Mike Norton's Hobbies

Electric Flight

A Speed 400 speed controller you can build.

What is it?: The specifications and operating recommendations.
The parts list.: A list of all of the electronic components and most of the mechanical components needed to build the controller
How to build it.: Enough instructions so that an experienced electronics hobbyist can build the controller. It includes a photograph of the finished unit, PC artwork and loading diagram and a schematic.
How to program the microcontroller: Both source and binary files of the software that goes in the microcontroller. The binary (hex) files are for those that just want to reproduce my program; the source files are for those who want to improve on it.
How the whole thing works: This document explains the operation of the controller, both the hardware and the software. It is in sufficient detail to allow someone who knows about PIC processors to thoroughly understand its operation.
Updates: This page will carry a list of changes to the site or any other news that builders of this design might find useful. The page was last changed 30 October 2001.

A Freeware RC Simulator

Several years ago, Mikko Oksalahti and Harri Rautio wrote a DOS program called RCSIM. This program did not use a joystick in its original form. David Kirschbaum added joystick support. However, the resulting program had some disadvantages. First, it only supported 640x480 resolution. Second, the joystick did not use the calibrated joystick offered by Windows.

A friend of mine, David Ewing, adapted the code to Windows 95. I have posted it here because he does not have a web page. The program is provided with source code so you can play with it. I do assume you know what to do with a zip file. If you don't, find someone who does. You will need his or her help to set it up.

I only have one recommendation; change the SUNNY configuration in the rcsimwin.ini file to CLOUDY. David likes SUNNY, but I can't see the plane well. Please direct all questions to David Ewing.

rcsim20.zip - the compressed program file.

codetoad@rocketmail.com - David Ewing's email address.

What inspired all of this?

Pat Mattes came up with a marvelous electric airplane kit and called it a Blue Foamie. It is cheap and nearly indestructible I built one, and re-learned to fly RC. (I hadn't flown since the late '60s.) Most of the electronics are best bought; however, the speed control function seemed simple enough for a home project. Several friends (who also fly Blue Foamies) had built speed controllers; this design includes many lessons from these earlier designs.

Here is my much-abused airplane:

Airplane picture You can also see a 96K JPEG image.

Copyrights

Everything on this site is copyrighted. You can do anything you want with it so long as all copyright notices are preserved. Go make speed controllers for profit; I don't care. This is a hobby, and I refuse all attempts to make money.

So why fool with copyright notices? It establishes my right to give the material away. Without them, someone else could copyright the material and stop me from distributing it. I could probably win the court fight, but couldn't afford the legal fees.

You can reach me through email; the address is mjn@HiWAAY.net

May be copied as desired and modified as needed so long as this copyright notice is preserved.