Mode Zero

I have an old Ripmax Pathfinder that I'd like to get working. It looks to be an early type, with a single valve in the transmitter, which, unfortunately, is unreadable. I enclose a pic. It looks like DARIC 2/4 - but if anyone knows better what type it is...?

I would also like to know what voltage to try for both HT and LT. The component count inside is minimal - just three caps, a resistor, a valve and a coil. The steel box has two pushbutton switches on it which seem to control HT and LT respectively - but, oddly, they are not latching switches. So to radiate you seem to need to hold both down - a strange control interface!

The Rx is completely sealed in an opaque plastic box, with no way in. It has an aerial, and a 7-pin valve plug. Two pairs of the pins have a low resistance between them, 3-4 ohms, and the others show open circuit. If anyone has any ideas about this I would appreciate them - I don't really want to break into the box which is in good condition...

The set came with a 'control box', which is a mechanical pulser. I have got that working - it uses an old Ever-Ready T10 motor, and is intended to connect to the HT of a transmitter. The two buttons on it give you either full connection of nil connection, while not depressing either would give you a pulsed output from the Tx - this would provide a progressive control for a boat rudder (though the instructions talk about 'proportional'!

I can send further pics if anyone's interested...

Look here.


viewtopic.php?p=11442#p11442

Shaun.

Wow - they are more common than I thought!
Quite how the Tx is meant to be used escapes me, though. It seems to be designed to be turned off for most of the time, then when you want to turn the LT is activated warms up, and then you can key the HT. After that you shut it down again until the next turn...?

Dodgy Geezer wrote: ↑01 Jul 2021, 22:16 It seems to be designed to be turned off for most of the time, then when you want to turn the LT is activated warms up, and then you can key the HT. After that you shut it down again until the next turn...?

That's correct, it was intended to extend the life of the LT heater battery. As mentioned the left hand button was called the "economy button". Back then most S/C models were really "affected free flighters" and didn't need much control input. Keeping it in the same field was considered a successful flight.

Shaun.

I would have thought that the continual starting surge would have drained the battery more rapidly!
It's odd, because in the same bundle as the Pathfinder came two items from the Ripmax
Navigator series designed for providing progressive control for a model boat, a mark/space generator and a simple progressive actuator. These would require a continuous 27mhz transmission to operate...

I don't suppose you have access to any instruction sheets for the Pathfinder kit, do you? I would like to get it working, at least on the bench....

Hi,

Switching the LT on only when you needed it did extend battery life.

Everything you need to wire up. the Rx up is in my original post.

For pulse use you are correct, you would need to have the LT permanently switched on.

I'll have a look to see if I have any instructions in my data sheet archive.

Cheers,

Shaun.

Thanks - that's not the list that's on the web site, is it? I sent some Macgregor Minimac instructions off to Phil a little while ago for that. Here are the instructions which came with the 'Control Box' and the 'Steering Unit'... as one of the few marine aficionados here I feel that I need to keep that end up!

It looks like a growing number of us have a Ripmax Pathfinder MK1, it's nearly enough for an owners club!


Once my transmitters come out of storage, I'll scan the instructions for the transmitter and receiver, but in the meantime here are some adverts and a trade review from Aeromodeller, don't you just love the display stand for the receiver, I'd love to find one of those.

Mike

Looking at the advert, the Tx doesn't have a badge on either so mine must be the early version and not missing the badge as I thought.

Shaun.

Looking at the Aeromodeller page though the one on the test stand has a badge.

Shaun.