AR7000 & "Quick Connect" Flashing Lights !?!?

[huskynox]

I sent in a defective AR7000 receiver to Spektrum Service and they returned a new one with "Quick Connect" firmware. The receiver boots up immediately when turned on and off. The problem is the lights on the receiver and satellite flash after my first flight. I know they're suppose to flash if there is a low power, or shut down as a warning to the pilot. BUT, even if I wait up to 2 minutes before plugging in my second pack for my second flight the lights continuously flash. I was told the lights should reset after a 10 second outage, but like I said I can wait up to 2 minutes between flights, plug in a new pack, and the lights flash.....!

Anyone else experience this?

[marchambault]

What if you turn off your TX between flights?

[BarracudaHockey]

Its doing what its supposed to, as he said, turn off your transmitter.

[huskynox]

Ya know, I actually thought of that, but always forget to do it :arggg:

Still, I don't see how the receiver would know if the transmitter has been turned off if there's no power going to it for over 2 minutes.....?

[BarracudaHockey]

Well the specifics are proprietary but if I had to guess, based on the communications equipment I worked on in the Navy, during initial power up negociation there is a flag or bit thats set and sent to the reciever when they figure out that channels they are going to use that isnt there again until the power is cycled.

[huskynox]

Well the specifics are proprietary but if I had to guess, based on the communications equipment I worked on in the Navy, during initial power up negociation there is a flag or bit thats set and sent to the reciever when they figure out that channels they are going to use that isnt there again until the power is cycled.

I had guessed the same thing. Maybe the receiver sees the same channel and just assumes it had a power loss.

I searched and searched the web trying to find how the DSM2 links when the power is cycled, but couldn't find anything. I thought I had read that it does look for a new, or open frequency every time the power is cycled.

I will go home tonight and give it a try.

If this is what's going on, it kinda sucks. It should reset after 10 seconds like Spektrum states. I really don't want to see flashing lights, and I don't want to power down my radio after every flight. Oh well....

Thanks!

[marchambault]

I think this is a good feature. Otherwise, how else would you know you had a brown out?

Where did you find the reference about the 10 second reset for the receiver?

[huskynox]

I called Spektrum about it. The guy didn't seem too knowledgeable though. He said it shouldn't do what it's doing and that it should reset after being down for 10 seconds.... He couldn't explain what was going on with mine.

I just sent 3 more AR7000's in for the update, so I will compare them to this newest one I received once I get them back...

[LITHIUMSTATIC]

Mine does this too..... got me a little worried as I've only been able to make it go solid twice.

[huskynox]

Mine does this too..... got me a little worried as I've only been able to make it go solid twice.

Great! Spektrum will probably come out with another firmware update to fix this little glitch, then we'll be sending all the receivers back again!

SPEKTRUM - GIVE US THE ABILITY TO UPDATE THE RECEIVERS OURSELF!!!! :arggg:

[huskynox]

Well the specifics are proprietary but if I had to guess, based on the communications equipment I worked on in the Navy, during initial power up negociation there is a flag or bit thats set and sent to the reciever when they figure out that channels they are going to use that isnt there again until the power is cycled.

You were 100% correct! I let the heli sit for 15 minutes powered down after the intial power up, left the radio on, then powered the heli up for the second time, and still had flashing lights.

If I shut the radio down after unplugging the heli, then powered everything back up in proper order, the lights were solid.

I personally don't like it. I think it should reset itself after 10 seconds like the Spektrum rep told me....

Oh well, I guess the receiver just remembers what channel it was on until told otherwise from the radio on a new power up.

Interesting......

[LITHIUMSTATIC]

I tell you what i don't like is fu@king with trying to get those Deans connectors together! It makes contact then when you think it's going to go together it doesn't..... then you have to shut your TX off then back on again. I HATE DEANS!!! After today I've decided to disown them completely and use Anderson power poles.

[huskynox]

I tell you what i don't like is fu@king with trying to get those Deans connectors together! It makes contact then when you think it's going to go together it doesn't..... then you have to shut your TX off then back on again. I HATE DEANS!!! After today I've decided to disown them completely and use Anderson power poles.

HAHA, I hear ya brother! There's definitely an art to putting those things together!!! Nothing like getting multiple contacts to the ESC while trying to get the damn things together! :badair:

[LITHIUMSTATIC]

I'm looking at Anderson Power Poles right now.... not sure what to buy.

[marchambault]

Check out ham radio stores, they tend to sell them for much less than RC stores.

Some people get the APP crimper, but it's pricey. I've been successful in just soldering wires to the terminals, making sure not too much solder flows back up the wire, as that would create a week spot. Crimping is definitely more reliable if vibrations are a concern.

Here's a good vendor ...

http://www.hamcity.com/SearchResult.aspx?KeyWords=powerpole

[Gus]

I get my Power Pole connectors here:
http://www.powerwerx.com/anderson-powerpoles-accessories/anderson-powerpole-sb-series-sets/

Gus...

[LITHIUMSTATIC]

I ran across that site earlier..... I heard the 45 amp ones work very well and are way underrated. Also EC3 connectors work nice if the wire isn't to big.

[BarracudaHockey]

Check out ham radio stores, they tend to sell them for much less than RC stores.

Some people get the APP crimper, but it's pricey. I've been successful in just soldering wires to the terminals, making sure not too much solder flows back up the wire, as that would create a week spot. Crimping is definitely more reliable if vibrations are a concern.

Here's a good vendor ...

http://www.hamcity.com/SearchResult.aspx?KeyWords=powerpole

Good stuff, thats why I love this place!

I push the deans together so they power up, let the gyro boot, then try to seat the connector. That way I'm not moving the heli around while the gyro is booting while trying to wrestle the deans connector together.

[LITHIUMSTATIC]

I've done some research and found that Anderson Power poles are very good..... Bullets or Deans is all their really is.

[huskynox]

I just sent 3 more AR7000's in for the update, so I will compare them to this newest one I received once I get them back...

Just got my 3 receivers back. Quick turn around, it only took 1 week from the time they received them!

Anyway, the 3 receivers I got back do the same thing. You have to shut the radio down in between flights to reset everything, otherwise you will get the flashing lights on the receiver and satelite antenna.

[jaron]

I've got the same behavior on a AR6100 (firmware release 1.6).

[Danal Estes]

Ummm... has it occurred to anyone how difficult it would be for the processor in the RX to "know" how long it had been powered OFF? If you think about it, unless there is special hardware, it is impossible.

So, and I'm guessing here, but I'm willing to bet from the behavior described, that an RX always looks at the two channels it was using "last time", regardless of how long its been off... and if it immediately finds the correct GUID on those same channels, it "fast reconnects" and blinks. If not, it goes through a full search and doesn't blink.

Newer RXs may have some "power off time hardware", (or they may not!), but we can be fairly certain this hardware is not in the original design... so any "fast reconnect" firmware for the original RXs (probably) has to work like I described above. It certainly can't be based on the number of seconds without power... because it can't know that.

[mmarian]

I noticed that after the firmware upgrade the motor spools up when the battery is connected to ESC in my T-Rex 450 and the Tx is left switched off . It is dangerous !!! Is anyone else having the same experience, or maybe I am doing something wrong?? The throttle stick was at 0 when binding.

[LITHIUMSTATIC]

You may not have your ESC programed right. What kind is it?

[mmarian]

Jazz 40-6-18 in governor mode. But the NORM throttle curve I am using is 0 -70-70-70-70. So, when binding the stick sits at 0