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E-Fest Articles
I have not seen an E-Fest article since 2009. Did those guys piss you off? I know I don't like their web-site anymore; there's nothing there anymore but a couple of crappy videos. Oh well, with this deteriorating economy we can no longer afford to fly anymore. That and the 2.4 GHz requirements for shows; I had a BAD Spektrum DX7 that Horizon NEVER made good on. I will NEVER buy first generation again!!! I lost several planes with the DX7 as did others I have found on the forums. I will NOT fly anything expensive with my DX7 anymore, only cheap foam that can be repaired or replaced economically. My larger more expensive balsa stuff is still 72 MHz! Then there's problems I have had with other Horizon stuff like the ultra micro Four Site that came bad out of the box with bad motor & bad servos. We went to JR Fest and the Horizon crew were acting like JERKS. So things like E-Fest have lost a bit of fun. But I do miss the articles you used to have in your magazine/review section. So we quit the AMA and only go to the shows to watch anymore but with the price of gas I doubt we go anywhere anymore. Good luck in the coming storm because we're all headed into oblivion!
Posted on: 12/21/2011 6:40 AM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "Suggestions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10869616
RE: NEW E-Flite Micro 4-SITE REVIEW!!!
I just got a micro 4-Site and had it all of half an hour before I had to take the pile of JUNK back. From what I can tell from the forums is that some of these have BAD servos. The first thing out of the box and there was some damage to the nose but not too bad. Next the prop was rigged with some cotton & glue from the factory! Then I plugged it in and... the right aileron had a hi pitched wine and did NOT work right from the start. Next the ailerons can not be configured as flaps. The ailerons are slaved to each other and you can not set your radio to use flaperons. I've heard there is a way to change this but I haven't seen how to do it. It doesn't matter anyway since I returned the JUNK and got my money back. Then there's my DX7 which has been glitchy ever since I got it. It has been back to Horizon four times now and still has issues. It also looks like there are other people that are ahving DSM2 issues as well. This was supposed to be a reliable radio system but I only use it for the toys like the 4-Site but since that went back and I'm totally fed up with Horizon I will be retiring my DX7. Now the FUN! Ripping out the Spektrum receivers and putting something in that works. I'm stickin with my Futaba 72 MHz until they pry it out of my cold dead hands.
Posted on: 3/9/2010 8:20 PM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "Electric Indoor & Micro RC Flight"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9568429
RE: futaba2.4 or keep my DX7 brownout specialty
Hitech has a new 2.4 out and from what I have heard it is as good as Futaba or better. The Hitech has telemetry that none of the others have. In other words it will send information back about your system like receiver battery voltage and Hitech will have modules coming out soon for rpm, temperature, & altitude. After the first BAD crash I went out and got a good old Futaba 72MHz. Now I only use my old DX7 for stuff I don't care about crashing. I have had issues with everything from the AR7000 to the AR6100 and the new BNF stuff. So it is the transmitter and not the receivers that are to blame although the AR6100 did have issues. The originally advertised statement that the receiver would work down to 3 volts was a fantasy. Even the new AR6100's and upgraded versions only work down to 4 volts. I have had the old brownout special sent in four times not and just recently completed a small claims court case against Horizon. All the neat little BNF stuff Horizon is coming out with and promising by whenever and it is six months or more before they deliver. It would be great if you could rely on it. Some people swear by Spektrum but with all the trouble I have ahd and read about NO MORE SPEKTRUM FOR ME!!! I just can't afford Horizon anymore.
Posted on: 2/18/2010 9:13 PM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9516277
RE: my first 2.4 crash
My DX7 did the same thing and is still acting up after four trips back to Horizon. My DX7 has been behaving better but... My mini Ultra Stick was flying level and suddenly did a flip-flop and nosed in full throttle. I was not pushing on the sticks at all and CRASH! I'm still having glitching with my 2.4GHz system with several aircraft and at several different locations so there is no one thing interfering with it. I am skeptical of the whole 2.4GHz RC radio craze. I know the government is behind the switch like with Digital TV. You can only cram so much on a single frequency band and then it all goes to !#$%^&*!!! The DX7 the receivers were originally advertised to operate down to 3V but in reality if it gets below 4V you're in trouble. Even with the new updates it is risky getting close to 4V. With a standard battery pack at 4.8V and BEC's at 5V it makes you wonder if it is safe to fly with 2.4GHz. I am currently looking at the Hitec Aurora 9 but... Hitec is one of the last on the market with 2.4GHz and it looks like they did more R&D making sure they had a dependable radio system. The Aurora also use modules so you can switch to 72MHz or whatever. Too bad that 2.4GHz is not more cross compatable than 72MHz was. It just means that I will not be able to fly the micro toys that Horizon has been trying to get on the market. If I want a micro I'll get something else or build my own - POOH on Horizon! I've already lost enough $$$ with 2.4GHz and am back to 72MHz and no more problems. That and the receivers are smaller and cheaper than 2.4GHz.
Posted on: 1/13/2010 11:57 AM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9412315
RE: New Hitec Aurora 9-Channel 2.4Ghz Radio System
[quote]ORIGINAL: gsc1161 Mike I am the Plant Manager of a Circuit Board company. If we are a week late, somebody get's yelled at. A month late, somebody is offered the opportunity to seek alternate employement. 4 months late? Like others, I ordered my new transmitter after the April Toledo show, and have aircraft waiting receivers since July (coming any day, right?). Now October? I have software to convert almost any language to English. Manuals the hold up? Come on. Hitec needs to come clean, tell us when working, stable product will be delivered, and what the real delay has been. [/quote] The place where I used to work at yelled too if things were late but alas I don't work there anymore or for that matter no one is working there now. Horizon is just as bad if not worse than all these companies at promising something and not delivering. Horizon missed Christmas BIG this year! All that advertising getting us all worked up and everything is backordered... POOH! Since my DX7 debacle I have been looking at other 2.4 systems and Hitec is at the top of the list. I want to actually see one first and I'll have to wait until they show up in stores. Hopefully there will be an Aurora at E-Fest this year but... I've been getting really peeved lately at RC especially Horizon's equipment and attitude.
Posted on: 1/6/2010 3:48 PM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9392869
RE: Need help with tail section of the Vapor
I use a Dremel with carbide or diamond burrs (very small) to work with CF repairs on things like the Vapor. Drills don't last long nor can you go straight with them. Some flush end cutting pliers work good for things. You know the wire cutters with the cutting edge on the end and not the side. These work great for nibbling away plastic & CF pieces. I tried debonder once and I rarely us it anymore since it eats up everything. Acetone is a little better but... I've repaired three Vapor rudders (this is the most likely to break) & a main wing. I don't think the replacement parts are really made for easy repair. I still have not figured out how to put a new wing on. I just repaired the one I did with black thread & CA.
Posted on: 10/16/2009 9:47 PM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "Electric Indoor & Micro RC Flight"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9179250
RE: parkzone vapor ?
[quote]ORIGINAL: callmemario Does anybody know HOW to unglue CA glue on the VAPOR to be able to fix, change some carbon fiber rods?. What solvent or method is used?. Perhaps there is a thread somewhere?... Thanks! [/quote] There is CA debonder but it makes a mess of just about any plastic & CF; Acetone also melts CA.. I usually dig out the pieces with a Dremel that has a carbide or diamond burr (very small) then glue everything back. Drills don't last long with CF. Be careful to not breath the dust; a little probably won't kill you but any dust can be hazardous. I recently fixed a broken wing by wrapping some black thread around it and CA'd everything. The 4th of July was hard on the Vapor this year and Halloween is coming up.
Posted on: 10/16/2009 9:37 PM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "Electric Indoor & Micro RC Flight"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9179224
RE: new e-flight ultra micro bipe!
Due out the end of November just in time for Christmas. I have my PNP on order at the LHS along with a couple of more 150mAh LiPo's. I CAN'T WAIT!!! As David said it is a lot of work to build a profile foamie, even in kit form. I'm sure this new micro bipe is worth it. If you really want to the electronics will be available so you can build your own micro foamie. I can't wait until they come out with a micro brushless system.
Posted on: 10/16/2009 9:24 PM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "Electric Indoor & Micro RC Flight"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9179193
RE: mscomposit / swift II / Still in business??
The Swift is MS Composit. I've heard they are out of biz as well. MS Composit is a European company with the US distributor here in Indiana. Oh well, I enjoyed their planes for a while especially the Swift II. It seems that their sales were startign to get good but I guess this economy has killed them.
Posted on: 7/6/2009 9:54 PM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "Foamies! - RC Electric Foam Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8911975
RE: OUR FUTURE.....IN DANGER!!!!
[quote]ORIGINAL: arcticflyer ...He went to a "SANCTIONED" CLUB field near where I live in Delaware (I'll leave the club name out). He stated that the men who were present were hesitant to talk to him, short and acted "aloof" and were consuming alcohol. ... [/quote] Try being a woman and going to an AMA sanctioned field. Don't get me started on this. I had a thread closed on WattFlyer because the MEN didn't like it. I know there are AMA fileds that like women but not in the conservative midwest - IT'S A MAN'S SPORT! I haven't seen the alcohol at a field yet. I thought the AMA disallowed this at their fields. You should report this to the AMA. Because of the treatment I have received and the lackadaisical attitude of the AMA toward serious safety problems (the DX7 failures) I have quit the AMA and fly strictly Park or non-sanctioned fields. The AMA insurance is a joke as well; if you have homeowners insurance your covered. This happend to a friend of mine when the plane locked up and went into the parking lot straight into the roof af an SUV. The AMA did nothing! I keep being told that women are welcomed at AMA fields but my personal experinece tells me otherwise.
Posted on: 1/14/2009 11:08 AM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "AMA Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8357036
RE: GP Synapse
The ARF kit is a piece of JUNK! Right out of the box and the paint or whatever started coming off; do not even think of getting the plane damp because the paint & decals come off even easier. The tail ring was broken and the fan blade had a crack in it. Then there was the Rimfire inrunner motor... The manual recommends a 25 amp speed controller but make sure what you get fits. I ended up putting the 25a ESC in my mini Ultra Stick. It looks like the ARF kit is put together with left over RXR parts or RXR parts that are not good enough for the RXR kit. This is not the first bad kit I have gotten from Great (mediocre) Planes. This is not just Great Planes but Horizon as well; I had an ARF kit come apart while flying - Horizon replaced that one. Never again!
Posted on: 6/17/2008 11:54 AM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7617807
RE: The new Great Planes Synapse
The ARF kit is a piece of JUNK! Right out of the box and the paint or whatever started coming off; do not even think of getting the plane damp because the paint & decals come off. The tail ring was broken and the fan blade had a crack in it. Then there was the Rimfire inrunner motor... The manual recommends a 25 amp speed controller but make sure what you get fits. I ended up putting the 25a ESC in my mini Ultra Stick. It looks like the ARF kit is put together with left over RXR parts or RXR parts that are not good enough for the RXR kit. This is not the first bad kit I have gotten from Great (mediocre) Planes. This is not just Great Planes but Horizon as well; I had an ARF kit come apart while flying - Horizon replaced that one. Never again!
Posted on: 6/14/2008 9:08 AM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "Electric Aerobatic & Sport Planes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7617801
RE: We lost 2 planes this weekend
I lost a plane to the DX7 recently. Here are my posts & another forum. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_5937756/anchors_5937756/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#5937756 http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_5717286/anchors_5919923/mpage_2/key_/anchor/tm.htm#5919923 http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7072197&highlight=dx7+failure#post7072197 FYI: I was using a separate battery pack with my AR7000 Rx & the mini Ultra Stick when it went straight into the ground. I have also had glitches with a foamie I have using an AR6000 Rx but attributed it to an overheated speed controller. I sent the DX7 to Horizon and they claim nothing wrong with it but I have noticed some changes to the transmitter. I will never trust it with anything but a foamie again; I have purchased a Futaba for my bigger planes (not as nice programming but it is reliable). Liz
Posted on: 7/30/2007 8:56 PM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "JR Radio & Spektrum Radios"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=6176354
RE: DX7 Problems
After all the stories I have heard about DX7 failures I am NEVER going to put it in a Balsa plane again. It is going to be strictly for Foamies from now on, something I can CA back together easily. It's not just the forums where I'm hearing bad things about the DX7 but the RC clubs as well. A few people can be wrong but this is happening with more than just a few people. Since it is an intermittent problem it can be very hard to substantiate which is allowing Horizon to opt out of any responsibility. Here's what I think happened: a bad production run that put several hundred of defective DX7's on the market. In my opinion Horizon is trying to hide the problems with the DX7. Why is Horizon trying to hide things? Why not just admit that there was a bad bunch of radios that made it to the consumers? That there is no trend - what about the AR6100 receiver trend? If there can be a bad Rx then why not a Tx as well? Then there's the wing that came off my mini Ultra Stick ARF that replaced the PNP that the DX7 crashed... that's for a different thread. [:-]
Posted on: 7/6/2007 9:28 AM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "JR Radio & Spektrum Radios"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=6077011
RE: DX-7 crash
P.S. FYI People keep saying there's some problem with electrics and the ESC's. Sure, that's one reason I went with a separate Rx battery! The setup was a standard E-flite PNP. The only mod I made was an extra Rx battery since I was considering the split flap option. Tx: DX7 ----11.1v LiPo Tx battery, again I hear voltage level problems but not with 11 volts, the lowest a LiPo should go is 9v for a 3S LiPo Rx: AR7000 with separate battery ----this is also a good thing since I keep hearing about ESC problems Motor: E-flite BL 450 PNP ----not a 450 BL but the same watts, etc.; the shaft is different ESC: E-flite 22A Servo: 4 E-flite micro servos ----I can get the #'s if you need them ----the cases fall apart easily on these, two of the screws are too short
Posted on: 6/25/2007 11:47 PM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=6034929
RE: DX-7 crash
The DX7 did not bind properly to an AR6000 before sending it in and after getting it back it works the way it should with an AR6000. 'THEY' did something to the DX7! E-flite mini Ultra Stick - the plane that the DX7 crashed. So I rebuilt using an ARF kit... problems with the kit... flew for a week with a Futaba radio then the wing separated from the fuselage and... the ARF kit never flew quite the same as the PNP; I attributed it to the 72MHz Futaba vs the 2.4GHz DX7. My friend, who has flown for 8 years, also said the ARF was not quite the same as the PNP. After loosing two $80 LiPo's to E-flite mini Ultra Stick crashes I have lost interest in flying, especially electrics. I no longer trust Horizon/Spektrum/JR/and whatever else is Horizon. [quote]ORIGINAL: kgfly [quote]if they did nothing to the DX7 why does it no longer recognize the AR6000's [/quote] Probably because they bound that model to a DSM2 Rx to check it was working. [/quote]
Posted on: 6/25/2007 11:41 PM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=6034890
RE: DX-7 crash
Hmmm... looked like an open invitation for questions like "Why did my plane crash while using a DX7?" Though I did not ask that directly but included a link to this thread where the situation was explained in full; I was once chided for making multiple postings to a forum so I have quit that. Why does a technical representative for Horizon suddenly abandon a forum like that?[:o] I quote: JR Radio & Spektrum Radios - Ask Danny at JR >> RE: Loss of control in flight using AR7000 & DX 7 UPDATE 4/24/07 This thread has gotten a bit out of hand and I'm closing it down as this forum is not for open discussion. If you have a problem with any system, contact our service department for assistance. _____________________________ Danny Snyder Horizon Hobby / Team JR
Posted on: 6/14/2007 7:51 PM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5988628
RE: DX-7 crash
I just got the DX7 back. [:o] What Horizon did: replaced the antennas for the AR7000 & AR6100 updated the receivers firmware bench tested stuff and of course found nothing Funny thing is that if they did nothing to the DX7 why does it no longer recognize the AR6000's (the old DX6 Rx)? I did not send the AR6000's back with the DX7, only the AR7000 & AR6100. All of the DX7 programming is still there but it does not recognize the AR6000 I had in my 'Bug' (it was marked so I know it went in the 'Bug'); I had to re-bind the same Rx I had in the 'Bug'. Now the DX7 binds correctly with the AR6000, it takes a while but is does bind now. Something was updated in the DX7 since it now does everything it is supposed to and forgot the AR6000 for the 'Bug'. I can see Horizon trying to cover up thing so they don't get sued but if something is really wrong with the DX7 it eventually will blow up in their face, especially if someone gets killed because of a DX7 locking up.[>:]
Posted on: 6/14/2007 7:36 PM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5988587
DX7 Problems
What do you think of all of the reports of DX7 failures? Not only the receivers but now the transmitter as well. I recently lost a plane: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_5717286/anchors_5919923/mpage_2/key_/anchor/tm.htm#5919923 I was using a separate battery on the Rx since I was going to the split flap option. I do NOT trust Spektrum anymore. I don't care how many happy people there are out there I'm not one. After reading all the posts about DX7 failures I am no longer going anywhere near a flying field where DX7's are used. Just imagine a 90 size Heli with carbon-fiber V Blades going full tilt into some spectators! [:@]
Posted on: 6/3/2007 9:02 AM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "JR Radio & Spektrum Radios"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5937756
RE: DX-7 crash
Wow, can you imagine a 90 size helicopter with carbon fiber V-Blades sailing uncontrolled into the spectators because the DX7 lost contact with it?
Posted on: 5/30/2007 3:36 AM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5919986
RE: Loss of control in flight using AR7000 & DX 7 UPDATE 5/5/07
I'm not using a DX7 again. I don't trust it after my CRASH! Check these URLs: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_5717286/anchors_5919923/mpage_2/key_/anchor/tm.htm#5919923 http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7072197&highlight=dx7+failure#post7072197
Posted on: 5/30/2007 2:57 AM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "JR Radio & Spektrum Radios"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5919933
RE: DX-7 Defect
I'm not using a DX7 again. I don't trust it after my CRASH! Check these URLs: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_5717286/anchors_5919923/mpage_2/key_/anchor/tm.htm#5919923 http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7072197&highlight=dx7+failure#post7072197
Posted on: 5/30/2007 2:55 AM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "JR Radio & Spektrum Radios"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5919929
RE: DX-7 crash
Yesterday, 28 May 2007, I lost contact with my plane using a DX7 and an AR7000. Instead of mine sailing away it nosed straight into the ground - CRUNCH! Little bits all over the place. The failure occured just after coming out of a turn while flying inverted; it started to nose down a little so I pushed up on the stick to make it climb, then it started to roll a little so I pushed to the side a little, NOTHING! Down it went! I know what you mean about Spektrum / Horizon - IT'S YOUR FAULT! not theirs, heaven forbid that the glorius DX7 failed. I had a similar problem with the Eflite / Horizon Blade CP Pro RTF - NOT!!! Out of the box after all the control checks it hovered a bit until I gave it some more throttle then over it went. Turns out that the servo arms were not set the same and one servo bottomed out befor the other causing the heli to roll over. Again - 'THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS!'. Test flown at the factory - by whom? The heli I had would never fly in the condition it was in! Well, I'm out of flying until I can get a new Futaba radio and a new plane to fly. Even when and if Spektrum sends back a fixed radio I am NOT using it again! Even when and if Spektrum sends back a fixed radio I am NOT using it again! Angry - YOU BET! I have a $350 radio that is junk and what's left of my plane, mostly servos. Check this URL: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7072197&highlight=dx7+failure#post7072197
Posted on: 5/30/2007 2:52 AM by Author "caltrop"
in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5919923
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