Spektrum Shutdown Poll

[JesusFreak]

**THANKS to those who are taking time to respond, again, if you have had issues, please provide some detailed notes**

** IF YOU ARE REPORTING YOU HAD ISSUES, PLEASE POST A NOTE AS TO YOUR CONFIG AND PROBLEMS! THANKS! **

Interesting so far. Don't know if it's valid, but those reporting problems have less then 100 Flights, and they may tend to be newer users. Pinning/Binding a servo could cause a problem, something a newbie might unintentionally do. Still the number of failures is higher then I would like to see. I hope we can get a better sample. I know there has to be more then 1000 users on Helifreak using Spektrum systems. Please keep up the input guys.

Please describe your experience with Spektrum Radio Shutdown Problems:

[wren1702]

0 with over 450-500 flights on 2 600E's. One has the 6 amp Align regulator and one has the 3 amp Align regulator.

[jaywhy]

Zero: sub-50 flights , no external BEC

[JesusFreak]

For those who have had problems, would you please leave a post with the Reciever Heli combination that you had problems with. Also, if you found a way to prevent the issue, please leave a note.

Thanks!

[Dilbeck]

o problems what so ever this thing has been flawless thus far, One persons reception is another persons noise when it gomes to RF. Everything is or is going 2.4 ghz, Cable modems, house phones, cell phones, police, fire, alarm companys, cars, boats, although far away never a problem but anything close and powerful enough will overwelm and override any 2.4ghz or any frequency used. it may not take over but will cause a glitch here and there. Take any cordless phone and use it in town, the range will depend on the (noise) in the neighborhood, Take the same phone 50 miles from anything and the range will be 10 times that amount.

[Finless]

Zero problems on MANY helis.

Two Align 450's STOCK ESC with 6V BEC. Both have 1.0 version 6100 RX.

RC-Tek Diablo with RC-Tek ESC and BEC. 1.2 version 6100 RX

Dragonus Pro with Align 6V ESC and 1.2 version 6100 RX.

Raptor e-620 using an Align 6 AMP BEC and AR7000 RX

Align Trex600 using Align 3 AMP BEC and AR7000RX. However I plan to upgrade to a 6 amp BEC for security and piece of mind ;)

Align Trex600n using Align 2 in 1 BEC unit. AR7000 Rx.

Gaui Hurricane 500 using Align 3 amp BEC and AR7000 RX.

Trex 500 using stock 60 amp ESC with BEC set to 6V. 6 flights so far. Using AR7000 RX.

Bob

[Jermo]

I've never had an issue with the AR7k or AR6k Rx.

[Squirrlybird]

I have had a 6100 shut me out a couple times on a ducted fan foamy. One of the shut downs caused a minor crash shortly after a hand launch. Another occured up high, and almost caused a crash (that was a really long time to wait to get control back). I later determined the cause to be due to the bec on the esc. Swapping out the esc made the problem dissapear.

My helis have never had a problem.

Don't use shabby power supplies to the rx if you are using Spectrum. A minor interruption in power makes for a very interesting several seconds.:eek:

Another thing to make note of is the power draw on the system due to the type and number of servos being used.

[Sonny]

4 helis. 2 ar7000, 2 6100s No problems now. Had to put a Spektrum power protector cap on the 450. A coupla hundred flights since with no probs.

[Danal Estes]

Zero problems with Spektrum on 3 helis personally and maybe 50+ at the local club.

Literally countless at local fly-in events, including Mt. Pleasant (all heli, 70 something pilots with only about 15 72Mhz radios impounded) and Aero Hobbies tenth anniversary (60 something pilots with fewer than 5 72Mhz radios, so few we didn't even impound, just told them to talk to each other!) and a local fun-fly with fixed wing (about 60 pilots, about 10 72Mhz, and every kind of aircraft from foamy to IMAC). With all of this, plus several more big fun-fly events I'm too lazy to type, I have never seen a LV reboot.

[Mercuriell]

I suspect many of the so-called 2.4 BEC problems are actually signal loss from shielding - mounting a Rx on the side of the heli seems risky to me as it is signal shielded 50% of the time and it only takes an axial alignment of the 2nd Rx antenna and there is >90% signal loss.

[wlfk]

Has anybody ever looked at the circuitry inside a Spektrum rx?

I recently made a microcontroller device that drove a single HS55 micro servo. Even though I'd taken 'normal' precautions, putting quite a big decoupling capacitor next to the microcontroller, the thing kept going into reset and jumping to random locations in the program. The power supply was capable of sourcing several amps, and should not have been a problem.

In short, the servo was making so much electrical noise that it was causing the microcontroller to reset, despite there not being any problems with the BEC. I have a fair bit of experience with these chips, so I was surprised to have any problems as they're normally pretty bombproof.

When I rebuild the circuit I'm going to isolate the microcontroller from the servos, by using an RC filter (probably an 22 ohm resistor and same size capacitor). At the time, I wondered whether the problems the Spektrum was having might be caused by the servos, rather than inadequate BECs, and whether poor isolation might be the root cause of the problem. The solutions - simply adding a big capacitor - would still work if this is the problem, but would not be a particularly elegant solution.

K

[Finless]

I wondered whether the problems the Spektrum was having might be caused by the servos, rather than inadequate BECs, and whether poor isolation might be the root cause of the problem.

Yep could be a combination of things not just ONE thing.
I also have seen some pretty lousy RX installations.

[cbdane]

Perfect performance, not the tiniest glitch, for many hundreds of flights.

I didn't read the whole thread and I'm sure this has been suggested but check your electrical system. Yes, the receiver will restart if the voltage gets pulled too low. No magic involved. Trying unplugging and replugging the computer that you're typing on "real quick" :wink: If you're having issues, you probably need to re-evaluate your battery/regulator/servo power system to correct the problem.

[VengeanceCP]

I had a problem with an AR6000 in a honeybee king 2. One day it just shut down and fell out of the sky... luckily into some tall grass with no damage. I fixed it with an external BEC. The BEC fixed the problem and I also purchased a voltage protector for the "just in case" factor. I have had external bec for all my spectrum units ever since; just to be safe.

[lightbulbjim]

No problems at all. Using a DX7.

Honey Bee King 2 with a Dimension ParkBEC (5V, 1.5A) and AR6100 (v1.2).
T-Rex 450 with a Dimension SportBEC (5V, 3.5A) and AR6100 (v1.2).
Hurricane 550 with a Dimension SportBEC (5V, 3.5A) and AR7000.

Also a Blade CX2 with an AR6100e (v1.2) if that counts :P. I'm going to pull that RX though and put it in a slope soarer combat wing with a ParkBEC for peace of mind.

[RKing]

I still have the V1 original 6100 in my 450, I got it when they first came out. I have been to lazy to pull it out and send it in. It is mounted in the nose of the bird and I have had zero problems through several hundred flights and a couple of motor/esc combos. It has been pile drived into the dirt more times than I will admit to. I did have to resolder the antennas and dab a bit of goop on them at one time though. Run the 7000 in the 600 no problems there either. Except the antennas again, I dont think they like to be moved around at all.

[JesusFreak]

Looking good so far. The failure percentage is a little higher then I would like to see, but we are getting some reasonable explanations. I'd like to see 500 or so replies to get a good idea, no sure if that' possible here on HF, there's certainly enough members. LOL.

Cheers!
Lee

[fogger]

I have used about 5 different ar6000's on trex 450 and planes, and 2 ar7000's one on my 600 with kontronik and 6A align regulator, the other in a big hyperion Chipmunk, with the 3A align regulator. No RX related problems so far.

-Fog

[Danal Estes]

Looking good so far. The failure percentage is a little higher then I would like to see, but we are getting some reasonable explanations. I'd like to see 500 or so replies to get a good idea, no sure if that' possible here on HF, there's certainly enough members. LOL.

Cheers!
Lee

Ah, but polls/threads like this on forums are VERY, VERY biased toward people who have the problem. The rest of the folks are out flying. Seriously, if you will take second hand, add about 60 to 70 folks at my club who fly Spektrum every day with no issues, and who don't get on the forums. I'm only counting the ones I know personally and can therefore vouch for "no problems". Well, at least none caused by the radio gear... :)

[JesusFreak]

Danal:

I understand it's biased just by being on this forum. LOL. Not sure how much weight to give to it, but I would say so far the problems are minimal. That said, it provides some insight into the issues thare may be occuring. More info. is usually better.

Cheers!
Lee

[DebianDog]

Yep last event I went to just about everyone was on 2.4 and I did not see any lock outs. As a matter of fact a guy had his turbine glider out there on 2.4 Ghz.:shock:

[JesusFreak]

"turbine glider"? Isn't that an oxymoron? LOL.

[DebianDog]

"turbine glider"? Isn't that an oxymoron? LOL.

Here it is on 2.4 anyway
http://video.helifreak.com/?subpath=BSNewYears08&filename=Glider-BS08.wmv

[joehelicopter]

Here it is on 2.4 anyway
http://video.helifreak.com/?subpath=BSNewYears08&filename=Glider-BS08.wmv
The plane that Steve Fossett set a nonstop round the world flight record with was essentially a turbine powered glider designed by Burt Rutaan