Conference vmszoo::rc

    re .0
    
    You did'nt do anything wrong during assembly.  The condition you
    describe is normal for servo actuated speed controllers (with an
    ESC the car just stops moving).  If you do run it down just unplug
    the battery pack.  Also, sometimes just holding the rear wheels
    off the ground relieves the current draw and restores enough power
    to center the servo.
    
    Chris

    Don't draw the batteries so low.  As mentioned in the earlier replies
    when the car starts to slow down, STOP. If you do get stuck in a state
    where the speed controller is providing power to the motor but the
    radio is not responding to commands pick the car up. As the previous
    note indicates this lightens the current draw from the motor and
    may help the radio/servo to respond. If this doesn't work unplug
    the battery quickly.  When you plug in a fresh pack the servo will
    respond and turn off the motor, BUT BE SURE YOU ARE HOLDING THE
    CAR OFF THE GROUND!
    
    Todd
    

    DO'NT USE BEC, I HAVE'NT SEEN ONE ADVANTAGE TO IT.

    Re: .-1..., Ken,
    
    Yeah, I've always wondered about that myself...run the battery down
    `til the radio quits...don't make sense does it?
    
    Actually, I think the concept was developed in Poland but they
    abandoned it when they couldn't make it work in R/C aircraft and
    sold it to the car mfgr.'s.  ;8^}  <No ethnic flames, Please.> 
    
    Adios,	Al

    If I'm not mistaken, Kyosho has a motor glider with BEC.
    

    BEC works just fine in my clod buster, by the time the vehicle has
    serious trouble moving the battery voltage is only down to 8 volts
    or so and the BEC regulator hasn't dropped out yet, so I still have
    control over the radio.  This _is_, however, an unusual application...
    
    Willie
    

    Actually, BEC is good for a couple of things:
    
    1)	The weight of the radio/servo battery is eliminated.  This is
    good for planes, as it keeps weight to a minimum.
    
    2)	The complication of keeping Yet Another battery pack charged
    and cycled and happy and warm and somehow in sync with the rest
    of your battery packs is eliminated.
    
    3)	Theoretically, the cost of the additional battery pack is
    eliminated, though it's admittedly difficult to find a complete
    package without the reciver/servo battery.
    
    Willie

    Re.0-Bad instruction book.
    
    
       I have built over 20 R/C car kits in the past 3 years of all
    different brands of car,and Tamiya has the best instructions by
    far of any company in the market today,and the Falcon instructions
    are no more difficult to understand than any other kit Mrc makes.
    
       The books are written and illustrated in such a manner that to
    me,it's just about immpossible to do someting wrong,even for someone
    with no experience at all.The touch I like the best is the screw
    bags that are lettered and have an actual size picture of every
    part plus the quantity of the part,which is reinforced in the
    back of the book,plus whatever step you are on at the time.
    
       The worst instructions I have seen are anything to do with Kyosho.
    I just built two Blackfoots for a customer and put Kyosho Pulsar
    radios in them,and I couldn't believe the terrible quality of said
    radio.The servos would not completly center in both radios,and the
    quality of the plastic in the case was terrible.I think that all
    their money goes to advertizing.
    
    To Wookie::Smith  I like what you've done with the Clod-buster!
    
    
    
    						Kevin

    RE: BEC in Kyosho Melody MP-
    
    The BEC works quite well; ie- drops out the motor while there's
    still plenty of juice left for the receiver.
    
    (Of course, the plane doesn't fly worth a sh*t, but the BEC works
    fine !!!)

    thanks for the notes saying i didn't put it together wrong.
    I really wondered.
	re .10, seems hard to believe that anyone could like that
    instruction book.
    ed
        

    I used to build and repair kits as well as race an R/C
    car for the local Hobby Shop.I have worked on every
    different brand of kit,from Nikko cheapos to RC10's,and
    MRC/Tamiya has the best(in my very humble opinion ;^))
    insructions.They are a joy to work with!What do you find
    difficult about the instructions?I would be glad to offer
    any help to you if I can.The Falcon was a good choice for
    a kit,and will give you good results at the racetrack in
    the stock-540 class.
    
    
    						At your service!
    
    						Kevin

    Maybe it's just that those of us who have seen only the MRC manuals
    that aren't too thrilled with them.  I'd say they are very usable,
    but not very well written/translated.  I can imagine that other
    manuals would be really awful, though, so maybe compared to those
    the MRC manuals are wonderful, but I wouldn't give them any awards
    for deathless prose....
    
    Willie

         You are right about the traslation,Bill,I find some
    pretty funny phrases in there.BTW you should take your Clodbuster
    to the beach this summer,should make a great scenery-checker-outer
    (nudge-nudge-wink-wink)8*)
    
    
    					Kevin C

    There you go!  I was actually planning on taking it to the beach
    (when I get the plow blade figured out) to see if I can do some
    earthmoving, but getting the control computers down to the beach
    is going to be a real beach of a task....  I should also look into
    some kind of audio output, cuz while I can hear what's going on
    (mostly motor and servo noises so far) the vehicle can't speak yet.
    It does get some rather strange looks from people who see it driving
    around without a visible operator, though.
    
    Willie

    
     There is a device (called PEE_WEE I believe) that is meant to cure
    the problem of losing control of the vehicle when the battery weres
    out. it cost about $30 , and can save alot of grief from having
    your car run away from you. The PEE_WEE stores just enough power
    to return the servos to a controled state in the event of a power
    loss.
    
           Ultima's Win!!
              Stan

    Actually, if you can believe this, this (!), the device referred
    to in .17 is called a PEE-PEE.
    

    The Pee Pee is a revolutionary new battery eliminator circuit from
    Cobra International.  This small, lightweight, and economical system
    maintains full control during the loss of primary battery power.
    It is mainteneance-free, extremely unique, and is easy to install.
    The Pee Pee is setting the RC world on its ear.
    
    I just happened to have a product announcment for this thing in
    my briefcase.  One has to wonder about the choice of name.  Some
    marketing consultant probably got paid a huge sum to come up with
    the name.  Hmm, they should have hired me, I know lots of words
    that might have been suitable.