Manual

Configuring RCSpeedo

Basic use and configuration of RCSpeedo for iOS and Android devices is meant to be very easy. For 90% of users, you can simply start up the app, tap “Start Listening” and begin flying your RC plane! The app will automatically announce the speeds of your passes. For certain planes, conditions, and phones, further configuration may be necessary.

To help simplify the process, we have created a video that overviews all of the features of RCSpeedo.  A further text breakdown can be found below.

 RCSpeedo Video Manual:

 

RCSpeedo Video Manual on YouTube

 

Text Manual:

Settings:

apple2525  iOS

To enter the settings menu tap the “Settings” button at the bottom of the main screen.

Configurable settings for RCSpeedo:

  • Enable Sounds – Turns speed announcement on or off. If this is disabled, the phone will no longer announce speeds to you.
  • Auto Temp – Turns automatic temperature sensing using the GPS on or off (Auto Temp only works in US locations and international users might experience issues with this features outside of the US)
  • Temperature – Allows you to manually set the temperature.  Can only be used if “Auto Temp” is off (recommended for non-United States based hobbyists)
  • Change Doppler Mode – Configures the app to better detect the speeds of “special” aircraft. If you are having trouble getting RCSpeedo to detect the speeds of your plane, you may want to try some of these other modes.
    • Default Mode – The standard mode that should detect most speeds. It also has the lowest probability of reporting “bad speeds”, which sometimes will occur when you blip the throttle or more than one plane are in the air.
    • 100MPH+ Mode – This mode better detects high speed planes, but will not detect passes under 100MPH at all.
    • Fast Pass Mode – This mode is for making passes with limited airspace, where you will not have the full ~2 seconds of full throttle required on approach. This mode will pick up significantly more “bad speeds”.
  • Unit Mode – Allows you to switch between Imperial and Metric units of measure
  • Help – Brings up the RCSpeedo manual in your browser
  • Apply – Saves changes to settings and returns you to the main screen

 

android2525  Android

To enter the settings menu tap the “menu” button at the bottom of the main screen and select “Settings” from the pop up window.

Configurable settings for RCSpeedo:

  • Enable Sounds – Turns speed announcement on or off. If this is disabled, the phone will no longer announce speeds to you.
  • Change Doppler Mode – Configures the app to better detect the speeds of “special” aircraft. If you are having trouble getting RCSpeedo to detect the speeds of your plane, you may want to try some of these other modes.
    • Default Mode – The standard mode that should detect most speeds. It also has the lowest probability of reporting “bad speeds”, which sometimes will occur when you blip the throttle or more than one plane are in the air.
    • 100MPH+ Mode – This mode better detects high speed planes, but will not detect passes under 100MPH at all.
    • Fast Pass Mode – This mode is for making passes with limited airspace, where you will not have the full ~2 seconds of full throttle required on approach. This mode will pick up significantly more “bad speeds”.
  • Change Units of Speed – Allows you to switch between MPH and KPH
  • Enable GPS – Allow GPS usage on device to determine the temperature using your current location.  If you disable this setting, you will need to manually enter a temperature
  • Temperature – Allows you to manually set the temperature in Celsius for the app. C = (F – 32) * (5 / 9). Setting this manually will turn off the GPS option.

 

 

Logging:
RCSpeedo has extensive logging features that let you save your plane’s passes to an internal file on your device. You can use these features to keep track of how the top speed of your airplane changes over time. You can assign each airplane its own log, or multiple logs for each airplane (for different flight packs, etc), and export the log at any time to a spreadsheet file.

apple2525  iOS

Press the “Log Manager” button at the bottom of the home screen to enter the logging menu

Configurable logging settings for RCSpeedo:

  • Create New Log – Generates a new log for storing speeds.  Enter a “Log Name” as well as “Model Name” to create your first log.
  • Choose a Log – Opens up the selection menu to activate / open saved log files.
  • Delete Log – Deletes the currently active log
  • Email Log – Exports the selected log via Email
  • Close – Returns user to main screen

android2525  Android

To enter the logging menu, tap the “menu” button at the bottom of the main screen and select “Log Manager” from the pop up window.

Configurable logging settings for RCSpeedo:

  • Create New Log – Generates a new log for storing speeds.  Enter a “Log Name” as well as “Model Name” to create your first log.
  • Log (Dropdown) – Opens up the selection menu to activate / open saved log files.
  • Delete Log – Deletes the currently active log
  • Email Log – Exports the selected log via Email

 

apple2525   android2525 General Logging Setup (iOS and Android)

Step 1: Enter the “Log Manager” for your device

Step 2: Create a new log – enter the log name and model number

Step 3: When ready to log speeds, return to the main page and press “Start Logging”

Step 4: Press “Start Listening” to activate RCSpeedo and make passes with your plane

Step 5: Press “Stop Logging” when you want to stop recording speeds for the active log

Step 6: Export your log via Email

 

Using RCSpeedo at the field

Tips on how to make speed passes while using RCSpeedo:

  • Try to minimize background noise such as talking, wind interference, and music while making a pass.
  • Hold the throttle at the same position for approximately 2 seconds before the pass and 1 second after the pass.
  • If at all possible, keep the device in the open (i.e. not in a pocket or in a bag)
  • Try to level out the passes as you fly by the device (i.e. don’t make a huge U)
  • Go as low and close as you are comfortable doing on each pass. Lower, closer passes will be louder and easier for the device to pick up.
  • Use RC planes that have high-RPM props, such as pylon racers, pushers, or EDFs.
  • Try and fly solo when you are performing speed tests. It can be very difficult to differentiate between your aircraft’s sound and another’s.
  • Make sure the temperature is right for whatever you are trying to Doppler. 10 degrees C can make a big difference in speed readings.

 

Other uses for RCSpeedo

Other than measuring speed at the field, RCSpeedo can have other fun applications!

  • Doppler videos for people online by putting your phone next to your computer speaker and playing a video of some passes.
  • Put a high frequency sound emitter (like a loud piezzo buzzer) on something that moves and making passes with that! Remember: RCSpeedo is incapable of detecting speeds below 25MPH.

 

Disclaimer:

The RCSpeedo app acts as a real time announcer for the speeds of passing radio controlled aircraft. It uses a signal processing algorithm on sound that is being recorded to perform Doppler analysis on what the phone is hearing in real time. This method of finding speeds is extremely CPU-intensive. While RCSpeedo has been tested on the oldest android and iOS phones, it does work significantly slower and missed more speeds on average than it did on more modern phones. Please keep this in mind if you are running the app on one of these slower phones.