begginer servo question

I just got the vex robotics starter kit and have built the squarebot I am now adding an arm that can be raised and lowered. I am using a servo and thw channel 6 buttons on the back of my radio to raise and lower it. As soon as I take my finger off the button it slams back down, is there some way to make it hold itself when you let the button off? As well can you slow it down without down-gearing it so it is not so fast and jerky? Thanks a ton, Brett

well, it sounds like you are trying to use a servo motor, which has a range of about 100 degrees in either direction, and once you stop telling it to hold a position, part of the internal programming of the servos makes it return to its center position. you should try to use a continous rotation motors instead, since they can rotate endlessly.

I’m afraid that you can’t slow down movement of a servo without gearing it down. I suggest you use the third VEX continuous rotation motor that came in the kit, and at least use a 12 to 60 gear ratio. If you wish to make more advanced systems, i suggest the $150 tripack bundle (motion pack, hardware pack, and metal pack).

Do you have the Programming Kit??? The Vex Default Code won’t do what you want with Channel #6 and the Servo…

No, I do not have a programming kit…yet

you can not with the buttons on the back, but what you can do with the servo, is plug it into one of the axis ports, and take the auto center spring off of that axis inside of the controller so when you take your finger off of the “stick” it stays where it is, respectively leaving the servo in the position you left the “stick”
~Matt