BD3SX FAQ for Newcomers

[n2helis]

Well after binding about a dozen times last night I gave up and called it quits. Today I tried one more time and bam! The display and voice finally matched DSMX 11ms. Weird, as soon as binding was complete I powered down disconected everything and left it alone. I will give it a try this weekend and see how it goes.
Thanks for all the help.

[rhodesengr]

it sounds like you got it working but there is a thing about binding. Sometimes binding works better if the TX is not too close to the RX. Its been posted about in various places and I have seen it myself.

So I am just wondering if your TX was right next to the RX when binding. We tend to do this with the heli on a workbench and TX right next to it. It seems to work better if you move the TX about 10 feet away.

[KSHeli]

Originally Posted by rhodesengr

I think he said it was just sats so they would not have come with the DX9. But there was at one point a DSM2 Sat.

I just posted because as you noted here the older sats were only capable of 22-ms framerate and such the TX will not be able to bind at 11-ms and will then default to 22-ms.

Originally Posted by n2helis

Well after binding about a dozen times last night I gave up and called it quits. Today I tried one more time and bam! The display and voice finally matched DSMX 11ms. Weird, as soon as binding was complete I powered down disconected everything and left it alone. I will give it a try this weekend and see how it goes.
Thanks for all the help.

I wonder if we are suppose to power off the Tx and then re-power and bind for the new framerate (11-ms) selection to take effect. I haven't checked the manual for that fact.

[KSHeli]

Originally Posted by rhodesengr

it sounds like you got it working but there is a thing about binding. Sometimes binding works better if the TX is not too close to the RX. Its been posted about in various places and I have seen it myself.

So I am just wondering if your TX was right next to the RX when binding. We tend to do this with the heli on a workbench and TX right next to it. It seems to work better if you move the TX about 10 feet away.

Yep, I always put my Tx about a wingspan (mine) away when binding and had always gotten good results. Now with Futaba (just info for those using Futaba and reading this) you need to have the Tx within a couple of feet or closer I believe, just the opposite of Spektrum.

[RFCXPerT]

Is it really a must to change the pitch curve when the BD sw recommends to start with a linear pitch curve? if so then what is the best setting for scale flying (smooth and easy maneuvers) I know the throttle curve can be adjusted to your own flying style.

[RFCXPerT]

rhodesengr,

What if the elevator roll setting was at minimum 30 on the sw to get 11.2 for the elevator pitch which is still short of recommended 10 by BD? For aileron at 10 the roll was set at 45. Collective pitch travel for +12 was set at 40 well below 50 minimum by BD. Is this also ok?

[RFCXPerT]

Where is the pitch gauge placed for CP and cyclic setup? I put it on the front and back for both CP and aileron and get two different readings with about 0.5 offset for both. It gets more interesting for the elevator pitch on the right and left side. It was 11.4 on the left side vs. 7.9 on the right. Which one is correct?

Thanks

[Tapgorup]

Have a question that I can't seem to find an answer. I have my 3sx set up for a scale AS350. Had it set up and the mechanics flew great. I moved the mechanics in to the fuse. However, I added a 3rd Sat to the AR9020 rx since the prior flight and had to rebind the RX.

Do I need to go through set up again in the 3sx? The 3sx cable loom was attached when I went through rebinding. I have powered up and the main blades/swash seem to be working as before. However, my tail blades are off center and seems I have too much throw to one side and now binds. So I know I will need to go in and change/correct the servo end points in tail settings.

I will probably go through a rebind again per another thread I found regarding fail safe settings. But didn't know if a rebind requires unplugging the loom first or if left on is it best to go through wizard again?

Thanks guys.

[rhodesengr]

I would not have thought that a rebind would require you to change the setting in the 3SX. But if your tail is off then you obviously need to fix it. keep in mind though that the tail does not necessarily sit in the centered position if you are in heading hold mode. You don't have to go through the wizard but you could. You can skip the wizard and just go into the tabs you want to look at. You should definitely check the diagnose tabs and make sure your bars are all good. Check swash level and zero pitch and reset your tail limits.

And yes you can redo the bind to take advantage of the presets FS if you want.

[Kiwi-heli-nut]

Hey,
Thanks so much. I found 17 the most important for me as the manual does not even explain the cut in levels of each mode
Normal Rigid = Amber
Self Level = Solid Green
Rescue Mode = Flashing green
nor does it mention the perameters around how each mode is engaged.
A Huge thank you for taking the time.

[rhodesengr]

Originally Posted by Kiwi-heli-nut

explain the cut in levels of each mode
nor does it mention the perameters around how each mode is engaged.

Glad you found it useful. It is the reason I wrote it. But what you said is not exactly true. The colors and levels for activation are in the documentation.

If you look at the Instruction Manual
http://www.bavariandemon.com/fileadm...SX-3X_V6.1.pdf
on page 6, the colors are documented.
on page 12, the levels for SL and Rescue are shown. The writing isn't the best so I agree it can be unclear.

Not sure what you meant by "cut in levels"

[Tapgorup]

I have a question regarding an AR8000 vs AR7700. What would provide a faster signal? Cable loom to an AR8000 or PWM to an AR7700? From what I've read the AR8000 signal is 11ms. While the AR7700 PWM signal is 22ms? Is that correct? I had thought about upgrading to the AR7700 for 1 wire, simplify install. But still have an AR8000. I don't mind using the cable loom, what I'm used to. But if I can reduce wires. Thanks guys

[rhodesengr]

Originally Posted by Tapgorup

I have a question regarding an AR8000 vs AR7700. What would provide a faster signal? Cable loom to an AR8000 or PWM to an AR7700? From what I've read the AR8000 signal is 11ms. While the AR7700 PWM signal is 22ms? Is that correct? I had thought about upgrading to the AR7700 for 1 wire, simplify install. But still have an AR8000. I don't mind using the cable loom, what I'm used to. But if I can reduce wires. Thanks guys

It is a good question but I don't know the answer. You might as this question in one of the AR-series threads on RCG where Andy Kunz posts. he is really a TX guy but would at least know who would know the answer.

In my mind, it would be hard to beat the speed of a parallel connection (AR8000) but maybe they increase the data rates so that the serial type connections are just as fast. There have been some discussions about PPM vs SRXL. 3SX only supports PPM while Axon does support SRXL but not Spektrum's version (unless there has been a firmware update).

In any event with a 3SX you could use the AR7700 in PPM mode. In discussion about the BeastX which does support Spektrum's SRXL as well as PPM, I have read that SRXL is faster than PPM but I don't have numbers.

[rhodesengr]

I found this in the AR7700 manual
Features
• 8 channel 22ms PPM output*
• 18 channel 11ms SRXL output*
• 18 channel 11ms Remote Receiver output*
• Gear, Aux 1 and Aux 2 (Channels 5,6, and 7) are output in parallel as
normal PWM servo signals
• Flight Log and telemetry compatible

So if you use PPM, it would be the same as if you bound the AR8000 with a 22ms framerate which you can set in most DX radios. If you have decent servos you can bind the AR8000 in 11 ms frame rate so the update rate would be twice as fast as the AR7700 using the PPM output. IF 3SX could accept SRXL (which it can't) then it would be the same as the AR8000 bound in 11ms mode.

So I think you answer is you can't do better speed-wise than your AR8000 with either PPM or SRXL. PPM is half as fast and SRXL is the same. Is 22ms fast enough? Probably for most people.

I know F1 has been telling folks that want to use the AR7700 with Axon that it works fine with PPM.

[Tapgorup]

Nice details, thanks for finding that. Very helpful for trying different methods of set up with the awareness of the frame rate. I assume that 22ms will still work fine for me. I'm sport flyer not 3D.

Well, I did end up going a different route. I bought a FrSky Horus x12s and a FrSky X4R receiver with s.bus connection. My plan is to use the S.bus connection with this RX since there is no room otherwise for the loom. Will see how it works out with my 450 first. I am looking forward to additional telemetry from the RX & Horus programming. If it tests out ok I plan to swap out my 600 as well. Not sure if I want to run one of my scale birds on this system yet.

So one other question comes to mind, where do I run the ESC/throttle/internal BEC wire? Since the X4R has only 4 connections, 1 s.bus & 3 standard servo. I am assuming I will run the ESC/internal BEC wire to the 3sx at "Output Throttle/ ESC"?

[rhodesengr]

Originally Posted by Tapgorup

I am assuming I will run the ESC/internal BEC wire to the 3sx at "Output Throttle/ ESC"?

Yes that would be true for any serial RX going to the 3SX. If your RX happens to have Throttle out then you;d have a choice. You may have to play with the channel assignments in the 3SX software to get everything working right.

[Tapgorup]

Funny you mention that! : ) Exactly what I am researching right now. From what I can tell S.bus uses standard Futaba channel assignments across the board. But I will still go through and thoroughly test everything in the diagnose page. Horus gets here Friday or Saturday. X4R hopefully gets here same time.

[n8rloves2fly]

Im sure I missed this some where, do I need + -4 degrees in my tail (trimmed) I know Vbar is zero pitch and Futaba is neutral in flight.

[rhodesengr]

Originally Posted by n8rloves2fly

Im sure I missed this some where, do I need + -4 degrees in my tail (trimmed) I know Vbar is zero pitch and Futaba is neutral in flight.

I believe the wizard calls for two turns on the rudder ball link of Right rudder with the servo at center. I don't know that it makes an enormous difference, you just might end up with a little more rudder range in one direction compared to the other. I have never really understood this because any offset moves the slider so it is not centered. Seems like what you really want is to be able to add tail pitch with the slider centered but I don't know of any models that have that adjustment.

[MKL.DKM]

Thank