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GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 07 Jan 2019, 17:21
by john greenfield
Hi All

I am pleased to announce that I will be running a GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition on the weekend of 29 / 30th June 2019 at Baldock, Hertfordshire.
The format of the weekend is to promote GPS Triangle flying and all are welcome. Loan GPS kit will be available to anyone who would like a try. All you need is your favourite self launch sport glider that is big enough to see flying around the course. Anything over 3m will be fine but smaller models could be used.
For those who already have the kit, this is an ideal opportunity to develop your skills with experienced GPS flyers on hand to assist.

Camping on the site will be available all weekend. There are proper flush toilets and water on site and food will be available during the day.

Please respond to this post if you are interested in this event and check back for updates and more information in the run up to the event.

John (AEB)

Re: GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 24 Jan 2019, 00:32
by Bernie
Well lots people looked at the thread, but no comments yet, as well as the loan kit being available with lots of help from a few brave souls that already fly triangles, I'm hoping to persuade Andrej from RC electronics to come over and run a couple in depth workshops on both tactics and the electronics side. We are also hoping to have available some new sets that will fit inside F5J type aircraft so these could be used to fly smaller triangles, so come on and show some support, come visit a great field and meet some interesting people, and of course I will be there sleeping somewhere near the flight line :evil:

The thing is we need some feed back, so we can arrange the weekend, food weather etc. so if you comment here and then actually turn up to the event I will stand you a cold beer out of my fridge, can't say fairer than that. :lol:

Remember although it's a weekend event, you don't have to commit to both days, this is a fun weekend with information and help, forget the competition side if you want just come and have a go, day visitors are most welcome as you are for the whole weekend.

Fly safe and round three corners

Re: GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 24 Jan 2019, 09:50
by SP250
Bernie / John

I would love to come for the weekend, but may have to CD the Eddie Riding FF Scale competition at Buckminster on the Saturday for the STC.
I hope to be able to get there for the Sunday only at this stage.
Really need to learn how to use all the GPS kit and the RC Electronics workshops would be an excellent way to start.

John M

Re: GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 26 Jan 2019, 09:46
by Bernie
Hi John

Sunday will be fine will be good to see you, we have a committee meeting this week and numbers of those attending will be good

Re: GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 26 Jan 2019, 17:17
by Phill Tadman
Hi,

I would like to come along but am unsure of equipment compatability.

I have a Baudis Skywalker, a spare Jeti MGPS (which I might just be able to squeeze inside) and a Jeti Droidbox in my Jeti DS transmitter.

I don't have an Android device for a bluetooth connection to get the MGPS data out into the Skynavigator? app though.

Would anyone be able to help?

Thanks,

Phill

Re: GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 27 Jan 2019, 09:53
by john greenfield
Phil

Not sure about the Jeti connections as I don't use it but for the weekend we will have some T3000 kits available for loan. These are stand alone units that are very small and only require a normal servo extension lead plugged into the receiver for power. If you have a free channel in the receiver you can switch the task on and off from your transmitter but if you do not have a spare channel then just fit a "y" lead in the receiver power supply. The task can still be started and stopped manually from the T3000 base unit.

John

Re: GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 27 Jan 2019, 10:03
by Phill Tadman
Thanks John,

Phill

Re: GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 28 Jan 2019, 18:49
by simon_t
Phill Tadman wrote: 26 Jan 2019, 17:17
I don't have an Android device for a bluetooth connection to get the MGPS data out into the Skynavigator? app though.

Would anyone be able to help?

Thanks,

Phill
Phil, you can use anyone who has Skynavigator installed on their tablet, but you would need to pair via bluetooth (easy) and pair the Droidbox with the Skynavigator app (more involved). I hope I will be there and I have couple of Tablets with Skynavigator on them. I will also bring a couple of SM Modelbau GPS units - they are much smaller than the MGPS, operate at twice the iteration rate (so you don’t fly 50m past the turn), have a good vario (with Tek) and a good Jeti interface (just plug into EX Bus port). Hopefully between us all we will have enough kit to get folks operational, and maybe even compare different systems. There is lots to learn just trying to be copilot for a flyer, but it is all good fun.

Simon

Re: GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 28 Jan 2019, 19:00
by simon_t
Phil, for reference, the pictures show the T3000 GPS & Vario installed in my Ikura, then the SM GPSlogger (Jeti compatible GPS, TEK Vario) and MGPS overlaid. The cleanest/smallest install is the SM GPS. he best vario is the T3000, which also is easier to get going with it’s own display module.

Simon

Re: GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 29 Jan 2019, 08:19
by Phill Tadman
Fantastic Simon!

Thanks for your help.

Phill

Re: GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 31 Jan 2019, 12:28
by Howard wise
Great news to see a GPS training weekend, I have already booked a room for the night so please put my name down :)

Re: GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 14 Mar 2019, 16:06
by john greenfield
I am pleased to advise that there is a healthy interest in the training day and competition. We already have a couple of entries from European pilots and I am sure their help and experience will be very useful to anyone wanting to learn about GPS racing. There is also a pleasing number of UK pilots who have expressed an interest.
I have now confirmed the loan of 9 sets of the RC-Electronics T3000 kit that will already be loaded with all the info you need to fly the course. All you will need to supply is a standard extension lead in your model, preferable plugged into a spare channel of your receiver or if you do not have a spare channel it can be "Y" leaded into the receiver battery supply. The airborne part of the kit is about the size and weight of an OXO cube so should fit in any model
I have prepared a long article which will be published in RCM&E in May that will explain more about GPS flying for those who do not already know about it.
Put the dates in your diary 29 / 30th June at Baldock, Hertfordshire.
Camping available all weekend for those wanting to stay over.

John (AEB)

Re: GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 26 May 2019, 23:25
by Paul Chisholm
Hi John,

I am coming 1200miles to attend look for ward to the discussions on the T3000 systems :)
Regards
Paul Chisholm
New Zealand

Re: GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 24 Jun 2019, 14:51
by john greenfield
All
A final reminder of the GPS Triangle training event this weekend at Baldock. We have already had a good response to this event but everyone is welcome to come and have a go or just turn up to listen to the ground school training and watch.
The flying field is off Warren Lane, Baldock and the first ground school lecture will start at 10.00am followed by a demonstration of course flying before attendees pair up and have a go under the guidance of experienced GPS flyers. Further lectures will take place during the day, each followed by a chance to put the information into practice.
The club has organised a BBQ each day to keep you fed and flush toilets are on site.
Camping is available on Fri and Sat night by prior arrangement so if you would like to camp either night please contact John on 07710 924721 or PM him.
On Sunday morning there will be the chance of more practice flying and a final training lecture on the finer points of competition flying before a fun competition running late morning and through the afternoon.
The loan GPS kit has arrived and been programmed for the Baldock course. If you would like to use one of the loan sets please ensure you have a normal servo extension lead plugged into a spare channel or on a "Y" lead from your receiver battery that will reach as far as the cockpit of your model. Help will, of course, be available to help fit the tiny lightweight kit into your model. If you already have your own GPS Kit, you are of course welcome to use it and advice will be available to get the best from it
There will be a charge of £10 per day for each attendee to cover the ground school, flight training and advice from expert GPS flyers, this also covers the use of loan GPS kit is required.
See you there?

AEB

Re: GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 01 Jul 2019, 15:35
by SP250
Thanks to John Greenfield and Bernie Jones for a great weekend and for bringing over Andre and Ben so we could benefit from their experience.

I learnt a lot from it and it was a pleasure meeting up with like minded people all willing to help each other out.
Special thanks also to Simon Thornton and Howard Wise for their trimming advice which made flying the Thermik much easier.

Weather was superb for the weekend and hopefully with the new sport class, many more people will have a go and get hooked.
Look forward to seeing some pics if anyone has some to post up.

John M

Re: GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 01 Jul 2019, 22:56
by Howard wise
Another great weekend flying, Well done to John M for winning the comp. on Sunday.
As always a huge thank you to the AEB. for all his time and enthusiasm in organising and running the weekend, plus co-ordinating the guests with Bernie
A lot learnt and enjoyed by all :D :D

Re: GPS Triangle training weekend and light competition 29 / 30 June 2019

Posted: 02 Jul 2019, 00:09
by simon_t
Agree with all comments. Was a different and very enjoyable weekend, with excellent tutorials from John with inputs from Benjamin and Andre. Negligible thermals on Saturday was probably good as it meant we focused on flying the triangle rather than be distracted with looking for lift. The day ended with a meat feast barbecue which went down well.

Sunday was very different - almost opposite direction strong wind and with powerful thermals. I was chuffed in the first round of the contest to fly out the full. Half hour, but I got the ratio of thermalling to moving around the triangle wrong, and was behind on laps compared to the experienced guys I shared the slot with. The model was going well though, and did one or two fast laps with the accumulated height.

I was teamed with John Minchell for the contest, and we seemed to work pretty well together. John had a bumpy start on the Saturday, as the model (and John) had done little recent flying, but once the model was trimmed out it was going very well. On Sunday John exceeded his personal expectations, and it was great watching him outfly himself, resulting in a a great victory.

So thanks to all, including Maurice for organising lunchtime food, and the NMFC for providing such a fantastic field and facilities.

Simon