Basic Airplane Class: 2.02 Timers

Two fully programmable timers can count up or down triggered by any of 120 switching possibilities (yep, really).  For our basic model set up, I’m starting a count down timer for 9 minutes when the throttle moves off idle, and I’ll have an audible alert at each minute.  The timers are reset via a LP ENT, which pops up a RESET choice with four options: Flight, Timer 1, Timer 2, and Telemetry.  Reset Flight resets all timers and telemetry values, or you can choose to reset each one individually.  In a later class we’ll learn how to reset the timers with a switch.  Here’s how the timer options work:

  • Timer 1, Timer 2 — The first field beside the Timer is the trigger.  Select a trigger action from among the 120 options using these abbreviations and Glossary definitions (the class example selects THs):  See Glossary definitions for:
    • The second field beside Timer sets the desired time value:
      • enter 00:00, and the timer counts up from zero when triggered,
      • enter a time in mm:ss, and the timer counts down from that value when triggered.  When the timer reaches zero, the timer continues to count with a negative sign and flashes to draw attention.  (The class example enters 09:00 in this field.). 
  • Persistent, if ticked, makes the timer a totalizing timer.  The last value is stored in memory when the radio is powered off or the model is changed, and that value is reloaded next time the model is used.  When ‘Persistent’ is checked, the displayed time will show a super-script ‘P’ next to the time.
  • Minute Call (checkbox):  If checked, causes a beep or voice call every full minute on the timer regardless of the announcement choices selected under Countdown, including the ‘Silent’ choice.  (The class example checks this box for the minute alerts.) 
  • Countdown – select one of three choices for how timer events are announced:
    • Silent  — no announcement until timer reaches zero, when it sounds a single beep.
    • Beeps — This choice gives audible alerts at 30 seconds, 20 seconds, and from 10 seconds down to zero with a longer beep at zero.  If you have timer30.wav, timer20.wav, and timer10.wav in your System sounds folder, the alert will be a voice alert at those times. Without those .wav files, you get single tone beeps at 30, 20, and 10 seconds.  Note:  If you don’t hear the alert sounds, check that sound volume is turned up enough in Radio Set Up. 
    • Voice — With Voice selected, the appropriate voice.wav file is played instead of beeps until finally a beep at zero.  (The class example selects “Voice”.)

NOTE:  Once the timers are set up, they display on only one of the four Home Screens (or a telemetry screen that we’ll learn about near the end of the class).  To find the Timers in action, EXIT to the HOME SCREENS and SP PAGE forward to the screen displaying the timers

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