Warning for Cyclock (and possibly others) with 3 position gain switch

[lovetofly]

I just learned something the hard way and thought I'd pass it along to potentially save others the trouble:

I'm using a CSM CL-1 Cyclock and a pair for SL720's for flybarless stabilization. I recently upgraded to the new X9303 2.4 radio and I'm using the AUX2 3-position switch to control the gain of the SL720's. I got into the habbit of starting up with the gain switch in the middle position so the gyro's are essentially off. This is all fine and good until you input some elevator or aileron. Next, if you switch into Head lock mode, and you are on the ground, the heli will suddenly starting rolling one way or the other based on the "demand" you input earlier while the gain was 0.

So the net affect is that you flick the switch and the heli suddenly starts to rotate!! Now this won't happen as violently if you put the switch in the rate position instead of the head lock position, but it can still cause some upset.

My solution to this problem was to use a mix on the TX to offset the neutral switch setting so that it's slighly toward the rate side. This allows the input to be gradually bled off even if the gain switch is in the middle (off) position. Of course another workaround is simply to not go from the middle position to the head lock position, at least not while on the ground. Obviously, a 2-position switch will not have this issue either unless you program one position to be off and the other to be head lock (don't do that!).

Such a seemingly trivial issue...but I destroyed a new pair of tail blades, and scuffed the tips of a pair of Radix 710's learning this one - but I'm lucky that was all.