Newbie with dumb questions

[Deadpilot]

Hey all:

Just received a Phantom 1.1, first I am surprised at how much prep and assembly is needed. I have viewed many videos and read hundreds of posts on other boards but wasn't quite expecting this... mainly though the paper and downloaded manuals are really about useless.

I also got an anti-jello camera mount and if I understand it's assembly the only thing which will be securing the 2 halves and my camera will be the little rubber spongy things, but a bunch of screws and nuts came with it ? I only need 2 screws to attach it to the quad.

For example it says on the bottom of the quad to "see manual to use correct screws" regarding camera mount installation but I see nothing about that in the manual.

I am at the point of charging the battery (which in the manual comes after another process which requires the battery) and then I guess I need to connect to my computer and install the software. But in this "extended" manual it says "switch on the transmitter first, then power on the aircraft" ... does this quad even have a power switch?

Has anyone taken the time to rewrite the manual in real english? if so can it be downloaded somewhere? Everyone is a newbie at some point, right?

If it gets much more complicated I may have it up for sale, perhaps even before flight.

I'm not bad with figuring out mechanical stuff but don't have much patience for it.

Thanks for any help,
DP

 

[NSflight]

I am new at this and have had 3 flights in the last week. What I did was get some help from someone that has been doing this for a while. He had no problem helping out and now he is just a call away if help is needed again.

 

[IflyinWY]

Hello DP, welcome to the forum,

Pictures and links will help us help you.

The screws you mentioned need to be the proper length so you don't puncture your battery.
I don't know what to tell you about an anti-jello mount.

The Phantom is powered up when you plug the battery in. That's pretty crude, I know, but that's how it's designed.

Nope, as far as I know no one has rewritten the manual into proper English. Sucks, doesn't it?

Have fun and watch out for trees, they will reach out and smack your bird right out of the sky.

 

[Deadpilot]

Thanks ... I can see what is going to happen is I am going to try this thing (when weather permits) and it will be a bit of an experiment since I have a lot of doubts about whether I set up the software right, etc.

I have figured out some ways to modify the camera mount to make it less likely to drop my camera, but first few flights will be with no camera.

I'm also confused about how to get it to RTH other than cut off the transmitter (which I don't want to do). I see some settings in the NAZAM Assistant software (which keeps trying to get me to update something but takes me to where I already downloaded the same file) to set a button for RTH but it's unnecessarily confusing... looks like you can set the S1 switch somehow for this, I am not sure if I did or not. And WTF... a switch with 3 positions that has the same label ATTI for two of the positions?

Either some of this is translated very poorly or maybe some Chinese guy wanted to laugh at us.

 

[IflyinWY]

:lol: They are monitoring our forum and laughing like hell. :lol:

Sounds like your thoroughly confused. Perfect, you've got it.

Yep a goofie switch setup, difficult to comprehend software interface and very crappy instructions.

You can test your S1 switch when you get airborne. I think you can see in the assistant software if it is set.

Keep in mind that you must fly at least 10 meters away for RTH to record the Home Point and work properly.
Don't be afraid to shut off your controller, it shouldn't fly away.
It should stop, climb if not already at RTH height, and come right back to you, hover then slowly descend and land.

Here's a big NO NO, idling.
Don't start the motors and leave it running.
Don't go fly and land and leave it running.
It will go whacky and crash right before your eyes.
The computer does not understand idling.

No camera for the first few flights is good.
Secure your camera well.
Prop guards are worth their weight in gold.

It's tons of exciting fun.
Where are you going to fly, city, country, water, mountains???

 

[Deadpilot]

Thanks for the info, I already have prop guards on it and would like to put something (noodles? - the kind they use in swimming pools), maybe plumbing pipe insulation foam on the landing gear.

I'm on the eastern shore of MD, so mostly flat terrain with lots of water. I have a Syma X5C that I have flown maybe 20 times, and seem to be improving but even the slightest gusty wind makes it complicated cause you keep having to adjust for that.

 

[IflyinWY]

Yea, your gonna love the Phantom. I've flown in all kinds of crazy winds and it doesn't really care.
I would stay away from 20+ mph winds for a while. Much more than that and you might never get back...

Noodles and pipe insulation do strange things with the prop-wash. I put floats on my bird, too heavy and too much drag.
Floats edited is the video about that.
Take a look at some info and videos on the little page here: http://www.wynotweb.com/

The string is a really good idea in the guards.

 

[Deadpilot]

I got some flying in, I like it a lot, but the wind gusts here make it hard to get smooth video.

Anyway, 2 other questions... what is the switch/lever thing on the back of the remote? I assume for an automated gimbal? I may want to get a gimbal at some point but don't need to be able to move it while in flight, just need the stability. Also, perhaps for operating the gimbal (?) there is a bare wire (well 2 wires actually) sticking out the bottom of the quad. I don't see anywhere that says what these two things are for.

Here is a still from today's video

 

[IflyinWY]

OMG, Dude, you're cracking me up... :lol:

Yes, if you are going to take moving pictures you will want a gimbal. Just my opinion, but, we shall see.

And the wires are antennae which receive the commands you input to your controller. Don't let the decrease in diameter fool you. They didn't start to connect them to something and then forget. My advice is, don't mess with them.
The other wire goes to the Compass (a delicate little guy that does not like magnets) which is mounted to the landing gear.
It likes to be just where it is, don't mess with it either.

Yea, I know the dangling wires make you wonder, but it (probably) wasn't made on a Monday morning.

The switch lever thing-a-ma-bob is the pitch control for the gimbal you will (probably) purchase in the near future.
Once you have the gimbal, you will fall in love/hate with the pitch control lever.

What else is making you wonder?

 

[Deadpilot]

Hey:

Thanks but no the antenna that attach to the legs are not what I am talking about regarding the wires. Where the landing gear attach at 4 points at each point between the screws there is a hole. Out of one hole comes the wire for the compass, out of two come antenna, those are all fastened to the legs as they should be, but there is another wire sticking slightly out of the fourth hole... a dual one with red and "grey" colored wires... it's cut off, nothing attached and I see nothing about it anywhere.

Really I have read a lot and watched a lot of videos about these although not all about this model. I am pretty good with software (even wrote quite a bit) and my mechanical aptitude is pretty good although I hate tinkering.... I don't even change the oil on my motorcycles cause I hate messing with them. I have a lot of gadgets... maybe 10 cameras and a lot of photo equipment, tablet computers, 3 desktops... I'm way better than most people I know when it comes to gadgets but the lack of instructions that make any sense for this is frustrating.

I can (even have) get some decent video with the mount I have but it's difficult and will require no wind, a gimbal would definitely be easier.

Figured the thing on the bottom was gimbal related.

I think they may have not made this quad on a Monday but they wrote the instructions and software on Sunday morning early with a really bad hangover.

Thanks again

 

[Deadpilot]

Here is a somewhat poor picture of what I am referring to.

 

[J.James]

Them wires tucked in to the grommet on the leg are external power wires in case you want to install a gimbal or other things such as LED lights and what not.

The red wire is 12v+ and the gray one is the ground -.

 

[Deadpilot]

Ok great, that is what I thought.... thanks a lot

 

[yorlik]

Here's a big NO NO, idling.
Don't start the motors and leave it running.
Don't go fly and land and leave it running.
It will go whacky and crash right before your eyes.
The computer does not understand idling.

Again, thanks for this advice. I REALLY would like to understand though why this is said.

So far, all I find is what appears to be some folks who did this somehow got their RTH location changed AND THEY DID NOT CHECK IT BEFORE TAKING OFF AGAIN, thus the fly off fast/away/whatever reports. I have not seen any reports where that happened and it was specifically reported that they checked RTH location before going again?

I am just trying to understand it. If one rechecks RTH location, looks to make sure compass is still pointing the right direction, how can power down/up be required?

 

[yorlik]

Take a look at some info and videos on the little page here: http://www.wynotweb.com/

The string is a really good idea in the guards.

SWEET (and informative) SITE! Thanks!

Funny, I got that little string with my prop gaurds and wondered what it was for! Never had a clue! Recently, I was thinking maybe I should cut it into 4 pieces and tie outer edge of guards to bottom of landing feet - to keep them from bending up into the rotating blades if a crash happens... ha! Guess I will add it as you show instead - although you make a good case for leaving it OFF in case Katie needs her suit adjusted.....

 

[IflyinWY]

Thanks yorlik, but the gal in the bikini isn't my video. The producers of that video also have many great videos.
I think they are from the land down under.

I'll dig up some more info on why not to idle and get back to you.

Why not to idle after landing, here's a thread.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4637

 

[kirk2579]

Here's a big NO NO, idling.
Don't start the motors and leave it running.
Don't go fly and land and leave it running.
It will go whacky and crash right before your eyes.
The computer does not understand idling.

Again, thanks for this advice. I REALLY would like to understand though why this is said.

So far, all I find is what appears to be some folks who did this somehow got their RTH location changed AND THEY DID NOT CHECK IT BEFORE TAKING OFF AGAIN, thus the fly off fast/away/whatever reports. I have not seen any reports where that happened and it was specifically reported that they checked RTH location before going again?

I am just trying to understand it. If one rechecks RTH location, looks to make sure compass is still pointing the right direction, how can power down/up be required?

I am not sure but I don't think he/they mean "power down" ,

I think all they mention is shutting down props/motors upon landing rather than leaving in an "idle" running state , when at this point the quad may still flying in it little bird brain and react to stimulus like wind etc.

Not sure if I am correct but it takes so little to do I just do it!

 

[IflyinWY]

Hey yorlik, I think kirk2579 has a point about stopping motors vs. powering down. I've not heard that "powering down" is required. There are a few threads from last fall I want to try to find... , when I learn how to search the new site.
Thanks for bringing up the point kirk2579, it slipped by me.