The Home Cockpit Support Forum

Hi,I've been thinking about making a few of the FSBUS cards and I'd like to do it myself. Does anyone have any links to tutorials? I've never etched a PCB and don't really have any idea where to start. I have seem some things on this forum about using photo boards and printing transparencies to make the boards but I don't know how hard that would be. I also found this at radioshack http://www.tinyurl.com/day0 . It looks like you have to draw all the lines though and from the looks of the boards that would be fairly difficult.So, any tips on where to get started? Any links to buy the blank boards? Any stories from people about what happened to there boards?Thanks for the h…

Ladies and gentleman I just want to announce that I

With FSBUS again.Tonight I thought I would tidy things up and post where I'm at - and what's holding me up.Firstly - FSBUS - I've made the Display, Key and Com board, I can flash the PICs easier than eating a banana.With the keyboard - I had it working, testing a rotary, a toggle, a switch but for some reason I can no longer get any switches working, when I close the switch and check with the multimeter I get a connection.Keyboard CID - 1DisplayAfter scrapping my previous 88888 board, I used a different vero board (hoping to buy an etching kit in the next few days - thinking of going photo type as I've got the light etc) and got the - which is normal when you first connec…

Here is my setup:12V power supply6 inch flat serial cableCOM, key, display Controller.I have been trying to find out why I can't get 13.5 volts to pin 4 of the pic to flash it. On the Com board I am getting 19 volts into the 78L12 and 13.7 out of it. Then it passes through the prgm jumper and through a 680ohm resistor and drops to 7 Volts! How can I get 13.5 volts after a 680 ohm resistor if it is coming in at 13.7? I have been struggling with this for a week and don't see how it is phisically possible to only drop .2 Volts through a 680 ohm resistor.I have already tried the following: Looked for any shorts, crossovers, false resistors, power supply...I just can't thi…

This will be last on my plans for my cockpit but lately this has made me wonder.I spend lots of time around aircrafts, and everytime I pass the air outlet of a plane on the ground I notice the distinct smell from inside the cabin. Have you ever noticed the same when flying?Maybe it's the dry air that does it, or maybe it's the type of air filter they use onboard that creates it, but it made me think.We try to replicate all these things to fool our senses and make believe we're inside a real plane when flying. Visual and sound, and perhaps even movement for those who really gets into it.But how about smell?I actually like the smell inside the cabin, and I wonder if I can r…

I have some industrial high temp pots and the contact posts defy all attempts to solder wires to. The solder doesn't stick due to the type of metal used.Does anyone have any idea what I need to connect wires to these things?-Leo

Hi,I updated my site / photos:http://www.flyintv.com/777eng/Thanks,Ulisses Simionato

Hey!I'm looking for some software to design the interior with.It shouldn't be too complex, altough it would be cool if I could test the stability and such.What did you use and would you recommend? or what did you hear of?TIA

Hi all,Just wanted to say "Hello World". I'm an electronics newbie from Calgary, Alberta. I've been following the forum here for a LONG time. About 6 months ago I decide I would attempt to jump in to the FSBUS world and see where it takes me.Well life has been busy since the initial reads on how to do this, that, and everything - but I finally have my first two PC Boards (COM and LED) designed, etched, and drilled.I've got the components for FSCOM (though I have to admit I had a lot of trouble translating some of the pieces from the amazing european resources out there) and am about to start soldering them onto the board.The creation of the PCB was an educational experien…

Hi all,Has anyone here used any of the new ITRA avionics?http://sim.itra.de/default_en.htmTheir prices are reasonable, and their comm/nav units look a lot more like real GA radios than GoFlight does... at least as far as size goes. Unfortunately, they don't have concentric knobs.Thanks!Kevin

I know this question has been asked before, but that was a long time ago. We're getting close to the conference time. I'm sure that those of us who are going to be there would like to get together. SO!!!!!Who's going to the AVSIM Conference???

Hello, I'm searching for a solution to build in led's witch can add flood light to my 737NG MIP. To dim the flood light I'm gonna use the leddimmer from Mike's flightdeck. I'm thinking to use white or blue led's for the flood light. But I'm a bit lost with all the different led's, so is there anybody who can help me with the next questions: - Witch led colour will give the best results? - How much light must the led produce (mcd or flux), on what angle? - What's the best way to build in the led's? Kind regards Jan Geurtsen.

HiI am in the stages of planning a home jet cockpit Im not after complete realism but I would like to keep it tidy and close to modern Boeing design. I am currently looking for a glare package similar to a 747 or 777.e.g. EFIS - MCP - EICAS - EFISI like the Aerosoft package but the MCP is no longer available. I was considering just using GoFlight panels or connecting them to CSI panels but that might become too much trouble. I just want a simple plug n play unit. Like I said Im after a the design of a 747 or 777 it dosnt have to be identical to its real-life counterpart but preferably in the Boeing brown. I cant find any that suits, when it comes to panels and switches th…

I was looking at a 737ng as the plane of choice for my cockpit, but to be honest, I think I'll change that. PM was be awesome etc, but I'm not keen on paying close to $600nz for the display panels.There is another alternative that I've found FreeFD but I found that the frames are about the same as using the default pmdg panel, but not as indepth.Are there any others?I don't mind paying, but as I said, $600 is just way too much for this pocket.Or should I decide on a different plane - ie a general Aviation one. Where I'm not reliant on such an expensive system.Again I'm not knocking it - it looks awesome, if you can afford it, then that's great, I just can't.

Well, after lurking for quite some time, I can finally provide something that might be useful for others. A previous posting mentioned the "center space" panasonic encoder, EVQ-1WF00210B, as a possible solution for the "dual concentric" encoder problem. I just received two from Digi-key, and they're great, however, as was previously pointed out, you only get a pulse every second detent (20 detent / 10 pulse). Well curiosity got the better of me in about two seconds, and in about 15 seconds I had the thing apart. Boy is this stuff clever. A total of three pieces, and no little pieces to go sproing! To turn this into a "detentless" encoder (my attachments follow the d…

Hi guys,For those of you interested in a free 737NG EICAS panel, it's now availble from my website (download section). The setup is a little download of 1.4Mb. The program requires FDSConnection, which is included in the package. Have fun!

I have an idea for a method of scenery/outside display, but there are certain barriers which I hope someone can help me overcome. When additional views are selected in FS2004, they pop up as new windows. Is there any way to make these windows, whether docked or undocked, borderless or free of their white or black frames? I'm asking this because it would be neat if one could line-up several cockpit views side by side and project them undivided along a curved screen in front of the cockpit? By "borderless" I mean without the white or black frames. This could save money by reducing the number of projectors and servers needed for a panoramic view. Thanks

I don't know if this will help anybody? However, I noticed in the most recent catalog of All Electronics LCDs that might work as MFDs. On page 85 they have a 256X128 panel for $18.50. It measures 5.8"X4.58" A 640X400 8.25"X5.2" panel is $7.75. They also have several others.You can find them online at www,allelectronics.comJohn

Maybe someone out there is thinking or is building an HS/Raytheon 125. I spotted this on Ebay UK today. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...5519317800&rd=1I guess that it could be used as the cockpit shell for just about any generic twin.The Porcupine aka Simon WebbJust started generic twin.

I've been working for several weeks on a circuit card designed to carry 12 miniature 7-seg displays for use in the Radio Panel in FlightDeck Solutions 777 panels.The card fits perfectly in the cutouts provided by FDS, with no blocking of the upper "A" segment or the decimal point, and the displays rest far enough into the window so as not to create a significant parallax problem when viewing the display.The layout is extremely tight if you factor in mounting, cabling and surrounding hardware such as switches and other controls.Why 12 digits? Well, the real 777 RMP can display 6 digits per window, so a 6x6 layout works well in this case.The card is only compatible with EPI…

Hello friends,I am posting a few screenshots below to show how to change standart altimeter setting emulating keypress B.Enjoy.Best regards.Remzi

Hi folks,My dad gave me a old overhead projector with a built in LCD.At first I was stunned by the weight and size of the monster but after a couple of tests I could get something pretty good out of it as you can see in those pictures.So if somebody offers you a old overhead type projector, TAKE IT!

We all use springs in our pits. Have you ever needed a certain spring and couldn't find it? Well, now you can coil your own. The following link is to a wonderful site that takes you step by step on making springs. You can even download a pdf file of the site.http://home.earthlink.net/~bazillion/intro.htmlJohn

HelloAfter a long time of house moving and rebuild my sim shell, I would drop few lines for information that the brand shell has moved in their hangar and te rework has started. Pictures on my site:www.dutch-mountains.com/737project.htmlRegards,Daniel

Some month ago I explained how to make cheap and robust rudder pedals using a fitness device called "stepper". Mine is inspired by those devices.I did find today in my local Sport Store a new kind of stepper. It's called "the Balancer".This one is very close to the mechanism of real rudder pedals and costs about 40 dollars. You just have to dismantle it at the base and fix it with the right angle onto your cockpit floor. Add a small mechanical link to a 100K slider pots and you get the best available, metallic, hydro dampened rudder pedals on the market.RegardsRogerhttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/90059.jpgAnd here could be a big deal as regards Eaton (Korry like) swit…