Re: To Joe [TANKS]

[Frank Pittelli <frank-at-rctankcombat.com>]

hobbydad-at-adelphia.net wrote:
> Hi Joe,
> 
> Answer me this.  Trevor asks about turning his tank with one motor
> going forward and one motor going in reverse, or as we ex tankers
> call it, a pivot steer.  Is this what you in the hobby call full skid
> steering?
> 
> I am not quite sure what you all mean by partial skid and full skid
> when referring to steering.  I am quite familiar with how real
> armored vehicles turn and just wanted to get the lingo straight so I
> know what type I want in my tank.

We use the term "full skid turn" when one track is going forward and one 
track is going backward.  A "partial skid turn" is when one track is 
going forward (or backward) under power and the other track is locked 
(or free-wheeling).

Both the diode-mixing circuit and Joe's PIC-based mixing circuit support 
both types of turns at the same time.  That is, if the joystick is 
thrown to the right or left, the tank will perform a "full skid turn" in 
that direction.  If the joystick is moved to any of the four corners, 
the tank will perform a "partial skid turn" in that direction.  The 
Anvilus controller also provides proportional steering when the joystick 
is in between those regions.

        Frank P.