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Keychain Camera Date and Time Setting

May 26th, 2010 David Payne No comments

I know this has all been covered (somewhere in vastness of the internet) but I wrote a super simple application to write my Date and Time TAG.txt file for me. I thought I would share it for those that are interested.

I have had the Spy Gum camera since the early days and still use it. However a good friend of mine game me a brand new Keychain camera (green tinge to the lens) and I am thrilled — so much easier to place on the planes. Anyway, after dinking around with different Date Time files (none worked including the one in the instructions that came with it). I found one that worked:

TAG.txt

[date]
2010/05/26
23:07:10

You can download the app here: http://popularrc.com/KeyChainDateTime.zip

Source:

Imports System.Text
Imports System.IO

Public Class KCCDateTime

Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Dim text As StringBuilder
Dim dt As DateTime
Try
dt = DateTime.Now
text = New StringBuilder()
With text
.AppendLine("[date]")
.AppendLine(dt.ToString("yyyy/MM/dd"))
.AppendLine(dt.AddMinutes(1D).ToString("HH:mm:ss"))
End With

If File.Exists("TAG.txt") Then
File.Delete("TAG.txt")
End If

File.WriteAllText("TAG.txt", text.ToString().Trim())
MessageBox.Show("Created TAG.txt File" + Environment.NewLine + Environment.NewLine + text.ToString())

Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show("Error: " + ex.ToString())
End Try
Me.Close()
End Sub
End Class

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Slow Stick Tricycle Landing Gear

October 8th, 2009 David Payne No comments
SSPX2990_cropped

Everett Knutson's Tri-gear Slow Stick

The GWS Slow Stick is probably the most versatile Electric Platform.  People that have been flying for years continue to fly their old trusty Slow Sticks.   I still have my first one and I fly it with my camera.  Yeah, I know… everything has already been done and said about the Slow Stick, but in the last few weeks I have been able to help test fly the tricycle landing gear platform and found that it has some appeal.

Some of Slow Sticks coming to the local field are modified with tricycle landing gear and steerable nose wheel.  Most are using after market Slow Stick parts from MillenniumRC.   My first thought was… “why”, but after test flying them, I see the appeal though the ground handing is terrible – don’t expect to drive it around on the ground and not have it top over on a wing tip.   However, having the nose wheel is a huge benefit for a hard landing and will probably save you several props if you are still in the learning stages.  People flying cameras may enjoy it if they are pointing the camera out the side or the back of the plane.  Taking photos and video out the front will be obstructed by the nose wheel.  I also found the steerable nose wheel not very effective on the grass or dirt.   It handles decently on a hard surface though.

Pros: Fun to fly, great for touch and goes, and may save you some props on hard landings.  It looks cool too.

Cons: Poor ground steering (stock Slow Stick does not steer well either) but who wants it on the ground?, tips easily on the ground.  Wheel obstructs forward video and photos.

One thing that would probably improve ground handling would be a wider main wheel stance.  If you enjoy flying the Slow Stick and want to try something just a little different, give the tricycle landing gear a try.

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