General questions

matdabomb

Hi guys

Ok went into the model store and thought that mabye since I cant find time to fly my plane that I should get something I can stay at home but still use. I have a toss up between an electric helicopter or a nitro car. Please can anyone give me some info on which would be nicer to have and why ect.

Thanks

Regards
Matthew

The Doktor

I have a 1/8 Nitro roadcar, 1/10 Electric Buggy, Micro electric Heli, Mini Electric Heli and a .30 Nitro Heli. So I`ll give ye what I think about em.
I can be a bit stuck for time meself, and I find if you have a model, that you have to pack up and drive to use it (eg plane), I wont use it much.
So that means the Nitro road car doesnt get used as much as it should, as for me, the only place handy to use it is the road in my estate. So the first concern is noise, then you got cars and kids (you dont want to hit some kid with it, as it would probably hurt em quite bad). Also I find you get a bit bored drivin up and down, and tryin to do some sort of circuit. This was a bit of a waste of money for me, cos I hopped it up big time... and never use it.
The elecrtic buggy gets used a lot, as I have a small green at the side of the house, and a heap of wasteland out the back. You can mark out a circuit easily and have some fun. Also its clean, and quiet.
The Nitro heli gets used a good bit too, but again, near a housing estate noise is a concern. So this means going and finding somewhere to fly, which I personally find easier than finding a nice smooth bit of tarmac to drive a road car.
The Micro heli gets used a bit in the house, but since i bought a nice new tv im a bit afraid of this:D
The Mini Heli get used a lot. I love it. I can practise on the green, and have fun in the wasteland near my house, as neither noise or kids are not a concern.
I can also keep it in the car, ready to go as my job involves sittin around in the middle of nowhere for long periods and take it out when it suits.
Given the choice I would take the mini heli, and the electric buggy. That means if its windy or raining, I can use the buggy, and when the weather is ok, the heli comes out.
if i could only have one...eeeehhh.. emmm the mini heli... cos i love helis.
But then static models are me real love ...
So.. have I confused you more?? good...:D

matdabomb

SAY WHAT???

Lol nah I think you cleared it more up for me. I would also get a bit bored with a car driving up and down. Heli would mean I have to learn which I like the prospect of ( I know i must have hit me head or something ). So now the question is what which electric heli do you suggest and what price can I expect to pay for the everything

Regards
Matthew

The Doktor

I have a Protech Zoom 400 Heli, which is now replaced by the Zoom 450. I can only Speak about this. Its a great heil. I had no trouble, and there are heaps of upgrade parts (easily available). This is the main reason I got it, there are so many upgrades, you are always busy.
If i was to go and get a new heli now, I would spend a bit of time looking at whats out there on the net. I would buy a heli that there are upgrades available for.
The Radio gear I have is Sanwa RD6000. This does everything i need it to do, so I havent upgraded it in a few years.
I would suggest that you go into a few model shops, leave your wallet at home!! see what is available, and then go and look at what they are trying to sell you on the net.
I would also suggest buying you first heli in Ireland so as you can go back to the shop and they can help you out.
Also it means you wont go home and find you need somthing to get going and have to wait 4 weeks for somthing to arrive.

Here is an idea of a list of stuff that would get you off the ground:
Zoom 450 ..... around €200
Electronics for Zoom around €200
Sanwa RD 6000 around €200
Battery charger around €80

Im sure you could get stuff cheaper.. or maybe there are better helis around, but thats what I have, and Im happy

syl77

Asking what type of heli you should get all depends on what your willing to pay....you can get some thing small like the twister 3D and radio in the air for around 400 - 500 euro or go with some thing from the T-rex 450 range and have that in the air for around 800-900 euro.
One of your main expenses starting off will be radio. You will (if you havn't got one already) need a radio that will have 7+ channels and have at least a 5 point pitch and throttle curve. You will also have to get a battery charger, best to get a lipo charger as lipo's will be what you will be using..
Start off maybe with a good simulator, reflex or G3.5 are very good, a little cheaper but just as good is the new Phoenix RC Simulator, you will be able to use ur existing radio with these sims and will give invaluable experience if you need to save up for the real thing....

loopingfred

Hi There,

Well, he is a beginner (if I understand right...)
Why not start with a small heli ? You can have a dragonfly 4 with crask kit and sim for less than 200€ fully equiped... Then, you can buy bigger stuff if you want to stay on this hobby, or if you don't want, it's not a big investment.
But, if you have a club nearby, you can go straight away for the big thing with a monitor (and the samll helis too, anyway, it's better to begin with someone who knows, whatever the size ! :rolleyes: )

Just my 0.02 €

Fred

The Doktor

loopingfred wrote:

Hi There,

But, if you have a club nearby, you can go straight away for the big thing with a monitor (and the samll helis too, anyway, it's better to begin with someone who knows, whatever the size ! :rolleyes: )

Totally agree.
I didnt go this way, and it took me a lot longer to understand how to set up my heli. And if you dont have your heli set up right, you will never learn to fly it.
When I started out, I got a Hirobo Sceadu (nitro type). Never really got into it properly, as it was hard at the time to go somewhere to fly. Also when i crashed, blades werent the cheapest.
Then I got a Hummingbird (very like the dragon fly) which got me interested again, though it was rare you could fly outside, but at least I learned to hover properly and do some circuits.
Then I went down to a Midland choppers, just to buy a rear rotor blade for the hummingbird, and left with a Zoom.
This was when I really got into the hobby... I loved it.
Though, I have seen some of the set ups available with radio, and have to say I am glad I got a decent radio rather than one of the package deal type ones. Though I wouldnt agree you need to get a 7+ channel set first off, as you have enough to contend with, without having to learn all about an advanced radio too.

syl77

I would stay away from the dragon fly/humming bird, They are just to flimsy in the air, go with twister 3D, better build (metal gear) and upgrade parts (SAB blades).
The use of a 7 channel radio will depend if you use seperate giro. Many helis like the dragonfly or piccolo eco use whats called a piccoboard which has the giro built in, no need for extra channel. however, if you wish to use a heli with no piccoboard, then you will need a seperate giro thus an extra channel for controlling it.
The dragon fly/humming bird are fixed pitch helis so there is no need for a radio with pitch curves. If you get a collective pitch heli then you will want to manage pitch/throttle on your radio.

matdabomb

OK i have a Sanwa VG 600 controller from my plane. It is 6 channel I am wondering will it be up to the job? I looked at all the helicopters you guys talked about and liked the twister but also having my own remote I would hope I can go for something nice and not just a kit. Also concerning battery life. How long can I expect to get on 1 battery and how long would a charge take?

Regards
Matthew

The Doktor

There is a collective Hummingbird.
Twister looks pretty nice from what I can see.
Heres a good website to look at, It will give you an idea of whats out there.
http://www.modelhelicopters.co.uk/acatalog/theNavigator.htm


Still dont see why ya need 7 channels

The VG6000 is designed for airplane use, dunno if it could be used in a heli. Maybe someone who know a bit more about airplae radios could tell ya.....

coolwings

You need 5 or more channels to fly a "full house" heli. Though 4 channels is enough to fly the smallest electric ones. The biggest can if ftted with everything use 8 channels. but are not appropriate for learners

More people are more successful learning to fly first with the small & medium size electric helis. What you do later is up to you, but if you start small you are more likely to "still be flying later" when a large one may begin to appear attractive.

An aircraft radio can be made to fly electric helis (by using a "y" lead to mix throttle and pitch) but the knowledge to do it is advanced knowledge, and the heli will be slightly harder to fly. Not a good idea for a beginner. Far better to get a new radio.

Somebody mentioned starting with a Twister - I agree that would be an excellent one to begin with.
There are two versions of Twister. If you got the V2 version your existing radio would do, but I would still get a heli radio myself if I was in your place.
Twisters can be seen here www.greenhobbymodel.com. There are videos of them flying too and that can be helpful in making a decision.

syl77

Aplogies Doktor, you are correct in saying that you just need 5 channels to fly a a chopper with a seperate giro, however with the 5th channel you do need to be able to adjust the ATV's (End point adjustment) and with your normal 6channel plane TX, the gear channel (at least with futaba) does not have that feature. Using a rotary switch may not be recommended also. So when I say a 7 channel TX, I mean a radio with an extra channel that has ATV. Aplogies for confussion...
While some of the smaller kits like the dragonfly, the hummingbird and even the twister V2 may come with a collective or collective upgrade, the quality just isn't there (plastic swashplate,carbon skids) and you may get fustrated tryn learn to fly it.
Get something a little more stable in flight like the twister 3D or T-rex, you will be glad you spent the 'little' extra. I flew the twister 3D at a fun fly last September in 10 mile an hour winds.....
modelhelicopters are good along with fast-lad.co.uk and skyline models

syl77

The biggest can if ftted with everything use 8 channels.

A mate of mine needs 10 channels to fly, however he is testing the new flybarless system for CSM...

matdabomb

OK so I am going to spend the extra quid a get a proper radio. Can you give me suggestions on a nice one in the 200€ range? OR should i look to spend more?

The Doktor

Had a quick look at www.midlandhelicopters.co.uk and they have
JR X2610 PPM for €287
Futaba 6EX heli radio for €226
Sanwa RD6000 Super for €265
Each come with 4 servos and reciver. Which you wont need if you go with a small heli.
If you do a bit of a search you may be able to get them Transmitter/Nicads only.
Im not sure if these are the most up to date radio, but have a look at them and they will do everything you need for a helicopter.
In the future you may decide to upgrade to much fancier stuff, but entry level gear will get you by for a good long time.
Im sure some of the other lads might know a bit more about whats the best radio, but have to say, im happy with my sanwa (though I always liked Futaba more)

matdabomb

If i ordered this off midland.

DESCRIPTION QUANTITY PRICE COST REMOVE
I-RD6000SR/2N : Sanwa RD6000 Super Radio Complete
£148.93 £148.93
6600080 : TWISTER 3D ASSEMBLED W. 400 MOTOR + 4 SERVOS
£93.61 £93.61
Subtotal £242.54
VAT £42.44
Total £284.98

Is that all I need or will I require anything else?

BTW THANKS AMIL GUYS THIS IS REALLY HELPING

Regards
Matthew

The Doktor

looks good... but...
Theres is a twister 3D with brushless motor... 6600085 : TWISTER 3D(ASSEM.) BRUSHLESS MOTOR + 4 SERVOS (Special offer) for less!!! go for the brushless!!! tis only £89 including VAT
If it was me Id`go for that.
On either model it doesnt mention if it includes a battery.
I would email em, and ask if it does, (should be LiPO) and you will also need a charger like... O-IP2801 : Pro-Peak Prodigy II which you will need for a LiPo battery.
One thing I have found is the more I get into RC, I always end up buying different chargers, and thats the first charger I got that does EVERYTHING.

But do shop around, id feel bad if the first site you looked at you got ripped off and I recommended it.:D

coolwings

matdabomb wrote:

If i ordered this ....
Is that all I need or will I require anything else?
....

If this is your first heli you will need about 1 to 2 hours advice from an experienced heli flier during the 2-4 weeks after purchasing it.

And help getting the heli settings right.

Also someone to show you how to program your new radio.

Also (later) checking for the things you still have not discovered that stop it flying/taking off correctly....to avoid re-breaking the parts that broke when you realised all was not right.

What assistance do you have arranged locally for this? The choice of gear is reasonable, but you won't get what you really need down a telephone line. Nobody does.

matdabomb

Ok. Well i think I might have an alround charger I bought a few years back for my car battery will have to look though. As for assistance I will head down to the model shop in galway and ask if he will be willing to help me out, Might have to buy radio from there then but will talk to him today mabye.

syl77

When it comes to helis, iv seen many a thread where people ask what radio they should buy, most of the advise boils down to going with the same as what the locals at your field fly with....it will be alot easier for them to show you what to do.....

As for assistance I will head down to the model shop in galway and ask if he will be willing to help me out, Might have to buy radio from there then but will talk to him today mabye

its mainly an RC car shop, he will sell you what he has.......shop around!...
like The Doktor says go with the £89 twister, starting off you wont know the difference in motors.....
your missing a gyro with ur setup...the futaba G190 should be good...

I might have an alround charger I bought a few years back for my car battery

It has to charge a lipo batteries..... read up on lipos.....there not ur every day battery that you charge and walk away from.............
From galway...PM me if you need more advise....

The Doktor

On the charger, usually the type used with cars (unless ur into more advanced stuff) will not charge the LiPO/Li ion batteries, so check that out.

And like the other guys are sayin.. Before you power up your heli, you WILL need advice for sombody experienced.
One thing I will say for Helis, they are like no other model I ever had. I have had cars, tanks, planes and a boat and you could get away with tryin em out yourself with no help (plane can be a bit dodgy though) but a heli if not set up properly, or tried by a new person to em... WILL CRASH with out ever taking off.
I know with my nitro one, I used about 4 tanks of fuel before ever leaving the ground, and even then it was only by about an inch.
Try and find someone who will have a look at it for you and offer you advice that you will not get on the web or down a phone line. Im in Kildare if its any use to you.