Vol. 3 Issue 1: Fall 2019
Well, it's finally back to getting out on time again! Thanks to the members who contributed articles for the issue this quarter.
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Electronics for Destroyers
by Phil Pace
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Editor's Note: Most everyone who has made a battle in the southeast, or attended a recent IRCWCC National Competition, has seen Phil Pace and John Jones little Gearing-class destroyers running around in battle (and having a great time with it). In this article Phil shares his recent work optimizing the prototype electronics board he uses to keep everything compact and tidy.
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(Click any photo for a larger image)
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 I have been running my destroyers using a prototype board that included the receiver, two ESCs and a voltage regulator. I learned hard lessons at NATS when, after a sinking and a day under water, the ESCs failed in of one of my prototype boards. I realized that making field repairs to this board wasn’t practical due to the mess of wires and the coating of waterproofing. I needed to eliminate additional wiring to make repairs field-fast and friendly.
The new Destroyer Board is 2-1/4 x 3 inches in size. It is a voltage-regulated board designed with a socket for receivers compatible with the FlySky FS-I6 Transmitter’s FS-IA6 (Turnigy) 6 channel receiver and also the 6-channel FS-R6B receiver which works with the Turnigy TGY-9X Transmitter.
Wires on our ESCs were replaced with pins in a standard configuration to allow for simply plugging the ESCs directly into the board. The board includes two accessory voltage taps: one for the regulated 5V and another for the board battery voltage (2S/7.4V or 3S/11.1V.) There is an auxiliary servo connector with a default connection to channel 2 of the receiver for connecting to a switch for triggering lights, radar dishes or other features. The board’s default traces drive the ship with a single stick on channels 3 & 4 and use two transmitter-programmable auxiliary channels for the bilge and gun. To further customize the channels, you can jumper the board to route your preferred channel to the desired servo or ESC. For example, if you wanted to throttle with one stick and steer with the other stick, this is possible using the board jumpers.
Here is one set up to run a destroyer:
As compared to the separate components:
It is made only for the smallest of ships. The individual board connectors are rated at 4 amps. The typical destroyer setups we are running include 0.7Amp for the bilge pump, 1.5Amp for cruising at 21 seconds, 2.5Amp for loading the motors (weeds) 0.14Amp to fire the cannon and 0.12Amp for continuous rudder use.
The Destroyer Board is a "connector board". It takes the place of the rats nest of wires that would normally connect all these components together. It simplifies field-repairs in case of failure of the receiver or ESC, but it provides no additional circuit protection.
To use other kinds of ESCs, electronic switches or brushless ESCs for a brushless bilge pump, a Custom Destroyer Module is available. This tiny module, only 0.9 inches x 1.6 inches, is a base to wire the circuit board of your favorite small switch or ESC so it can be waterproofed and plugged into the Destroyer Board. The pin pattern provides for power from the Destroyer Board and for brushed motor power-out from the ESC to the left and right board-mounted motor plugs when mounted on the Motor slot. Or, to the bilge pump plug if mounted on the Pump slot. Wires from a small brushless ESC can go directly out to the brushless motor, or be routed into an optional 3-pin connector on the module.
TOP: Turnigy Switch with failsafe jumper pins removed and soldered across to “switch off” failsafe setting.
BOTTOM: The pins could have been left in place for the option of changing the failsafe settings later.
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Below are working examples of the Custom Destroyer Modules:
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with generic 10A brushed ESC.
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with generic 5A EBAY Latching Switch
(for pump)
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with LittleBee brushless ESC for a brushless pump motor. You can run its 3 motor wires straight out to the motor, or use a module-mounted connector for the brushless motor.
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Editor's Note: Anyone interested in using these boards in one of their own ship builds may contact Phil Pace directly (philpace@vac-u-boat.com).
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RULE CHANGES 2020
by Brian Koehler
Just in time for the winter boat building/refitting season (and for those not on the IRCWCC email list) the vote results on proposed rule changes were announced:
- IRCWCC National Competition will be in Bradford, PA (July 12th-17th)!
- Charley Stephens (Tennessee) will be the Contest Director.
- Tom Palmer (Missouri) was elected to the IRCWCC Executive Board "Member At Large".
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The Rules Proposals that were passed:
- Rule Proposal #2019.1 – Three Sidemounts for shorter BC’s. The length and tonnage for ships allowed three side firing cannons was changed to include a few of the longer battle cruisers (still only two cannons on either side). The battle cruisers that benefit include both Axis and Allied vessels: SMS Derfflinger, HMS Lion, HMS Tiger, HMS Queen Mary, IJN Kongo (as built), FRN Dunkerque.
- Rule Proposal #2019.3 – Post Ram Inspection Return to Battle Penalty. This hasn't been an issue at our Regional battles, but this rule sets a "scuttled" sink penalty on a ship which comes to shore on a "ram check" but spends an excessive amount of time checking the ram (to prevent holding a ship up to let all the water drain out while "inspecting" for ram damage).
- Rule Proposal #2019.4 – Speed Testing / Transmitter Set-points. A rule addition that after a ship's speed is tested at the annual National Championship, all radio transmitter values that could affect a ships's speed be logged (and they must not be changed - unless re-tested and logged again). This really doesn't affect those of you (including myself) still using on-off motor switches and not electronic speed controllers, but do plan to log values at the National Competition any way.
- Rule Proposal #2019.5 – Secondary Ship Fleet Clarification. A new rule passed last year allowed for captains sunk in the first sortie (of a two sortie battle) to still participate in the second sortie by using a secondary class 3 (heavy cruiser) or smaller ship. This clarification was just to spell out that the secondary ship must still fight on the same team as the primary ship (no swapping teams between sorties)
(There were two other rule proposals, but they did not receive the 2/3 vote approval)
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FYI: The Rules Page on the SAS website has been updated with all the current rules for 2019!
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Into the briny deep!
All warships eventually have "that battle" where they took a little more than they gave.
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"Resting" off to the side of the main battle is not always safe!
Frank Falango's I-400 surfaces and fires on a warship whose captain
was watching the main battle and not his own ship.
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BATTLES & EVENTS
December 15, 2019
Build Session: Statesboro (Southeast Attack Squadron)
Koehler Ship Yard (15 Northlake Dr, Statesboro, GA)
Contact host: Brian Koehler (bkoehler@georgiasouthern.edu)
Remember to renew your 2020 NAMBA club membership!
(required for insurance to participate in battles)
January19, 2020
Build Session: Statesboro (Southeast Attack Squadron)
Koehler Ship Yard (15 Northlake Dr, Statesboro, GA)
Contact host: Brian Koehler (bkoehler@georgiasouthern.edu)
February 22-23, 2020
February Fracas 2020 (Southeast Attack Squadron)
Fred Fletcher Park (302 Lanier Rd Statesboro, GA)
Contact host: Brian Koehler (bkoehler@georgiasouthern.edu)
April 17-19, 2020
April Ambush 2020 (Southeast Attack Squadron)
Oakboro District Park (Oakboro, NC)
Contact host: Rob Stalnaker (rstal68@gmail.com)
May 9-10, 2020
VE Battle (Great Lakes Attack Squadron)
5151 Potters Rd. Saranac, MI
May 23-25, 2020
May Madness 2020 (Southeast Attack Squadron)
Fred Fletcher Park (302 Lanier Rd Statesboro, GA)
Contact host: Brian Koehler (bkoehler@georgiasouthern.edu)
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Did You Know?
SAS Email Listserv!
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For those who are interested in learning more or getting involved in this exciting hobby, SAS has an email listserve where members in the region can post construction questions to each other, talk about events, trade ideas, etc.
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Anyone interested in our hobby who wishes to be added to our SAS Listserve may contact the list manager: Brian Koehler (bkoehler@georgiasouthern.edu)
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Respectfully Submitted:
John Jones (co-editor)
Brian Koehler (co-editor)
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