My A-10C preparation

[rocketeer]

Thanks Gus.

 

Can anyone tell me what is the diff between barling, sleeve and die cast bushing type in encoders? Google didn't find anything meaningful except data sheets that don't explain anything.

[rocketeer]

Ok, maybe this question is easier.

 

In the Nav panel, there are seven illuminated push buttons that seem to be momentary types, not latched. Some of them seem to light up with one triangle, some two. The TISL button does not light up at all. Are they consistently so, or does one that usually light up with one triangle sometimes light up with two?

 

Similar for the four push buttons on the TISL panel. They don't light up at all when pushed. But the manual shows them as lighted up. When will they light up if they ever do?

[Deadman]

Hey bud i can check but i am a but confused by your first question it seams more like a statement. What are you really asking?

[Deadman]

These is a picture some where of the Nav panel the push switches P/N 10648

have two different styles of lens filters the single triangle and the double triangle. HARS, TISL, TCN, and ILS have single wile EGI, STR PT,and ANCHR have the double the picture i have seen has every thing lit up so I would say the switch is split in half horizontally for lighting. and you get one or the other single or double.

 

The TISL Panel On the other hand has EATON switches and indicators in it. The ENTER and BITE have the push button switch and Over temp and track are just lit indicators. The real unit is wire to light up both switches and indicators, But as all way others may have more current information fro me Paul K is all ways the definitive answer.

Edited June 19, 2012 by Deadman

[rocketeer]

DM, my first question is a question, not a statement. :)

 

When ordering encoders at digikey, they have pictures of encoders with different types of bushing, some threaded that let you put a nut over it to secure it to a panel, some with smooth bushing. Then the same data sheet shows bushing type barling, sleeve and die cast. I wanted to know which of these is the threaded bushing.

 

Called digikey today and they not so confidently said it should be the die cast ones.

[rocketeer]

I agree HARS, TCN, and ILS have single triangles while EGI, STR PT,and ANCHR have double. But the TISL on the Nav panel doesn't light up at all when pushed from my observation, unless I am doing wrong.

 

As for the TISL panel, all four buttons don't light up when I push them. When do they light up?

[Deadman]

post 527 has two questions on it that is what i was talking about. I have no information on the encoders

[Deadman]

Well I am not sure what version of the manual we are on now or if mine is the most up to date as for the TISL panel the information is on page 118

 

3. Altitude Above Target Thumb Wheels and Indication. Used with the Slant Range switch, the Altitude Above Target indicator allows the TISL system to better determine seeker depression angle. This indicator, labeled ALT ABV TGT, has two fields, each of which can display 0 through 9. Combined, the altitude in thousands of feet is entered using the thumb wheels.

4. Code Select Thumb Wheels and Indication. In the bottom portion of the panel is the CODE SELECT portion that provides four windows and thumb wheels to enter a TISL laser code to search for and lock on to. Each field can display between 0 and 9.

5. Code Select. Located in the lower right corner of the panel is a three-position code select switch. This switch allows you to set what system should be searching for the entered laser code. Choices include:

 TISL. The TISL system

 BOTH. Both TISL and the auxiliary system at the same time

 AUX. An auxiliary system such as a laser guided weapon

6. Enter Button. Once a laser code has been entered using the Code Select thumbwheels, you may press the ENTER button to confirm a valid entry. If the entry is valid, the button will display TISL.

7. Track Light. If the TISL system detects and begins tracking the set laser code, the TRACK button will light to let you know that you have a valid lock.

8. Over Temperature Light. If the TISL detector reaches a temperature too high for operation, the OVER TEMP light will be visible.

9. BITE Button. Labeled BITE in the center of the panel is the BITE button. Pressing this button when the Mode Selector dial is set other than OFF will run the test sequence. After which, DET ACD

 

As for the NAV panel information is on 116 I can t tell what the sim is doing right now my set up is ripped apart

I am sure some one with more experience will help out here

[rocketeer]

Thanks DM for the references. I'd also check out the training sessions. One of them should cover the use of the Nav and TISL panels.

[Deadman]

No problem let me know how it works out for you

[rocketeer]

Two questions guys,

1. SAI. It says in manual to pull to cage, but in the sim there is no function to do so when I mouse over it. Similarly in helios, you can only turn the knob, not pull it. So I suppose the cage/uncage function doesn't exist?

 

2. The CMSC seems to be using character display like those in the CDU, but here we'd need three separate single lines displays. Any idea where to get these?

[Deadman]

For question number 1 are you asking if the real ARU-42/A Stand by INDICATOR, ATTITUDE has the cage function? Yes you pull to uncage it or (release it from a locked position) turning the knob to the left from its vertical pointing cage position, turning the knob just adjust the pitch angle ( the White W position). Here s a picture of a real unit.

 

 

The displays in the Countermeasure Set Control (CMSC) are the same as the units in the (CMSP)Countermeasures Signal Processor.The CDU has a small LCD screen in it. If i don't find a real panel some time soon I will purchase some OSRAMS from Mouser or Digi-key

Here is a picture of an CMSP unit with out the light panel installed so you can see the lay out.

 

by

Two questions guys,

1. SAI. It says in manual to pull to cage, but in the sim there is no function to do so when I mouse over it. Similarly in helios, you can only turn the knob, not pull it. So I suppose the cage/uncage function doesn't exist?

 

2. The CMSC seems to be using character display like those in the CDU, but here we'd need three separate single lines displays. Any idea where to get these?

Edited June 21, 2012 by Deadman

[rocketeer]

Thanks again DM. You are a great A10 library!

 

So it seems that you can pull to cage the knob in the SAI in RL but this functionality is not built in the sim and Helios at the moment, so I don't have to simulate this.

 

I'd check out some OSRAMS. :thumbup:

[Deadman]

Your welcome i have worked on it for some time.

[rocketeer]

Guys, am I right to say the RWR brightness and the two Digital clock push buttons are not in Helios? I can't find them.

 

Stuff like this that are not in Helios, will it be difficult to edit LUA manually to make it work?

[rocketeer]

In Helios there are two altimeters. The first one just called altimeter is for the pressure knob. That works when I bind it to an encoder.

 

The second one is called radar altimeter. It says set normal or disengage. Disengage what? I blinded this to a toggle but nothing happened in the sim.

 

Also I could not find the elect/pneu functon in Helios.

[rocketeer]

For the clock's two push buttons since they are not in Helios, I set them directly in the sim's key commands and they worked. Also for the altimeter's elect/pneu toggle. It also works now.

 

I noticed another thing. In Helios the MFDs has the off/night/day function for a pot. I thought it is a rotary switch. I'd have to see how to use lua for rotaries.

 

Guess I'm asking questions that most of you have not tried yet.

[rocketeer]

Sorry the mfcd for day/night off is correct as 3 values so it works for rotary. My bad.

[rocketeer]

Also could not find the symbol brightness rocker in Helios. Then I found out its the push left and right entry level functions in Helios. But the left and right functions are wrongly named in Helios. The push left entry level actually pushes the right side of the rocker and vice versa. No big deal. I just bind them in the opposite way. Rocker work on mfcd. Cool!

[rocketeer]

ok, time for pictures.

 

Started some fun with the front dash. I observed some of you that show gauges va a monitor are using one big flat piece of wood. The gauges have no knobs in front of them. Then for switches like toggles, some have rea toggles but choose not to place a monitor in that area, or move the AHCP panel to the left side of the monitor. The rationale would be to avoid real switches and knobs in front of a monitor. Well I insist of having that, but it can be tricky as either you have to monitor too far behind to avoid scratching the screen, or keep the screen close to the main panel but move switches away to the sides. This is how I did it. I build them 'up', if you image the panels as the horizon, the switches go under the panels. By adding layers, switches can sit higher up, therefore giving more room for the body of the switches and then they will not touch the screen.

 

eg. where there are switches, you can have two layers of panels. Then the gauges can be a single layer, therefore it'd not look too thick.

 

From the front it looks like this, looks ok to me.

 

Similarly for the AHCP and gear panels.

 

Notice that the switches below protrude from the bottom.

 

Gear panel.

 

AHCP.

 

I chose to use two layers for a combined 10mm thickness. The top individual panels give the front a better look than one flat surface. The second layer is the actual front dash body. Combined the two layers are thick enough to hide most switches.

 

I am happy with this arrangement. I get the switches and panels where they should be, yet I'd also be able to have the gauges beside them.

[rocketeer]

since the switches barely protrude from the bottom, i can keep the distance between the main dash body and the monitor screen closer, which will look better.

[rocketeer]

The next challenge are the knobs on the gauges. Need to find encoders small enough in diameter and height to squeeze into the corner of the gauges and also be short enough to be hidden inside the panel body without protruding from the back.

 

managed to find such encoder. I hid the encoder in the second layer, sitting it in a square hole. The first layer is to hold the encoder with a screw as shown below for the altimeter pressure knob.

 

Will add the RWR brightness knob and encoder later. Now there is at least some knobs on the gauges.

[rocketeer]

Next, SAI and the digital clock.

 

Here is the step by step of my 'trick'.

Cut a square hole to house the encoder for the SAI.

Cut some shallow groove for the legs of tactile switches for the clock.

 

Next, add the SAI encoder, held by the top layer panel.

for the clock, the push buttons tactile switches sit on a perf board to keep them in place.

[rocketeer]

now the tactile switches can sit flat since the legs can go into the groove.

 

Next the SAI encoder is held by the top layer panel.

The clock is also given a top layer, but with square holes cut to house the tactile switches.

I'd add a piece of paper with paint over it to cover the tactile switches and holes, the same approach I did for the UFC and CDU.

 

 

Without a CNC machine, some of this stuff is quite tedious.

[rocketeer]

Again, the encoders like the toggles and push buttons earlier, they don't protrude much at the bottom, except the legs bent sideways.

 

Altimeter's bottom.

 

Bottom view of the SAI and clock.

 

So there you have it, knobs beside gauges panels, switches over monitor, and yet none of them are likely to scratch the screen.

 

 

Tomorrow, ADI and HSI. since these two sit on the thickest panel, they are real easy to do without risk of them sticking out too much at the bottom. I believe anybody should be able to do this two without problem.

 

Although I'm not the first to put knobs and encoders at the front dash, I suppose I'd the first to 'solve' this challenge of switches over monitor and encoders for the gauges other than ADI and HSI? :music_whistling:

 

anyway this is too much fun. who needs cable and TV when you can be day dreaming of pit building solutions all day?