V-Tail Mixers

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  • Outrider
    Commander
    • Aug 2008
    • 304

    V-Tail Mixers

    Remember that a V-tail on a plane is half of an X-tail for a sub, or something like that...

    With the release of Caswell/Merriman 1:96 U-212 and, many hope, the promised Revell 1:144 U-212 soon to be upon us, there's a need to get suitable control electronics for X-tails.

    Many park fliers, for which there is a comparatively large market, have similar control set-ups for their elevons. (Elevons are elevators that also function like ailerons.)

    Some transmitters have an elevon mixer function built in, others, such as the venerable W-Fly, do not. (If your transmitter has the elevon mixer function built in, you'll still have to figure out how to program it to work correctly.) Also, as pointed out later in this thread, the transmitter's mixer is unlikely to work with an ADF, so this is an unpromising pursuit. Seems like the safest bet is to buy an elevon mixer.

    My sense is that there are a few sources for an elevon mixer, but it may be hard to find the "right" one. It's important to find something that's suitably sized (as small as possible), functional (must do the job well), and well priced (inexpensive is good). I found these candidates at Tower Hobbies:

    LXELT4 Great Planes Electronic Elevon Mixer Slinger ARF is $11.49

    LXHHS3 GWS V-Tail Mixer J is $15.00

    Both look small enough. Hopefully we can find a something that works well and is priced nicely so we can get it into the Caswell empire supply system. Update: This assumes we need compatibility with the KMC ADF sold by Caswell.

    Anybody have experience here worth sharing?
    Last edited by Outrider; 04-08-2010, 11:40 PM.
  • Subculture
    Admiral
    • Feb 2009
    • 2123

    #2
    I've tried the GWS V-tail mixer. Works well, but be aware there can be incompatibility problems with some mixers and levellers.

    Norbert Bruggen supplies a leveller with a built-in x-tail mixer, but it's a bit steep with the present exchange ratio. Still a very neat solution.

    Comment

    • greenman407
      Admiral
      • Feb 2009
      • 7530

      #3
      If I may, I have a Subtek mixer in my Albacore and it works quite well on my X-Tail. I however am thinking of disconnecting it and use instead the mixer feature in my new Polk Tracker radio. Dont know if this helps.
      IT TAKES GREAT INTELLIGENCE TO FAKE SUCH STUPIDITY!

      Comment

      • He Who Shall Not Be Named
        Moderator
        • Aug 2008
        • 12337

        #4
        Originally posted by greenman407
        If I may, I have a Subtek mixer in my Albacore and it works quite well on my X-Tail. I however am thinking of disconnecting it and use instead the mixer feature in my new Polk Tracker radio. Dont know if this helps.
        But, can you mix in the angle-keeper if you're doing the integration of rudder and stern planes at the transmitter?!

        Sorry to rain on your parade, Mark.

        David,
        Who is John Galt?

        Comment

        • greenman407
          Admiral
          • Feb 2009
          • 7530

          #5
          Thats a good question. I will call John Gill this afternoon and see what he can tell me.:biggrin:
          IT TAKES GREAT INTELLIGENCE TO FAKE SUCH STUPIDITY!

          Comment

          • He Who Shall Not Be Named
            Moderator
            • Aug 2008
            • 12337

            #6
            Originally posted by greenman407
            Thats a good question. I will call John Gill this afternoon and see what he can tell me.:biggrin:
            Ah ... I sent you a rhetorical question, Mark. The answer is: you can't integrate the rudder and stern plane function at the transmitter and still get the SD mounted angle-keeper in the loop.

            Won't work. Sorry

            David,
            Who is John Galt?

            Comment

            • greenman407
              Admiral
              • Feb 2009
              • 7530

              #7
              I suspected as much and John Gill wasnt sure.
              IT TAKES GREAT INTELLIGENCE TO FAKE SUCH STUPIDITY!

              Comment

              • greenman407
                Admiral
                • Feb 2009
                • 7530

                #8
                Does subtek no longer make the mixers?
                IT TAKES GREAT INTELLIGENCE TO FAKE SUCH STUPIDITY!

                Comment

                • Subculture
                  Admiral
                  • Feb 2009
                  • 2123

                  #9
                  It's not listed on the website.

                  Mike's subworks does an x-tail mixer-



                  That should work okay (check with him first). The other alternative is to try a v-tail mixer, like the one from GWS. Very cheap, but there can sometimes be incompatibility problems with these mixers and some levellers (TTL levels I think), which you can get around by buffering, but you need a bit of electronic knowledge.

                  Comment

                  • redboat219
                    Admiral
                    • Dec 2008
                    • 2759

                    #10
                    How about those mechanical mixers that use a sliding servo to control pitch. Can you use an ADF on them?
                    Make it simple, make strong, make it work!

                    Comment

                    • greenman407
                      Admiral
                      • Feb 2009
                      • 7530

                      #11
                      Yeah , now I remember. I started a thread on this very same subject several years ago on the Subcomittee. Heres the link.
                      IT TAKES GREAT INTELLIGENCE TO FAKE SUCH STUPIDITY!

                      Comment

                      • He Who Shall Not Be Named
                        Moderator
                        • Aug 2008
                        • 12337

                        #12
                        Originally posted by redboat219
                        How about those mechanical mixers that use a sliding servo to control pitch. Can you use an ADF on them?
                        Yup.

                        Put the ADF to the servo pushing the other servo.

                        David,
                        Who is John Galt?

                        Comment

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