Page 18 - MFW June 2025

wrong! Time and again we impress upon new modellers o l d e r m o d e l l e r s
that the very best approach to a successful conclusion is m e m o r i e s i t w a s
to seek help from an experienced modeller, not me “how established that Radio
difficult could it really be” as it turned out bloody difficult! C o n t r o l M o d e l s &
An untried system, an untrimmed model and an unskilled Electronics had in the late
pilot suffice to say this wasn’t the most successful of my 1960’s published a series
ventures. on building a complete
digital proportional radio
Along with a sad lack of skill it was becoming apparent system and apparently
that whilst Galloping Ghost with its wildly flapping tail full details of the build
surfaces did work it was never going to be a particularly were available as a stand-
wonderful system for a complete novice to learn the alone publication, much
requisite skills of remotely piloting a model aircraft, joy and the collection of
perhaps a rethink and more discussion with wiser heads postal notes followed
was in order. prior to sending off to the
UK for the book of words,
More Ghost Stories curious though this sounds we were well prior to the
For those with an interest in this technique I would internet, instant downloads, Google searches and all the
suggest they reference RCM&E issues November 2020 other conveniences now considered normal, a supply of
and December2020/January 2021(Combined edition) overseas funds was also only available through the
these issues are relatively easily accessed & postal note system that limited the exchange to a few
downloaded from pocketmags , obviously a fee is dollars only per day.
included, or alternatively as mention by Barry Lennox In
his article on 2.4GHZ conversions there is sufficient Whilst awaiting the arrival of the all-important manual
information on the Mode zero web site referencing the more postal notes were gathered for the purchase of stick
RCM&E ghost build at the bottom of the menu, mode units & other hardware items considered too difficult to
zero is a true tinkerer’s site and it can be a challenge manufacture.
navigating around and making sure you have the latest
information on any particular subject. Finally, a mail delivery the manual had arrived, complete
with dimensions for making the case, winding the tuning
For those who do not have an original rand actuator coils and other important details a true tinkerers delight,
(probably the majority) there is also the ability to after much perusal of current magazines a pair of stick
build/procure a modern replica. units were selected and once again complete with the
requisite number of postal notes an order was
Assuming one already has an actuator the process is dispatched.
remarkably simple involving only two readily available
chips, As modellers tend to do I have had the components Study of the manual indicated that this was actually a
for a number of years my sticking point has been coming system that had already been published in American
to terms with programing the arduino with what is known Model Airplane News labelled the MAN 2-3-4 and was in
as a sketch, the process appeared simple when written reality a controllaire system put out in the states as a
but for whatever reason seemed to elude me when series of published articles in American Model Airplane
practiced , no doubt in the near future I will either come to News and released as a kit by World Engines, this was
grips with the monster or perhaps find someone who indeed a bonus that now allowed me to scour the older
better understands the technicalities involved. issues of MAN to glean as much additional information as
possible whilst waiting for my hardware to arrive from the
As previously mentioned by Barry the site exhibits an UK.
amazing array of subject matter and like a lot of internet
trawls can take you in a myriad of directions, some just a By that time I was reasonably adept at making quite
little surprising and some totally unknown, be warned professional looking cases so that task was undertaken,
don’t get off the track or you may spend hours exploring a channel 5 and 6 trim controls were fabricated the PC
plethora of subjects that just may look intriguing ! board was etched, drilled and populated with the
components that I had managed to accumulate the
First Digital centre loaded aerial presented some problems as the
It is difficult to sufficiently stress how important in the manual assumed one would buy it complete however
years prior to the internet the modelling press and all with a great deal of examination of drawings spec sheets
sorts of other modelling related publications was to the etc. I felt confident that my aerial would perform the task,
budding aero modeller and was an absolutely fail safe at that time NiCad’s were somewhat exotic and as scarce
go to for inspiration, there was discussion & building as rocking horse droppings however by a great deal of
idea’s for almost any branch of model flying that one luck and a little cunning I managed to obtain sufficient top
chose to follow plus of course , there were a good number shelf DEAC brand NiCad’s from redundant medical
of advertisements for the previously mentioned other equipment to supply both TX and airborne packs.
publications aimed at whichever branch of the modelling
world one wished to pursue, following a significant Success
degree of research through magazine back issues & There is little doubt that success bolsters ones
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