Flight Link Control Series 4 Restoration

[RobertC]

Great work Stuart

[stuart mackay]

Thanks to all who have posted positive comments so far! Appreciate the encouragement, Guys!

Anyway thanks to Mr Kitchen and his calculator, the 20K ballast resistors arrived for the ail/elev 10k pots today and the three axis stick was wired (I use 10k for the 5 k rudder twist knob pot), Channel 6 was wired as an Aileron 2 channel and all the stick pots plugged into the PhilG DIYMore board with jumpers on the rate/expo inputs, single channel button pressed, powered up and controls calibrated.
Releasing the single channel button and the buzzer made its satisfying chirping to let me know that the throttle was not closed and job's a good 'un!

Woohoo, it all works!!

Mike K also said that he didnt know of any other Flight Link 4/5 channel radios that had been updated ( i know Phil_G has done a 2 channel Duette). so maybe it is is the first Series 4/Sovereign to be operating on 2.4 GHz??

Have had it working also with a 2.4 GHz Corona module, with all six servos moving as commanded, and as you can see in the photos, there is not a lot of space for added niceties/extra features on the chassis plate, but I will be looking at that over the next couple of days when I get to the final tidy up & installation phase. Need to decide on the final location of the single channel button to keep it with the owner's good hand as well as rate/expo pots/channel 7 and of course the Encoder/RF module final placement.

Photo shows the Tx chassis attached to a Mike K pulse counter to show it all working and a glimmer of light is slowly appearing at the end of the tunnel!!!

Close up of chassis

Chassis attached to pulse counter

[Wayne_H]

Congratulations Stuart, well done

If you reduced the Tx battery capacity to say 700-800 mah, it would reduce the physical space needed for the battery thus providing more space for the other bits n bobs, and still leave you with plenty of safe Tx operating time. Just a thought

[Martin]

Fantastic job! The owner is sure to be delighted when he sees his restored set.

[stuart mackay]

If you reduced the Tx battery capacity to say 700-800 mah, it would reduce the physical space needed for the battery thus providing more space for the other bits n bobs, and still leave you with plenty of safe Tx operating time. Just a thought

Yes was thinking also am 850 maH would create some space and looks like the 1800 lipo fouls a couple of moulded features of the rear casing, so will adopt that approach.

[RobertC]

Great work Stuart, perhaps a couple of 18650 battery's may also work for you, you've inspired me to try and get a 4/5 channel set, there was one on fleabay that I missed, so if you know of a set(not single stick) give me a shout please, cash is waiting, or trades....

[Mike_K]

Hi Stuart

I use beat-up old 500mAH 2S lipo's that are past their best from being used in "shockies" and I get 6-8 hours flying time before it gets anywhere near the low voltage alarm. 1800mAH will last most of the season without it needing to be charged, so if space is really tight you can safely fit a far smaller capacity battery.

Now the Flight Link is nearly complete, what's next on the conversion list?!!

Cheers Mike

[stuart mackay]

I use beat-up old 500mAH 2S lipo's that are past their best from being used in "shockies" and I get 6-8 hours flying time before it gets anywhere near the low voltage alarm. 1800mAH will last most of the season without it needing to be charged, so if space is really tight you can safely fit a far smaller capacity battery.

Now the Flight Link is nearly complete, what's next on the conversion list?!!

Yes Mike, it will be having an 850 2s fitted , and Robert 18650s are about the same size as the 1800 I need to replace.

What's next? I feel the need for another old reed set, preferably a blue one (!) but that is dependent upon the Kitchen Delivery Service coming up to Norfolk!

[RobertC]

ok on the battery front Stuart , I must admit these LIPO cells are amazing chemistry and for their size compared with the old nicads and Deacs provide fantastic results ...

[stuart mackay]

Great work Stuart, perhaps a couple of 18650 battery's may also work for you, you've inspired me to try and get a 4/5 channel set, there was one on fleabay that I missed, so if you know of a set(not single stick) give me a shout please, cash is waiting, or trades....

Likewise Robert, I would dearly love to find a twin stick Series 4 or a Sovereign too, I had a Series 4 back in the 73/74 with the buddy box option (another Tx case with just a single stick) and pretty much learnt to fly on that, so definitely looking for another for nostalgia sake for myself, this one, as you know is for a friend, so will not be staying with me!