4/28/2015 Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Flying High With Roamer

Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd 04/21/23

Flying High With Roamer


Flying High With Roamer

The following activities were developed by Maggie Banks, a Valiant Accredited Trainer, for the RAF Musuem in Barnet


SOS Pilot Down

Teacher's Notes

Prepare some "coded" messages for the children to send. You might like to make them a genuine code, so they not only have to translate the morse but then have to crack the code - straight-forward substitution codes are the easiest.


SOS Pilot Down

Alternatively you might like to give them strange sounding messages.

The moon is blueThe eagle has landedTime for teaRed fox callingSugar coated candyCharlie would like to come home


Pupils Sheet

You are a pilot who has been shot down in the jungle behind enemy lines. You need to contact your squadron to give them your position so that they can rescue you.

You need to send the information as a secret code so that you don't give away your position to the enemy forces.

Collect your secret code and program Roamer to transmit your message in morse code.

Your partner should decode the message and send a reply.

The Information Sheet gives you instructions to program Roamer and make sounds and has the alphabet in morse code. You might also find the Short Cuts sheet helpful.


Information Sheet

Making Sounds

To make Roamer play a note press followed by two numbers.

The first number tells Roamer the length of the note - 1 makes the shortest note, 8 makes the longest note.

The second number tells Roamer how high or low the note is - 1 makes the lowest note, 13 makes the highest note. 14 makes a rest (a silent note). So...

1 1 makes the shortest lowest note

8 13 makes the longest highest note.

Morse Code

A . - J . - - - S . . .

B - . . . K - . - T –

C - . - . L . - . . U . . –

D - . . M - - V . . . –

E . N - . W . - -

F . . - O - - - X - . . –

G - - . P . - - . Y - . - -

H . . . . Q - - . - Z - - . .

I . . R . - .


Information Sheet – Some Short Cuts

Using Repeat

If you want to repeat some commands you can use the repeat button – R

For example to make S in Morse Code you could press

R 3 [ 1 5 1 14 ]

This will make a short medium tone note followed by a short rest three times.

Using Procedures

Another short cut is to use procedures. You could make a procedure for each letter and use these to make procedures for each word. It works like this:

Make a procedure for letter A called P20 like this:

P 20 [ 1 5 1 14 85 1 14 ]

Notice that when you are "writing" the procedure the sounds that Roamer makes change. When you press GO nothing happens.

To hear the morse for A press P 20 GOIf you have made procedures P21 for B, P22 for C, P23 for D and so on, a procedure (P10) to send the word BAD would be:P 10 [ P 21 P 20 P 23 ]


Taxi for Take-off

Teacher's Notes

This has been designed as a simple activity for younger pupils. The runway should be easy for them to follow with all angles being right angles and the length of all the straight lines should be in exact Roamer units.

To change the unit of turn to right angles press the following:

CM CM [ 90 ] GO.

This unit will remain through a CM CM but will be lost if Roamer is turned off. Therefore you may like to put a piece of sticky tape over the on-off switch to deter children from turning it off.


Pupils SheetTaxi for Take-offYou are the pilot of a reconnaissance aircraft in World War ll. You have received orders to fly over the enemy airfield to photograph their position.

You must move the aircraft as quickly as possible from the hangar to the runway for take-off.

You must follow the dotted line.

Before you start press CM twice to clear Roamer's memory.

To go forward press 1 or another number.

To turn right press 1. To turn left press 1


Helicopter Food Aid

Teacher's Notes

This activity is intended for older pupils and makes use of Roamer's control facility.

You will need a model helicopter. Attach a motor to output 4 of the Roamer control box. This should drive a gear that will then drive another gear set at a 90 degree angle, to which the rotor (cardboard) is attached.

The light pack contains a flasher unit to which the left and right indicators are attached. Make sure the right indicator is attached to output 2 and the left indicator is attached to output 3.

Make sure that the route set out for the helicopter contains both left and right turns.


Pupils SheetHelicopter Food AidYou are a helicopter pilot landing in the desert to deliver food aid. The landing will be difficult.

You must land on the H and indicate you are landing by flashing both of your lights. You must then manoeuvre round the sand dunes to the unloading area.

You must flash the appropriate indicator when turning and turn your rotor off when you stop.

The Roamer instruction sheet will give you basic programming instructions.


Pupils Sheet

The following instructions will be needed for the rotor and lights.

T42 Turns the rotor on

T41 Turns the rotor off

T22 Turns the right indicator on

T21 Turns the right indicator off

T32 Turns the left indicator on

T31 Turns the left indicator off


Red Arrows Display Team

Teacher's Notes

You obviously need four (or more) Roamers for this activity. A nice design and make activity for the children would be to actually turn the Roamers into Red Arrows using 4 red jackets.

Documents

4/28/2015 Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Flying High With Roamer