Has this DX6 "Feature" annoyed anyone else?

[AlanMcSwain]

Just bought a Dx6. I can't believe it has heli software but the the throttle stick has a ratchet!

Normally, any radio with heli SW comes with a reversible spring or a ratchet free cam.

When I emailed them about this brain lapse, they response was "Send it in."

WTF?

Wrong answer, Horizon.

Include a alternate cam or spring finger.

And stop making me do your thinking for you!

[DavidH]

Normally, any radio with heli SW comes with a reversible spring or a ratchet free cam.

Not exactly the case.

A Futaba 9CA radio has heli SW. There is a ratchet on the throttle.
The JR 9303 airplane radio has heli software. Ratchet on throttle.

It is easy to make the throttle smooth. Take the back off the radio. Take the ratchet mechanism and turn it over. Then adjust till you get the feel you want by bending it some. I have converted many over the last several years.

David

[kgfly]

Annoying but easily fixed. Options include:

1) Back out the screw holding the ratchet arm until the feel is what you want (works for me, clickless movement but not floppy)
2) Turn ratchet arm over (as DavidH said)
3) Put some fuel tube over the ratchet arm
4) Bend the ratchet arm to reduce the tension (like 1 but harder IMO)
5) File the teeth off the bottom of the gymbal

There are probably a few more, choose the one that appeals most and give it a try.

[AlanMcSwain]

I did fix mine but that's not the point here. I'm an engineer. Alot of newbies are buying this radio for heli use. Who is fixing theirs?

Yes, a few radios with heli SW do come with ratchets, but they are designed so you only have flip the spring over. The manuals even tell you how.

Modding the Dx6 for heli use is a pain in the ass because the spring has a pre-loaded bend in it. You can't just flip it over and have it work. Also, it is made from a very brittle spring steel. Trying to flatten out the detent riding v-bend at the end of the spring only results in the v-bend snapping off. I ended up sanding down the ratchet, making it impossible to restore the radio to factory condition.

And why should I have to violate my warranty ( not that I really give a sh*t ) to use the radio for what it was programmed to do?

Helis are getting more and more popular and radio manufacturers had better start paying attention to really these basic features like non-ratcheting throttles.

Alan

[Russ]

It didn't annoy me but I didn't know any better. After reading this post I opened the radio selected KGFLY's option #1 and 2 minutes later I was flying. Big difference. I like it.

[cptsnoopy]

I hate to say this Alan but your making a big deal out of a little deal. I too have switched many Tx's from ratchet to smooth with friction without breaking any of the spings. I have used fuel line, bent the "v" flat and also just turned the spring over. If your having a lot of problems with this one then I can see your concern about the newbies. I don't beleive that spectrum specified that the DX-6 came in a heli only model. It has always been standard practice for the radios to have a ratchet unless it was a heli model. The new DX-7 comes in both forms so they have recognized the issue and have addressed it. The DX-6 is a bottom of the line system and is fairly inexpensive, this could explain why it does not have a user changable option for the throttle.

[Smity777]

I backed the metal thing back to flip stuff around and bam no more rachet lol . :glasses2:

[AlanMcSwain]

I'm going to stick to guns on this.

I am and will remain of the opinion that if you manufacture a radio with heli software in it -OF ANY LEVEL-, you are expected to provide some documented and engineered way to remove the ratcheting from the throttle. Spektrum's DX6 FAILS this requirement on both fronts. It is not engineered to quickly change the ratcheting action, nor is there any documentation to tell a user how to perform this mod.

Jiminy Crickets, I just bought a pair of UBER-CHEAP eSky sims from Hong Kong and even they met the engineering requirement! All I had to do on them was to flip over the ratchet spring!

You cant do that on a DX6 and have it work smoothly. You would be better off slipping silicone tubing over the ratchet spring left in its factory position. My concern with the tubing method is that unless you lube it with a good heavy silicone lubricant, the ratchet may abrade through the tubing eventually.

[AlanMcSwain]

Oh.. and when does the DX-7 come out??

Will I need to get my complaining shoes on for that "High-End" radio?

[kgfly]

The DX7 is out now and already in customers hands, at least in Australia and some parts of the US.

[Gary JP4]

I think if I had problems with the ratcheting gimble that I would have bigger problems with hundreds of other things on any heli. Like basic mechanical setup. I had to do the same thing on the Walkera DF4 that started me on this addiction. Maybe if someone gave one to Finless he would do a video on it.

[AlanMcSwain]

I've read that the dx-7 actually comes in a heli version which I assume means no ratchet on the stick.

[Lzfalcon]

AlanMcSwain,
I have the dx-7 heli version and you are correct, it does not have the ratchet

[kgfly]

And in case you like it the other way, the Heli version comes with the ratchet spring in the spares bag and the Air version comes with the non-ratchet spring in the spares bag so you can swing either way with either Tx.

[AlanMcSwain]

Lzfalcon, Kgfly...

Thanks for the info!

Now why didn't they just do that on the DX-6?? Hmmph.

Thanks guys.