FMS Forum

by **astrogav** » Mon Mar 11, 2002 8:42 am

I have a radio controller that was wired to work with the joystick port on my pc. This was done by a friend some time ago, and has never been really accurate (always turns one way better than others, fairly touchy on controlls).

As I have discovered FMS today I am considering fixing it up. Is it better to wire up controller for Joystick/parrallel/serial port and what are the advantages?

thanks
gavin

by **solo** » Tue Mar 12, 2002 7:49 am

Hello,

What kind of operating system will you be running?
What resources are available in your computer?
What kind of transmitter do you have?
Are you also trying to fix your current controller if so can you give us some details about it please?
How good are you with putting electrical components and circuits together? Different interfaces have varying degree of complexity?

Regards.

by **astrogav** » Wed Mar 13, 2002 1:46 am

sorry, wasn't real clear was it.

Running Win98 on a Duron 800, 128MB, with onboard s/card.
The controller is a HITEK Challenger 455.
I am looking to fix up/modify the electronics.

I'm not too woried about dificulty level of project, I just want to know the best way to wire up to get best accurate response.

by **johnhlong** » Wed Mar 13, 2002 2:27 am

Which way you go might be controlled by how much "Modifications" are already done to the transmitter.

You need the basic circuits to be working to get the PPM signal output needed for any of the interface cables.

If the transmitter has been mofified to connect the resistors on the joystick directly out, you may want to just redo the resistors on the sticks to the correct values and then connect them to the gameport input like a standard joystick.

The joystick interface is limmited to 4 channels. The other interfaces are capible of up to 8 channels but FMS only utilizes 4 at this time (Hoping for more utilization in the future).

There are plans around to change out the pots (resistors) in the sticks of an old transmitter so they work like a standard joystick. The reason you should change the stick resistors are because they are the wrong value to simulate a joystick. There is also the problem with the sticks not using the full travel of the resistors. The modifications allow for both conditions and make a nice controller if done right. As a side thing, the transmitter can then be used with any game that uses a joystick for an input.

John
Seattle, WA
USA

by **Rockfist Rogan** » Wed Mar 13, 2002 2:34 pm

Hi John
This was the way I tried to do it at first... <g>
I just ripped all the electronics out of an old Tx and wired the pots to a 15pin plug. It worked after a fashion but was almost impossible to set up corectly.
Reading between the lines of your last post here, I guess the pots need to be of a much higher value, say 100k or even 220k. What is your recommendation? Assuming I can find these of the right physical size and geometry, how can I wire the trims so that they work properly? This would still be the preferable way for me to go as I would like to use it with Combat Flight Simulator too.

RR

by **johnhlong** » Wed Mar 13, 2002 3:00 pm

I will look for the specifications latter tonight.

I believe the 100k is correct.

A common responce was for the "engineers" to obtain some old / cheap joysticks and use the pots out of them.

There is a fue post on FMS about this and a reference some where to a full blown artical on how to do it.

I will look for them tonight.

The disavantage of this approach is you loose any and all special functions, like mixing or Duel Rates, the radio originally had.

John
Seattle, WA
USA

(425) 837-0802

by **astrogav** » Fri Mar 15, 2002 10:56 am

controller has had the guts ripped out. Original pots with a few added resistors and capacitors. searching google for "joystick pinout" didn't give me the results I was expecting, so I'll wait untill I see a post about the specs.
thanks.

by **Steve Lewin** » Fri Mar 15, 2002 12:03 pm

Try RC Flight Unlimited

Full instructions for converting Tx to joystick controller under "Construction", including wiring for the 15-pin connector. It needs 500K/1M pots.

Steve

by **johnhlong** » Fri Mar 15, 2002 2:54 pm

Here is another GOOD set of instruction for those bent on rewiring their transmitters

John
Seattle, WA
USA

by **Rockfist Rogan** » Fri Mar 15, 2002 3:16 pm

Thanks for that John.
In that case I won't throw away the first Tx I had tried to modify (just yet.)
I really would like to use it with CFS and FS if I can.

*All* I need now is a source for the pots... (in the UK)

BTW, the *JOYTEST* link on the page doesn't work, unfortunately.

RR

by **johnhlong** » Fri Mar 15, 2002 3:41 pm

Try buying some old cheap joysticks and taking the pots out of them.

John

by **Steve Lewin** » Fri Mar 15, 2002 5:52 pm

by **Rockfist Rogan** » Fri Mar 15, 2002 8:11 pm

OK Steve, it's Maplins then! - I now have their catalogue in front of me.
Their p/no JM75S I guess. *Min pot lin 470k* (page 197)
They look a bit on the thick side to fit, but I will get some asap to try. The Tx I will use is a Futaba Challenger, FP-T6NL. The trims on this are pots, not mechanical as on the Tx described in the text. Can I use these? How do I wire them? Just like with a real model, it's essential that the trims work properly.
RR

by **astrogav** » Sat Mar 16, 2002 4:17 am

Thanks, looks good. first thing is to find 500k pots to replace 10k ones. no wonder it was fairly hard to center alerons properly.

by **astrogav** » Sat Mar 16, 2002 4:19 am

Thanks, looks good. first thing is to find 500k pots to replace 10k ones. no wonder it was fairly hard to center alerons properly.

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using radio controller with joystick port

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