cloth. Got that done, have done it before and now think maybe it has been done to many times. We will see.
Went to the field and while charging up the batteries discovered the tail feathers were about to come off. That is one of the weakest points on the fuselage and tends to develop cracks and if not reinforce lead to impinged failure (the tail feathers come off and the airplane crashes). So returned home without flying and reinforced the breaks. First I wicked in some Cyrnocinate glue (super glue to all others) and then applied a patch on the outside made of very thin plywood. Yes, it is three ply and less than a 1/16 of an inch in thickness, so it makes a nice patch on the outside over the cracks. And that patch is epoxied on - epoxy is probably the strongest glue we use in R/C but it is also heavy. Then I use popsicle sticks, about an inch and half long, inside of the structure. They are glued on with yellow glue (Aliphatic glue - Titebond). I also used clamps to set the yellow glue which leads to a stronger bond. Thus the cracks are sandwiched together - much stronger than a 1/8 inch thick balsa plank. The load is better distributed and the structure is much stronger now.
Got back out to the field, charged up and took off. Engine quit at about 50 feet in the air and down came the plane into the very tall Bermuda grass. That is the next best thing to a dead stick landing on the runway. The grass is usually very forgiving but in this case, it took out the landing gear again. So I am in the process of reinstalling the landing gear mount, epoxy cement and over lay with fibre glass for strength. And I will add some reinforcement inside the fuselage to enhance the structure. Getting heavy with all that epoxy but you gotta do what you gotta do to keep them flying.
The new field is for a new local club named the Black Sheep. The initials are significant and the new club is a splinter off the Weatherford Aero Model Society (WAMS). WAMS is rich club poorly managed. I was on the board of a long time but resigned due to safety issues. I have not flown with WAMS since then. Their new field is adjacent to a gas well (very close). I deemed the field in the style of Ralph Nadiar - "Unsafe at any speed." As such I could not remain the "Safety Person."
Anyway the "BS" club is poor, active and has a field set up in mere weeks. WAMS spent a ton of money, and have a poorly sited field in a danger zone. BS leases a spot in coastal Bermuda field for $400 per annum. WAMS leases a similar piece of turf with trees close in (tress are the bane of R/C) for $2,500 per annum. BS is an active club, not sure about WAMS at all anymore.
Waiting for glue to dry is always time consuming.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Morel Courts . . .
Of late, when we go to New Roads we stay at Morel Courts. It is a quaint place, in the middle of town and has perhaps 12 rooms to rent. All the rooms are non smoking. So it is acceptable to us.
The rooms are small but adequate. All have a TV, bath, double bed and all the usual expected things in a motel room. But they are indeed small dating from another era.
Buddy Morel and his lovely wife Georgia own the Courts. I am sure Buddy inherited them from his spinster aunt Mildred. Mildred was a card playing friend of my mother and an employee of the Bank of New Roads. I a pretty sure she watched over my account all those years I was in the USAF and never set foot in the bank years at a time. Anyway, you have to down hill to the "Bait Shop" and rent the rooms. The Bait Shop is really an upscale restaurant now days,operated by Buddy and Georgia.
The rooms are located along a small area that runs toward the river (False River) with six rooms on each side. I am guessing the sidewalk is about four feet wide, one on each side of the court yard. The court yard runs the length of the area and is about 11 or so feet wide. It has lots of plants and shrubs, a couple of iron tables and a couple of benches. In the middle is a fountain that dribbles along making a pleasant sound. The place is lit at night by four gas lamps (and some embedded spot lights too). Lots of greenery, a couple of Lugustum bushes, a couple of giant red tips and some butterfly lilies. There are some small azaleas, caladiums, a few flowers and some lily of the Niles poking up here and there. All in all, a pleasant place.
We got there, checked in at the bait shop and parked up in front of the courts on Main Street (the usual place to park). We were assigned unit 11 this time, way in the back. I got the suit case out and trundle it back to the room. Stepped in the room and it was like an oven, and I quickly turned on the air conditioning unit. I stepped out and sat down at the rear most table to remain cool while things got cooled inside the room.
A Mocking bird immediately challenged me. It was no more that three feet from me raising cane, jeering at me. I knew immediately, I was too close to a young one somewhere around me. A nest, I thought. So I moved further up the courtyard toward the front and the Mocking bird left me alone. But I watched to see if I could spot the nest. I could not find a nest in either the red tip or the Ligustrum, both tall and stately sticking out well above the roof line of the building.
I saw the parent Mocking bird again with a large insect in its bill. So I knew it was feeding a young one somewhere close by. Sure enough, I spotted a youngster, it hopped up on the table, and was able to fly from the table to the Ligustrum. Later, I spotted the youngster in the Ligustrum, still like it was just another leaf on branch (it was way to big for that but it was smart enough to be still with me close by). Next I saw the parent dive into the tree and feed the youngster.
Later, I found the nest way up front in a Ligustrum. So I guess the youngster was big enough to get out of the nest but not mature enough to fly any distance on its own. It has a few more days to go and moved towards the back of the courtyard where there was a bit more cover for it. There were no cats, so it was safe enough to run around on the ground, hop on tables and leap to the bushes. The parents knew where it was and continued to take care of it.
Life goes on all around us, doesn't it?
The rooms are small but adequate. All have a TV, bath, double bed and all the usual expected things in a motel room. But they are indeed small dating from another era.
Buddy Morel and his lovely wife Georgia own the Courts. I am sure Buddy inherited them from his spinster aunt Mildred. Mildred was a card playing friend of my mother and an employee of the Bank of New Roads. I a pretty sure she watched over my account all those years I was in the USAF and never set foot in the bank years at a time. Anyway, you have to down hill to the "Bait Shop" and rent the rooms. The Bait Shop is really an upscale restaurant now days,operated by Buddy and Georgia.
The rooms are located along a small area that runs toward the river (False River) with six rooms on each side. I am guessing the sidewalk is about four feet wide, one on each side of the court yard. The court yard runs the length of the area and is about 11 or so feet wide. It has lots of plants and shrubs, a couple of iron tables and a couple of benches. In the middle is a fountain that dribbles along making a pleasant sound. The place is lit at night by four gas lamps (and some embedded spot lights too). Lots of greenery, a couple of Lugustum bushes, a couple of giant red tips and some butterfly lilies. There are some small azaleas, caladiums, a few flowers and some lily of the Niles poking up here and there. All in all, a pleasant place.
We got there, checked in at the bait shop and parked up in front of the courts on Main Street (the usual place to park). We were assigned unit 11 this time, way in the back. I got the suit case out and trundle it back to the room. Stepped in the room and it was like an oven, and I quickly turned on the air conditioning unit. I stepped out and sat down at the rear most table to remain cool while things got cooled inside the room.
A Mocking bird immediately challenged me. It was no more that three feet from me raising cane, jeering at me. I knew immediately, I was too close to a young one somewhere around me. A nest, I thought. So I moved further up the courtyard toward the front and the Mocking bird left me alone. But I watched to see if I could spot the nest. I could not find a nest in either the red tip or the Ligustrum, both tall and stately sticking out well above the roof line of the building.
I saw the parent Mocking bird again with a large insect in its bill. So I knew it was feeding a young one somewhere close by. Sure enough, I spotted a youngster, it hopped up on the table, and was able to fly from the table to the Ligustrum. Later, I spotted the youngster in the Ligustrum, still like it was just another leaf on branch (it was way to big for that but it was smart enough to be still with me close by). Next I saw the parent dive into the tree and feed the youngster.
Later, I found the nest way up front in a Ligustrum. So I guess the youngster was big enough to get out of the nest but not mature enough to fly any distance on its own. It has a few more days to go and moved towards the back of the courtyard where there was a bit more cover for it. There were no cats, so it was safe enough to run around on the ground, hop on tables and leap to the bushes. The parents knew where it was and continued to take care of it.
Life goes on all around us, doesn't it?
Monday, May 11, 2009
Arrrghhhhh - New Computer!
The old computer died, never quite sure what it was dying of until the end and, yes, it was the hard disk dying. But some other things had gone bad too like the sound system but that turned out to be the old speaker set up. The old speaker set up dates from Argyle and was pushing 10 years of use, carpped out the other day.
Got a new Dell, it is spiffy but . . . Yes, the ever present but. The but is Vista, crappy software by Microsoft. I find it arrogant. Presumptuous solitaire, a defrag program that only lets you know it is running by a silly little circle turning round and round. The old defrag program had graffs, colors and shows what percentage is complete and so on. Not this one, just a silly little circle turning round and round like it is loading a program.
I guess I will get used to Vista but I surely do not like it. To much change from the old expected norm.
And Vista does not recognize my WiFi card, gives me a code 10 error. Yes, I checked on the Internet and it seems to be a common problem. NetGear makes the card and says they are compatible, but it don't work. One of the forums users said that he removed two giga bytes of memory from his motherboard and all was happy at that poi int. That harks back to a problem I had loading Windows 98 in Arglye. It was the Internet forums that gave the way to load Windows 98, remove one of the two sticks of D RAM. When I did that, Windows 98 loaded up without crashing. Then I reinstalled the memory stick and everything was okay. I suppose it had to do with some memory location assignment. Told Microsoft about it then and they said for $75 an hour they would fix it. I said shove it, I got it to work without your help. All I am trying to do was provide some help to Microsoft and you want me to pay you to fix your program? Get serious!
So I am connected to the Internet via a ethernet cord from the DSL modem to the Dell. That works but that is not the objective. The objective is to go wireless. Later today I will try the memory thing and see if it works. That will be interesting if it does. AndI do not want to pay for another WiFi receiver card of different origin to fix the problem, the old one worked with XP why wont the card work with Vista. Answer - Microsoft - stupid!
Meanwhile, the antivirus has been moved over to the Dell and it works. But I can not get my backup disk to restore all my other stuff. That is BounceBack and it has always been screwy. Sent them a message, we will see what I get back.
Had to get some new speakers. Got a cheapo set up from Wal-Mart. Wires so short I had to set the speakers up under the desk so that all could be connected. But it works, really does not matter where the sound originates as long as it works, right?
I am thinking I will have to try to set up the old computer one more time to transfer data over to the new one. Got to give that some considerations to how and when to do it.
The new Dell is smaller, more compact. Big hard disk - 500 Giga bytes. Seems to have a smaller back up disk - could be just a partition, don't know. There is a device that looks like it may be a small back up disk in the Dell. And the Dell has all these new cables, not ribbon cables connecting things. There seems to be one ribbon cable slot and I will install the floppy there. There is provisions for a floppy on the front and yet another empty bay. There are two PCI slots (one being used by the NetGear Card).
So it is not Dell's fault but they are the ones that put this crappy software on it. Maybe they have an answer, I will ask.
Got a new Dell, it is spiffy but . . . Yes, the ever present but. The but is Vista, crappy software by Microsoft. I find it arrogant. Presumptuous solitaire, a defrag program that only lets you know it is running by a silly little circle turning round and round. The old defrag program had graffs, colors and shows what percentage is complete and so on. Not this one, just a silly little circle turning round and round like it is loading a program.
I guess I will get used to Vista but I surely do not like it. To much change from the old expected norm.
And Vista does not recognize my WiFi card, gives me a code 10 error. Yes, I checked on the Internet and it seems to be a common problem. NetGear makes the card and says they are compatible, but it don't work. One of the forums users said that he removed two giga bytes of memory from his motherboard and all was happy at that poi int. That harks back to a problem I had loading Windows 98 in Arglye. It was the Internet forums that gave the way to load Windows 98, remove one of the two sticks of D RAM. When I did that, Windows 98 loaded up without crashing. Then I reinstalled the memory stick and everything was okay. I suppose it had to do with some memory location assignment. Told Microsoft about it then and they said for $75 an hour they would fix it. I said shove it, I got it to work without your help. All I am trying to do was provide some help to Microsoft and you want me to pay you to fix your program? Get serious!
So I am connected to the Internet via a ethernet cord from the DSL modem to the Dell. That works but that is not the objective. The objective is to go wireless. Later today I will try the memory thing and see if it works. That will be interesting if it does. AndI do not want to pay for another WiFi receiver card of different origin to fix the problem, the old one worked with XP why wont the card work with Vista. Answer - Microsoft - stupid!
Meanwhile, the antivirus has been moved over to the Dell and it works. But I can not get my backup disk to restore all my other stuff. That is BounceBack and it has always been screwy. Sent them a message, we will see what I get back.
Had to get some new speakers. Got a cheapo set up from Wal-Mart. Wires so short I had to set the speakers up under the desk so that all could be connected. But it works, really does not matter where the sound originates as long as it works, right?
I am thinking I will have to try to set up the old computer one more time to transfer data over to the new one. Got to give that some considerations to how and when to do it.
The new Dell is smaller, more compact. Big hard disk - 500 Giga bytes. Seems to have a smaller back up disk - could be just a partition, don't know. There is a device that looks like it may be a small back up disk in the Dell. And the Dell has all these new cables, not ribbon cables connecting things. There seems to be one ribbon cable slot and I will install the floppy there. There is provisions for a floppy on the front and yet another empty bay. There are two PCI slots (one being used by the NetGear Card).
So it is not Dell's fault but they are the ones that put this crappy software on it. Maybe they have an answer, I will ask.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Dreary Day . . .
Overcast casts a pall over the sky, little breeze and ever present threat of rain. We had several strong squall lines come through yesterday, thunder, hard showers and a bit of blow. Did this at least three times.
The first line through was mostly mist. Drizzle and damp. I was at the Parker County Sheriffs Posse rodeo grounds. There was a big to do about fire fighters, and a Bar B Q cook off. Got there about 11:30, displayed my Big Stik and it started to drizzle. Went looking for something to eat and had go back and pay an entrance fee to get food. It was just so so. And the drizzle got steadily worse.
I had to pick the plane and put it in the Mountaineer and leave. On the way home the drizzle got pretty bad. Almost rain.
At home now, Judie took off for Wal-Mart. Not five minutes after she left I got the Weatherford Severe Weather alert via telephone. We agreed to that city service, it is just a phone call, not a siren like the Tornado warning systems use. So Judie was at Wal-Mart and there was this threat of severe hail storm. Well she did not get hailed on (nice new car got by after all) but did sit out a big rain storm. That was about 2:30 PM.
We got another alert at 3:50 or so and decided to drive into Fort Worth. We went to Hulen Mall which has covered parking. We found the place packed and soon figured it out, school kids were out because of the Swine Flu scare, the mall had live music and I guess the rain drove them all into that place. So I guess we got exposed to the Swine Flu with all those kids and parents running all over the place. And yes, it rain a down pour, we could see the water running off the roof from inside the mall. Power flashed and all the escalators stopped.
We ate at the little Greek concessionaire. Gyro salad. I like it. Olives, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, vinegar and oil, one big pepperoni pepper covered with sliced Gyro meat (lamb and beef). Dined deluxe on Styrofoam plates with plastic knives and forks. But it was good - a lot better than the Bar B Q I had for lunch.
After we drove up to Camp Bowie drive and had coffee and tea at LaMadaline's. We shared a Tiramuso. Then to home escaping all possible hail damage on the vehicle.
All that moisture is in the air today. Cooler - yucky - no fun weather. Double ugh.
The first line through was mostly mist. Drizzle and damp. I was at the Parker County Sheriffs Posse rodeo grounds. There was a big to do about fire fighters, and a Bar B Q cook off. Got there about 11:30, displayed my Big Stik and it started to drizzle. Went looking for something to eat and had go back and pay an entrance fee to get food. It was just so so. And the drizzle got steadily worse.
I had to pick the plane and put it in the Mountaineer and leave. On the way home the drizzle got pretty bad. Almost rain.
At home now, Judie took off for Wal-Mart. Not five minutes after she left I got the Weatherford Severe Weather alert via telephone. We agreed to that city service, it is just a phone call, not a siren like the Tornado warning systems use. So Judie was at Wal-Mart and there was this threat of severe hail storm. Well she did not get hailed on (nice new car got by after all) but did sit out a big rain storm. That was about 2:30 PM.
We got another alert at 3:50 or so and decided to drive into Fort Worth. We went to Hulen Mall which has covered parking. We found the place packed and soon figured it out, school kids were out because of the Swine Flu scare, the mall had live music and I guess the rain drove them all into that place. So I guess we got exposed to the Swine Flu with all those kids and parents running all over the place. And yes, it rain a down pour, we could see the water running off the roof from inside the mall. Power flashed and all the escalators stopped.
We ate at the little Greek concessionaire. Gyro salad. I like it. Olives, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, vinegar and oil, one big pepperoni pepper covered with sliced Gyro meat (lamb and beef). Dined deluxe on Styrofoam plates with plastic knives and forks. But it was good - a lot better than the Bar B Q I had for lunch.
After we drove up to Camp Bowie drive and had coffee and tea at LaMadaline's. We shared a Tiramuso. Then to home escaping all possible hail damage on the vehicle.
All that moisture is in the air today. Cooler - yucky - no fun weather. Double ugh.
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