vinyl switch covers

[th3tick]

I've seen pictures of some folks' radios with little colored vinyl covers over switches. This seems a great way for me to highlight the switches I care about since I'm in the midst of changing radios.

Does anyone know where these can be obtained?

John

[fireup]

Just use color electrical heat shrink tubing, cheap and easy.

[Skiddz]

www.mouser.com
www.digikey.com
www.newark.com

Search for subminiature toggle switches and then you'll have to plow through the listings to see the covers.

[Pinecone]

Another way that I have heard is use various colored nitro fuel line. This is silicone tubing.

I was at an LHS (who is also a large online retailer) and after talking with the guy, he GAVE me about 1 inch of each of several colors. I was buying some other stuff. :)

Of course, I never got around to using it.

[DavidH]

I don't look at radio when flying. So I don't see the need for different color covers over switches. LOL

David

[th3tick]

Well, I gave the heatshrink a try, and it worked well.

I don't look at my Tx either, except when I'm desperate. Having both the flight mode switch and throttle hold move are going to take a little getting used to, and having an emergency visual (and a little tactical) aid can't hurt!

John

[WayneBrown]

if you have to look at the transmitter, things will be over well before you figure out which switch to flip.

[Pinecone]

That's kind of why I never installed the fuel tubing. :)

In full scale we call it HOTAS, Hands on Throttle and Stick. Being able to do things without looking or thinking about how you are doing it.

[th3tick]

That's kind of why I never installed the fuel tubing. :)

In full scale we call it HOTAS, Hands on Throttle and Stick. Being able to do things without looking or thinking about how you are doing it.

That's a fine objective, but "don't do that" doesn't get me any closer.

Do you have any suggestions for getting from having trained one's fingers from one location for critical switches to another?

John

[WayneBrown]

That's a fine objective, but "don't do that" doesn't get me any closer.

Do you have any suggestions for getting from having trained one's fingers from one location for critical switches to another?

John
the KISS method; use the least number of switches possible.
Closest switch above throttle/ rudder should be idle up.
Furthest switch above Aileron/ Elevator should be throttle hold.

Those are the important ones...

Program the radio to have all conditions 'normal' by having the switches up/away from the power switch, so you can see at a glance, or tell by feel before starting your bird.
Rudder rate, governor master on/off, and anything else you need should be located where YOU know where/ what it is.

[th3tick]

Let me fill in just a bit. I've moved from a DX7 to a X9303. On the DX7 (aero - don't ask why), the flight mode switch was the inner long one on the upper right face. On the X9303 (heli - yay!), it's on the upper corner, but a short switch. There's no way to put it in a similar place to the DX7.

The other one I care about is the throttle hold (don't need to as I'm E-only). It was upper left on the top outside corner, but the one on the X9303 is upper right on the outside corner back.

Those are the only two I'm trying to get used to changing. I don't use anything else, except for switching V-Bar banks on the Logo, which is ground-only. I don't futz with gyro gain either, no matter where it's mapped.

So, that's it. I just figured some visual reminders while learning was a good thing...

John

[WayneBrown]

as much as I hate to suggest using your primary tx for simming, it might mean a faster learning curve if you did.
G2 & G3 have the switches in the right places..
the standard locations are as you've just described you found on the x9303.
You can mix and relocate the locations, but its a PITA, and if anything ever happens to your program......

[Pinecone]

You should care about TH, as that can prevent serious chicken dancing and extra damage to your heli.

TH when you are about to hit the ground.

One way to get used to it, is to waist high auto in every landing. Waist high steady hover, hit TH and auto to the ground.