Radio control newbie

[Kevin FlemingParticipant @kevinfleming72293]

TSMV Mona’s Queen running gear question

[Kevin FlemingParticipant @kevinfleming72293]

Hi there everyone,

Something of a newbie to radio model boats, i am currently building the hull for my 1/96 scale Isle of Man steam packet car ferry TSMV Mona’s Queen of 1972.

 

I need to some advice on running gear and also to see if i am going too far with ideas etc.

 

My aim is to have functional twin rudders, twin screws with independant controls on ESC, a single bow thruster unit and a bow rudder for navigating astern wth fixed stabilisrers. I am really inerested in doing a sound module linked with ESC for the turbo diesel sound and possibly a ships horn. Being a diesel car ferry i was not sure about having a smoke generator from the rear exhaust/main mast but after researching them i have found out you can tune them etc to work with ESC so just like the real thing when the diesels are working hard when maneouvring etc she could puff out some smoke??????

 

Now how many channels would that need???? i am thinking 6 plus. I am willing to sacrifice the functional bow rudder and just have one for show.

 

Looking forward to your help and advice

 

 

Kevin Fleming

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Dave Milbourn is the man you need, I am sure he could sort you out good and proper,like.

 

Look for one of his posts on this forum.

 

Ashley

[Kevin FlemingParticipant @kevinfleming72293]

thanks for that i will keep my eyes open.

 

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

If the ship was fitted with a bow rudder was she also fitted with a thruster – seems a bit unlikely to me.

 

Colin

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Kevin
You will
need the following to satisfy all your requirements:

Port motor –
LH Tx stick Up/Down
Stbd motor –
RH Tx stick Up/Down
Rudders –
RH Tx stick side-to-side
Thruster –
LH Tx stick side-to-side
Horn – Switched
channel  e.g. 2-way On/Off switch such as “Retracts”
Winch –
Spare proportional channel e.g. rotary knob, slider or 3-way switch

The engine
sound doesn’t need its own channel as it is coupled to the throttles (or rather
to one of them if using tank steering). A variable fan controller to control the smoke would also be coupled to the throttles.

If you
would be happy to couple the throttles and steering to a twin mixer/ESC like
the ACTion P94 then you could use the RH stick Up/Down for the winch. In that
event you can achieve all you want using just a 5-channel set.

Have a look at the wiring diagrams here http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/wd.php and http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/ms.php for more ideas and inspiration.

Dave M

Edited By Dave Milbourn on 06/05/2011 08:56:36

Edited By Dave Milbourn on 06/05/2011 08:57:12

[Kevin FlemingParticipant @kevinfleming72293]

wow that sounds quite complex, will have to get my head round it by looking at diagrams and getting my hands on the radio gear etc.

The Mona’s Queen along with her steam and diesel sisters had both bow rudder for navigating astern and a single bow thruster for berthing etc.

 

Not sure at what point but the bow rudder was welded up as the need for navigating astern was no longer required and the thruster proved sufficient

[Kevin FlemingParticipant @kevinfleming72293]

just been thinking about this and looking the links that you kindly sent….using a mixer i could have both shafts controlled off the LH stick up and down but if i needed independant shaft control for eg turning on a axis i could blip the RH stick to enable independent shaft control.

 

Have i got that right???? bear with me Ha

 

Thanks

[Kevin FlemingParticipant @kevinfleming72293]

Posted by Colin Bishop, Website Editor on 05/05/2011 22:04:48:

If the ship was fitted with a bow rudder was she also fitted with a thruster – seems a bit unlikely to me.

 

Colin

The Mona’s Queen along with her steam and diesel sisters had both
bow rudder for navigating astern and a single bow thruster for berthing
etc.

 

Not sure at what point but the bow rudder was
welded up as the need for navigating astern was no longer required and
the thruster proved sufficient

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Posted by Kevin Fleming on 06/05/2011 12:37:29:

just been thinking about this and looking the links that you kindly sent….using a mixer i could have both shafts controlled off the LH stick up and down but if i needed independant shaft control for eg turning on a axis i could blip the RH stick to enable independent shaft control.

 

Have i got that right???? bear with me Ha

 

Thanks

No. You would loose the automatic mixing between steering and motors if you connected the main motors up and used this mode of P94 (Mode 2). It was designed to operate bow and stern thrusters.

[Kevin FlemingParticipant @kevinfleming72293]

Thanks for your help do far, is it possible using a radio system that’s enables me using my left stick fwd and rev controlling both shafts together when cruising on the water using the right stick for rudders but when required use both sticks up and down for independent shaft movements aswell as using the right stick for rudder for maneouvring etc?? thanks for your patience and help

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Yes, I have got this arrangement on one of my models. It entails using the toggle switch channel on the TX intended to raise and lower the undercarriage on a plane to switch between independent motor control in the model and running both speed controllers off one channel operated by the left hand stick on the TX. This does tie up three channels of course but gives you good control options.

 

Colin

[Kevin FlemingParticipant @kevinfleming72293]

I might just have two channels driving two shafts, I may go down the ratchet stick route, but is it difficult to find neutral ??

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

‘Tank’ steering on a boat is difficult to master as you are effectively trying to steer the boat on the motors rather than the rudder. OK for close quarters manouevering but not easy to steer a straight course when running free, particularly if you are fiddling with the rudder as well.

 

Ratchet control is also not recommended as you can only find neutral by either looking at the stick position which means taking your eyes off the boat or using the boat’s motions as feedback which means you are always behind the action and having to react to them.

 

Of course, given sufficient hand/eye co-ordination and practice anything is possible but it does smack of doing things the hard way.

 

A mixer can be a pretty good compromise for most situations and is worth trying.

 

The KISS principle is particularly applicable here.

 

Colin

[Kevin FlemingParticipant @kevinfleming72293]

Thanks, does the mixer linked with two shafts work with the rudder movement increasing or decreasing revolutions for maeourvring? If I was put full port rudder for example would one shaft speed up and the other stop or reverse ? Thanks again

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/pdfs/Twins%20Ver2.pdf

http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/pdfs/P94.pdf

DM

[Peter FitnessParticipant @peterfitness34857]

Kevin, the P94 unit built and marketed by Dave Milbourn (ACTion Electronics) does exactly what you asked in your last post. It is a wonderful piece of technology, easy to use and very competitively priced. If I sound like an ACTion salesman, I am not, but I am a very satisfied customer who uses a P94 in one of my models. I thoroughly recommend it.

 

Peter.

[Kevin FlemingParticipant @kevinfleming72293]

Thanks for all your help so far, i will be fitting a mixer and getting her on the bench when all electrics are done with radio and having a play to see what work s for me, i have noticed that model boats with twin rudders are quite twitchy on steering (well warships i have seen anyway), i want my model to be as smooth as possible.

 

I thought i would post a pic of the old girl and how i am going to model her

 

http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=40462

 

Any one recognise her???

 

Thanks

 

Kev

[Author]

Posts