Mode Zero

The S&O set had been on my "bucket list" to add to my collection for years, but I had little hope of ever finding one as they had been hand built in the USA in very small numbers from 1971 to 1973. Then this one appeared on eBay.de and I managed to get it, another crossed off the bucket list!

What is so special about S&O? Well the joysticks. If you think Pro Line joysticks are good, the S&O are better. In fact, they would give any modern top-of-the-range Jeti, Futaba or Spektrum a run for their money. The electronics were also exceptional, very stable with changes in voltage and temperature, it was a set truly ahead of its time. But it was so expensive and difficult to build that they couldn't continue and Pro Line took the top spot again.

There is a bit about them on the R/C Hall of Fame:
http://www.rchalloffame.org/Exhibits/Ex ... index.html

Now the big question, do I convert it or keep it original?

Mike_K wrote: 03 Jul 2023, 12:40
The S&O set had been on my "bucket list" to add to my collection for years....!

There is a bit about them on the R/C Hall of Fame:
http://www.rchalloffame.org/Exhibits/Ex ... index.html

Now the big question, do I convert it or keep it original?

Mike, a great score

What band is it on & do you intend flying it? It would be great in a period pattern or Goodyear pylon aeroplane or largish sailplane (electric assist of course ). IMHO, keep as much of the electronics as possible (& safe) but convert to 2.4Ghz.

I look forward to seeing your reports on it back in action.

Hi Wayne

I've designed a dedicated encoder board for the Futaba M6 (FP-T6FN elsewhere in the world) that nearly fits the S&O, the auxiliary lever just fouls the "slot" in the pcb. I'm going to see if I can file away the bit of the PCB that would foul the auxiliary lever (I don't know how bad an idea it is to file away a bit of a multi-layer PCB, but I know there are no tracks in that area) and then have one of my standard conversions with the encoder LCD and menu switches hidden behind the S&O badge. The worse that happen is that I mess up a circuit board, but I've around 20 left, so it wouldn't be a disaster.

And the encoder board in its intended transmitter

great job, i love it

Love it Mike! How many of those are out there? Would you convert your Skyleader 4 or 3+1 to 2.4? If you find another then maybe I would say yes, but at the moment, it could be the only one this side of the pond?

I know there are a few S&O in the USA, it isn't unique, so I have no reservations about converting it. It seems the perfect candidate, it has a label in the correct location to hide the LCD and menu switches behind and it has such lovely joysticks that I fancy it as an everyday transmitter. The only downside is I will need to design a new circuit board to fit. Or rather I'll modify the design of the encoder board I did for the Futaba M6, so that it will fit both an S&O or a Futaba M6, there is a minimum order to have circuit boards manufactured and doing a "one-off" isn't cost-effective, but getting 20x boards is.

There is zero chance of me converting the Skyleader 3+1. I don't know anybody else who has one, so I would be reluctant to convert it on that score. Secondly, the Bonner joysticks are horrible, so I wouldn't ever use it even if I did convert it and now I have the matching Rx and servo's I plan to try to get it working again. The same for the Skyleader 4, I have managed to find a matching receiver and servos for that too, so they will both be restorations, not conversions.

I have a bunch of Skyleaders I am converting however, some for my own use and others to sell, which includes an SL, SLX, Clubman, Cluman Super, TSX, Courier and a couple of Courier Specials. And there are about a dozen Futaba M6 to convert as well, so it should keep me busy!