Futaba/FrSky set up cont'd

[Peter Royall 47]

 

After the failed range flight, I spoke to a couple of people, took everything home and started again.

 

This time I followed the binding instructions to the letter, on both sets of instructions, and adjusted the aerial wires positions.

 

Out the back on the green, I put the wonky wot 4 foamie on a chair, and distanced myself from the model with the transmitter.

 

At 50yds (thats old money), I was still getting full control over the radio.

 

As 30meters (new money) was the suggested test distance, my guess is, it will be OK to repeat the flight test, with a reasonable chance of success?

 

Now, does anybody want to lend me a model to try it out? (only kidding )

 

TTFn,

Oily

 

[Bravedan 106]

 

Peter,

 

I now do not rely on a first time new installation power down range check - ever. This is because I have had an instance of a FRSky FASST 8Ch which passed the PDRC perfectly, yet the full range offered was only a little more. I found out the hard way and with a Helicopter, but luckily got away with it. Then proved it by testing several times. The Rx WAS at fault, inspecting it working afterwards very very closely in low light I saw that the green bound LED was just visibly flickering. You would not have seen this in normal daylight. I guessed (as no test gear to prove) that it was probably actually running on only one side/link only. It was replaced without question after testing by Giant Cod, their independent returns tester confirming my findings.

 

You might say one instance proves nothing................and you'd be right................... but I did my homework and exposed other people who'd had similar, with FRSky, Orange (which is FRSky), and Futaba. Its a very low incidence as the gear is remarkably well made and reliable, and I did not find one instance of this happening "after a while", it was all on brand new stuff.

 

Therefore I do a full range test, or as near as is practical, a right pain to do, but I take the gear to my Museum where early morning there is nothing to cause any interruption or interference and a reasonable distance is available.

 

This found one other problem caused by the FRSky "door wedge" aerials on their own system, and this was on more than one 6Ch Rx. These are internally a PCB buried inside quite thick plastic, so one actual aerial "face" is the thickness of a track, i.e. not a lot, and much less than a wire! While these aerials can be placed at 90 degrees, they can also be orientated such that BOTH the unseen aerial PCB plates are edge on to the Tx signal. There is nothing stated about this to warn. For this reason I now will not use them at all, I swap them for the wire type (included with the Rx). Anyone using these I strongly suggest should ensure that they are not only located at 90 degrees "flat" but 90 degrees in BOTH planes.

 

I suggest you get someone to help you do a "full" (fuller, anyway!) range check. Happy to help if you can get up to the field on a weekday when I'm around.

 

[Bravedan 106]

BTW, your above test....this was with the motor running??

[Peter Royall 47]

 

The motor was not running during the test, as for some reason yet to be discovered, it wouldn't run at all. All other channels working "normally" !

 

Why?

 

Peter

 

[Martin 0]

 

The motor was not running during the test, as for some reason yet to be discovered, it wouldn't run at all. All other channels working "normally" !

 

Did the ESC play the "arming" tune? If not, this could be something like incorrectly reversed throttle channel (especially if copying settings from Futaba), or wrong endpoint/trim on throttle channel. I'd suggest taking the prop off and trying different combinations of these.

 

On the antenna positioning discussion, my personal preference is (if possible) to put one antenna on each side (left/right) of the fuselage, with one horizontal and one vertical. This means that not only are they at right angles to each other, but also are never both in the same plane. ("Plane" in the mathematical sense, not aeroplane sense!)

 

[Bravedan 106]

 

The motor was not running during the test, as for some reason yet to be discovered, it wouldn't run at all. All other channels working "normally" !

 

Why?

 

Peter

 

Lots of reasons, diff to say without playing with it.