(Notes to self)....must double check my spelling before hitting the submit button...pull out Mike Powell's book and read that chapter on sound in a simpit...try to stay on topic and not hijack someone else's thread....


Now back to PropNut and his cool looking simpit. This will give me time to grab another Shiner Bock.
D

I had no problem at all with the discussion on transducers, I found it helpful.

As a matter of fact, if anyone wants to discuss simpit related issues here I would be happy, as they often help me decide on how to do my own pit.

Nothing really to update yet, the new button layout on the dash is working very well. I used plexi as button panels with printed labels (white text with a black background)behind, and cutouts in the plywood to mount the panels. I then mounted blue cathode light bars under the hood. The blue ligh shines through the white text extremely well, giving my gauges and button panels excellent backlighting. I did, however, screw up a bit and had to redrill my holes a bit bigger, this resulted in blowouts in the plexi in several places (this is why there are no pictures yet) but I made several spares (just in case) and will, hopefully, have them replaced this weekend. I will then post pictures (when they are all purdied up);) I am also waiting on my extra toggles (momentary) and green buttons to arrive (and a Rotary switch!!...er....no idea what I am going to use this for but I wanted one, lol).

David

Updates updates updates:

The new instrument panel looks pretty good so far, with that in mind, in a few months I am going to trash it. Yep, trash it. As soon as I know what buttons I use often in Il-2 (which should coorespond with pretty much any WWII sim) I am going to redo the button layout for a more ergonomic layout. I really like the backlit panels while I am flying (I can see what I am pushing!! lol)

Here are a couple of views of the backlighting in action;





As you can see, the pit still needs a lot of work, side panels to complete (One will be filled with the landing gear controls, tail hook, wing fold, etc) the other will be for comms (eventually). You might notice many empty holes...yep...40 buttons was not enough I need another BU836X...I also want to add three trims, a pushpull engine mixture assemble and another pushpull for a radiator control..thats...let me see....carry the one, subtract 9, put it in a bag and shake it up....5 more axis!!! And me with only one left clear on the BU836X that I have now

On to more good stuff!

The Gunsight
I wanted something to hide the webcam that I use with FreeTrack so I built a fake reflector sight. What do you think?



The round window in the front allows the webcam a view of my pretty head (my wife says it is pretty!) I thought about putting an LED inside that shines up through another peice of plexi that has a bullseye painted on it (so it would reflect off the upper plexi) but I got to thinking that it would be awefully annoying after a while (not to mention giving me headaches).

Here is a picture of a real one to compare...yep, mine looks fake..but that was the point



Also, you might have noticed that the hood is installed, this is so the bright blue lights mounted in the engine compartment for the backlighting doesnt interupt my view (I am delicate).

Well, that is all for now, stay tuned to this same Bat Channel at the same Bat Time for further episodes of BatShine!

David

Thats a bad@ss idea with the camera you came up with there. Might have to imitate that one in my build. My TrackIR camera is mounted on a big pc. of square tubing thats clamped to my mini pit. Sticks up and blocks my projector screen, but not that big a deal!

Thanks HHF, your thread on hacking the Saitek Aviator helped alot with my simpit build. You might use plastic rain gutter parts to build a housing for the TrackIR. I just ordered the TrackIR bundled with Arma2 (I thought, for 109.99 why not get the TrackIR 5?, Track IR 5 and Arma2 159.99 at gogamer.com. I was going to purchase Arma2 for 50.00 anyway).

PropNut, awesome simpit. I am learning a lot from your build and I want to thank you for taking us on this journey. Please continue posting because class is in session.(I'm in the front row). I am putting together a FW190 and I need every tidbit of info I can get my hands on. BTW great job in hiding the webcam. You said you used Plexi for your instrument panel. What thickness did you use?

Hi Propman, thanks for the...er...props

I used 1/6th plexi, most switches are made for thin panel installation so 1/6th works very well.

PropNut, if you want to solve your light switch problem, you can always install an X-10 module at the switch and then use a remote control to turn it off.

What's with the new "WH_" prefix on your nick?

g.

The Simpit is looking great and an extra "hoot-n-holler" for the inventive idea of hiding your webcam in the gunsight construct! Now with colder weather making its way towards Michigan, you may be spending some more time in the pilots seat, eh?

I'm hoping for an a heavy frost soon so i can stop the outside work and get back to the fun stuff inside the house.
Have a good weekend and thanks for the update.
Derek

Gene, I was going for a low-tech solution
By the way, I found a great group of guys to fly/fight with. War-Hawks.net, they have scheduled campaign based coop missions in Rise of Flight, Il-2 (not so often), DCS-Blackshark, and Arma2. Heavy use of Teamspeak is the norm (which means we sit around shooting the breeze more often than playing, but it is fun none the less). Great bunch of guys and fun to talk to.


Derek, as always, thanks for participating. I am pretty happy with the reflector sight solution to the camera issue. The only downside is that the plexi 'sight' is a bit annoying when I have to actually look through it during manouvers, lol. I cannot move it down as it would then be in the way of a gauge.

As far as in-doors v. out-doors...I have been obsessing so much on the pit that I have not been doing any outdoor activities so I missed the wonderful fall that we had (gone now with cold, wet weather). Oh well, that is what spring is for