Using Spektrum. Only satellites or full receiver?

[helif]

I am upgrading my trex 450 to FBL 3GX and Spektrum radio system. Looks like I have two options:
1) Use the full receiver (I have 2 AR8000 with satellites and an AR6100 to choose from). Connect this to the 3GX with the multicoloured cables.
2) Omit the full receiver but connect one or two satellites directly to the 3GX unit. Having two satellites gives the same amount of redundancy as one full AR8000.

So which options to choose? Some points:
- Cost for two satellite receivers is about the same as one full AR8000
- Less cables with the satellite only solution
- Where should I put the AR8000 main receiver if I use it? There is space inside the frame but I haven't found a good solution that lets the antenna free and servo connections easily accessible
- If I use the satellite only solution, where do I connect the telemetry unit? Do I get RF link data?
- If I go for the satellite only solution I need to buy some satellites, now or later.

What are your recommendations? Have I left out some important point?

[Tristin]

Funny, I have a similar issue. I however have one good sat and a new AR7000, but for some reason I can’t get the AR7000to work with the 3GX. If I plug the one sat I have directly to the 3GX gyro she works fine but I feel having a full receiver might be best. I like the clean setup with only two sat’s though.

[Madryan]

Use the sats....much less hassle....and theyre only liek $30 each anyway...

Anything i can plug sats into...i do ... makes installation and setup painless..:-)

[helif]

Tristin,

That's interesting. Just to make sure we have covered the trivial things, when you cannot get the AR7000 to work:
- You know it's working in another scenario?
- You have the satellite connected to the AR7000, not the 3GX?
- The AR7000 and the 3GX are connected with the colour coded cables in the manner described?
- There is one more cable to the AR7000 for power?

[helif]

Madryan, Can I get the telemetry working with sats only? How do I connect?

[Madryan]

aaah..yes...theres a trick to this..yes you can...basically what you do is bind your AR8000 and TM 1000 with the sat first....then unplug it all and plug your sat and TM1000 in to teh 3GX ...obviously teh TM just needs power and the telemetry should work..theres a post on here somewhere by Jayson200 ... only thing is the fram rates and losses etc don't work but the rest of it should work fine... I did this for my Logo Xxtreme ...worked a treat...its a bit if fiddling but you will figure it ...you dont re-bind the sat with teh 3GX though ...once the sat binds to your TX its bound ... let me know if you have trouble and ill see if i can find teh link to jaysons post on it..


cheers

[helif]

Originally Posted by Madryan

aaah..yes...theres a trick to this...

Thanks! Yes that makes sense and I think I should be able to do that.

Losing the link quality data is a little downturn though.

I have only one TM1000 so I may decide to buy another or perhaps a TM1100. The 450 will never be far away from me anyway so a TM1100 may work most of the time, especially if I don't have link data. Or I may just forgo the telemetry.

[JoeW]

Actually you can get telemetry a lot easier.

Put the data lead from the telemetry unit in the bind port on the 3GX. Plug the sat in to the 3GX. Telemetry will get power from that port, and you can bind the entire system 'normally' by just pressing the bind button on the telemetry unit, no hotwiring/swapping required.

You won't get 'flight log' data fades/holds etc because the 3GX doesn't support Spektrum telemetry data, but you'll get all your sensors and voltage.

[helif]

Neat info JoeW,

To summarize:
- The most convenient solution seems to be using the sats only.
- The best counterpoint seems to be the lack of link info in telemetry. At least to me that's a major benefit of telemetry in the first place (the other being low battery warning).

[cajkat1073]

I have been flying mine with 2 sats and no receiver for about 5 months now and it flies great. I set one up a few weeks ago for someone with only one sat and it flies great too. I just used two for the extra protection. I don't use telemetry on any of my helis anymore but it works both ways above. I really only care about the battery and I check the amps on a new heli with a gauge. Little work first few packs but than I just use the timer. Some will say align doesn't suggest you use only sats but all the align pilots do it with no reported problems.

[ghostmodel1969]

Hi
I'm evaluating to swap from Aurora 9 to DX9 radio system on the basis of easier wiring management and more ... Since I fly 4 heli, can I use buy only two satellites and time by time move them between the heli? It's the solution comfortable/practicable?

Thanks a lot

[JoeW]

Probably not a good idea. If your model setup is at all different (swash mix, servo reversing, tail gain etc) you'll have to basically set the model up every time you swap the sats.

You're certainly not going to save time. Unless each of your 4 heli's are identical, you're only multiplying your chance of failure by at least 4x So you're probably not going to save any money... 1 crash could buy you 6 more sats easily.

Not to mention that those little wires that the sats use wouldn't handle too many cycles before you get one fray or outright break.

[ghostmodel1969]

Ok, this is what I thought

Just to info, I've 4 different Align, all DFC: 450, 500, 600 e 700

[helif]

Originally Posted by ghostmodel1969

Hi
I'm evaluating to swap from Aurora 9 to DX9 radio system on the basis of easier wiring management and more ... Since I fly 4 heli, can I use buy only two satellites and time by time move them between the heli? It's the solution comfortable/practicable?

You can do that but you will have to rebind the receivers to the transmitter/model memory each time you switch receivers between helis. You may need to put some more effort into finding the perfect position for each receiver. Not only will you need to take the usual coverage considerations but you will also need to think about ease of removal/re-installation.

The Model Match feature of Spektrum protects you from inadvertently selecting the wrong model. It does not protect you from binding the wrong model in the first place. A risk that increases when binding and rebinding frequently.

I would say your idea is viable. How practicable it is depends on how often you switch between helis. You could use it as a temporary solution until you get a good deal on a bunch of receivers.

There are also several middle ground solutions. Like having a permanent installation on one heli and switching between the other three.

Originally Posted by JoeW

Probably not a good idea. If your model setup is at all different (swash mix, servo reversing, tail gain etc) you'll have to basically set the model up every time you swap the sats.

The DX9 (as the Aurora) has model memories. You set all those things per model and you don't need to touch them when switching models.

Not to mention that those little wires that the sats use wouldn't handle too many cycles before you get one fray or outright break.

This is a valid point. You need to be careful and place the receivers so that insertion/removal is convenient and gentle.

The cables are inexpensive if you buy them from HobbyKing. You may consider leaving them on the helis and plugging/unplugging the receiver side. You may also consider replacing them frequently (before they fail).

[JoeW]

Originally Posted by helif

The DX9 (as the Aurora) has model memories. You set all those things per model and you don't need to touch them when switching models.

But if you're using the same sats, you'll only be 'model matched' to one entry in your DX. You'll be breaking the safety of model match/model memories by moving your receiver(s) around from model to model, since model match is based on a model to receiver pairing.

Unless you're rebinding to the different model every time you move the Rx(s). I imagine after doing that a couple of times you'll find that $35 isn't that much money for another sat

[helif]

Originally Posted by JoeW

Unless you're rebinding to the different model every time you move the Rx(s). I imagine after doing that a couple of times you'll find that $35 isn't that much money for another sat

At the risk of repeating myself I think rebinding is the best approach here. It's quick and easy - especially compared to the effort that goes into actually removing and reinstalling the receivers.

If ghosmodel1969 always brings only one heli to the field, sharing receivers is almost no extra work. If he always brings all four and flies them in round robin fashion he is up for some work. The reality is probably somewhere in between those extremes. With some carefully streamlined process it's only a few times as much work as swapping batteries between flights.

[JoeW]

Yeah, I don't disagree.

For my own stuff it wouldn't be worth it to me to mess around swapping sats. If the heli is 500 or under, 1 sat is $35, totally worth it against the cost of the heli and the increase of messing up and choosing the wrong model. 500 size or bigger, 2 sats are $70 and still totally worth it vs the cost of the heli/screwing around.

One set of nicked blades or even a set of skids pretty much costs what putting a dedicated sat(s) on a bird.

But whatever you gotta do

[mallstott]

So sats only is the way to go? I'm hooking up my new 550e so a DX9 and was looking at the best method as well. Need to find a good place to fit everything.

-Mike-

[Bonkievan]

Originally Posted by mallstott

So sats only is the way to go? I'm hooking up my new 550e so a DX9 and was looking at the best method as well. Need to find a good place to fit everything.

-Mike-

I have it like this on my 550, Mike (including dx9) and have no issues. It is a 'cleaner' install imo.
What FBL are you running?

[mallstott]

ummm I'm not even sure I understand your question lol. Are you asking which version 3GX? I think he said 2.1 or which version of the 550e, which I think is v2. I don't get my hands on it till tomorrow (local sale) and I'm not familiar with the align products as this will be my first one. I did hover it today... rock steady, but he is pulling his radio (another brand) so I'll have to go through the full setup. My other two large helis are both beastx, so I wondering about the intelligence of setting up another system instead of getting another beastx. I'll have to by the new SATs anyway...

Mike

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