nixie

[chris wright 2Participant @chriswright2]

submarine

[chris wright 2Participant @chriswright2]

Just built my first submarine the "Nixie" great fun and it actually works!!!!! Lot of trouble getting the ballast correct but worth the effort. First working diving/surfacing sub in the club. Many thanks

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Chris. My sub which is a simple dynamic diver also takes a lot of effort in getting the ballast and balance right. Every day is different…its the water temperature. Most easily seen when sailing out into the centre of the lake where it is deepest/coldest, where the thing wont stop diving even on absolute minimum throttle.

Pictures??? Ashley

[chris wright 2Participant @chriswright2]

Ashley I hadn't realised that the water temperature could have such an effect. I was chuffed when it first went under and very pleased to see it come up again. Has a tendency to porpoise a it but sure I will conquer that eventually. Great fun though

Chris

[Graham Ashby 1Participant @grahamashby1]

Hi Chris,

I'm with Ashley, let's see some pictures!

Delighted that you're pleased with it.

Graham

[chris wright 2Participant @chriswright2]

sorry no photos as its too cold at our pond now and Nixie is in Dockyard until next spring

[Andy StonemanParticipant @andystoneman15177]

Hi Chris,

Following the plans of Nixie by Glen Guest, Im stumped by how to connect the arial to the receiver area, Its not really clear how to do it. Do I peel back the receiver wire outer covering and solder to the Arial. or use some type of socket affixed to the plastic covering the sealed box. should the 27MHZ radio really need an extension arial ?

Hi Ashley, yes water changes density as the temperature changes, more soupy the colder it is. You might or not notice a slight difference in speed of any skimming boat in the colder temps as the propellor bites harder with less slip.

Andy

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Andy,

I have had a look at the article.

You need a bit of vertical aerial to get a decent signal really. As Glynn say, the aerial also helps stabilise the model.

Glynn used something like this for his plastic coated wire:

**LINK**

The top end needs to be sealed, a touch of epoxy glue should or silicone sealant should do it. The bottom passes through the hatch plate and obviously needs to be sealed at that point too.

The 27Mhz RX aerial should ideally be around 30 inches long so you need to cut the length of the plastic covered wire off the end to preserve the overall length.

You can certainly use a small connector between the bare end of the plastic coated wire and the end of the RX aerial which means that you can then remove the hatch without taking the RX with it! You need a secure connection so use something like this one from Component Shop.

**LINK**

Hope this helps,

Colin

[Andy StonemanParticipant @andystoneman15177]

Hi Colin,

Thanks for your help, I didn't think of a bullet connector, I had a look at the 40MHZ Receiver and measured the arial length, Its 36" long, The longest i have seen for awhile, I was intending to use my 27MHZ set but it had only two channels. Lucking I got hold of a 40MHZ set which is 4 channel. I wondered if In this instance should I just buy a hollow tube and thread the arial wire up through it, and seal the end or Try the way you suggested, Either way I have two choices. I'll keep you posted when I get closer to the arial stage in my build.

Thanks,

Andy

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Andy,

As long as the total length of aerial is approximately the same it should be OK. Certainly you could run the RX aerial up inside a plastic tube but unless you have a connector under the hatch you have effectively attached the hatch to the receiver which could be a nuisance. I have broken the aerial wire with a connector on some of my boats without any problems so that is probably the best option.

If you break the aerial wire then it will be easier to solder to a connector than the plastic coated steel wire used by Glynn. Best to make sure the plastic tube is as small a diameter as possible so as not to upset the balance of the sub.

Colin

[Andy StonemanParticipant @andystoneman15177]

Hi Colin,

I think Im going to use the bullet connector, touch simpler and the much better option I think, I had thought earlier about the stability problem with too much arial weight. Its always a modelling problem which I'll have to bear in mind. the longer the arial the more chance of stability problems. Thanks for your help Colin.

Andy

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