JOYSTICK

WM4MM

New member
I fly much better on simulators with the 3 axis joystick rather than xmitter. Anyone know of a way to use the joystick with the transmitter?
 

Merv

Site Moderator
Staff member
Almost everyone flies better on the simulator. Simulator planes have the perfect setup, CG, throws, thrust angle, etc. You might be better of getting a simulator you can use with your Tx.
 

WM4MM

New member
Well I didn't make it clear but I have flown the sim with both and I fly better with the joystick. I also think it would be better for handicapped people.
 

LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
I have often thought about doing a ground station setup that would allow me to pass my joystick controls to the plane over the telemetry link. The problem with doing it that way is latency. The other option would be to have some sort of joystick to PPM adapter and then plug that adapter into the trainer port of your radio. I have seen one out there when searching in the past, but it seemed a bit expensive for what it is. Would probably be something that could be done with a Arduino board pretty easy. Just my $.02, and still one of my pipe dreams.

Cheers!
LitterBug
 

WM4MM

New member
I have often thought about doing a ground station setup that would allow me to pass my joystick controls to the plane over the telemetry link. The problem with doing it that way is latency. The other option would be to have some sort of joystick to PPM adapter and then plug that adapter into the trainer port of your radio. I have seen one out there when searching in the past, but it seemed a bit expensive for what it is. Would probably be something that could be done with a Arduino board pretty easy. Just my $.02, and still one of my pipe dreams.

Cheers!
LitterBug
I have thought about just removing the potentiometers and putting them in the joystick...or if the joystick pots are the same value just use them . Of course I would rather just use the buddy box connector. I have already designed a transmitter holder that would also hold the joystick that you would wear around your neck resting your arm on the platform. I don't know whats wrong with me and those tiny sticks on the transmitter. It could be since I used to fly full scale sailplanes that a joy stick is more intuitive. If I come up with something that works I will post it as a project.
 

evranch

Well-known member
...me and those tiny sticks on the transmitter. It could be since I used to fly full scale sailplanes that a joy stick is more intuitive

How about something simple like putting your TX on a tray and making a stick extension for your right stick? Many sticks are threaded so you can add custom tips, just make up a longer stick and thread it on, being careful not to slam it against the limits and break something of course.

I know you won't get the twist action for yaw, but honestly... twist is super unintuitive for me and in the absence of pedals I far prefer rudder on the throttle rocker on my HOTAS setup.
 

Flying Monkey fab

Elite member
I have thought of this many times as I have years and year on full-sized controls and a full-sized stick just feels better. I think after a couple of years I am getting used to short sticks but then I have the use of both hands.
If I were to pursue a project like this I'd get a cheap xmiter and physically modify it, that way there is no additional latency. Thumb for throttle and then 3 axes on the stick should work great.
 

WM4MM

New member
I have thought of this many times as I have years and year on full-sized controls and a full-sized stick just feels better. I think after a couple of years I am getting used to short sticks but then I have the use of both hands.
If I were to pursue a project like this I'd get a cheap xmiter and physically modify it, that way there is no additional latency. Thumb for throttle and then 3 axes on the stick should work great.
I have 2 or3 transmitters all I need to find is a non USB joystick and learn how a buddy box works.
 

WM4MM

New member
On most joysticks there is a throttle , 3 axis stick, gun button and top hat button (4 switches) that all will be assigned. If I have to use an Arduino I will but that introduces latency (maybe).
 

Flying Monkey fab

Elite member
I have 2 or3 transmitters all I need to find is a non USB joystick and learn how a buddy box works.
If you have a xmiter to sacrifice and good building skills there is no need to find a joystick, just pull out the gimbles and make the stick around them.
 

WM4MM

New member
If you have a xmiter to sacrifice and good building skills there is no need to find a joystick, just pull out the gimbles and make the stick around them.
The problem with that is getting 3 axis on one stick/ It could be done but it would take some engineering to mount them properly.
 

evranch

Well-known member
Yeah if you want a 3 axis stick you're far better off using a professional stick. There are Arduinos capable of acting as a USB host, and using one to translate from USB to the trainer port protocol is not going to introduce any latency over using the stick on a PC.

Here is an Arduino project that outputs PPM data to a trainer port from a 3-axis accelerometer for headtracking, that you could use for some sample code: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/sho...-Headtracker-(Easy-build-No-drift-OpenSource)

This project was so successful it became the Quanum headtracker from HobbyKing.

I think using this code as a starting point you should be able to do this fairly easily if you are experienced with C and Arduino programming.