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Londo-Cat's KA-50 Pit


londo-cat

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Ok - so here I am, starting my own pit.

 

If it looks a little odd - its because it is a re-purposed F-16 shell cockpit. Initially I was going to build a new F-16, but since DCS came out I shifted focus and am working on the KA-50 now.

 

One of the items I was considering using for the left/right fuel valves was the Saitek Pro Flight Throttle Quadrant.

 

Check it - it has (3) axis levers, two of which can be used for the Left and Right Fuel valves, the 3rd can be used for the Rotor lock/unlock. In addition, it has (6) button controls in the form of 3 rocker switches which in reality are just two momentary switches in one switch.

 

I was thinking of repurposing the 3 rocker switches on bottom for other things in the left console since essentially they are just momentary switches. Programming is already done for you since the Saitek Quadrant shows them as six individual buttons.

 

The price in the United States is only $49.90 and that's a pretty cheap cost for a stand alone quadrant. I think it's a pretty cheap way to get away without having to build a custom solution. What do you think? :smilewink:

 

~ Londo-Cat

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My was was. He allways told me if your going to build something do it right!!! Then once I started making stuff for me with his help he would say "its not a frikin piano!!" LOL Gotta love the ole double standard fathers.

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Looking good bud. The Saitek throttle is quite nice nice. I have one but mine isn't usb it requires the yoke to be hooked up at the same time.

 

Yes, I have the same one - but they sell an add-on Quadrant as well in case you want to have six levers (for flying multiple engine or jets), which is USB and can be used solo or with other Joysticks as well.

 

I have the full Pro Flight Yoke and Quadrant, but that one has a mini-din on it, the add-on has a USB but looks just like the Quadrant that ships with the Pro Flight Yoke.

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The woodworking skills of guys around here always amazes me. I can build a pretty nice backyard deck if I want to, but you guys really take the cake with your projects. Are the full real pit builders cabinet makers in another life?

 

Thanks for the compliments - I used to be a cabinet maker 20 years ago before I got into computers! Still do some woodworking and make cabinets from time to time, not as much as I used too - but still its nice to work on projects like this, I feel its much more inventive and allows for some creative woodworking. :thumbup:

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Yes, I have the same one - but they sell an add-on Quadrant as well in case you want to have six levers (for flying multiple engine or jets), which is USB and can be used solo or with other Joysticks as well.

 

I have the full Pro Flight Yoke and Quadrant, but that one has a mini-din on it, the add-on has a USB but looks just like the Quadrant that ships with the Pro Flight Yoke.

 

I was going to buy that one but opted for the kit. I wish I had bought the quadrant by itself =\

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I was going to buy that one but opted for the kit. I wish I had bought the quadrant by itself =\

 

Well good news is that it's only $49 for just the quadrant.

 

However - on testing with the one that I bought for my FSX flying, it seems that the the Left/Right Fuel Shut-Off are not 'axis' controls in DCS, but joystick buttons or momentary switches.

 

The Rotor brake is also mapped to a joystick button. Push once, its on, push again, its off.

 

This breaks down to 3 joystick buttons (or mapped switches). So scrap the idea for the Saitek Quadrant! I think it would be cheaper to build something and then integrate 3 momentary switches do make it work. :joystick:


Edited by londo-cat
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Well, I plan on trying out a few new ideas when I start hooking up the switches on the KA-50.

 

My F-16 used an older EPIC board, and still - while I like the EPIC system and I am comfortable with it, I am not adverse to using another system. I like adhoc stuff, even using a Keyboard hack too. It's interesting and fun to try different things. If it doesn't work, oh well - its for the fun and experience that we do these things right?

 

Anyway - working with TriggerHappy right now who has been extremely helpful on dimensions for the pit. I'm hoping to get the initial wood structure completed in a few months, with some initial switches put on, but not wired in.

 

I love the whole pit building process - it's such a unique experience from start to end!

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  • 2 weeks later...

More Updates...

 

I've added on the seat and the right panel. While it might not be completely to specs that TriggerHappy put out there, but I had to factor in my longer body frame - so... to that I expected it to be a little out of proportion to fit me as I am 6'2".

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Hello Londo-Cat,

 

looking good! I too am 6',2", or at least I was when I was younger :)

 

Hope your right console is long enough to fit all the switches.. my first one was a bit short. You need about 30" there. I thought the seat was kind of spartan, but many miles on the Harley probably have toughened up the old arse :)

 

enjoyed seeing the pics and look forward to more.

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I have three of those quadrants, and use one for my throttle controls (bottom left of the pic, red handles). They work really nicely.

 

th2g_sm.jpg

 

Are the full real pit builders cabinet makers in another life?

 

Hah, I started out as a complete muppet with two left thumbs. You pick up all sorts of things building a pit - electronics, carpentry, spouse negotiation skills, scars....

DCS Wishlist: | Navy F-14 | Navy F/A-18 | AH-6 | Navy A-6 | Official Navy A-4 | Carrier Ops | Dynamic Campaign | Marine AH-1 |

 

Streaming DCS sometimes:

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hannibal:

 

Q6600 2.4 oc to 3.2GHz

6GB DDR2

9800GTX+

Win7 64bit

 

I run at 3x1280x768 plus the 1024x768 abris. performance is ok but not stunning, I'm upgrading the CPU and GPU soon.

 

Not sure what the dll's are, I run stock Nvidia drivers.

 

cheers

DCS Wishlist: | Navy F-14 | Navy F/A-18 | AH-6 | Navy A-6 | Official Navy A-4 | Carrier Ops | Dynamic Campaign | Marine AH-1 |

 

Streaming DCS sometimes:

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oooh, anything that might help me squeeze out more performance is good. Is there an instruction somewhere on how to do the change?

DCS Wishlist: | Navy F-14 | Navy F/A-18 | AH-6 | Navy A-6 | Official Navy A-4 | Carrier Ops | Dynamic Campaign | Marine AH-1 |

 

Streaming DCS sometimes:

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I have three of those quadrants, and use one for my throttle controls (bottom left of the pic, red handles). They work really nicely.

 

th2g_sm.jpg

 

 

 

Hah, I started out as a complete muppet with two left thumbs. You pick up all sorts of things building a pit - electronics, carpentry, spouse negotiation skills, scars....

 

Cool - so how did you map the quadrant in DCS? Are you using the reverse Thruster on each lever?? Because when I tried to map them - only the reverse thrusters would work because it requires a key-press, not an axis control.

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londo-cat, I mapped the two red-handled levers to left and right throttle axes. Works fine, like a normal joystick axis.

DCS Wishlist: | Navy F-14 | Navy F/A-18 | AH-6 | Navy A-6 | Official Navy A-4 | Carrier Ops | Dynamic Campaign | Marine AH-1 |

 

Streaming DCS sometimes:

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londo-cat, I mapped the two red-handled levers to left and right throttle axes. Works fine, like a normal joystick axis.

 

Interesting! Well, I have 3 quadrants as well, so was thinking of actually using one of them for my pit too. I initially tested it, but was unsuccessful in getting the quadrant levers to map to an axis.

 

However - when I mapped it using the reverse thrusters on the quadrant - it worked fine.

 

In this case - I do *like* the shape of the Saitek Quadrant so I am really just taking the size of it and creating my own fuel shutoff levers though. Since I can easily map a on-on Bat toggle switch to the fuel shutoff valves, as well as the rotor brake, this makes a replicant of the unit only (3) Toggle switches.

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So today's task was to create the Fire Extinguisher Buttons. So went to my local Fry's electronics and picked up 6 (normally off) push buttons.

 

Problem was - they were red. So... picked up a can of automotive white for plastic parts and then painted the red push buttons white.

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