RC Helicopter Newbie

[evebill8]

Hi folks,

I just bought the Vortex 37. I am practicing it in the garage. After I adjusted the battery position, it takes off pretty nicely now. But I still have hard time to hold the position in the air. It either flies backward or turns left by itself. Do I need to adjust the upper blades too?

Thanks!

[eddiemoth]

Try to use the rudder trim and elevator trim first. If it does not correct the problem, adjust to level your swashplate. That should correct your problem. Let us know if after you did these and still have the same problem.

[evebill8]

I notice some problem comes from the unblance the top flybar. I did fine tune the rudder trim, I need to move to left a lot to compensate it; otherwise, the helicopter body will spin clockwise. This seems to be the last problem I have. Just in case, you don't know the model I have. Here is the link

http://www.helidirect.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=VORTEX&x=14&y=7

[eddiemoth]

Hi everbill8, yes I am familar with Dynam Vortex 37. If you used all the trim to correct the problem it means that your swashplate is not level at. You can always try adjust the blades if you think that is the cause of the problem. I think in the manual there is instructions on how to adjust the blades. If you can't find the instructions in the manual (as I might have ready other helicopter manual) let me know I can give you a link to instruction on how to adjust a coaxial helicopter blades.

[evebill8]

Thanks! I think it makes sense. I was messing around the swashplate when I changed the InnerShaft last time. The shaft retaining piece may not hold and level the swashplate correctly. Let me try! Thanks again!

By the way, the Vortex 37 seems very fragile. Plus my zero experience of flying rc helicopyer, the costs of buying parts almost could buy another Vortex 37. Therefore, I ordered a simulator set to learn. Do you think I need to get another chopper that is more suitable for beginners? or the exisitng Vortex 37 is good enough for now?

I have 2 more co-workers want to join me to fly rc helicopter soon. They are doing the research now. Any recommendations?

[eddiemoth]

evebill8, people enter the hobby with a different helicopter and there is no right or wrong way I think. A Vortex 37 or any coaxial helicopter is the easiest heli to start. Some people started with a micro heli like Blade CP or Esky Honeybee CP2. Some started with a mini helicopter like Trex 450 or X400 and some even started with a big helicopter like a Corona or even a big gas helicopter. I personally started with a Blade CP and then went back to Esky Honeybee FP as it was too difficult for me at the time. I think money is also another factor. Regardless of whatever helicopter you enter the hobby with you should have a SIM. SIM will help you learn the control and orientation and you can crash all you want and just hit the enter key and you fly again. For a beginner, yes the cost of buying parts will exceed the cost of the heli itself. Once you get the hange of it, you wouldn't crash as much. Different people may give you different answer according to their experience, but the important thing is to stick with the heli you get and then advance to the next level with your SIM , lots of practise, patience and above all don't forget to have fun.

Edited to correct spelling.

[evebill8]

Thanks for your advice!

[Ozzyeureka]

Stick with co axial for a beginners heli, it is about the easiest way to start.
In a garage or othr indoor location, if you start to have control issues after a few minutes of flight, land and let the air wash turbulance settle down, and then go again.

As for SIMs, I dont have one and dont feel the need for one. That is one of those 'each to their own' things. I find with my cars, yacht, plane and heli I have learned all of them pretty quickly about a week or so at about an hour a day. And on all of them I have found I initially over control the models ( use too much steering/ throttle/rudder) . The biggest hint I can give - do NOT look at your TXer controls , just watch the model all the time, only fly for 5 minutes at a time for the first 4 or 5 battery charges (it is amazing how hard you concentrate at first!) and be prepared to use some blades, it just goes with the territory.

[evebill8]

I finally find out what causes the body spinning clockwise. The main motors' speeds are different. When I move the rudder strick to left, the upper blades will rotate faster than the lower blades. When I move the rudder strick to the right, the upper blades will stop when the lower blades are still rotating. I guess when the rudder strick is in center, 2 motors rotates in different speed. The upper ones are faster than the lower ones. That's why I need to move the rudder trim all way to the left to make the body stop spinning. Is it normal? Do I need to replace the motors?

[Ozzyeureka]

On any heli, the directional control is acheived by varying the anti torque system's effect. With a tail rotor, you speed it up and over correct teh main rotor torque, or you slow it down and under correct. And then the fuesalage rotates under the main rotor head.

On a co-axial heli, the two main rotors are spun in opposite directions so that they counter act each other's torque. So, if one rotor is sped up or slowed down compared to the other, the fuesalage changes heading.

If your heli is still turning when it is hovering about a metre above the ground ( any lower and down wash will make any adjustments incorrect) and you have run out of transmitter trim, then you need to adjust your 4 in 1 gyro gain. Check your heli's instructions on which electronic adjuster you need to turn. But do mark the original point so you can go back to the original point if required. Move the adjuster about 15 degrees first and test fly the heli- be ready to cut the power immediately, there is a chance you will go the worng way and make things worse.

It is unlikely to be a faulty motor because if one motor was weak you would not develope enough power to take off.

Ron.

[eddiemoth]

Ozzyeureka is right and it is best to adjust the gain after using all the rudder trim before checking the swashpate. I forgot about the gain in the above post.

[evebill8]

Thanks Ozzyeureka! I don't think the Vortex 37 user manual mentions how to adjust the gyro gain and I don't see any adjusters on the receiver. I wonder if there are ones :-/

[evebill8]

This is the Vortex 37's receiver.

[eddiemoth]

I think we all might be confused with Blade CP 4 in 1 receiver. Anyway I dropped a link to the Vortex Owner Manual for convinience here
http://www.dynam-rc.com/download/vortex.pdf

[Ozzyeureka]

I cannot read the labeling near the two holes in the top case on that RXer( looks like 'mixer prop'). Is one of those holes for the LED? If so, the other will be the trim you want.
There are two trims on my RX, one is for 'gyro gain' - which is the heading gyro that tries to maintain a constant heading by balancing the speed(and therefore the torque) differences between the motors. If the labeling is 'mixer prop' on your RX, then that is the same as 'gyro gain'.

My other adjustment is 'sensitivity' and changes how much TXer stick movement is needed to make a change at the heli happen. IE, if you find you cannot do very fine movement at the controls , you wind some some sensitivity out of teh RXer and so bigger stick movements are needed to make the heli change its servos. The problem with that is you lose some servo range, its a bit of a trade off.
But in your case it does not seem you have that second one to play with.
Have a play and see how you go.

[evebill8]

I don't see any adjuster. I think I need to open up the plastic surface. I thought the chopper was tuned before it shipped. Is it comon that I need to fine tune the gain from a brand new box?

[evebill8]

Sorry, I overlooked. Yes, the hole is Mixer Prop.

[evebill8]

Today, something went wrong after a crash. When I push the throttle up to the highest. The receiver's LED turns from green to red and the heli can't take off anymore. Did I damage the motors? or the receiver?

[Ozzyeureka]

Helis are generally setup at the factory, but a few crashes and wear of use can mean some tweaking is required after a while. Nothing is wrong, it is just the way it is.

The LED / no take off stuff sounds serious. Check the plugs are all in t place and that no wires etc are broken off the motors. I fall that looks OK I would suggest contacting either Venom themselves or at least your local hobby shop to work out what has gone wrong there.

[eddiemoth]

and make sure all your trims are the lowest position and crystals are secured in their places both on your RX and TX.