Getting Bogged Down!

[Droider]

Just a few musings about were we have come to in the lat few months.. Anyone feel as bogged down in technology as I do?

I seem to spend my whole time in the shed so to speak rather than flying..

I have two seriously expensive ADX3 copters that have spent far to much time in 'THE SHED' where my little chuck around WMK quad seems to never have enough batteries..
Am I missing something here? Maybe the days of the 330X were not so bad after all!

Anyone else feeling bogged down?

Dave
:upset:

 

[Macsgrafs]

Dave, I'm so glad you said that. I'm sat here with everything needed to complete my SJ8...but I just look at it & walk away totally dumbfounded...where do I start???
I was going to make a special journey up to see you one weekend with all the bits & some cash for your expert help....its so confusing to be honest.
Nice video, I'm sure I commented on that one a while ago, love flying in the snow...wicked.

Ross

 

[Tahoe Ed]

Dave, that is a very nice video. It is amazing how a blanket of snow covers all the pimples. You did a great job of taking the time to video what most folks will never take the time to see. Thanks! You are right on. I have an MK that flew well last year and I put it up for the winter. Come spring, and now a new upgrade and it has been so long since I have been in the system, I have forgotten everything that I knew. By the time I get the software upgraded, now there is a new version. I didn't even get the last version flying again and now it is winter again. That is one of the things that I like about the WKM much simpler to upgrade and adjust. I am now sitting in front of a new vTx and find I don't have the right connector from my GoPro the the board. Now wait for the next order to come in with the right connector. It seems that it never ends and now that I am dividing my time between to locations, it seems that what I need is always not where I am at.

 

[Droider]

That was one month in to my first Gaui where I spent every minute of the six battries I had just flying! rechargeing and flying.. no fancy gimbals nothing just my Gaui and a panasonic TZ5

Back to the shed for ANOTHER DAY FAFFING RATHER THAN FLYING!..

 

[CopterCam]

Interesting to read that others are equally frustrated by the demands of this pursuit............. I have deliberately stepped back and decided to take stock of the situation. It seems that Troubleshooting is an inherent part of RC Model Flying, when one adds the pursuit of Images into the equation it can become an exasperating excercize. Keeping abreast with technology is another dilemma, to invest, in the hope that the upgrade will yield overall improvements and less downtime or make do and wait for the next generation?

Of course, all of this frustration is compounded by the Authorities attempts to licence the Industry, which in of itself is a good move, but why make it so bureaucratic and costly ?


Sid

 

[Droider]

Morning Sid..

Nice to see you posting.. I think I may have touched a nerve with this.. Its all born out of my frustration with the smoke and mirrors of MK but now there is the new kid on the block I feel a whole load of weight lifting of me.. It just makes flying the pastime not shed life!

 

[Macsgrafs]

Stranger Sid, where have you been hiding?
As Dave said, its knowing where to go or what to do next. I was thinking of drawing a "To do list", but my biggest problem is knowing which order to do things in.
EXAMPLE:

MK FC2.1
I2C-PWM
8 x ESC's
8 x motors
8 x props
1 x spektrum diversity receiver

Then there's the FPV side to connect:-
DX201 camera
Eagletree expander Mk3
Airspeed expander mk2
Altitude expander
Video TX

ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Now I know there must be anorder, a logical order to do these things in? I have the octo built, ESC's & motors attached...part of the camera mount/gimble attached. I also have a 15Kg servo to operate the undercart...but cant seem to get the legs to rip up properly
I have to programe the FC board via the USB board...do I connect the jumper? Should I use the USB power to update the FC board, do I use a 9V battery to power it?
Then I have to programe EACH ESC & the I2C-PWM (*Thanks Bart for sending me the PDF file).....so my head is spinning. I've been at this stage for about a month now, havent even been out flying with my F16 or my buzzard or my heli or my SU26......I've lost my drive, partly helped along the way with not knowing how to do things & in what order.
I dont even know where to get the MK FC firmware or what loader programe or anything...the more threads I read, the more confused I become. Maybe I should have gone with the hoverfly pro after all

Ross
confusedDOTcom

 

[Bartman]

Ross,
How do you eat an elephant?

One bite at a time.

Pick something that has to be done and just do that one step to completion. I'd say programming the ESC's will get you back in the saddle. Make a switch for your power connection so you can just turn the battery on and off rather than plugging and unplugging for each ESC as you go.

I'm in the same boat as you guys but I'm doing custom frames and camera mounts just to really tweak my nipples a bit more!

 

[Macsgrafs]

Ross,
How do you eat an elephant?

One bite at a time.

Pick something that has to be done and just do that one step to completion. I'd say programming the ESC's will get you back in the saddle. Make a switch for your power connection so you can just turn the battery on and off rather than plugging and unplugging for each ESC as you go.

I'm in the same boat as you guys but I'm doing custom frames and camera mounts just to really tweak my nipples a bit more!

Right, just finished eating my share of the elephant
All the ESC's still have the BEC lead connected, the main power inputs are ALL soldered to my home gashed power board, so I will need to do each one in turn & then leave 1 only with the red BEC lead connected...then plug them into the I2C-PWM timecop made board......This time next month that should be done

As for tweaking your nipples...sorry mate can't help with that one

Ross