molevitch

Collective Brake Hi Bacongrabber, Yes, I used the same principle for my collective as for the cyclic in the end. Originally I had a fixed bar and magnet block, so when it was locked there was no movement. Collective brake was solid. This led to some nasty clunky jerky movements when released. I recommend using the same spring controlled damper set up as the cyclic. Then you have subtle movement capability in the collective while braked. Easy to trim out and cruise, and still make subtle adjustments. Excellent also for hover control. Good luck, Mole

Hi Ruso, 1. I did not see a practical way to use a single magnet for both axes. Although I have set up the force-gradients in parallel, when both are at extremes of pitch and roll, the plates to which the magnets grip can be quite separated. Also, you will see that with the bell-crank to turn the direction of the roll axis through 909 deg, to sit parallel with the pitch axis, the magnet plate is some 10cm further behind the roll axis magnet. 2. First one I found that looked right.... :noexpression: 3. When the trimmer is pressed the stick goes loose... but you have to hold it to press the trimmer, so you are controlling it. If you turn off the magnet circuit while not holding the stick, yes it flops down. But also with it trimmed, you can move the cyclic against the resistance of the springs on the force gradients. This gives very fine movement control. It is great for flying the gazelle, and also can be used to good effect in all other choppers for comfortable cruise flying. 4. I too was worried by the possibility of interference for the Hall sensors. I mounted the magnets which act on the Halls in plastic blocks, which are glued to the cyclic near the pivots, to avoid any direct transfer of magnetism via the electro-mags through the metal hardware. The magnetic fields of the electro-mags seem to be sufficiently removed from the Halls to not impact. Also, I guess the Halls are within those magnetic fields anyway, but there are the 2 x Neodymium magnets much closer to the sensors. I am no physicist. It works! I am planning to write and illustrate a full instructional document of this build, simply because so many have asked about it. I don't quite know when it will be written, hopefully in the coming months. I will post it as a Dropboxed download when it is done. It will include a shopping list, a tool list, etc, as well as some drawings and photos needed. Scales and measures will not be included, as everyone will end up sourcing slightly differing components I am sure! Good luck and Happy New Year!, Mole

Well, I got the main rotator switch dial working so I am pretty sure the rest will be a piece of cake! DCS-BIOS a fantastic piece of work! Brilliant.

Hi Ruso, Yes, I have been flying with it for about 6 months, all working fantastic. How can I help you? What do you need to know? M

Thank you again! Trying to puzzle it all out....

Thank you, fingers crossed and down the rabbit hole I go!:thumbup:

I have literally only yesterday started to read the DCS-BIOS pages in any detail. Now that I might have an actual need for it, I am trying harder! I am trying to puzzle out a way the mechanical rotary can work to do the "push button A if turned clockwise, push button B if turned anticlockwise" like a digital rotary encoder. But I cannot. Maybe theres a way. Or, each switch position is equal to a freq. eg Switch 2 on 1kHz knob = freq 20 kHz. So I need to work out how to tell that to DCS. If I can do that, great, with a Bodnar button board.... I will keep reading the Control reference pages, and figuring. So an Arduino clone is on its way, something new to learn. But you say you know nothing about Arduino. I thought DCS-BIOS works only through Arduino. But your DCSFlightPanels interfaces between a Saitek box, and DCS. :book:

On the right track, DCS-BIOS, Mi-8 and rewired ARC-9 Box? Hi DCS-Bios Users, Moved my post here.... My name is Molevitch and I fly helicopters in DCS, mostly Mi-8, sometimes Huey. I hope you can help me. I fly in VR, Rift, but am building a pit in anticipation of the Mi-24 (fingers crossed) which I can use for Mi-8 also, as there is so much crossover on Russian equipment. I have been building radio panels and so far I have created R-863, R828, SPU-7 and Jadro. These are all managed through a Bodnar 64 Button board, and all work perfectly. Now, I bought a genuine ARC-9 Radio Nav box on eBay. I want to retain the main freq dials with their original mechanical switches, as they feel great, a fantastic clunky feedback. Other tuner pots have been replaced with rotary encoders, as has volume. Mode selector was busted, and has been replaced with a rotary switch. So I have not used DCS-BIOS.... or Arduino.... yet. In my research into this, I have discovered Mi-8 JSON files, and am just now reading and beginning to understand DCS-BIOS and Arduino Sketch. My question, and hope for help. Will the Mi-8 JSON script enable the correct use of the original dial-switches? I have now rewired the originals to create simple switches on the 100Khz and 10Khz dialers on the top wafers (not shown in pic). This creates 21 switches per dial set, 10 + 11, In DCS Mi-8 Controls options, only Increase or Decrease is offered. I want the dials to select the correct frequency when switched/turned. Wiring has been terminated with female duponts for connection to Bodnar BBI 64. This can be changed to male pins for an Arduino board. I have ordered an Arduino board to use. I am not asking you to do it all for me, of course! I just want to check I am on the right path before I invest hours of time on this.... Thank you for your consideration of my question. I hope you will give me a little guidance. Yours, Molevitch.

Thanks for your super-speedy reply! Ah, ok, shame...:( But it looks like I might be on the right track, no? Ok, so your code is for communicating with Saitek panels.... But in principle, you are able to make the Saitek panel as an Arc-9 dial give discrete frequency values to DCS, as opposed to Increade/Decrease commands, as if by mouse clicks in cockpit? Thank you for your reply, I will try posting to the DCS-BIOS pages too. Molevitch

Hi ArturDCS, I just found this thread, and have copied my post to here. It seems you are the guy I need to speak to! My name is Molevitch and I fly helicopters in DCS, mostly Mi-8, sometimes Huey. I hope you can help me. I fly in VR, Rift, but am building a pit in anticipation of the Mi-24 (fingers crossed) which I can use for Mi-8 also, as there is so much crossover on Russian equipment. I have been building radio panels and so far I have created R-863, R828, SPU-7 and Jadro. These are all managed through a Bodnar 64 Button board, and all work perfectly. Now, I bought a genuine ARC-9 Radio Nav box on eBay. I want to retain the main freq dials with their original mechanical switches, as they feel great, a fantastic clunky feedback. Other tuner pots have been replaced with rotary encoders, as has volume. Mode selector was busted, and has been replaced with a rotary switch. So I have not used DCS-BIOS.... or Arduino.... yet. In my research into this, I have discovered Mi-8 JSON files, and am just now reading and beginning to understand DCS-BIOS and Arduino Sketch. My question, and hope for help. Will the Mi-8 JSON script enable the correct use of the original dial-switches? I have now rewired the originals to create simple switches on the 100Khz and 10Khz dialers on the top wafers (not shown in pic). This creates 21 switches per dial set, 10 + 11, In DCS Mi-8 Controls options, only Increase or Decrease is offered. I want the dials to select the correct frequency when switched/turned. Wiring has been terminated with female duponts for connection to Bodnar BBI 64. This can be changed to male pins for an Arduino board. I have not yet selected an Arduino board to use. I am not asking you to do it all for me, of course! I just want to check I am on the right path before I invest hours of time on this.... Thank you for your consideration of my question. I hope you will give me a little guidance. Yours, Molevitch.

Hi DCS-Bios Users My name is Molevitch and I fly helicopters in DCS, mostly Mi-8, sometimes Huey. I hope you can help me. I fly in VR, Rift, but am building a pit in anticipation of the Mi-24 (fingers crossed) which I can use for Mi-8 also, as there is so much crossover on Russian equipment. I have been building radio panels and so far I have created R-863, R828, SPU-7 and Jadro. These are all managed through a Bodnar 64 Button board, and all work perfectly. Now, I bought a genuine ARC-9 Radio Nav box on eBay. I want to retain the main freq dials with their original mechanical switches, as they feel great, a fantastic clunky feedback. Other tuner pots have been replaced with rotary encoders, as has volume. Mode selector was busted, and has been replaced with a rotary switch. So I have not used DCS-BIOS.... or Arduino.... yet. In my research into this, I have discovered Mi-8 JSON files, and am just now reading and beginning to understand DCS-BIOS and Arduino Sketch. My question, and hope for help. Will the Mi-8 JSON script enable the correct use of the original dial-switches? I have now rewired the originals to create simple switches on the 100Khz and 10Khz dialers on the top wafers (not shown in pic). This creates 21 switches per dial set, 10 + 11, In DCS Mi-8 Controls options, only Increase or Decrease is offered. I want the dials to select the correct frequency when switched/turned. Wiring has been terminated with female duponts for connection to Bodnar BBI 64. This can be changed to male pins for an Arduino board. I have not yet selected an Arduino board to use. I am not asking you to do it all for me, of course! I just want to check I am on the right path before I invest hours of time on this.... Thank you for your consideration of my question. I hope you will give me a little guidance. Yours, Molevitch.:helpsmilie:

This post has transformed my appreciation of my Rift. I mostly fly Mi-8 and am now using the upgraded Devrim's Black Cockpit. The instruments and switch captions have never been so clear.

I bow to your greater knowledge! I did wonder.... :doh:

When I sat in a Mi-24D co-pilot cockpit recently, I saw that although he has cyclic and collective, there are no pedals for the copilot! Good luck if the Commander Pilot gets hit....

I Kickstarter backed this project. I have a pair, and I met with one of the developers when he was at a show in London. I had to exchange my delivered pair for next size up, they come up small. Textile glove quality is excellent, Reusch mfg, makers of sports gloves. The tech side is interesting, but I have to say, still a work in progress. I have used it in cockpit, but still need to fine-tune, and that takes time. I have seen video of it used in Huey, and have had similar results. But it is tricky. Its a bit like trying to play a Theremin! It is effectively a mouse you control by moving your hand in space. Ideally, one would have some kind of latching focus to switches. As switches are operated left click for down, right click for up, I am still trying to work that out. There is also some kind of conflict with mouse pointer, cross versus white dot. And it tends to lose DCS focus. An animated hand would be great of course. It is a promising start but definitely a work in progress, and intended for many other applications.

Classic clip of Russ Meyer's movie.

Nice landing!

Put it down more gently from a hover. Remember, this is a heavy machine. Slowly, slowly. And the bouncy tires are there to help!

Having just sat in a Mi-24, I can tell you the engineer's seat is in a dark alcove directly behind the pilot's seat.

Yep, thats the one to use for landings.

Thank you too. The Puma looks very cool too. I adore the Hip. While she is a bit like flying a truck, (well, I am sure that was the design brief...), I find I can still chuck her around in tight corners, fly like the clappers, and gently bring her into land like a dandelion seed. And then go into VRS when you least expect it! The most useful skill is learning how to get out of VRS, or how to NOT get there in the first place! Hey, why not come and fly with us over at Black Shark Den? We are building up a good team of Mi-8 pilots now. And very much looking forward to the Mi-24! :thumbup:

Very good! What controls are you using? While I used to find the Huey a bit more skittish than the Hip, I now find it if anything smoother.... Still find the Gazelle a pain though!

My first attempt at making a DCS video, and its Landing the Mi-8.... Hope you like it!

What do you mean by " 'lift' mechanic" ? Maybe I can help... as somebody with no mechanical experience, but did it anyway!:music_whistling: M

Hi Doveman, Long time! Yes, my MSFFB2 Frankenstick is now relegated to spare equipment. If you can get a real cyclic, it certainly has the "cool" factor.... My Trimmer and mag-brakes do not communicate with DCS. I did wonder if this was important or not.... So far it does not seem to matter, as the stick position is read by DCS once trimmed. I only just tried KA-50 with it last night for the first time, and did not yet try auto-hover with the mag-brake system. Interesting thought... The same question will apply to Gazelle I guess, and any other yet to come modules with autohover. I will try it and report back. I have mostly been flying Mi-8 and Huey recently. I have Gazelle too but get pissed off with it, and Ka-50, well, its an old friend I just revisited for the first time in about a year.