stooge cord

[Chris Belcher]

What is the best stooge cord to use? Last nite my nobler got caught in the cord on landing and ripped the tail wheel out. I was using way too big of a "rope" type material...like blue nylon ski rope...bad.

[Tim Wescott]

Learn how to put it down where you want!

[Phil Krankowski]

Mason line and eye bolts?  U shaped spikes?  Sounds like controlling the line is necessary.

I use a chalk line reel that I reloaded with braided mason line, (bright pink as I hate tripping on the line myself).  The reel is heavy and stays put.  I spool out what I need, and can change lengths as necessary.

Phil

[Bootlegger]

Also to keep from tripping, do like John Violette does lay the spool down away from the flying area where you stand, and then walk back to the flying area as you are taking off.

  Hope that this is clear to you..

[Chris Belcher]

I do launch and then step back to the concrete circle in the center of the grass field. And i have read all of the horror stories about getting feet tangled up in the line. As this "line" just needs to be long enough and strong enough to allow release from the stooge mechanism, and be easy to reel out and reel back in I was just asking what KIND of line to use...got all th other stuff worked out. The masons cord sounds good. I think the "rope" I was using was just so heavy that whan I did run over it on landing it would snag on the tail wheel and act like a carrier deck cable. Any other suggs would be appreciated...

[John Cralley]

I use an inexpensive chalk line reel but without any chalk. I just use the line that came loaded on the reel. The reel is plastic but heavy  enough to toss aside after release. I also step back into the flying area (an outline circle I spray paint with washable paint) which makes sure that the plane is clear of the stooge when landing!

[Chris Belcher]

have you ever gotten hung up on landing? am I the only one? It happens to me a lot. This time it just yanked really hard and broke some stuff. Has anyone else hung up on the line before?

[john e. holliday]

As stated learn to control your landing.   I have gotten the main gear under the line a couple of times with no harm done as I too use the chalking line with out the chalk.   Have it wound up on a piece of broom handle.  The line is elastic enough that it is pulled away from me once I turn it loose.

[John Kelly]

   ...Hey Chris, Try this... or carrier.

[John Cralley]

have you ever gotten hung up on landing? am I the only one? It happens to me a lot. This time it just yanked really hard and broke some stuff. Has anyone else hung up on the line before?

No. I always make sure to land away from the stooge and its cord. Even if I did catch I doubt that any damage would result because, like Doc says, the chalk line is elastic and the reel is pretty light weight.

[Randy Powell]

Hmm, I just use some flying line. .018 cable.

[Paul Allen]

Same idea as John, bricklayers string line.
Paul
In OZ

[Paul Smith]

At todays prices you can do 2.4 for same price as a pull cord.

The trigger does the throttle and the steering wheels does the launcher.  Two days work and no money spent.

With the flight control in the right hand and the speed controller in the left, how do you pull a cord?
The steering wheel against my leg works for me.

[Chris Belcher]

what?

[David_Stack]

Looks like Paul is using a R/C servo to pull the stooge pin, with a battery and receiver installed within the stooge 'chassis'.

The servo is connected to the receiver's steering channel.  He holds the transmitter in his other hand, and rolls the transmitter wheel against his leg to apply a steering input.  The servo responds to that steering input and pulls the pin, releasing the model.

[Chris Belcher]

yeah......but what kind of string does he use?

[Chris Belcher]

Sorry...I was being a smart ass....that's really cool but I have NO RC stuff...but that's really cool. No strings attached!! Really good idea. Gonna start working on mine today! thanks Paul!

[Chris Belcher]

what are the chances someone at the field flying RC is on my channel and launches my plane at in-opportune time? Aret he car freqs i the same range as planes...not an RC guy here so be patient

[Phil Krankowski]

Ground frequencies are different than air frequencies according to the newer standards.  If you, and someone else, happen to be using particularly old equipment there is more likelihood of overlap.

Even in spread spectrum there is a difference between ground and air so they won't interfere with each other.  I don't know if it is encoding or the frequency. 

Of course if the area is saturated with RF it won't matter much.  Saturation of spread spectrum frequencies has caused some areas to prefer FM frequencies as everybody has to transmitter quarantine. 

Phil

[Steve Helmick]

My stooge is a Tom Morris unit, the cord is 50 lb test Dacron white braid (fishing store) and the reel is a Stanley chalkline (no chalk!). I pull the cord and toss or skid the reel away from me. A fairly low-stretch cord is important; the stuff that came with the chalkline was fuzzy and stretchy. The Dacron is a lot cheaper than Spectra, if you are thinking of that, plus it's much bigger and easier to see for any given pound test rating. If you really wanted to spend big bucks, you might look at 150-200 lb Spectra.

Don't forget to peg down your safety lanyard with a screwdriver into the turf while starting. Shug...this tip is 4 U!!! Steve

[louie klein]

I use brightly colored mason line and I have a 10" dowel fastened to a 10# bumbell plate with a big washer on the other end. When I'm done I slip the handle over the dowel, pick up the plane and the weight lets me keep the lines off the ground while I walk the plane around--Louie

[Paul Smith]

yeah......but what kind of string does he use?

Virtual E string, you know, from the cloud.

[Paul Smith]

what are the chances someone at the field flying RC is on my channel and launches my plane at in-opportune time? Aret he car freqs i the same range as planes...not an RC guy here so be patient

At the Pontiac Soccer Dome they fly 100 RC planes every Tuesday afternoon.  In a close building.  In addition to 2.4, there are still some old timers with crystal sets and frequency clips.  No problem.

I still peg the wrist strap to the ground for an additional layer of safety.

RC'ers trust this stuff for the whole flight.  I trust it for 10 seconds.

[dave siegler]

At todays prices you can do 2.4 for same price as a pull cord.

The trigger does the throttle and the steering wheels does the launcher.  Two days work and no money spent.

With the flight control in the right hand and the speed controller in the left, how do you pull a cord?
The steering wheel against my leg works for me.

So two receivers?  I see the launcher servo on the wright box and the throttle servo is on the plane?  Sorry I don't quite see it.

[L0U CRANE]

As I've mentioned  a few times, here, there and other places, I use the large bright yellow reel for the release cord. And, I locate the launch "base" several feet outside the flying circle. So, at launch, the model is well outside the flying area.

I have, usually, a large nail (in turf) or a weight - like a claw hammer, to locate where the reel winds up. Start, pin the model into the release  device, walk the line out to the handle - making sure it is clear of the flying lines!

Pull, stand up, step back the few feet needed, and do your flight. Try to land with your feet near the nail or weight. Hang the handle on the marker, walk the lines to the model, then back to untwist them. Walk the model back to the launch point. It should all line up for the next flight if you do it this way.

The cord is leftover Hi-start line from when I as doing that, too. Anything strong enough to release your tie-down is good enough. When done for the day, I reel the release line back to the 'launch pad' - a piece of iron 1/8" about 2 x 2.5' - and hang the reel on it.

Takes some precautions, and attention to detail, but that comes naturally very quickly.

[RogerGreene]

I use a Irwin Strait-Line. This is a chalk line for snapping a line on a board. But I use it for the line to my stooge, with out any chalk powder in it. You can wind up the line when you are finished flying for easy storage. The Irwin Strait-Line is available at the Box hardware stores and ACE hardware too. Its a must have. Comes with white string, but you can buy any color string for it. I use a white rag to mark the center of the circle so I stay near the rag when flying.

My 2 ¢

Roger

[Lauri Malila]

I have plenty of broken free flight towlines. 150lbs Spectra is on limit for F1A but strong enough as stooge line
It's also bright yellow thus easy to see.

L