Potentiometer Problem...need help

For my new Boeing 727 yoke I hacked the guts out of my old CH USB yoke.

Everything wired up fine and is recognized by both FS and FSUIPC.

My problem is that I can't reduce the sensitivity of the pitch and roll axes.

The calibration programs in FS and FSUIPC show a very narrow band of pot movement between full fore and aft and left and right. The pot has only turned less than half of its travel. These are 270 degree pots right out of the CH product. 100K.

How can I spread out this pot travel to use more of the pot rotation so my controls aren't so sensitive and I also achieve more control travel?

I'm considering replacing the rotary 100K pots with two spare 100K slide pots I bought for my throttle build.

I also have this problem using a 100K rotary pot for my speed brakes and spoilers on my throttle. This isn't as big an issue for this control, but it's the same problem I was never able to solve.

The spoiler pot I bought is linear so I know it's the correct taper, but not so sure about whatever CH uses. I'd assume they were linear too.

Here is what I've already tried:

After plugging the yoke back into the computer, it still thought it was the CH yoke (naturally since everything out of it was used). I opened FSUIPC and assigned the X-Y axes and selected Normal FS Command and proceeded to calibrate it. I saw plenty of elevator travel in the calibration routine. In fact, it looked really good. The aileron display however, ran out of travel after only fractions of an inch to either side of center. The numbers were going by so fast I couldn't even see them.

Even though the calibration routine showed plenty of elevator travel, it was a different story in the airplane. Very little movement was required to push or pull the elevator to the stops.

Second thing I tried:

I deleted the CH Control Manager program with the same results. Even after un-installing the control manager software and plugging the yoke back in, it recognised it as a CH USB yoke. What I was attempting to do was add a common two axis, four button joystick, but the calibration program in FS would have none of this. And it would not allow deletion of the CH assignment.

Third up:

Tried to reduce, and eliminate the control sensitivity and adjust the null zones in the FS controls section. No change.

How can I get the amount of control travel I need from a Boeing yoke/control column and increase the amount of pot travel used to widen the control responce?

Hi Mike,

When I hacked a Microsoft Sidewinder yoke, (pre Sim-Boards), I found that I couldn't alter the pot ranges so I had to adapt my hardware to suit the pot. The Microsoft Sidewinder pots only use 40 degrees of their available travel. This was a pain in the A. but eventually I got it working. In the Sidewinder software itself, there was some allowable adjustments. Does the CH yoke have its own software, or can you only attempt calibration in "control panel/game controllers"?
After converting to 10k pots hooked up to FDT Sim-Boards, I don't know why I even bothered hacking the joystick at all as the improvement was tenfold. I suppose it saves you a bit of money initially but these cards open up so many other possibilities and they are very easy to use. They were designed specifically for FS use where all the other cards on the market have been adapted for FS use. I know it sounds like I'm a salesman for FDT but initially for me interfacing my sim with the PC without any knowledge about how to do it was my biggest hurdle and it soon became my least worry. I can now fly for hours without needing the mouse or keyboard. I think good interfacing is a major part of any succesful sim build and shouldn't be an area for expenditure compromise. OK, I'm off the soapbox and off to bed......zzzzzzzzzzzz
Just something to consider, happy Easter all!

Gwyn

Regards, Gwyn

Yes, the CH yoke has software, but no adjustments can be made using it other than programming the buttons.

I still have the X and Y axis open on my Beta Innovations card so I think I will try wiring to this and eliminate the CH board.

The B-I card has adjustability programmed into it so I can (or should be able to) smooth out the pots. I won't know until I play around with it.

If this fails (it didn't work with the spoiler pot), I'm changing them to the slide pots.

I hate re-works. But it wouldn't be the first time.