Being cleverer with my radio…

[Downbytheriver]

I, as I suspect is the case for many others, have a radio set which has capabilities that go way beyond what I use (which is essentially channel 1 rudder and channel 3 winch! I have used a third channel (rotary) for jib sheet adjustment on a 6 metre and my A class has an adjustable clew outhaul on the main, also on a rotary - could this be on a switch?). 
 

I use end points in the Tx to set my rig up for fully in and fully out and recently I felt I was over steering my 6 metre so I reduced the end points for the rudder to 50% - this had a VERY positive affect on my general progress around the race course but it got quite hairy at starts and sometimes marks as my elegantly smooth and slow course changes weren’t always as sharp as I could have used and others expected!
 

In an ideal world I would use one of the available switches to change from smooth to sharp mode - is this possible? Is this a valid option? What other clever things are people doing with throttle curves etc? Is there somewhere to learn what these functions would be good for? 
 

I should have said that my chosen radio is a cheap (but wonderful) Flysky fsi6 (which is set up for six different boats and  I have three Txs along with countless receivers) so those questions apply to this setup. However,  I am prepared to upgrade to something else if it gives me more of what I want and especially if it gives me a ratchet on the sheet (channel 3). 
 

somebody teach me more! 

[Martin Tigg]

Hi. If your radio system has exponential then use that. Fine course changes at central stick movement. Massive rudder movement when the stick goes all the way. It is used by 3D flyers etc. 

[John949]

If you want to change the maximum deflection of your rudder with a switch then look up 'Dual Rates' in your radio's manual. Even the most basic radios have a 2 position switch for rates and better radios have a 3-postion one (giving three different settings each of which can have exponential throw).  Having said that, for a yacht rudder, you probably want maximum throw but exponential travel.  This gives maximum rate of turn in panic but finer control for sailing in straight lines.

You can play with throttle curves to give a sort of single ended exponential for the sheet i.e. sensitive at the fully sheeted in position but less so at the sheeted out position.

If you use more than one servo for sail control then you can use mixing functions to make two (or more) servos move in response to one stick e.g. you could make your outhaul automatically tension when the main is sheeted in and ease when you let it out.

Exactly how you do these things and what is possible is of course radio dependent.  Basically there are two types of radio.  Simple radios (like Spectrum, Flysky & Futaba) have switches and knobs which are dedicated to a single function e.g. the aileron rate switch is labelled as such and can only have this function (This would normally be the rudder on a model yacht).  More sophisticated radios (typically those running OpenTx e,g, FrSky (that's FrSky not Flysky) and RadioMaster) are completely programmable and any switch or knob can be assigned to any function.  You can spot these as the switches are labelled 'Switch A, Switch B etc.

It takes a bit of trial and error but the extra functions can be very useful.

[John Bennett]

Hi there,

I use Exponential on the rudder, and throttle curve on the sheeting.

If you do a search on YouTube with   Fs-i6 Exponential,  or throttle curve  you will find videos showing you how to do it.

The videos also show Dual Rate (e.g. for rudder), but I would use exponential in preference.

Any problems give me a shout .

Cheers,

John Bennett

[Derek Priestley]

I have large rudder throw but don't move my thumb as much!!

 

[Downbytheriver]

Thank you to everybody - I’m pretty sure I’ve got what I wanted from this (but I will try exponential too!).