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[ffinybryn]

I know it's no consolation, but for the price, one of these is worth its weight in gold if flying out of sight...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260911235003?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
Lightweight.  No contract.  No cost with pay-as-you-go sim.

I had one already, but bought a spare from this guy.  For those that don't know, you put a sim in, call it from your mobile and it sends back a text giving its longitude and latitude.

Good luck.

[jiberjaber]

Yes - I have one of them Bryn, problem is it is here on my desk LOL I have not got round to getting a SIM for it, so never fitted it.  Any suggestions on a SIM would be greatly appreciated

[ffinybryn]

I suppose it depends on the coverage in your area.  I have a t-mobile sim with no problems.  Came with £5 credit which is still on it.  I make sure to use it once every six months to keep the sim active.  I am still putting my gear together so haven't tried it airborne - only tested on the ground.  Not sure above receiving signal through EPO.  Would have to try it.  Maybe it would work better strapped to the outside.  Another thread is talking about stripping them down to save weight...
I paid £150 for my first one a few years ago for caravan security, so £40 was too good to miss!

[jiberjaber]

We swapped to Orange at work and the signal is nearly useless in a lot of places in Essex... so I might be tempted to try and find an O2 solution (there are quite a few resellers like giffgaff etc).. hmmmmm will have a search around.

[papa_lazerous]

Where abouts in Essex are you? I'm on O2 and have found that my signal is terrible once I get out of town and am in the process of moving to 3 which seems to be best round my way


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[jiberjaber]

Chelmsford area, was previously O2 at work now Orange - nothing but poor performance with Orange.  I do have an '3' SIM somewhere, maybe I should try that.

[papa_lazerous]

Right now I am on the edge of Basildon and have nothing. In Southend I have great coverage, seems to be a bit of a lottery


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[JoeBloggs]

Have you tried looking in the last place you flew the Bixler with the RTH set?? Do you fly in the same place or was the RTH never set and its on its way back to HK ?

Shit situation though

[jiberjaber]

RTH was set as my usual place I fly from.  I dont think it will have got back.  I did a sweep round with the VRX on the evening of the event.  Last video seen was 2.6km away, which is where I have been searching.  I may take a look tomorrow, but I realy need a birds eye view of the area to see if it is there as it isnt in any of the flat fields from my hunting so far. 

It will be easier when the snow clears... might be clearer tomorrow but I havent got a plane ready yet!  Will see what tomorrow brings

[jiberjaber]

Well seeing as it is rapidly approaching the beginning of the thermal comp season I thought I better get the gliders out and try and remember how to catch a thermal and most importantly what all the switches on the TX do!....

After a bit of flying with a couple of coleagues a local community police van rocks up....

"Know anyone who has lost a plane?"



Turns out it was picked up by some beaters out on a shoot in the farm where I thought it had gone down.  I downloaded the log from the OSD out of interest to see where it had come down... no where near my calculations, and I swear I had walked that area at least twice!....
The "1605" and "1708" markers were from my recording of the video.  My estimate of where it might have conme down based on the rate of decent, last course and wind direction / speed is the "Impact?" marker.



Anyway, all seems to be working, the VTX worked no problems, so I have been flying that on my twinstar - not tried the motor out yet, servos seem all fine.  Batteries are goosed, which was to be expected... one was a brand new... still its all back, going to check out the camera now and if thats good I am well chuffed!

Alls well that ends well... I have been lucky!

[Steve W]

Excellent news mate! Always nice when that happens

[c0nners]

Blimey.  Gratz!!!!!

[Flypoppa]

Pleased for you.

[TeeJay]

That was damned lucky, congratulations

[chrisbrit81]

really happy for you, glad the only loss is just a few batteries.

Stories like this make me think twice about jumping into FPV without certain safeguards. As you've proven, RTH doesn't always work out so I guess having one of those trackers and a contact number on the plane would be very useful.

I've found that there's an iPhone app for that tracker too: http://www.starburstsoftware.co.uk/GPSTracker/