SELEM 2013 (7th annual!) August 16th-18. Sign up now!

[Stuka]

@Buffo
ref R/C helicopters -

Before you start investing in some higher performance collective pitch machines
(not that you're prone to going neck-deep into expensive hobbies or anything like that...) -

You might give some serious thought to investing in a decent R/C simulator for your PC.
You don't necessarily need something that exactly duplicates your particular helicopter ~
just something that simulates the basic setup of a decent collective pitch machine.

That way you can practice with things like the brain lock that sometimes occurs with multi-axis direction reversal when the helicopter is pointing - or flying rapidly - towards you, with the advantage of being able to take a breather and hit the "reset" button, instead of rebuilding your helicopter!

Of course, if you fly these long enough, it's just a matter of when - not if - the inevitable crash happens...

When you start shopping, keep in mind that a basic collective pitch machine is only going to require 5 channels (ailerons, elevator, throttle, rudder, plus collective), though most helicopter radios are going to start out at 6 channels. As you start adding features to the helicopters past 5 channels (various swashplate mixing options, gyro authority control, full sequential LED aircraft lighting, remote telemetry, onboard laser designators, etc.), you'll start noticing an exponential increase in price.

If you wind up buying a radio separately, be sure to get a HELICOPTER radio ~ you can still use it with airplanes for the four basic flight controls, but it will have the extra channels and electronic mixing needed to support the unique control requirements of collective pitch, tail rotor mixing, etc.

These, days, look for the radios using the 2.4 GHz technology (Spektrum, Futaba FASST, etc.) so you have less to worry about with radio transmission interference and channel conflicts.

Welcome to another $$ hobby...

[Bradfo69]

Let me know when you want to try it... Would love to be involved in the process..
Mark

We'll do it soon. I need to find out if I need to have a physical tape in the ADAT when daisy chaining right to HD24. I'd rather put all these shows on hard drive rather than tape. We can have an "Auditorum" folder and a "ClubSELEM" folder, push play and walk away if desired.

[steve-o]

I always wanted something that you could fly IN. I'm pretty sure this has cyclic and collective controls
I didn't even know the Mosquito had a turbine engine version ..
This guy musta flown in 'nam .. he makes it look soooo easy ..
sorry.. now back to the thread .. I can dream, right .. actually this lil' ultralight or experimental is only the price of a couple of opsls or a new car ..

[Stuka]

Dude -
I want one!

Not big enough to haul anything or anybody else, but still!

And now, back to SELEM...

[polishedball]

John - with regards to a lumia room; I think the plan is to set those up in the gallery area. I know that James (DrEvil) will be bringing his, and Greg (Displaser) usually brings a few lumia toys with him as well. Since the gallery area is well-lit, you can better see how the units are assembled, and the extra lighting doesn't really hurt the lumia
Adam

Any chance I can setup back stage. Kinda where i was last year and project toward that black wall. Just don't feel comfortable with having my 2w beam and lumia rig projecting on anything but brick at short distance. When the lumia from torture tubes colapses it hot spots pretty good. Also with it having a static beam rail if someone pushes the wrong control buttons it would do the same. Lmk your thoughts or if its best left home.

This is the unit. http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/...k-time-to-wire

[polishedball]

Edit: this was in response to a long post that appears to have been deleted.


You lost me after a few paragraphs. But I think it is crazy that newbies should have to do food or cleanup crew. I woulda really looked forward to that my first SELEM. Not. I woulda never come not knowing anything and being told I get tot pay to come and do food cleanup. I'd never had scene my first SELEM.

This food thing is sounding way to complicated. It is much easier to just run out and feed yourself. I would love to see pop / water in the fridges or coolers for the takings. I know some years buffo has done this.

[hakzaw1]

sorry
my first year that is exactly what i did and was more than happy- i had no PJs or shows to share so...

if you are not liking my idea then just show us yours or not.

we are talking about 45 minutes of someones time.

i fail to see how anyone would have a problem with this..

if you thought the reading took too much of your time --i spent much longer writing it.


*EDIT* I was going to just leave this post as is but... AFAIK there has been some kind of feed at the venue-for MANY years- it allows us to grab a quick bite with the IDEA being we do not need to leave to get lunch- and if the first-timers- are WILLING to help that seem fair to me- most do not come early enough to help load-in and set up nor are many there for tear down and load out- -- and that included me my first two events-


Any others who want no part in this need do nothing- do your own thing--NP.
This does not look complicated to me at all. i have 20 years in the food industry so I am not without experience.

sheeech

[steve-o]

Originally posted by Stuka
Dude -
I want one!
Not big enough to haul anything or anybody else, but still!

Yeah they are cool, ain't they .. big enough for 1 person and an overnight bag maybe .. I plan on landing at Selem in one .. j/k .. I wish .
Are you a pilot dude ? I thought I remembered you saying that you flew in the gulf war or something like that ?

/..and crash getting frustrated buying tons of replacement parts and give up.

Yeah that's what happened to me .. I used to have an R/C 'copter , bought lots of replacement main and tail rotor blades.. couldn't find the gears so finally had to call it quits. Might get another one one day .. Looking forward to seeing whatcha -all bring to Selem.. hope I can make it this year ..

[buffo]

Any chance I can setup back stage.

Hey John;

Sure. If you'd rather set up back there, that's fine. Understand your concern about power output, and I agree it would be safer there.

There is plenty of room on the stage behind the main curtain for your projector. We will have other demonstrations going on back there too (Scanner tuning, color board adjustment, abstract generator console, etc...), but I don't think that will cause any problems.

In fact, that might be a better place to set up the lumia projectors anyway, since it will leave the front lobby and gallery area open for more general discussions.

ABOUT the food at the venue........
As most know already unless we somehow magically get an extra 50 attendees there is very little left in the SELEM budget for feeding the masses.

Well Len, in that case, we will simply have to forgo the idea of feeding everyone. If you remember, I was against this idea from the start, for exactly the same reasons that are now becoming apparent to others.

We don't need to go overboard here. All this talk of collecting extra money and buying groceries (not to mention forced KP duty on new attendees) is just putting people off. That was never part of the plan.

Really, the food is not the focus of this event. Sure, it's nice to have, but it also places a huge burden on a few key people. I don't think that's fair, and I'm definitely not going to "volunteer" anyone else to give up time at the event just so we can all eat. (There is enough burden as it is just making the event happen!)

If the food had worked out, that would have been nice, but there's nothing wrong with letting people go out to eat as they please. (Or small groups of people chipping in to order pizza, which we have done in the past as well.)

so chime in here with your feelings about this -if you don't I will assume you are in agreement.

That's a *very* bad assumption Len. Most people will not comment one way or another on any topic unless they feel strongly about it. Also, many newer people will avoid posting their opinion until someone more senior has posted a similar view first. These two facts mean that you can never assume anything based solely on a lack of comments. (Not to mention the fact that it's really not your call to decide on the course of action in the first place, now is it?)

That being said, some people have contacted me privately, and the general consensus has been that the food is becoming a larger issue than the lasers, and I completely agree with that assessment. This was never the intent of SELEM.

So I'm making the call: Please let this one drop, OK?

I would love to see pop / water in the fridges or coolers for the takings. I know some years buffo has done this.

I normally go out and pick up a bunch of soda and water and stock the fridge in the hallway between the dressing rooms and the loading dock. I'll be doing that again this year. Also, I believe X-Laser will be hosting some form of alcoholic beverage refreshments on Saturday night, just like they did last year.

we are talking about 45 minutes of someones time.
i fail to see how anyone would have a problem with this.

You and Brad are very comfortable providing food for large groups, so it's no surprise that you don't see a problem with it. But not everyone is as familiar with the task as you are. In fact, most people (myself included) are quite uncomfortable with it.

Likewise, you are not just talking about time, you are also asking people for extra cash. And most people are probably wondering why they would give up their own time and money to eat what you have suggested, when they could go eat whatever they wanted by just getting in the car and driving a mile or two to the restaurant of their choosing.

Seriously, we need to drop this idea - now. It's becoming a monster and it's distracting us from the primary focus of the event, which is to have fun with lasers.

Adam

[hakzaw1]

I may have given the wrong impression with my proposal for a buffet
on Sat. Any one that will be helping me will be volunteers and I was not implying that
anyone be required to help out in any way.


I had already gotten most of the helpers I will need lined up and I expect a few more will be happy to do this. not all that much work involved. I was only trying to be helpful,,
no problem dropping the idea..