rocketeer

RS's rotary is quite cheap at $2.99, but I don't like the open rotary type. The ones I have all jammed up after a while, and refused to turn anymore. I tested on at Fry's, closed, type, 4 positions, with adjustable stoppper to set 2 to 4 positions. 30 degree indexing. This one costs more, at $5 plus. Opencockpits has a 12 position rotary, also with adjustable stopper, at 3 EUR, ie. $4.50. plus shipping. We'd need a few 12 position ones as there are a few rotaries in the BS pit with 7-8 positions. Can you modify the double pole 6 position RS switch to single pole?

Besides a few encoders for the HUD or ABRIS, have a set of toggle switches, a set of push buttons, and rotary switches! These can be bought off the shelf like Goflight's, or home built. Then choose the functions that you want. There are more rotary switches than encoders in the BS pit, I'm building them for sure. Don't think the HOTAS can cover so many switches. Even if it can, it'd be hard to remember them. Sure you can print out and stick it in front of you, but in the heat of combat it's no time to be referring to it. I still find it more intuitive to mimick the actual pit. I won't be building the whole BS pit, but the important ones to me. The HOTAS is not meant to replace a hundred switches.

That's most important to me! Even if it's not possible to release the whole manual (because too much to cover etc.), can we release the crucial part, ie. explaining the cockpit switches and their functions? I've problem translating the cryllic characters. Explainations about types of weapons like missiles and bombs, flight school, combat tactics etc. can wait! :P

Any more pictures or progress on the pit? Especially pics on how you lay out the opencockpit cards and wiring and breakout boards etc. will be interesting!

As you see in various threads, some of us like razorback, trigger, cat and I are building the BS cockpit. If you also plan to build some panels, we can share ideas. But if you are not into making custom panels because of the lack of interest or knowledge in switches, interface cards, programming etc. you can easily get some toggle switches or push button panels from GoFlight. Just plug in the USB cables, record the key presses for your desired key functions, then you're ready to go. They are a bit pricey, but hasslefree if you just need to add some switches besides those on the HOTAS. There is also one with four encoders. Guess that one will be useful for the ABRIS knobs, or the three knobs in center panel and the HUD brightness knob.

Here's how it looks sideways. And the LED with legs split sideways:

Did a prototype of an illuminated switch today. There are illuminated switches in the market, but they are expensive, over $10 each, and I haven't found any big enough like the ones in the AP panel: Using the suggestion that Trigger showed, I used a clear chair leg cushion, it's square vinyl. I chose it because of the size, as most black rubber ones were either too big, small, or shallow. I trimmed of the round edges. Then put a piece of acrylic on it, painted it black, with the letter 'K' (a badly etched one). Put it in a square hole of a formboard. Below is another sheet where I mount a latching push button, so that it's push down on, push again off, instead of momentary ones. Simulating when pushed down, light comes on: Ok, the top should be blue, the LED should be white. Now I've just used black for the top, and a red LED. But the idea is there. I've also yet to color the sides of the cube black, so you can see the LED sitting inside. Here's what I mean, sitting the cube on a push button. If the square hole is not too tight, after pushing the cube down, it's spring back up, but still end up a bit lower when the push button is in down latched position. As you can see, the legs of the LED are split, as they can't go down straight because of the push button below. So I split them sidesways.

I believe Cat plans to use the Hagstrom KE72 for a start, just for input switches, and learn about interfacing from there. None of the output LED, LCD, 7 segment display and servos advanced stuff like you, yet. I, however, will be joining you in the fun on Opencockpit cards. And we'd share our fun/headache in LOSOIC coding. Cat, Hagstrom does have output cards, but it's purely customised to individuals, and it's not stated clearly how it looks like or work. I've not seen anyone use their output solution so far. Most people just use the KE72, though they have five to six cards.

Hey Cat thanks for the info. Keep me posted on how it goes after you try it out. I'm kinda of busy right now to try this.

Awesome! Wish I could pay you a visit. And thanks for the powerpoint slides. Have you thought of using some interface cards besides X keys? That's a lot of switches you've got! Maybe opencockpit's IO cards? They seem to be cheap and comprehensive in features. I'm thinking of switching to OC. It'd be able to handle the LCD you've got, and also servos for the gauges, ie. any output stuff, besides your input switches. By the way, have you watched Justine Henin play in Belgium? She's my favourite female player. Really impressive being small in size yet able to outplay so many big and strong females to be number one.

Good job, CAT. I didn't know Radio Shack has rotary switches, at least not from the shops. Did you get it online? An easier way is to get the rotary switches from NKK, which allows you to set the number of stops you want, by setting a base plate to the pole number. Don't know if it costs more though. Anyway, I think most of the switches in the BS cockpit require 4 or 8 positions. And I think we'd require more rotary switches than encoders.

I've sent you a PM. Thanks in advance!

I'm sure it is possible. I've seen several people did built the joyrider from the pdf plan all extended the stick with PVC or metal pipe, then rewired it. There is a list of people at the joyrider site who showed their work. You may want to contact those guys.

Indeed, you should share info with Aeroscout. He's interested in building sort of a F-18 pit as well. Have you chosen your interface solution? Opencockpits? Besides switches and buttons, are you planning output stuff like LEDs, 7 segments displays? Servos for gauges? Will your panels have backlighting? Lots of things to consider during this planning stage. Feel free to bounce ideas with us.

It'd look and feel really great when finished. Keep us posted on your progress. Besides the awesome seat, are you also going to build an F-18 pit?

I'd like to be that journalist!

Yes I'd like to have it, thank you.

I do feel some vibrations on the chair and pedals from my bass shaker. But if you want to experience sudden jerks and surge, unfortunately real simulators just cost too much right now. Just pitch and roll are not impressive, but it's better than no motion at all.

Yaw is not that important, as you don't normally yaw that much in degrees, and as frequently, as pitching and rolling, which are all the times! Pitch and roll are the two basic DOF, which are good enough for me. Compared to the simulator by SimCraft, which is like $9-11K, the dreamflyer is more affordable. And because you are pitching and rolling with the flightstick, response is immediate for the dreamflyer. i saw the video at the simcraft site, there was a huge lack in response between the stick motion and the chasis. To pay like $10k and still have a poor stick response is not impressive to me. Haven't said that, flying the dreamflyer plain is not going to be fun enough. You should build a light cockpit on it like front and side panels with switches. That will be really awesome for playing BlackShark.

If you have a need to run a long cable, and want a way to quickly detach the switches from the IO card, then you can do this below. I put my IO cards on a table for easy wiring and troubleshooting. The switches from the pit is a distance away. Soon I'd be running many cables to the table. So I have a short cable with 9 pins female connector to the switches. And then it connects to the longer cable with 9 pins male connector which runs to the table. Something like this. The pins are crimp type so no soldering is required for both the male and female connectors.

It looks like you are using cat5e cable. i've just switched from a 20/7 cable to this, which is 24/8. my fdt card is grouped into 8 inputs per group, so using a 24/8 cable matches the grouping. I add a black wire for ground, so total will be 9 wires per group. Glad to see that you have gotten a bunch of switches. Have you gotten the KE72 card yet?

Hey razorback, i don't have access to real photos of the KA-50 cockpit. From the producer's notes video and some pics at the DCS website, I can't see all the cyrillic letters clearly. It seems that you have labelled all switches with cyrillic. Is it possible to send me the cyrillic for the switches and panels that you have, then I find a way to translate them?

I've seen these pics before. It was a clever touch up of mixing real people with the toy model.

Hey aeroscout, have you decided which interface card to use yet? I suggest sticking a few pieces of paper of the instruments you want to the main panel to try out the spacing and arrangement between each other.

Wow this pit by gunner is really hard core. But he seems to be flying F-15 with a F-16 pit. I guess maybe the gauges/switches are similar.