! No longer available (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUbJtvup5jg#)
So it went into failsafe at 20 yards (!) out and correctly levelled out in PA mode since this was the first flight.
I was pushing full left to try and get it back .. . when it glitched back into control the plane rolled as commanded. Unfortunately it then lost the link again but the plane was banked too hard for the Cyclops Tornado to correct it (the stupid "shaking" symbol) , so it hit the deck... looks like it just started recovering as it hit the mud so the wing was unscathed.
Boo! Combination of pilot error and (primarily) control link failure methinks. If I had of turned the Tx off PA mode would have landed it with 0 throttle .. d'oh.
No real damage except for some missing foam from under the front canopy and a loss of confidence in the UHF link lol
Sorry to hear about your crash. But
1) did you check the noise floor with the spectrum analyser function in the RX?
2) What antennas are you using on the Tx and Rx?
3) Is this a JR module? And are you running the latest firmware?
1) yea I did but wasn't entirely sure what I was looking for tbh
2) this was a mag mount antenna, wish I'd tested it on the diamond first
3) Yes, JR module - not sure on firmware, will have to check.
This is what I would do...
1st, on the sander style antenna, unscrew the dust cap and make sure the wire is actually soldered to the centre pin... unfortunately in the past, some have been poorly made. (my own home made ones perform better than the stock antenna... and can be tuned for 440MHz which is the centre frequency for extreme hopping)
if the sander style antenna is ok...
2nd, Download the latest ImmersionRC Tools. http://www.immersionrc.com/?download=4894 (http://www.immersionrc.com/?download=4894)
Reflash both the JR Module and the RX with the latest firmware. http://www.immersionrc.com/?download=4902 (http://www.immersionrc.com/?download=4902)
Set them both up for extreme hopping.
Set them both up for "Traditional EzUHF Transmission" (you'll see what I mean in the latest IRCTools)
Rebind the RX to the JR Module.
Carry out a range test with the Diamond Antenna on your TX and stock sander style monopole on your RX.
Repeat range test with Mag Mount Antenna on your TX and stock sander style monopole on your RX.
This will only tell you if there's a problem with your mag mount antenna, it wont highlight any "noise" issues but at that distance I find it hard to believe that a "noisy" component on your MT would cause EzUHF to failsafe.
Wish I lived closer, 2 heads are normally better than one and we could help each other out with different stuff. When I lived down in Wiltshire I was the only FPVer for miles and it sucked.
Okay done all that (apart from the range checks).
Bear in mind I'm in the house with WiFi routers and everything else associated with "Home" but this doesn't look right to me:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cxp9r2KW8AAVhk4.jpg:large)
The servos were glitching a little as well. Just a little, but it was definitely happening.
Both Tx and Rx are on 1.50 (6) firmware, 430-450MHz Extreme Hopping, Traditional PPM - PPM Failsafe.
Any ideas?
This is with the Diamond antenna attached btw. I expected to see a spike on 433 or something though. (Or is this due to the extreme hopping)
- EzUHF n00b :)
Run the motor up with prop on to load it....watch the scan....expand the band a bit from say 400 to 475mhz so you can see all of it...
Compare motor on with motor off.....
:vulture:
Can't run the motor up in the house, little ones asleep heh.
Some screens:
All powered down apart from the Rx:
(https://s17.postimg.org/a7vmitwtn/EUHFonly_Receiver.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/a7vmitwtn/)
Plane powered up including FPV gear
(https://s17.postimg.org/9z2n6n9ez/ezuhfpoweredup.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/9z2n6n9ez/)
GOPro turned on with plane powered up
(https://s17.postimg.org/cufqdidez/ezuhfpoweredupwithgopro.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/cufqdidez/)
Transmitter turned on Low Power Mode
(https://s17.postimg.org/aak3jepuz/ezuhflo.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/aak3jepuz/)
Transmitter turned on High Power Mode
(https://s17.postimg.org/z2f4cwhnv/ezuhfhi.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/z2f4cwhnv/)
(Also it made my laptop go into standby mode heh).
That's really weird actually ... how come it was so RF crazy beforehand? I'm sat in the same seat...
Quote from: Steve W on November 19, 2016, 11:29:58 PM
That's really weird actually ... how come it was so RF crazy beforehand? I'm sat in the same seat...
Because you have increased the range of the dbm....by a lot...lol.
:vulture:
:laugh:
Nah but if you look at it, the peaks are different by a fair chunk
You need from 0 to -140 dbm vertical range on the Scanner......leave it Scanning during the test would be better I think...so you can watch for changes..?
:vulture:
I miss my FrSky :(
The peaks are still as before, they look wildly different because of the range....or to put it another way, you are now "zoomed out"
:vulture:
I love my EZUHF....4kms on Lo TX power....:)
:vulture:
Steve....if you go on xjets channel...Im pretty sure he covered the Spectrum Analyser in his Clip....Its really bad of Immersion to not have Topic help files inside their tools gui...Unbelievable really..:(
:vulture:
will have a look. Might do it the old fashioned way tomorrow ... have a nice little drive across the field to check I have at least 1km range lol
Quote from: Steve W on November 20, 2016, 12:03:54 AM
will have a look. Might do it the old fashioned way tomorrow ... have a nice little drive across the field to check I have at least 1km range lol
Good idea...with the Diamond 771 on m8....:)
:vulture:
If you programme the EZ reciever to cppm (muxed)....the Tornado (and Storm) can handle this, it would be pretty easy to place your RX out on the wing.....Away from your ESC and its cables...both a potential noise source...
:vulture:
Hi Steve,
Sorry about the crash... it looks very much like the problem I've had with my ezuhf setup, which I imagine is pretty similar to yours.
I don't know if you saw my vid.... I lost signal at about 100m, luckily the plane came down undamaged.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBqI53R8oww (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBqI53R8oww)
I swapped rx's and also tx antennas, ground tested but had the same problem, range about 100m. I wondered whether the JR module was damaged as I'd run it without noticing the antenna was off for a couple of minutes not long after I got it. I sent the module to Dave at the UK immersion rc repair centre who checked it out and said power output was fine and there were no problems ( Briliant service from Dave by the way, no charge, even for the return registered post) .
Now, this is where I may have been a bit thick. Although I'd tried two different antennas on the JR module and two different RX's, thinking back I don't think I tried swapping rx antennas, I think I tested on the same antenna. I haven't had chance to get out to the flying field to try a different Antenna yet but Dave at Immersion said " we have seen some issues where the thread is too long and the antenna tightens up onto the nut instead of screwing all the way down. "
Having read good things about bignose13's dipole antennas, I'm having a couple made up and Simon like Blueflyer, said the quality of some Rx antennas is poor, with poor or worse soldering and can be the cause of these problems. I was using a sander whip antenna from banggood on the RX. I can't pry the cover of the back to check as BF suggested but have tried !
I'm Running 1.53 and extreme hopping
I hope you track down the problem, I'll let you know if I solve mine.
Regards
Mark
Think I'm gonna listen to Omegooliebird on RCGroups and get the Rx away from the ESC and out onto the wing. Even if it doesn't matter about the ESC, I'd like a dipole on there anyway and it'd be much easier to do in the wing than where it is now.
Can't see it doing any harm in any case.
Certainly won't do any harm, but I'm not convinced that's the cause of this problem.
ESC noise wouldn't cause a drop out at that distance in my experience.
But you're right about the dipole, the wing's the best place for your EzUHF RX if you want a dipole.
Well. Seems to me then that this deserves at least a range check on the Diamond "as it is" before I start cutting more foam.
Perhaps it was just a really crap antenna.
Unfortunately Steve, your crash highlights a classic assumption that UHF = plug and play, sadly this isn't the case. The up side is that others will hopefully learn from this post.
Getting your Rx away from other components will help loads. Lots of other kit seem to create noise on the UHF band.
The spectrum analyser function is really good for helping with this, but you always do the tests with the UHF TX off!
I'd also update the firmware to 1.53, the changelog of 1.52 mentions a problem with binding poorly. This can lead to poor range.
And as mentioned above, switch both your Rx and Tx to extreme hopping.
I'm sure you'll get to the bottom of it, just a shame it caused a crash.
Interesting point about the Sanders and their bad fitting SMA connector....I dont think mine has a screw in cover either..?....That said, a simple continuity test on the active element should be easy enough....
I must admit to dumping the Sanders entirely and using home made Dipoles with 200mm of coax on them....with Dipoles mounted out on the wing.....Made two now, and they just seem to work.
Separation is a good thing, and wing mounted Dipoles are not difficult....I just buy pigtails off E-Bay and make them.
I agree with Brucey totally on this, and Steve, Im using firmware version 1.5 (6) on 3 recievers now without problem.
:vulture:
Well I'm afraid to admit I've bottled sorting this out and I've put my FrSky gear back on the Mini Talon.
Why? Well, I planned the layout based on 2.4GHz and it was working perfectly - if I make another plane I'll be able to separate everything out properly for EzUHF. In the meantime I have a system that works adequately for my needs, although I'm still going to have to have a think about how to fly out of the car this winter. Perhaps having the antenna at the glass window will be enough since it's RF transparent. We shall see.
Additionally, I have no experience with UHF and don't want to risk screwing what is a really nice plane any more. It's not like I'm desperate for the range given how I fly, the FrSky gear is more than adequate.
The FrSky gear also has telemetry to tell me that I'm going out of range which I like in the absence of RSSI on the OSD.
So all in all, UHF is not for me at the moment but I'll build it into my next plane (whatever that is!)
The good news is the MT is ready go again, all patched up :)
Bad news is I don't get to have a cool, wiggly antenna on my tx :(
:laugh:
Put the UHF gear on your skywalker and fly it LOS to troubleshoot your UHF issues, just as an ongoing project or something
If you have a second rx you could use that to do the scanning whilst you have your TX and plane rx switched on.
Just a thought.
Quote from: BlueFlyer on November 20, 2016, 04:35:06 PM
Put the UHF gear on your skywalker and fly it LOS to troubleshoot your UHF issues, just as an ongoing project or something
No chance, my Skywalker is set up perfectly (also on FrSky + Cyclops Tornado) :)
I do have an "old" Bixler though.
Ah, that's what I meant... I thought you'd stripped the walker to build the mini talon
Hi Steve
Just read the post with interest and sorry to see your having issues. As you know I have a EzUHF
Tx and two receivers. Have flown 2 aircraft with it fitted without issue and all the electrics really
just thrown in. All the stuff is in the fuselage's and have paid no attention to separating it. I haven't
had any issues (but probably will now!) I know it doesn't help you but just wanted to give you a bit
more info to mull over. The Diversity Rx's have the stock antenna's fitted and the Tx has a Diamond
SRH 771 on it.
Martin.