Hi
I'm new to this forum, and this is my first posed, there for I'm not sure whether I'm posting this in the right place or not, so sorry if this is wrong,
I have been in to RC sins the 80s and have numerous models, and I'm a model maker by trayed.
for the lased 10 years I have been living in London, and away from my flying bud-es in Cornwall, this means that I tend to fly solo in a local park. I recently discovered FPV on YouTube whilst downloading an on board video of my mustang flying, called "Mustang Tony RC test pilot" using one of thes cheep key ring videos.
About 30 years ago at a local youth club we were shown a black and white film, that I think was called flying eye or something, of course pure fantasy at the time, but a boy hood dream never the less, I love flying and once was taken up in a microlight, great experience. When I was a teenager I lost sight in one of my eyes, this means I would not pass the medical, needed to get a pilot's license, FPV is my chance to fly and having 2D vision for most of my life means that I'm used to the 2D perspective.
I'm putting together a FPV setup, I have the Goggles and Ive ordered a FPV512 Plug and Play 1.2Ghz 500mW Wireless System - Lawmate with a Plug and Play Camera WDR600 Mini Sony CCD Color Camera 550 TVL from Hobby Wireless, I have a new Multiplex EasyStar, with a replacement brushless motor, that I will build when I have all the component I need, it will probably need custom compartment that will be eseyer to create before I glue together, this brings me to my first question, I have looked at many OSD systems and read lots of links and decided I won't to buy a FY21AP II IMU Autopilot + OSD, partly because of the relative safety of fail safe Home function, until I get an idea of the rang that my 2.4Ghz RC controls give me, at the moment I have a Spektrum DX6i or a Futaba T6EX, I know that I would be better of with more channels, I believe the FY21AP II IMU Autopilot + OSD needs up to 3 extra channels for the different flight modes, as you all no its costing me a lot of money to set this up and at the moment if I can get away with using some kit that I already have, at the moment I'm only interested in the fail safe home if I loos signal, I have performed some tests with a Spektrum AR6110e. on some servos and the only channel that reverts back to fail safe position is the throttle channel, I then tried it on my B/F Blade MSR and all channels go to fail safe, I have ordered a Spektrum AR7000 Rx before I discovered this potential problem, dose eny one know whether all the channels work with fail safe to activate the home mode on the Autopilot with this Rx, or is there a little gizmo to switch auto home on if the Rx looses signal, or will the FY21AP II IMU Autopilot + OSD work with this setup.
thanks Gordon
I use the FY21 system. For it to work properly you need a minimum of 7 channels. The failsafe is dependant on how your TX works. I use futaba 10 and you can set any number of channels to failsafe to a predetermined mode, so you need a radio where you can program your failsafes, I don't use spectrum so you will have to read the manual.
Also I wouldn't recommend 2.4 ghz for RC control due to its limited range and LOS issues.
thanks Ian
I know that the range isn't that good, I have been looking in to signal boosting it, I have also sent an e mail to Dragon link, but they have not got back to me yet, I was just looking to fly close rang 400 to 500ft for now, and need the fail safe home to work, and need to now if it will work with my setup, or do I have to connect all the functions up to work
thanks Gordon
Yes you need to connect them up to work as they are switchable. You dont have to go to the expense of dragon link, 35mhz is very cheap now (second hand) and very good for FPV capable up to 2 or 3 miles so would be perfect for around 500 feet and has far less LOS (line of sight) issues, even a boosted 2.4RC would not overcome these.
Futaba failsafe is set by the Tx. Spektrum failsafe is set by the Rx. Go to the Spektrum site and check out the recievers you have http://www.spektrumrc.com/DSM/Products/airReceivers.aspx (http://www.spektrumrc.com/DSM/Products/airReceivers.aspx)
Use the little red arrows top and bottom of the list to scroll and find what you have, click on it and go explore.
I think that you will require an AR9000 Rx to have failsafe on all channels.
AR7000 user guide http://www.spektrumrc.com/ProdInfo/Files/SPMAR7000UserGuide.pdf (http://www.spektrumrc.com/ProdInfo/Files/SPMAR7000UserGuide.pdf)
AR9000 user guide http://www.spektrumrc.com/ProdInfo/Files/SPMAR9000.pdf (http://www.spektrumrc.com/ProdInfo/Files/SPMAR9000.pdf)
thanks Orca
It looks like the AR9000 is the one I should of gone for, I suppose on the bright side I only payed £43 on ebay for it, I'm shor it will come in handy, I suppose I better get an old 35mhz system, I use to have a 9 channel futaba but it died, all my old 35mhz stuff is 6 channel, more money and more research to fined a suitable tranny :+
regards Gordon
Hi
back when I used 35mhz kit, I remember getting attacked by other signals.
When flying 2 or 3 miles out, what are the chances of someone terning on a matching frequency. scary!
regards Gordon
Depends if you fly near rc clubs which you shouldnt, broadcasting on 1.2ghz would also effect your 2.4ghz you know ? 1.2ghz is the second harmonic of 2.4 so you will run into trouble pretty quick.
Failsafe with spektrum has always been their downfall. If you ust use 2.4ghz rc control use a FRSKY set, full failsafe control and full 2.4ghz band usage :)
thanks Coyote
never mined I'm going to look for a second hand 35mhz setup.
I'm looking at FUTABA FF7 T7UPS, FUTABA FF9 T9CP, or Futaba FP-T8UP.
I don't suppose that you no which ones are compatible to work the FY21AP II IMU Autopilot + OSD properly.
or do you have a recommendation so that I don't bye lodes of transmitters.
thanks Gordon
The futaba 7 or 9 will work fine. The 9 only supports 8 channels in ppm mode bear in mind.
Terrortroopers got a Futaba 7 for sale in classifieds thats a bargin ;)
Hi Coyote
thanks for the info, I don't no what Terrortroopers is.
thanks Gordon
Terrortrooper`s a member, Iain
Heres the transmitter ad :
Futaba 7 Sale (http://www.fpvuk.org/forum/index.php?topic=1483.0)
Quote from: g.collins on February 27, 2011, 01:17:56 AM
I have ordered a Spektrum AR7000 Rx before I discovered this potential problem, dose eny one know whether all the channels work with fail safe
Time to stop lurking....
An AR7000 with recent firmware can be set to failsafe on all channels, but it's not the default. To get it to do it -
Power up the AR7000 with the bind plug in.
Remove the bind plug.
Power up the transmitter in bind mode.
HTH
Steve
Hi Coyote
I don't no whether its because I'm a new member, but the link comes up as an error.
Thanks Gordon
Hi Steve
thanks for the info on the receiver I will give it a go, I will probably be looking for some 35mhz kit, apparently the 2.4gnz kit will affect my 1.2ghz video kit.
thanks again Gordon.
I am one of many people who use 1.280 GHz video, the only legal 1.2GHz channel in USA & Canada, with 2.4GHz RC with no ill effects. I have not pushed the range of my flying beyond 500m yet as that is about the limit of LOS where I fly surrounded by lots of trees and murky winter weather, yes we still have lots of snow here.
Hi Coyote
Its like starting all over again, I'm selling some 1/5 scale rc petrol cars on E-bay, to fund all the extra radio kit.
I have just won a FUTABA T9CP SUPER WITH THE CAMPac for £140 on E-bay.
now I'm looking at a Corona 8 Channel Receiver 35Mhz Dual Conversion, before I go ahead and get this, have you got any suggestions, or do you think this will be a good mach and run all the functions on the FY21AP II IMU Autopilot + OSD.
years ago, I only needed a strait 4 Chanel for my plans, the rest of the buttons were there to look like you were a professional on the field. :laugh:
thanks Gordon
The Corona will do as you ask but recently i have to say ive completely stopped recommending them, the last few ive had have been questionable in reliability and they have now swapped the chips inside them to inferior cheap copies to save on price ( would you believe !! )
Now, for a rock solid reliable rx i would only recommend proper futaba rx`s now
Well thats a bad move on there behalf thats for sure.
Quote from: Coyote on March 02, 2011, 05:54:22 PM
Now, for a rock solid reliable rx i would only recommend proper futaba rx`s now
Do you know anywhere you can buy them these days?
Everywhere, ebay etc. Just make sure its full range :)
I know know he log onto www.pegassusmodels.com.or.co.uk (http://www.pegassusmodels.com.or.co.uk) and look in the secondhand section quite a few there paul simples ..
Proper link paul http://www.pegasusmodels.co.uk/secondhand.asp (http://www.pegasusmodels.co.uk/secondhand.asp)
quote
Time to stop lurking....
An AR7000 with recent firmware can be set to failsafe on all channels, but it's not the default. To get it to do it -
Power up the AR7000 with the bind plug in.
Remove the bind plug.
Power up the transmitter in bind mode.
HTH
Steve
Hi Steve
I tried the setup for the AR7000 that you kindly explained and it worked perfectly.
top tip thanks Gordon
Quote from: mark1975 on March 02, 2011, 10:02:38 PM
Proper link paul http://www.pegasusmodels.co.uk/secondhand.asp (http://www.pegasusmodels.co.uk/secondhand.asp)
Thanks mark. Now I need to figure out what Futaba Rx's I got with my FF9 and if any are any good.
I think the only one I got that looks useable for FPV is a FP-R38DF Rx.
This looks good, but pricey.
http://www.pegasusmodels.co.uk/scdetail.asp?id=996734 (http://www.pegasusmodels.co.uk/scdetail.asp?id=996734)
Suppose I need to go find a list of Futaba Rx's to compare.
You don't have to use Futaba, you could use this Hi-tec Rx http://www.inwoodmodels.com/product_info.php?cPath=13_114_273&products_id=3529&osCsid=37af5e6d67a7d7a80c470e80e5448e00 (http://www.inwoodmodels.com/product_info.php?cPath=13_114_273&products_id=3529&osCsid=37af5e6d67a7d7a80c470e80e5448e00)
or this one that is synthesized and has failsafe on the servo o/p's http://sussex-model-centre.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=25593 (http://sussex-model-centre.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=25593)
You should be able to get a s/hand Futaba FP-R138DF for about £20 of the Bay.
Both good(IMO) ful range Rx's but not sure of their ultimate range(sensitivity).
Do not use a Futaba 149i DP PCM Rx as it is not full range.
Hi ORCA
I'm @ work waiting for my laser to finish, so I can go home, Iv been browsing the site seeing Watt shenanigans you gize, have been up to. and Getting some useful tips on setting up my Easy Star before I stick it together
The Hitec from SMC runs without crystals, sorry for my ignorance but will that binned with the futaba T9CP SUPER.
when I used 35mhz kit it all had crystals, I've been out of the loop for a bit.
talking of being out of the loop for a bit, when I lived in Cornwall, 12 years or so, I flew in a club out near Hayel way, near Hells Mouth cliffs,
I plan on tacking a trip down to see my family in the summer and If my FPV is up and running, I will be flying some cost Lin's.
I would like a heads up from the flying gize and girls down there, to see if there doing the same, and if there on this forum.
thanks Gordon
To be correct you dont 'bind' 35mHz gear(there is no 'GUID' being transmitted). The Hi-tec synth' 9 channel Rx seeks out your Tx frequency and locks on to it as part of the setup proceedure. I've got one of these and it works well for LOS flying - don't know about FPV(sensitivity-range) but with fail safe on all channels it could make a useful combo with a RTH/RTL unit.
GUID - Global Unique Identifier/Identity. A digital number of at least 16 bits, unique to each Tx. 2.4gHz is digital. 35mHz is basicaly an analogue transmission.
Hi Orca
thanks for the info, last night I bit the bullet and ordered a Dragon link system, I will connect that to my tranny, Hopefully it will stop me from worrying about going out of rang, I should loos video first, :o if so hopefully if I hit RTH fingers crossed I will get my plan back, this is a back up, not a plan. :laugh:
thanks Gordon