Thursday, August 5, 2010

Of Travel and Failures

Went to Sim Lim Tower and Sim Lim Square to look for parts yesterday, looking for a SMD 1K Ohm resistor and a 2.4 GHz antenna with an IPX plug to fit onto my TX. The search was terrible. Let it be said that it is not a good idea to go without a sample of what you want to get. 

I asked for the items by their given names, nick names, shortened names, and still no fish. The shop keepers kept asking what it looked like. HOW THE HELL ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO DESCRIBE IT TO YOU!? ITS FREAKING TINY!! So I spent an hour going shop to shop at 3 different levels asking for the items with varied responses. Some treated me as if I didn't know what I was talking about, some didn't bother answering my question when I asked if they knew which shop sold the item I was looking for. I mean, it doesn't ruin your business cause you don't even stick the freaking thing, so at least show some courtesy and answer my question dammit!! There were the random few shops where the shop attendant were very courteous and helpful. Kudos to them cos they made my search that much faster by narrowing down the floor level of the shop. So after an hour, only then did I find the SMD resistor. 

Searching for the antenna was another kind of hell. Went to Sim Lim Tower to search for that. after 2 hours scouring the place, not even one shop had what I needed. I guess it's because IPX style connectors are normally connected to the motherboard and antenna replacements for these types of antennas are done by the manufacturer. 

So off I went again to Sim Lim Tower to look for an IPX to the more common RP-TNC or RP-SMA adapter. Found one on my first try but my budget would not allow for this.... So, taking note of the shop location, I headed towards the MRT station. Do take note that it had been 3 hours since the first shop I visited and only as I was about to board the train did I realise that I had left my shoe bag containing my counter-steered HB Cyclone TC somewhere, god knows where. PANIC BUTTON!!! I ran all the way to Sim Lim Square and re-looked at all the shops I visited with no luck. I was freaking pale by the time I reached Sim Lim Tower. scoured every damned floor. Guess where I found it? Leaning against a shutter gate where I put it to tighten my loosening belt. LUCKY!!! Damn drama moment. I can be reeeeally careless sometimes....

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Going Under The Knife

Been very very busy (read as lazy) these past few days. So much has happened to my stable of cars. First, My Sparrowhawk is being tuned for touring. Gonna fit on a mod class motor on there soon. The shocks were hell to rebuild, but I managed and they're now silky smooth. My cyclone has also been modded for counter-steer. At 78% counter-steer coupled with a front and center one way makes the car seem unpredictable to me. Will practice more to see how this comes along. Sad to say, I won't be testing them out any time soon due to a broken antenna which only gives me less than a 1 meter range. Tried replacing it with a PSP Wi-Fi antenna but yet to be tested if it works. Interestingly enough, I found a way to give my dying DX2.0 transmitter new life. I managed to hack it to a DX3.0 and now have 4 model memory , steering and throttle exponential function and also 3 channels to play with. THIS IS FUCKING AWESOME!! Will give an extensive report when I actually get round to testing everything.