Homebrew UFC panel project

[J0hn]

I just finished building a second BU0836-based control panel for flight simming.

The A-10C UFC (Up Front Controller) layout was used and the Saitek throttle quadrant and Logitech G940 pedal unit were all connected to it.

Details are on my website, for anyone interested - HERE

[DaveG]

Interesting read John. Nice job

I've been considering doing something similar myself, but haven't got around to it yet. Not sure whether to base it around a specific aircraft / panel or go for something more generic.
I like the idea of a dedicated panel(s) but I tend to chop and change aircraft a lot, so I'd have to think carefully about what controls would actually be needed.

[Chris Sykes]

interesting, i got a second hand Tipro keyboard that i can program up (on 32 bit PC's) that i use for certain keypresses... Its a bit redundant with my Thrustmaster as that has the engine controls assigned...

I have one question why did you connect the rudder and throttles to this?

[J0hn]

Thanks chaps - Chris, I connected the quadrant to it because I got it together with a Saitek yoke, and the one that comes with the yoke cannot be plugged in as an independant controller via USB. I have long since sold the yoke, and in any case, want only those controllers connected that I will use.

It's a similar story with the rudders from the G940. I was going to sell the G940 HOTAS and keep the rudders, when I bought the TM Warthog HOTAS, and again, without plugging into the joystick they would be useless. So they got connected to the BU0836X controller instead. As it turned out, the two helicopters in DCS World are far easier to fly with the G940 and its excellent force feedback - so I kept it.

Nevertheless, it helps that the rudders stay connected for all my flight sims regardless of which HOTAS or joystick I am using.

As for switching between sims, Dave, I have a solution for that. I use a laminated title sheet which I put over the top of the panels. When I change sims or aircraft, I swap the sheet and voila! The correct titles are shown



I did the same with my previous control panel, which was simply 32 push-to-make switches (the small, round ones) on a large, flat metal box. I had separate sheets for each aircraft and it worked so well, I decided to carry the idea over onto this one.

The title sheet is made in my painting program, printed out at 100% panel size, then laminated (often with a thin card backing to prevent rippling in the laminator) then cut to size and the shapes of the buttons cut out.

It can be a bit of a chore, but once it's done, it's done for keeps.

This was the old, simple panel:



and these are three of the title sheets I used (the FSX one was permanently fitted - these ones slipped over the top of it):



I even used them for racing sims I used to play online:



Hope this evokes some inspiration


EDIT: PS - anyone can do this kind of thing without the expense of a controller unit. In my original panel (way back...) I took the control circuit board out of a 12 button,4 axis gamepad and soldered the wires from the buttons to the relevant places on the circuit board. Then you simply plug it in (USB) and the sim or game thinks the original gamepad is plugged in. You get however many buttons there were on the gamepad, plus a couple of analogue axes for levers or trim wheels, tuning knobs etc. Works a charm!

Oh, and sorry for the horrid spelling errors on my web page - I will fix that forthwith.

[TSR2]

That looks fantastic. I quite like the "old simple panel" myself

A chap I worked with a few years back made on up from an old USB keyboard. He simply took the cable and circuit board out and it gave him a whole host of combinations of keystrokes to play with. He used it for a MAME console.

[Chris Sykes]

Thanks, that explains the why then Have you got an idea as to how much it cost?

[J0hn]

Hmm, in total I paid about £65, which includes delivery and some exorbitant "handling charges" by wholesale companies. I also didn't use all the switches I'd ordered, as I found them unsuitable.

On parts alone, I'd say just under £40. You really have to search around for parts, as the price can vary really massively from one dealer to another (as much as £10 difference on a single switch!) but the simple square ptm switches were about 60p each and I think the most expensive were the momentary rockers at around £1.50 excl. Then there are the extra costs - which with most of these dealers is about £6 if your order is under £20 or £30 - so the small print and T&Cs are very important.

Of course, in the old days (or in other countries today, from what I hear) you could just go into your local electronics hobby store and pick up simple stuff like this - we even had a Radio Shack/Tandy here in the outback of Lincolnshire until it went bust about 10 years ago. Nowadays it's considered 'specialist' goods and carries an appropriate surcharge.

I would have preferred to use an aluminium box, too, but again, they are getting very hard to come by. Unless you have bottomless pockets, of course

PS - sorry, forgot the cost of the controller module - that is £50 (I got mine for £16 though), though the cheaper version will do the job, which was about £20, I think

http://www.leobodnar.com/products/BU0836/

There are a few different versions. Of course, you could always use the gamepad circuit board trick