THIS SUBJECT IS NOT POSTED FOR YOU TO HELP.
IT IS POSTED TO GET YOU TO CHECK YOUR RANGE-CHECKS THOUROUGHLY (if you are curious about your system).
I posted this on RCuniverse:
Start:I have a Spectrum DX7 that fails a range check 98% of the time, yet I fly all 16 of my planes with it, and have 2 beginners hooked-up to trainer cords.
I called Horizon about my Spectrum DX7's failed range check and they sent me a brand new radio.
I tried the new radio, and got the same results, I sent it back.
A fellow club member told me it was some fault of mine, and brought his plane and radio over to prove his point.
I first tried his system and got a good range check (tried 3 times).
When I binded my old TX to his system, the range check passed everytime!
Then I binded the new radio to his system and got another failer (again 3 times)!
So I proceeded to investigate this wierd behavior to see why 2 of my planes failed.
Here is the letter I wrote to Horizon, what I tried and the results.
Date somewhere around 6-14-08.
Subject: Spectrum DX7 range-check tests.
By Dan Flemming
Lake City, Fl.
EMAIL WITHHELD (SCREW A SPAMMER!)
PHONE NUMBER WITHHELD
I range-checked all my planes at home with my OLD DX7 Tx (13 total, all failed).
I called Horrizon Product Support and was advised by a support person to send the DX7 Tx back for inspection.
I sent it back on the 19th of May '08.
I got it back of the 4th of June '08.
The first 3 planes I range checked failed!
I called a Supervisor at Horrizon named Shawn and explained what had transpired up the that point.
He sent me a BRAND-NEW DX7 Tx.
I Spent many hours transferring the programming from my OLD DX7 Tx, to the NEW DX7 Tx.
The next moring I range-checked my "Mini-Pulse" airplane.
It failed!
I tried it 4 more times (bind, unplug battery, remove bind-plug, turn off TX. Turn on TX, plug-in battery, range-check).
I got out 2-3 other planes for range-checks... only 1 passed (it wasn't in the documented range-checks below).
I just put everything back in the shop and went into my house... frustrated, pissed, and just completely out of will to try again).
A friend came by to talk about my Tx range-check problems (he has 30+ years in RC).
He setup to do a range check on his plane.
His plane passed using his Tx!
His plane has a seperate battery for controlling the servos.
We binded his plane to my NEW DX7 Tx, and the range check failed!
I got out my OLD DX7 Tx, binded his plane to it, and the range check passed!
He when home saying it seemed awfully strange that my OLD Tx, and the NEW Tx seemed to have the same problems!
I aggreed!
I waited until the next day, to go to our flying field to do a thourough set of range-checks.
RANGE CHECKS AT THE LAKE CITY RC CLUB FIELD:
Example of attempted range checks... 5-5 = passed attempts - out of tried attempted.
Each single attempt equals moving the ailerons/elevator surface (depending on plane type) 10-times.
I noticed some of the attempts would fail after moving the surfaces 3-4 times before failure occured, other attempts would not move at all.
Seems like a lost signal occured upon failer, then the signal would resume after 6-8 seconds on all recievers except the AR6200 (bad to know).
The AR6200 would resume signal in 2-3 seconds (good to know).
All the planes using the AR6100's and the AR6100E, would have crashed before the signal was picked back up.
(All the planes using the AR6100's, and the AR6100E have flown without any glitches for about 1 year)
Plane, Reciever & ESC type:
Airplane Reciever ESC
Pulse AR6100 E-Flite 22-AMP (1 year old. Reciver 3-months old)
Stick AR6100E (NEW) Electrifly SS-25 25-AMP (1 year old. Reciver new, never flown)
UFO AR6100 Grayson 30-AMP (1 year old, same with reciever)
Extra 260 AR6200 Grayson 45-AMP (This plane is Brand-new, never flown. Reciever 6-months old, rarely used)
Old TX: (11.1v at the start of this bind trial) (Fight batteries fully charged)
Airplane Bind-time Startup-time 30-paces. 25-paces. 20-paces. Number of Failed/Passed
Pulse 8-sec. 3-sec. 5-5 5-5 5-5 15-15 All Passed
Stick 18-sec. 7-sec. 0-5 0-5 0-5 0-15 All Failed
UFO 17-sec. 3-sec. 0-5 1-5 5-5 6-15 6 Passed
Extra 260 15-sec. 3-sec. 0-5 0-5 0-5 0-15 All Failed
21 passed, out of 60 tries!
New TX: (11.4v at the start of this bind trial) (Fight batteries fully charged)
Airplane Bind-time Startup-time 30-paces. 25-paces. 20-paces. Number of Failed/Passed
Pulse 8-sec. 6-sec. 0-5 0-5 1-5 1-15 1 Passed
Stick 14-sec. 4-sec. 0-5 0-5 0-5 0-15 All Failed
UFO 18-sec. 4-sec. 0-5 0-5 3-5 3-15 6 Passed
Extra 260 14-sec. 6-sec. 0-5 0-5 0-5 0-15 All Failed
4 passed, out of 60 tries!
The way I range checked all these planes was:
Start by binding with the OLD Tx, range-check (log results).
Switch to NEW Tx, bind, then range-check (log results).
I tried flying my UFO after all these tests were done with the NEW Tx (An old plane that is close to indestructable).
I kept the plane low in case there was a problem.
After 3-4 minutes of flight, the plane seemed to lose signal and crashed!
The crash broke the prop. (APC 11x3.
No other damage occured.
Could you advise me of what to do next?
Thanks,
Dan Flemming
I sent their new TX back because it didn't seem to work correctly either.
I moved my antenna to 45 degrees (a Spectrum Engineer suggested this on a website), and fly anytime I want.
Last weekend while getting ready to fly, I tried another range check with my new P51 Mustang and the range check failed everytime!
There were 3-4 other members present, and all were telling me "you better not attempt to fly it!".
I flew it anyway!
No problems!
GO FIGURE!
P.S.
My old TX has since developed a problem with Increase-Adjust switch.
It won't work 90% of the time when I try to use it on the downward side.
I just got my Spectrum book out to look at the warranty... (I got the TX on 6-14-07)
They checked my TX, said it check-out OK, and sent it back on 6-04-08.
I will contact them on Monday to see if I can get a replacement.
End...I hope nobody has trouble with their's, but I would give every plane a good check JUST TO MAKE SURE!
