[RCSE] Control resolution: mech. vs. computer corrections.

[Scobie Puchtler or Sarah Felstiner]

Though this question runs the risk of further exposing my radio-idiot
status, I'll ask it anyway, in the hopes that the answers will improve said
status instead of worsening it!

So let's say that by using huge servo arms and tiny control horns, you set
up your plane with huge throws. I mean huge. Let's say close to 90deg
deflection both directions on every surface. And sure enough when you fly
it... it's a little sensitive. So, rather than all the fuss of mechanical
work, you simply reduce travel of all controls to 30% on your nifty computer
radio, throw in exponential here and there, and keep on trying to fly.

I've laid out an extreme case here, but any time you use your servos at less
than full travel, you are losing control resolution, no? Assuming the model
was very very sensitive to pitch, the above scenario might reduce elevator
control to reasonable overall range of motion, but might easily leave you
with such little resolution that trying to put in tiny elevator inputs could
be frustrating, as the plane might over-react due to lack of resolution. Am
I on the right track here?, or does using the computer to reduce travel also
somehow 'compress' the resolution??

My line of reasoning here, not that this is practical, also suggests that if
you wanted ultimate resolution on a surface that needed very little
deflection, the way to get it would be to crank the servo up to maximum
travel using the computer radio, put a large arm on the servo, and then put
a HUGE control horn on the surface that, in spite of the huge travel and
long output arm on the servo, would still reduce motion of the control
surface to a minimum. This scenario gets you a servo moving through the
maximum possible number of 'steps' to move a surface the minimum possible
distance, thereby maximizing resolution... right??

Also, does anyone have any experiences in which limitations on control
resolution was a practical problem?

Any comments on how good control resolution actually is in our hobby and any
other factors that affect it? Are some radios/servos significantly better
than others?

For the sake of keeping on topic, I'm assuming mechanical linkages to be
slop free and perfect, regardless of horn or arm length.

I look forward to being educated.

Lift,
Scobie in Seattle

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