What other hobbys do you have
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Ludwig II
Well-Known Member
Just thought I might hijack this thread and ask if anyone knows about those little indoor radio control helicopters. I've been researching but there are so many out there that the information is overwhelming. Prices from less than $20.00 up to over $300. I'm looking at something in the $150 range as a Christmas present, for me from my wife. She wants to know which one I want but I have no idea what to tell her except that I want one. Anyone have one? What are the good and bad points to look for?
Any input will be appreciated.
Tom
Any input will be appreciated.
Tom
Intrepid Wheelwoman
New Member
My daughter has one, a delicate little thing with two counter- rotating rotor blades that is charged via USB cable. It was gift from her now ex-fiancee and I think it cost around $NZ100.00. I don't know a lot of details about despite being called upon to repair it a couple of times and I'm not sure if my daughter would be very forthcoming about it as I've never seen her fly it since the day her fiancee suddenly made himself an 'ex' by doing something pretty darn despicable. (I still think about strangling him with my bare hands....grrr...)
I certainly know it was capable of being very finely controlled and that the air blast from its rotors was impressive despite its tiny size. It was light enough too that if it did bump into anything it was unlikely to damage anything; - only because of its lightweight it could only be used safely indoors as outside the smallest gust of wind could throw it off course which would usually result in a crash landing.
I certainly know it was capable of being very finely controlled and that the air blast from its rotors was impressive despite its tiny size. It was light enough too that if it did bump into anything it was unlikely to damage anything; - only because of its lightweight it could only be used safely indoors as outside the smallest gust of wind could throw it off course which would usually result in a crash landing.
MEASURE TWICE
Well-Known Member
I bought about 2 years ago the E-Flight Blade CX2. It was about $200 back then. Now they are about $150. The batteries only last about 8 minutes. Each time you need to charge it, even with a better charger than what it comes with, you have to wait a couple of hours. The better charger is just that it balances charging the two or more cell battery pack.
The extra batteries I got two of where $20 a piece and they only lasted so long as far as still taking a charge. It fell short of being something that I bought had I known. I don't much use it any more.
After some many uses the batteries would not even lift the copter off the ground. Indoors is really all it is good for unless you get a bigger one and then it is not costing only $150, it is significantly more.
It was fun and I broke some parts and got replacements. I even found that if I wanted to fly in light winds outside, I would have to walk down wind with it. You can’t stop mother-nature you know. There was one way I could sometimes not have to walk it back up wind. This was by flying it low to the ground where the wind was less sometimes.
There is the bright side of being outside in the wind though.
The wind does not bother me otherwise, I like to go windsurfing. SF Bay is supposed to be N25 gusting 27 Knts today with air temp around 47 degrees F. My new wetsuit will help as I had just recently replaced my 8 year old one. It has been quite a while I have sailed waves on the Pacific Coast. I will again some day.
It can get amazingly huge out at the coast. It is surprising how some sailors go into the conditions where from the beach the top of a 15 foot mast even disappears from view when they are in a trough between large sets of waves. I’ll do just alright with 5 foot waves as only one time did I see a wave over the top of my head and the e-ticket ride began. I was OK and my rig was OK, but it is intensely tiring.
MT
The extra batteries I got two of where $20 a piece and they only lasted so long as far as still taking a charge. It fell short of being something that I bought had I known. I don't much use it any more.
After some many uses the batteries would not even lift the copter off the ground. Indoors is really all it is good for unless you get a bigger one and then it is not costing only $150, it is significantly more.
It was fun and I broke some parts and got replacements. I even found that if I wanted to fly in light winds outside, I would have to walk down wind with it. You can’t stop mother-nature you know. There was one way I could sometimes not have to walk it back up wind. This was by flying it low to the ground where the wind was less sometimes.
There is the bright side of being outside in the wind though.
The wind does not bother me otherwise, I like to go windsurfing. SF Bay is supposed to be N25 gusting 27 Knts today with air temp around 47 degrees F. My new wetsuit will help as I had just recently replaced my 8 year old one. It has been quite a while I have sailed waves on the Pacific Coast. I will again some day.
It can get amazingly huge out at the coast. It is surprising how some sailors go into the conditions where from the beach the top of a 15 foot mast even disappears from view when they are in a trough between large sets of waves. I’ll do just alright with 5 foot waves as only one time did I see a wave over the top of my head and the e-ticket ride began. I was OK and my rig was OK, but it is intensely tiring.
MT
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Dave31
Active Member
Was giving a Swan as a gift http://www.swann.com/s/products/view/?product=1109
I've had lots of fun with it and i do use it outdoors even though they say its not recommended. As long as there is no breeze it does just fine. It will go so high I can lose track of it.
My dogs loved it, it was fun having them chase it around the yard trying to catch it. But, since both my dogs passed away i have not touched it since.
MEASURE TWICE
Well-Known Member
To Intrepid Wheelwoman sorry to hear that about someone treating your daughter in such a way. Dave31 dogs are nice, I don't have one but when I go windsurf like today my friend brings his dog and walks him around before and after we sail. As my mom said after my dad died, "that's life". Good memories I bet you have from exercising the dogs that way while having fun yourself.
The LiPo (Lithium Polymer) battery used on most these helicopters I don't know if there any better now. The number of times you can recharge before it won't take a full charge again is key in how I feel about them. Also 8 minutes is not a long run time. There was a warning that you should not run the battery too far down. If you do discharge too much then it when recharged starts to puff up.
I think hydrogen gas or something not good. They will not be able to take a full charge as a result of discharging too far down. The only way to accurately know is to land it an measure the voltage on the battery. If at a point it take more throttle to lift off than when you started, it probably is time to stop and swap a recharged extra battery in place and immediately recharge the one taken out.
Throwing out the battery I know has problems environmentally, so I guess it should be taken to a hazardous waste / recycle place as there are in most cities. I have also heard to make the puffed up battery more safe to dispose is to discharge is slowly by putting it in a bucket of salt water and gravel. The gravel I think might be in case it decides to burst it won't fly outward.
https://sites.google.com/site/tjinguytech/charging-how-tos/lipo-disposal
Many more give information on making safe to dispose the battery when no longer able to use.
MT
The LiPo (Lithium Polymer) battery used on most these helicopters I don't know if there any better now. The number of times you can recharge before it won't take a full charge again is key in how I feel about them. Also 8 minutes is not a long run time. There was a warning that you should not run the battery too far down. If you do discharge too much then it when recharged starts to puff up.
I think hydrogen gas or something not good. They will not be able to take a full charge as a result of discharging too far down. The only way to accurately know is to land it an measure the voltage on the battery. If at a point it take more throttle to lift off than when you started, it probably is time to stop and swap a recharged extra battery in place and immediately recharge the one taken out.
Throwing out the battery I know has problems environmentally, so I guess it should be taken to a hazardous waste / recycle place as there are in most cities. I have also heard to make the puffed up battery more safe to dispose is to discharge is slowly by putting it in a bucket of salt water and gravel. The gravel I think might be in case it decides to burst it won't fly outward.
https://sites.google.com/site/tjinguytech/charging-how-tos/lipo-disposal
Many more give information on making safe to dispose the battery when no longer able to use.
MT
xseler
Well-Known Member
Tom, I've bought several heli's off this site. They've got everything that you can imagine. Also, many of the items have demo videos so you can actually see them fly.
http://www.raidentech.com/rchelicopters.html
Good luck in your decision!!
http://www.raidentech.com/rchelicopters.html
Good luck in your decision!!
Ilikeabikea
Active Member
Tom, I really like the Airhogs. They are about $40.00 but fly really well. They have counter rotating blades and what you would call the tail rotor is actually a pitch control. Thay are very manueverable.
As far as other hobbies, I have a plane I havent flown in a couple of years. I could always burn car gas until the introduction of ethanol. And Avgas is about $6.00 a gallon. So the plane just sits. I play guitar and fiddle in a couple of Bluegrass bands. We play usually 3 or 4 times a week. I recently started an aquaponic garden in my basement. Gathered my first batch of lettuce a couple of days ago. I plan to expand it through the winter and and when spring rolls around order some Talapia so I can have some fish to eat. I have lots of other things I like to do but only so much time so I have to ration my hobbies.....
As far as other hobbies, I have a plane I havent flown in a couple of years. I could always burn car gas until the introduction of ethanol. And Avgas is about $6.00 a gallon. So the plane just sits. I play guitar and fiddle in a couple of Bluegrass bands. We play usually 3 or 4 times a week. I recently started an aquaponic garden in my basement. Gathered my first batch of lettuce a couple of days ago. I plan to expand it through the winter and and when spring rolls around order some Talapia so I can have some fish to eat. I have lots of other things I like to do but only so much time so I have to ration my hobbies.....
Thanks for all the input and links. I've been reading a lot but there seems to be a lot of options. Price range, channels, limitations, etc. There's a hobby shop near me that sells them. I might have to stop in there and ask some questions. I was in there one day a few months ago and the guy was flying one around inside the store. Just looked like fun.
I think the ones with a built in camera could be interesting. I did some photography from an R/C plane a couple of years ago. That was fun.
Tom
I think the ones with a built in camera could be interesting. I did some photography from an R/C plane a couple of years ago. That was fun.
Tom
There's a chap from Canada who writes a travel blog when he travels in his motor home who has a helicopter with a camera in it. He always has interesting photos that he has taken with it since he's able to get to places where a person can't.
His favorite use for it though is looking for a great camping spot without driving around.
Steve.
His favorite use for it though is looking for a great camping spot without driving around.
Steve.
That is what the chap I'm talking about has. I found this when I was looking at them. He made it himself and the software but you'll like it I'm sure.
Steve.
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j...=lWpatap1oh58gsmRjq1MLg&bvm=bv.57752919,d.cGU
Steve.
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j...=lWpatap1oh58gsmRjq1MLg&bvm=bv.57752919,d.cGU