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HeliBenj · 11-23-2010, 07:49 AM

Hi Guys,

Switching from a X9303 I just sold and waiting for a 8FG (going Sbus with Vbar and microbeast and then CGY750

), I noticed the trainer switch seems to be on the RH side and the TH on the left. I'm used to exactly the opposite on my X9303 and I would like to have that back on my new radio.

Is it possible to physically swap the two switches easily?

Thanks for your inputs!

ChrisH · 11-23-2010, 11:32 AM

You can actually program the three-position switch in front of the trainer switch to be TH, that's what I do. I have two separate timers as well so it works perfectly. Remember that any switch can be programmed to TH...

And I haven't opened up the radio to see if would be easy to switch, but I believe the switches are on a board in pairs of two. If nothing else, you could solder up a new switch.

Open it up and take a look!

HeliBenj · 11-23-2010, 11:38 AM

Thanks for the answer!
I don't have it yet, I'm just getting some information and maybe avoid opening it if this is not possible...

I do want TH to be on the big back switch as this is what I'm used to and it seems best to me. I don't like the idea ofde-soldering and soldering the switches around on a new radio

If nobody had done it around here I'll just open it up and check.

ChrisH · 11-23-2010, 11:49 AM

Fair enough, changing it to what you're used to is best. I've always used the little switch so it was no problem for me.

Since you don't have it yet, I'll go open mine in a couple minutes ...

HeliBenj · 11-23-2010, 11:53 AM

Wow, how cool is that!

bdbrown4764 · 11-23-2010, 12:02 PM

I believe that on the the 8FGH, the TH is on the right side and trainer on the left. On the 8FG they are the opposite. May be wrong thou.

ChrisH · 11-23-2010, 12:10 PM

I had never opened this radio before, so it was a good opportunity for me to see the internals

Here are some somewhat grainy photos (only had my iPhone at the moment):

Overall back view of the radio with case off

View of long momentary "trainer" switch (above cyclic stick)

View of long 2-pos switch (above collective/rudder stick)

I still think the easiest and most realistic way of doing this would be to heat up those 3 soldered pins and pull the switch off. Do the same to the other side, then swap them. Put a few drops of solder on each and you're done! Given the shape of the boards they are on, there's no way they'd fit just by swapping positions.

Anyone with a little experience soldering should be able to do this to be honest -- it looks easy enough!

flymustangs · 11-23-2010, 01:05 PM

I think I'm going to try this mod on mine. The close spacing of the top switches has bugged me from the start. I too have my TH setup on the switch in front of the trainer switch. I have it set so TH is on unless the swtich is all the way forward. This helps me keep from hitting TH accidently. I think swapping the back switches around would be a better option.

ChrisH · 11-23-2010, 01:08 PM

Ken if you do it, let us know if there are any other hidden hurdles! Right now it seems as though there are only 6 solder joints.

HeliBenj · 11-23-2010, 03:49 PM

Thanks a bunch Chris

That definitely looks doable, should be no problem with my 60W iron

ChrisH · 11-23-2010, 04:03 PM

No problem, let me know how it goes.

flymustangs · 11-23-2010, 10:09 PM

I performed the surgery tonight and the patient came out perfect. I now have my TH switch in my "normal" position. This is where it was with my X9303. I tried it there when I had the DX8, but it's thicker than the X9303 so it wasn't comfortable. The 8FG is thin enough that it works great there.

The procedure wasn't too bad. The most difficult part was desoldering the switches. If you've got the right equipment that isn't too bad either. I do have to qualify this by saying I worked on nuclear reactor instrumentation in the US Navy for twenty years. Still, I don't think it was that bad.

Now if I could figure out some way to make the timer alarm louder the 8FG would be just about perfect. I do have a good work around with an iPhone app, but it would be nice if the built in timer alarm was loud enough.

ChrisH · 11-24-2010, 02:58 AM

Sweet, glad to hear it Ken!

HeliBenj · 11-24-2010, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flymustangs

I performed the surgery tonight and the patient came out perfect. I now have my TH switch in my "normal" position. This is where it was with my X9303. I tried it there when I had the DX8, but it's thicker than the X9303 so it wasn't comfortable. The 8FG is thin enough that it works great there.

The procedure wasn't too bad. The most difficult part was desoldering the switches. If you've got the right equipment that isn't too bad either. I do have to qualify this by saying I worked on nuclear reactor instrumentation in the US Navy for twenty years. Still, I don't think it was that bad.

Now if I could figure out some way to make the timer alarm louder the 8FG would be just about perfect. I do have a good work around with an iPhone app, but it would be nice if the built in timer alarm was loud enough.

What's "the right equipment" to have? I just have a soldering iron and I'm not sure how to do it. Can I just heat the three contacts one after another quickly and pull the switch off?

Sorry if this is a stupid question, my last job on nuclear reactor instrumentation was quite a long time ago

flymustangs · 11-24-2010, 06:58 AM

Sorry, I made it sound more complicated than it really is. I wish I had access to the equipment we had in the Navy, but I would rather have a turbine heli.

I don't think heating the contacts one after the other quickly is going to work. You'll most likely damage the board and/or switch. I think you need some basic desoldering equipment to the do the job correctly. You want to get the old solder off so the switch can be removed easily and so you can apply new solder to ensure a good connection.

Here are a couple of examples, solder sucker, http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062745 and
desoldering wick, http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062744.

Use a simple plunger type solder sucker to get the bulk of the solder off and the then the wick to get most of what's remaining. Then you can get the board loose from the switch with a little heating and coaxing. After your done clean up all the left over flux from the new solder.

HeliBenj · 11-24-2010, 07:35 AM

Great info, I found the equivalent here in France, will give it a go, thanks

FlyBarlesss · 11-25-2010, 11:07 PM

Quote:

I still think the easiest and most realistic way of doing this would be to heat up those 3 soldered pins and pull the switch off. Do the same to the other side, then swap them. Put a few drops of solder on each and you're done

If i read you right that will only change the type of switch from side to side but not the TH from one side to the other but i could be mistaken about this ?

flymustangs · 11-26-2010, 06:49 AM

The switches are completely assignable. You can make whatever switch you want the TH.

FlyBarlesss · 11-29-2010, 10:12 PM

oh i see you are talking about the spring loaded vs nonspring loaded switch swap, right ?

ChrisH · 11-30-2010, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyBarlesss

oh i see you are talking about the spring loaded vs nonspring loaded switch swap, right ?

Correct ... many want to swap the spring-loaded (momentary) switch to the left side so that they can have a long throttle hold switch on the right side.

11-23-2010, 07:49 AM	#1 (permalink)
HeliBenj Registered Users Join Date: Jan 2009	8FG swap TH and trainer switch Hi Guys, Switching from a X9303 I just sold and waiting for a 8FG (going Sbus with Vbar and microbeast and then CGY750 ), I noticed the trainer switch seems to be on the RH side and the TH on the left. I'm used to exactly the opposite on my X9303 and I would like to have that back on my new radio. Is it possible to physically swap the two switches easily? Thanks for your inputs! __________________ Ben Goblin 500 IKON w/ gov, Quantum 4115-1200, Hitec 5245, BLS251 DX8, RF6

11-23-2010, 11:38 AM	#3 (permalink)
HeliBenj Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2009	Thanks for the answer! I don't have it yet, I'm just getting some information and maybe avoid opening it if this is not possible... I do want TH to be on the big back switch as this is what I'm used to and it seems best to me. I don't like the idea ofde-soldering and soldering the switches around on a new radio If nobody had done it around here I'll just open it up and check. __________________ Ben Goblin 500 IKON w/ gov, Quantum 4115-1200, Hitec 5245, BLS251 DX8, RF6

11-23-2010, 11:53 AM	#5 (permalink)
HeliBenj Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2009	Wow, how cool is that! __________________ Ben Goblin 500 IKON w/ gov, Quantum 4115-1200, Hitec 5245, BLS251 DX8, RF6

11-23-2010, 03:49 PM	#10 (permalink)
HeliBenj Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2009	Thanks a bunch Chris That definitely looks doable, should be no problem with my 60W iron __________________ Ben Goblin 500 IKON w/ gov, Quantum 4115-1200, Hitec 5245, BLS251 DX8, RF6

11-24-2010, 07:35 AM	#16 (permalink)
HeliBenj Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2009	Great info, I found the equivalent here in France, will give it a go, thanks __________________ Ben Goblin 500 IKON w/ gov, Quantum 4115-1200, Hitec 5245, BLS251 DX8, RF6

11-23-2010, 11:32 AM	#2 (permalink)
ChrisH HF Support Join Date: Aug 2007	You can actually program the three-position switch in front of the trainer switch to be TH, that's what I do. I have two separate timers as well so it works perfectly. Remember that any switch can be programmed to TH... And I haven't opened up the radio to see if would be easy to switch, but I believe the switches are on a board in pairs of two. If nothing else, you could solder up a new switch. Open it up and take a look!

11-23-2010, 11:49 AM	#4 (permalink)
ChrisH HF Support Join Date: Aug 2007	Fair enough, changing it to what you're used to is best. I've always used the little switch so it was no problem for me. Since you don't have it yet, I'll go open mine in a couple minutes ...

11-23-2010, 12:02 PM	#6 (permalink)
bdbrown4764 Registered Users Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Usa, Ca, North Fork	I believe that on the the 8FGH, the TH is on the right side and trainer on the left. On the 8FG they are the opposite. May be wrong thou.

11-23-2010, 12:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
ChrisH HF Support Join Date: Aug 2007	I had never opened this radio before, so it was a good opportunity for me to see the internals Here are some somewhat grainy photos (only had my iPhone at the moment): Overall back view of the radio with case off View of long momentary "trainer" switch (above cyclic stick) View of long 2-pos switch (above collective/rudder stick) I still think the easiest and most realistic way of doing this would be to heat up those 3 soldered pins and pull the switch off. Do the same to the other side, then swap them. Put a few drops of solder on each and you're done! Given the shape of the boards they are on, there's no way they'd fit just by swapping positions. Anyone with a little experience soldering should be able to do this to be honest -- it looks easy enough!

11-23-2010, 01:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
flymustangs Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Jun 2007	I think I'm going to try this mod on mine. The close spacing of the top switches has bugged me from the start. I too have my TH setup on the switch in front of the trainer switch. I have it set so TH is on unless the swtich is all the way forward. This helps me keep from hitting TH accidently. I think swapping the back switches around would be a better option.

11-23-2010, 01:08 PM	#9 (permalink)
ChrisH HF Support Join Date: Aug 2007	Ken if you do it, let us know if there are any other hidden hurdles! Right now it seems as though there are only 6 solder joints.

11-23-2010, 04:03 PM	#11 (permalink)
ChrisH HF Support Join Date: Aug 2007	No problem, let me know how it goes.

11-23-2010, 10:09 PM	#12 (permalink)
flymustangs Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Jun 2007	I performed the surgery tonight and the patient came out perfect. I now have my TH switch in my "normal" position. This is where it was with my X9303. I tried it there when I had the DX8, but it's thicker than the X9303 so it wasn't comfortable. The 8FG is thin enough that it works great there. The procedure wasn't too bad. The most difficult part was desoldering the switches. If you've got the right equipment that isn't too bad either. I do have to qualify this by saying I worked on nuclear reactor instrumentation in the US Navy for twenty years. Still, I don't think it was that bad. Now if I could figure out some way to make the timer alarm louder the 8FG would be just about perfect. I do have a good work around with an iPhone app, but it would be nice if the built in timer alarm was loud enough.

11-24-2010, 02:58 AM	#13 (permalink)
ChrisH HF Support Join Date: Aug 2007	Sweet, glad to hear it Ken!

11-24-2010, 06:58 AM	#15 (permalink)
flymustangs Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Jun 2007	Sorry, I made it sound more complicated than it really is. I wish I had access to the equipment we had in the Navy, but I would rather have a turbine heli. I don't think heating the contacts one after the other quickly is going to work. You'll most likely damage the board and/or switch. I think you need some basic desoldering equipment to the do the job correctly. You want to get the old solder off so the switch can be removed easily and so you can apply new solder to ensure a good connection. Here are a couple of examples, solder sucker, http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062745 and desoldering wick, http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062744. Use a simple plunger type solder sucker to get the bulk of the solder off and the then the wick to get most of what's remaining. Then you can get the board loose from the switch with a little heating and coaxing. After your done clean up all the left over flux from the new solder.

11-26-2010, 06:49 AM	#18 (permalink)
flymustangs Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Jun 2007	The switches are completely assignable. You can make whatever switch you want the TH.

11-29-2010, 10:12 PM	#19 (permalink)
FlyBarlesss Registered Users Join Date: Nov 2010	oh i see you are talking about the spring loaded vs nonspring loaded switch swap, right ?

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