First Build

[PhoenixFord]

Well its just in "Mock-Up". Just a little paint. And installing a few things to get an idea how everything goes together.

Sneak Peek,

 

[Jtrjr]

Looking good, Phoenix!

Jerry

 

[theGreenOrange]

LO

Looking good, Phoenix!

Jerry

LOL, I was about to make the same post. It IS looking good. xD

 

[raymonFPV]

Looks good man! very clean build!!

 

[PhoenixFord]

Thanks Guys. Still have a little custom work to do. Also waiting delivery of my FC and PDB. Started working on my soldering skills today. Swapped out the T60 plug on my 4S Batt to EC3. Then got brave enough after that to solder on the header pins to my ESCLinker. Turned out fairly well even with nervous and shaky hands. I needed a little confidence boos for doing all the rest of the solder work ahead.

Thanks Again
Randy

 

[merdok]

Looks nice!

 

[PhoenixFord]

Looks nice!

Thanks merdok

RedRotor PDB came in late last week. So I've started measuring ESC wiring and prepping for solder. Since I'll be mounting the PDB upside down. I've decided to follow suit with the ESC's also. The face side actually is flatter than the CB side. So it lend itself to mounting easier. I suppose that my motor rotation will be a little screwed up now. But I planed on needing to rotating 2 anyway.

Even though I'm not very far along with the build,This tight frame has already been challenging for me. I reworked the mounts on the vTx and Rx. I didn't like the way they were squished together. I've been using the 3M Red Double Sided Sticky with good results on other projects. But it's just to thick for this project. So I found some Gorilla Tape Double Sided Sticky in clear that is also much thinner than the 3M (at wale-world). I also removed the outside casing from the Rx and added shrink-wrap. The combination of the two changes actually gave me an air space between the two Tx's. Plus, I foud out that I had routed the Rx antennas incorrectly. I'm also working on the LED harness.

The FC is delayed again. When I ordered it, I was expecting shipment to take place within the next week or so. Now Spektrum is saying "end-of-the-month". Hope that's not a bad sign. But it will give me a little more time to do the rest of the work without being in a hurry to get her airborne.

Hope everyone is having a good day.

Randy

 

[PhoenixFord]

Well PDB is just about complete. Let me say that soldering has not been a pleasurable experience. Age has taken a toll on my sight and my steady hand. I'm sure that with practice this task would probably come easier. But. this is my first and probably last time I'll take on the soldering part of a build. I still have a cold joint on the battery pin. I have a friend (expert) that I'll be asking for help in correcting this issue.

Hopefully everything will fit into the frame as planed (or else I may get a little more practice). My red and whit shrink wrap arrived in the mail today (go along with my R,W & B theme). I plan on installing white on the forward arms. And red on the reward arms. Hopefully this will give me some type of LOS orientation. I had purchased some R, W & B LED's. But I
m going to step back from that decision. I think that this PDB is busy enough. The FC is capable of doing the color changing LED's. But I'm not sure if will work with regular LED's?

My FC is still MIA? Hopefully Spektrum will start delivery soon. I am excited about getting this thing in the air. At least I'll be able to start playing around with the FPV equipment as soon as the PDB gets installed. I've only had my Skyzone goggles powered up just once. And was only able to view live video via the cheep onboard forward looking camera.

And with all this going on, I'm still learning how to use my new DX8 G2 transmitter. I haven't been able to bind the new Rx yet because I've been waiting on the PDB for that too. I've programed the Blade 300X in the new Tx. But haven't flown her yet either. I plan on racking up a little more sim time with the new Tx and settings before I try it in real life. I have to be careful with the 300x now due to lack of available parts. Spektrum is still somewhat supporting their discontinued aircraft. But on the other hand, LYNX dropped the 300X support like a hot potato. Another hobbyist learns his lesson on aftermarket hop-ups.

 

[theGreenOrange]

A tip to make it easier, you need to pre-tin the pads with a bb sized blob of solder. Then you pre-tin the wire. Then put the wire on top and smush it with the soldering iron until the blob melts.

 

[Jtrjr]

Phoenix,

Sounds like you're really getting into the meat of things! I had a time getting used to the soldering as well. Putting the header pins on the FC was a big PITA for me. I'm used to working on motorcycles, not stuff this tiny. I like the theme idea and flying LOS is quite a chore for me. I've become quite comfortable with the goggles. Just had my best few hours of actually flying since I got into the FPV racing stuff. I've got tons of video to go through now. Blew off 11 batteries, 6 on the Crusader GT2 and 5 on the XSpd 250B. I feel like it was my first real day f good practice. I hope your FC shows up soon!

Jerry

 

[theGreenOrange]

Probably half a bb (a hemisphere) is more like it. If course, the smaller pads will need a smaller blob.

 

[PhoenixFord]

A tip to make it easier, you need to pre-tin the pads with a bb sized blob of solder. Then you pre-tin the wire. Then put the wire on top and smush it with the soldering iron until the blob melts.

I actually had a fairly decent experience with the pads. My only issue (being new to this) was how much solder to lay down on the pads. So some have more than others. I went back and forth on soldering the header to the cam / vTx pins. Once I changed my perspective and seen how horrible the servo connectors were going to work, my decision was made. Those tinny pin-outs were nerve racking. The BATT connections are through-hole. And I really thought that these would be easier. But I think my problem is the large mass of copper that I'm trying to get enough heat to flow. I've got a #13AWG battery connection, a number 18AWG FC connection and a CAP all shoved into the through-holes. They all fit. But its full.

 

[theGreenOrange]

I actually had a fairly decent experience with the pads. My only issue (being new to this) was how much solder to lay down on the pads. So some have more than others. I went back and forth on soldering the header to the cam / vTx pins. Once I changed my perspective and seen how horrible the servo connectors were going to work, my decision was made. Those tinny pin-outs were nerve racking. The BATT connections are through-hole. And I really thought that these would be easier. But I think my problem is the large mass of copper that I'm trying to get enough heat to flow. I've got a #13AWG battery connection, a number 18AWG FC connection and a CAP all shoved into the through-holes. They all fit. But its full.

When pre-tinned, the pads typically should be fully covered, and the hemisphere should be a little shorter in height than the pad is wide.

 

[PhoenixFord]

Phoenix,

Sounds like you're really getting into the meat of things! I had a time getting used to the soldering as well. Putting the header pins on the FC was a big PITA for me. I'm used to working on motorcycles, not stuff this tiny. I like the theme idea and flying LOS is quite a chore for me. I've become quite comfortable with the goggles. Just had my best few hours of actually flying since I got into the FPV racing stuff. I've got tons of video to go through now. Blew off 11 batteries, 6 on the Crusader GT2 and 5 on the XSpd 250B. I feel like it was my first real day f good practice. I hope your FC shows up soon!

Jerry

I do enjoy some aspects of the building. Especially the part about having a better understanding on maintenance and repairs. But I'm really more of a pilot more so than a mechanic. So I'm ready to fly.

 

[PhoenixFord]

When pre-tinned, the pads typically should be fully covered, and the hemisphere should be a little shorter in height than the pad is wide.

Thank You Sir. I will practice this advice when soldering the motors.

 

[PhoenixFord]

Update - PDB is finished and installed (2nd try). First attempt didn't go so smoothly. I didn't quite leave enough room with the ESC conductors to fit into the PDB cutout / housing. And, checking my work with a DMM showed to have continuity from (V-) to the frame. So I had to re-do the solder connections for all ESC's. Final continuity check now shows All-Clear. Next will be motor connections.

I only received the white shrink tube in my last order. I messed-up the last order (and I've been messing-up a lot lately ???). So I'll be able to solder two of the motors next time I make it to the bench. But I will have to wait on sourcing the red shrink tube to solder the other two motors. Rather than having to ship, one of my good friends has agreed to check his resources in with the local electrical distributors to try and get some sooner. Looking forward to powering up the OSD so that I can start gaining experience in that area of the hobby.

Side Note: Modified the underside of the PDB Bay to access the OSD Pushbutton.

 

[PhoenixFord]

New Up Date: Applied power to the PDB / OSD today and everything is working great. Got a good look through the SkyZone goggles. And just let me say, W-O-W I can't wait to get this thing in the air. I currently have the standard 2.8mm lens installed that came with the camera. But thinking of switching to the 2.5mm lens (already purchased).

The "Long Awaited" FC is now in hand. So all I need now is a little more bench time to finish up the build. I'm still a little bit apprehensive about running RaceFlight One. But I've trusted Spektrum this far. And, I like to be different. Won't be long now till I find out if I made the right choice.

 

[PhoenixFord]

Two Steps Forward and One Step Back?

Pretty much finished the build. I still have some tidying up to do. But wanted to start the set-up process before everything is locked down for flight. So I plugged into RaceFlight and started going through the process. And that's when it happened. Did you ever run into one of those problems that wasn't supposed to be a problem in the first place? - I just can not get the new receiver to work properly. I've bound a few in my day, and they've always gone smoothly. But this one is giving me fits. So the 210R is back in the box till I can get more bench time. And my head will be spinning till I figure this out.

PS: So far - RaceFlight has been smooth. I've done everything that I can do without a Tx / Rx. Calibrate endpoints and ESC. But I did Upload new firmware to the ESC's with no issues.

 

[PhoenixFord]

Progress once again!

I removed the rX, powered it up with an external power supply, and got it to bind. Looks like my biggest problem was (ME). Sometimes I tend to get a little ahead of myself. Hopefully I'm back on track now. Still have a little apprehension about getting the rX to talk to the FC. Only time will tell.

 

[theGreenOrange]

Don't worry, it should be easy since it is a Spektrum FC and receiver.