Progress Report

[Heli Yea!]

Well that's too bad Tom. I hate hearing about flying machines falling out of the sky. I do however like hearing that you recovered the SD card! I also am happy you like the new motor and it works well. still no progress on the computer? That sucks.

[copterboy]

Well guys, I suck!! Couldn't motivate myself to go out the other night, as a strong breeze kicked up in the evening. Just felt it was too much to see if the small changes were effective or not. Next night, I had to sort tools out for work the next day, as I was starting a new tiling job for another builder. Then last night the football, at which my team also sucked (in fairness only the result sucked, but we did put on a good show!).

But, in addition to this, I have been putting some effort into finding a new job, as I fell out with the guy I was doing maintenance for (again!). Seems I maybe going to work for another friend who has changed from central heating engineer, to installing renewable energy/solar panels. I know for a fact he is backed by 3 other directors, who each deal with finance, sales and operation, so it is no 1 man band or fly by night operation.
And, my friend is soon to be made operations director, freeing up the current ops director to focus on sales and development. So I am hoping to muscle my way into my friends job as the installation team leader/plumber. Looks like my tiling days are finally going to be over!! Steady job, regular pay, potential company vehicle, only downside will be long hrs!! But I will be off every weekend. I have to say I'm feeling excited about the opportunity, as there is good potential for both personal growth, and sales potential for every government/public building in the country, plus the obvious domestic installations Oh, and if I ever refer a sale to the salesman and it goes through, I get a nice commission payment too! Should help pay for upgrades, and it won't even dent the salary

So I don't think I'll be able to fly in the week/evenings again, until the depths of next summer!! Also, if I have to qualify for my Gas and Electric certificates, then that maybe even longer!! I'm not due to start until 6th Oct, so I will have to try and make the most of what time I have left, but I have 2 or possibly 3 tiling jobs to try and finish in the meantime!!

[Tomstoy2]

Excellent, dude! Really happy for you.

Got to admit, something zounds weird. Solar & England? Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you need the sun for that?

[sutty]

Ha, ha. Interestingly enough government grants had to be reduced because it was virtually a no brainer to have them fitted, and yet we didn't and missed the boat. Our roof on the road side faces due south, and being a bungalow we have a large area. Typically, with such things that might actually be useful to people, there is a limit. In this case I believe 4kW is the limit, before the pay back tariff is reduced, often stopping it from being cost effective to go larger. We could easily reach that limit though, but for some misguided reason we chose not to. As fuel costs continue to rise it is fast becoming a no brainer again, and I guess we'll be looking at the subject more closely again soon.

As for flight progress, I just had what was virtually a night flight with the quad. Embarrassingly I'd forgotten about the brightnress and contrast settings on the goggles, and I think they'd been set badly, or knocked at some time. I tweaked them last week, and optimised them for an average lit room, and when I went out tonight for the first flight since, it was unbelievable. It was starting to go dark when I first went out, but I still had a great flight. I'll put some more detail in the video progress thread when I get something processed.

Pleased to hear about the job Denis. Hopefully you'll still get a few chances to fly before the winter sets in, and with some regular cash coming in I'm sure it will be easier to budget.


Cheers

Sutty

[Heli Yea!]

Tom about the crash playback, you can watch it on your 12" monitor using the GP playback.

[copterboy]

Thanks guys. Spot on with your info there Sutty, but I also heard it will be law for new builds from 2017 Anything that reduces our reliance on natural resources is a good thing IMO. Plus it is a european company that supplies the units, so will reduce our reliance on North Sea Gas and Russia Indeed I hope once I settle into this job, life will become more stable as a result! The unit we install relates only to hot water demand, as there is only one panel which is not the photovoltaic type. I find it a very interesting technology, so hoping some of the things I learned in the hobby might transfer back into the job!

In the meantime, my baby has a broken wing! = Jack has broken his collar bone! I'm gonna have to stay in and nurse him this weekend. Can't even dress him properly, as he can't lift his arm up. It looks a fairly calm day to

Now he did bust a motor on the quad, so maybe I'll give him a lesson on soldering whilst I have his attention

[Tomstoy2]

Ahh, poor little guy! What did you do? Go all Ray Rice on him?
Sorry, couldn't resist. Been having fun with that one all week!

Good time to spend some serious down time with him. Sorry to hear of his mishap, but damn pleased about your dedication!

My friend, pleased as shit about your new career change! You are right about that. For you guys it's huge, I know. I also know that with today's technology you really don't need direct sunlight. Even voltage generation isn't that dependent anymore.
I consider it a sin that my county doesn't have an 'energy policy' beyond raping everybody of their natural resources. Instead we are more concerned with gay marriages!

[jperkosk]

Happy for you, Denis, it definitely is a growth field. My home city is located 2000m high, the sun is almost vertical 10hrs in a day, and we get 30 days of clouds in a year . Still, the price of solar units is still high. My partner and I have evaluated and shelved for now the installation of high-power solar-electric panels in our bakery: the monthly bill is about $600 and the acquisition + installation cost was quoted @ about $30k. That's over 4 years for a payback. When it gets to under 2 years, we'll most likely go for it.

Active kids do injure their wings, unfortunately. Still remember the expression on former Mrs. P's face when I returned 9yo Jr. (he's about to turn 21 now) after summer vacation with a broken collar bone and the hand hanging in a brace... (Very gentle) hug for little Jack from me.

[Tomstoy2]

Ahh, 'f' me!

Don't hear from Jim in 2 weeks, and tonight I get 2 emails from him, including a new file to hopefully get the Ranger flying straight and level in aided mode.
Of course my computer is toast so I have no way to load the new file in the micro sd card!

Had my buddy Greg come over for the game and he's played around with this thing for 5 hours.
It's toast.

Oh well, time to look into a tablet anyway. The Ruby is waypoint compatable, ( haven't even bothered to look at that yet, got to get her flying right first ), so I'll need a tablet for that.
It's part of the plan for my ground station, anyway.
Get rid of this big old black box.

So, what sould I be looking at for a tablet, guys? I've never bothered looking at them before.

[sutty]

Nor me. Sounds too much like new fangled technology to me.

[jperkosk]

Just got this to play with, it's really amazing. Already got AutoCAD and my main virtual machine (with lots of Win7-only certified software on it) running on it. Expensive, but it's a real-to-goodness PC in a tablet form, i7 8GB RAM 500GB SSD

http://www.amazon.com/Surface-Pro-De...+surface+pro+3


P.S. Very nice magnetically attached keyboard is a $129 option, can you imagine? As I said, expensive.

[Tomstoy2]

Just looking at the i5 128gb version. Almost pulled the trigger.

[Tomstoy2]

Hey Jerry, just wondering, I got a wireless keyboard,plugs into a usb. I wouldn't need the cover, would I?

[jperkosk]

Got i5 256GB SSD version for Mrs. P. for Christmas. Had Samsung slate i5 4GB RAM 128GB SSD earlier and found both RAM and SSD HD lacking, but that's just me. 256GB SSD HD Surface 3 Pro comes automatically with 8GB RAM.

External keyboard will work fine, but you only have 1 USB port so better keep it free IMHO. The $129 keyboard is worth it, it even has a functional touchpad (unlike the keyboard on Surface 2 Pro that I just passed on to my daughter). It partially protects the screen when folded, attaches/detaches very easily, it's backlit, what can I say, it was designed for it.

[Tomstoy2]

Did a lot of research, came down to 2 options for now. Macbook Air and Surface Pro 3, I5, 256gb.
My best bud, Greg has a Macbook and loves it, but he has a ton of Apple stock. Me, I just got away from Apple, and haven't experienced a single drop out since. Still, getting rid of Windows has its appeal, too.

However, damn, that SP 3 is impressive! Already got an external sd drive coming to get my by with my Ruby, all I would be missing that I would occasionally need, dvd/cd r/w rom, cheap enough for an external drive. Don't really use it at all, but what the hell.

No rush, close enough now to wait and see what holiday deals might come down.


Went to Greg's the other day and installed the new file into the micro sd card! Plan on heading out with the Ranger tomorrow morning an try it out. If all goes well will do some fpv testing under the new Zeiss goggles!

[Heli Yea!]

THE CINEMIZERS! Did you just get these?

[Tomstoy2]

Had them for awhile. Watched several movies with them. This don't need any tv now really.
Will be the first time flying with them.

[copterboy]

Just catching up after a couple of late one's!! Was supposed to finish my job today, but wrong paving slabs got delivered, so the builders had to rip up the patio they just laid, and in doing so, meant I couldn't clear the floor in the new extension and get it grouted. So I gotta go back tomorow AM to finish up. Should finish around lunchtime, won't be working again till next week....and weather forecast has improved and is looking favourable for flying Touch wood nothing happens to change my plans!!

@ Tom - Funnily enough, Jack was in her care at the time. I'm just like the knight in shining armour to him now

@ Jerry - thanks again for the business tips you have shared with me. I know some of it has certainly sank in!!

I got a next day response from HH about the DX8, so will get that boxed up later, and dispatched before end of the week

[Tomstoy2]

Great day of flying, great weather!

Did 3 battery's as they were cutting the soccer fields and were getting to where they needs to finish off in my area. I kindly packed up and gave them the field though I am sure they would have gladly have waited.

First battery was to test out the new file Jim sent me, much better but not there yet. A vast improvement over last time.
Once Jim gets her to hold course in aided mode we will then work on my desire to do a full flap near stall landings.
After that, time to learn waypoint.

Second flight was under the new Zeiss goggles!
What a trip! The field of view is narrower, 35 degrees, same as your focused eye sight, everything else is perefferial, so there was a moment of orientation from use to it as my much wider AIO goggles, but the improvement over the display quality! Holy Shit! Just night and day difference!!! I was totally blown away.
The ranger, I use the new RMRC 800 camera. The Zeiss takes full advantage transforming it into a display so bright and crystal clear, so rich in natural color that it made my AIO's sourly disappointing!
Keeping into consideration that I broadcast on 1.3ghz, I'm almost afraid to view a much more detailed 5.8ghz! I had better make sure I'm sitting on my camp toilet when I do because I already know what the result will be!!!

With the Zeiss you are tethered, but you're flying fpv, kicked back in that nice new super relaxing camp chair, so it's no big deal. Plus, with a display like this, who cares!
I took her so far out, 3 miles, that Greg kept asking me where the hell I was, how the hell did I know how to come back?


3rd flight, I gave control over to Greg, let him fly los in manual for the whole battery.
Next time out, if Jim's next file cures the aided mode tracking, I'll shove the goggles on him and the tx in his hand.
Cheap bastard, I'm just not going to give him a chance!
I swear, he will squeeze a penny so hard it will give Lincon a hernia!

[Heli Yea!]

Well now for me Lincoln will shit his tongue and puke a hemorrhoid come winter. But you just tell Greg sometimes the Franklin needs something electric to fly!

EDIT: I am finally getting a whole weekend off!!! This one!!! So Im heading to the hills for my first camp of the summer Next to a hot springs no city no helis or quads. Only beer weed friends fishing and a soak in the springs! Oh and Whiskey! As soon as I cut my lawns tomorrow Im off on vaca!