Staff
Senior Member
Posts: 1510
Loc: Roanoke Va USA
Reg: 03-05-00
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 04-22-02 01:28 AM - Post#7091
Place your "Radio Tips" on this thread!
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Jared
Senior Member
Posts: 167
Loc: Memphis
Reg: 11-02-01
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04-22-02 04:02 PM - Post#7145
In response to Staff
Consolidate your gyro signal wire and your battery monitor wire into one connector to free up an additional channel on your reciever.
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Heli_Driver
Senior Member
Posts: 518
Loc: Arlington, TX USA
Reg: 10-26-01
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04-22-02 04:52 PM - Post#7150
In response to Staff
Range check your radio often. I have seen 1/3 scale planes go down because they "forgot" to range check the radio.
Follow the manufacturers instructions, they know best. Bubba at the field has good intentions but may give faulty info as different radios specifiy different procedures.
For example, the 9Z Futaba should be range checked on the ground with only the bottom segment of the antenna extended.
If the antenna is fully collapesd the antenna is not even functioning.
Furthermore, with the 9Z you should never run the radio with the antenna down (fully collapsed) for more than a few minutes as this can and will burn out your RF module. Again the correct procedure for the 9Z is to extend the bottom (largest) section.
If you're not sure, read the manual or call the manufacturer about how to range check your particular radio.
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rappy1
New Member
Posts: 1
Reg: 04-22-02
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04-22-02 09:55 PM - Post#7170
In response to Staff
if you have trouble finding your idle-up switch on your radio, try cutting a piece of fuel tubing and putting it over the switch. it will help you find it without looking.
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volare
Member
Posts: 66
Loc: Cincinnati
Reg: 01-04-02
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04-22-02 11:50 PM - Post#7173
In response to Staff
In order to avoid accidentally giving unwanted control inputs during a maneuver, you can adjust the tension of the sticks on your transmitter. With most radios this can be easily done be removing the back cover and tightening a screw for each axis of movement on each stick. Now when you try to apply full elevator, for example, you will be less likely to accidentally move the stick sideways and mix in left/right cyclic.
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Heli-Nut50
Member
Posts: 45
Loc: Valemount, BC, Canada
Reg: 03-15-02
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04-23-02 01:44 AM - Post#7187
In response to Staff
Check those batteries! Check your Rx batteries every time you go up even if you have an onboard indicator. It never hurts to be better safe then sorry. Put a load on them with a proper battery checker. The onboard indicator should be used as a reference and the battery checker the bible. Idle readings on the onboard are alot less then an actual load in flight on the batteries.
Fly Hard!
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CaliRaptor
Member
Posts: 63
Loc: Menifee, CA
Reg: 01-04-01
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04-23-02 04:48 AM - Post#7194
In response to Heli-Nut50
Use 3M Vet Wrap to secure your receiver and battery pack. I wrap them in foam, then wrap the VetWrap around it. Use the stuff to secure them to the radio tray on your heli. It's like "Ace bandage" that sticks to itself. It's only about $2.99 a roll and is available in many colors. I buy mine at a local feed store. It is awesome! I'm sure you'll find many other uses for it, too!
| Mark
Menifee, CA
Raptor30
CHP Long Ranger/Raptor
Vario Petrol Jet Ranger
Vario A-Star
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Micro Rotors
New Member
Posts: 20
Loc: So. Cal USA
Reg: 04-06-02
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04-24-02 02:05 AM - Post#7224
In response to Staff
To the new guy,
When starting in this hobby, buy the best radio you can afford. It will be around allot longer than your first 2-3 helis so dont be cheap when getting buying your first radio. You will get addicted and want to get more complex setups going and if you do decide you dont want to continue in the fine hobby, you can always get most of your money back by selling it in the forums or on Ebay.
Bill
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sbalder
New Member
Posts: 15
Loc: Westland, MI
Reg: 10-16-01
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04-24-02 04:52 PM - Post#7245
In response to Staff
Last year I "upgraded" to a Futaba 9ZHWS radio from my RD6000 and 8UHP. I've had a love-hate relationship with this radio since I got it. It looks and feels great and has features that I use which are not available on mid-level radios. On the other hand, the sheer number of features and the fact that nothing carries over from one flight condition (flight mode) to another makes it confusing and frustrating to use.
Here's what I have done to make this radio usable to me:
First, hook the radio up on the bench and go through every feature in the manual until you understand it. This took me three evenings!
Second, decide what features you will and will not use, including what switches and knobs you will use for ALL of your helicopters. For example, I am an intermediate pilot who is advancing into aerobatics. I use Normal, Idle Up, and Hold conditions. Write this down and draw a diagram of what does what on the radio.
Third, go through every function in the radio and set up the Normal condition on the bench. I say go through every function because you will want to make sure that you have disabled the functions which you do not plan to use.
Finally, after you have trimmed out your machine with the Normal Condition, use the "Copy Condition" function to copy the Normal Condition to your other conditions (Hold, Idle Up, etc). Then you can adjust those specific characteristics (Pitch/Throttle Curves, Rates, and Mixing) without having to worry about anything else.
Hope this helps!
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nissen
Member
Posts: 33
Reg: 04-26-02
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04-27-02 10:17 AM - Post#7356
In response to sbalder
Better still to understand complex radio, use a simulator.I hv a Real Flight simulator.It has a display to show the movement of all servos as commanded.I have a FF8 for 4 years.Thought I mastered it all this while until I hooked it on the sim.Only now I understand fully how to take advantage of its features.There are great many thing build into high end radios.Watching the movement of servos are fine but the degree are difficult to study.
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basmntdweller
New Member
Posts: 21
Loc: Indianapolis IN USA
Reg: 12-03-01
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04-28-02 10:21 PM - Post#7404
In response to Staff
Don't use plastic tyraps on your radio wires. Their edges are sharp enough to cut through the wires over time. I had a minor crash when a tyrap cut through the wires from my gyro on my Nexus and lost tail control. I hadn't learned to auto yet so I was in trouble without TR.
later,,, basmntdweller
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brc007
New Member
Posts: 1
Loc: Cave Creek, AZ
Reg: 02-13-02
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04-30-02 09:58 PM - Post#7471
In response to Staff
To Consolidate your gyro signal wire and your battery monitor wire into one connector on your receiver to free up an additional channel on your receiver use a standard (non reversing) Y cable.
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Billme
Senior Member
Posts: 198
Loc: MS
Reg: 03-26-01
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05-15-02 10:43 PM - Post#7951
In response to brc007
Pay attention to your servo installation..Make sure they are square to the mainshaft, and model centerline..This will help in configuring an arm without using subtrim...
Regards,
Bill
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Anonymous
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06-24-02 10:56 PM - Post#8844
In response to Staff
Re: Securing servo leads
Instead of using wire ties or nylon ties. Try using velcro strips designed for securing electrical component cable wires. They can be found at Radio shack or most hardware stores and come in a variety of hot colors.
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replick
New Member
Posts: 1
Loc: bentonville arkansas
Reg: 07-11-02
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07-11-02 09:00 PM - Post#9084
In response to Staff
when mounting gyros,govs,and such.use 1/4 inch foam rubber and shoe goo.works great.
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rcheliflyer
New Member
Posts: 5
Reg: 07-19-02
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07-21-02 04:11 PM - Post#9216
In response to Staff
When range checking during preflight, I use a flag made out of a clothspin/small 10' stick and a fluorescent dot.
Usually I clip it to the flybar and this makes it easy to see a glitch or no response.
It's also handy for checking other areas also, I started
doing this after I had a deans antenna fail and resultant
crash.
This was the non-screw in type.
I verified this on the ground after repairs,even with a
fully extended tx my range was less than 100 ft.
It was also less than normal with the ant partially extended.
The antenna showed no physical damage.
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tisrich
Member
Posts: 55
Loc: Western NY State
Reg: 06-17-01
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07-23-02 07:35 PM - Post#9262
In response to rcheliflyer
Muliple radio receivers becoming costly? My 5th heli now and I decided to save the cost of another Rx. Flip the Rx over and paint a colored dot next to the plugin slot. For seven channels use seven different color dots etc. With the servo wires plugged in paint the corresponding dot color on the edge of the servo plug. As backup put a touch of color on the wire. Since both helis of mine sharing the RX are Raptor 30's I use the same configuration on both. On heli #2 paint the edge of the servo plugs to correspond with the color dots on the Rx. Now when you want to change receivers just unplug all the servo connectors, put the Rx in the next heli and plug in the servo wires according to the same color code. It's fast and foolproof.
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Chuck Lewis
Senior Member
Posts: 139
Loc: Beaumont,TX,USA
Reg: 10-26-00
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08-08-02 10:23 PM - Post#9537
In response to Heli_Driver
I had a problem with my Fury going into hold for awhile. I changed the receiver, battery and switch,checked bearings all the usual stuff to no avail. One day when range checking it I realized that the range was less than it used to be. Out of frustration I unplugged the tx module and plugged it back in, the range came back and the holds have not happened again.
The moral of this story is that if you are having radio range problems and have a removable tx module, it might just be a bad connection on the module plug. I wish I had tried that first.
Thanks, Chuck
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JAW
New Member
Posts: 2
Loc: Kalamazoo, MI
Reg: 08-12-02
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08-12-02 11:53 AM - Post#9585
In response to Staff
As receiver wires are routed through the canopy area outside of the helicopter and either into a plastic antenna tube or just routed outside of the helicopter, the receiver wire can be chaffed or damaged by the edges of the canopy or another part of the plastic/metal frame of the helicopter. A good preventative measure is to measure the length of the antenna from where it exits the receiver case, to the point at which it exits the pod/fuselage. Cut a piece of standard-size fuel-line tubing and route the receiver antenna through this tubing. If using a plastic antenna tube attached to the frame of landing gear, you can attach the fuel tubing to the plastic antenna tube so that you will have a fully-protected receiver antenna wire.
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Doug
Senior Member
Posts: 823
Loc: Naples Fl. USA
Reg: 11-17-00
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08-12-02 12:48 PM - Post#9589
In response to Staff
If you have "strange" problems getting your Curves setup suspect the throttle servo it can sometimes have a jumpy or dead spot at the "hover" poing that can drive you crazy.
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