Spectrum lockout questions

[rcmarty]

Need a bit of help here.

- 450v2 heli , 65mg , 401/9650 , dx7 , ar6100 v1.6, align 35x/430xl . I have about 130 flights on this machine

i was out for a flight on saturday and just before i landed the throtle went to 0 on me. Forutanetly i was just about to flip the th hold.

I realized the radio has lost it's link to the heli. the failsafe kicked in (last known postion on the ervo's and 0 throttle). I waited for a bit wiggleing the sticks to see if it would reconnect and it wouldn't.

The heli was about 10-15 ft from me at about 11 oclock , antenna straight out on dx7 close to parallel to the ground. When i walked over to the heli it still had no responce.

Anyone had this issue ?

Couldn't have happened at a better time but still not happy with it happeneing.

MArtin :)

[Pinecone]

Could be low voltage.

Could be static.

Could be the antenan positions leading to shadowing.

[BarracudaHockey]

Shadowing at 15 feet?

[Pinecone]

It can happen, if the antennas are really in a screwy location.

I would bet on static though.

[rcmarty]

The rx is off the lower tray , antennas stick out the back.

If it were a static lockout , wouldn't it come back online after a bit ? or does a lockout need to be a total power off and up ?

I did wait longer than the typical time it takes the 6100 to link up, in testing it was 5-10 seconds

i can pist some pics soon

Martin :)

[Pinecone]

Updated Rx or not?

Before the latest firmware, it can take 5 - 10 seconds to relink.

[ShineyObject]

Yes. Four lockouts, and one fail safe all on the ground on a new TR 600N. No damage except to my knee when the tail boom whacked me during the rev-up on fail safe.

[rcmarty]

It is the older rx non-instant re-link.

failsafe shouldn't rev back up , need to re-bind with throttle off setting.

I put some oil on th belt , it was dry , going to get a few flight in today.


Martin :)

[rcmarty]

Well i tried it again today.
Spooled up and filpped into id1 on the ground.
A few seconds later i got a full neg hit on pitch , motor didn't turn off.

I think this rx has a date with horizon

Martin :)

[jetnc]

Try putting the antenna at a an 90deg angle instead of straight out. I saw the same thing happen today to me. But when I put the antenna at an angle it was ok.

I also do a range check but with a twist. I initialize throttle hold and then hold the bind button on the back of the TX, as I am walking away from the heli. As soon as I get out of range the heli will start spooling up, even though TH is active. This usually happens at about 20-30 paces. When it starts spooling up I just flip TH off and walk towards the heli before it can tak off.

I can get much further away before losing a signal with the antenna at an angle, then if it is straight out....

[rcmarty]

Interesting find there jetnc.

i guess that shows the benifit of the remote antennas (6200 , 7000 etc)

I wonder how i managed 130 flights with this exact setup ?

Way out there ... would changing from 56 servos to 65mg servos cause this ? I'd think it would be more known if the 65's were a problem as there the #1 pick out there in this class , and spectrum is popular

Martin :)

[jetnc]

Hey dude, I should have specified in my post.....but I was talking about the TX antenna, not the RX antenna.

When I extend the TX antenna straight out, and do my range check (the TX pointing towards the general direction of the heli) I don't quite get the 30 pace range the manual said I should. But with the TX antenna at an angle, I do get the 30 pace range.

[rcmarty]

i follow you now.

Thanks for the tip.

I still think the rx is bad and don't trust it anymore.

I have a 6200 lined up but don't know when the new updated ones were released.

My supplier says he has some in stock that are 1 month old.

Martin :)

[jetnc]

The receiver should have a little round sticker with the software revision on it, V1.6 is the latest. It should be visible through the package.

I bought an ar6100 over a month ago and it was updated, are they doing something different with the 6200's?

[rcmarty]

my 6100 has 1.2 on it. not the latest

i assumed the quick connect sofware would be applied across the reciever range incuding the 6200

Is the 6200 new enough to only to be made with the latest update ?

Martin :)

[Pinecone]

6200 has been out for a while. And depending on where you got it, it may have been in stock for a while.

But it may still have quick connect, but not the flashing LEDs. To test, bind and power down. Power up Tx and then Rx. When linked (solid LED) remove and restore power to the Rx, if the LED goes solid just about instantly, you have quick connect. If it takes 3 - 8 seconds, you don't. And if the LED starts blinking you have the latest software, even if you don't have the sticker.

And BTW I don't think the v1.2 applies to the 6200, just the 6100 as it had a uncommanded full elevator input with certain control inputs.

[rcmarty]

is there anyway to tell before i buy it and try it ?
version sticker ?

The reason i ask is that i'm in canada and it's a pain to send to the us for a update.

Martin :)

[Pinecone]

The AR6100s now come with a v1.6 sticker on the end. Not sure about the others.

You could deal with a vendor who would eitehr test or certify latest software.

[helicraze]

the HS65MG are metal gear and could cause some interferance, i have heard of this problem using metal geared servos in helis.

[Pinecone]

I haven't heard of any metal geared servo noise problems in decades.

[rcmarty]

Talked to another pilos today at the hobby store.
He had the same problem with the 6100 , crashed 3 times before he figured it out.
He has a 6200 in there now and says it's good now.

I guess the 6100 goes back to horizon and the 6200 i bought goes in. I'm not going to chance the 6100 anymore.

Martin :)

[jantrit]

I haven't heard of any metal geared servo noise problems in decades.

I saw this happen at he field just last weekend, was in a scale warbird though, caused by a metal geared flap servo.