David...

I can assure you it is far easer to setup than a DX8i what I'm doing here is taking the design to the next level and for me replicating and adding my own sensors, can't do that with the big four propriety designs. Taranis is without doubt the best radio I've owned in my 35-years of model flying, because it is so flexible I can change it anyway I like and no more am I stuck with options from the manufacturer that don't quite meet my needs, it is truly a versatile Tx.

I realised when I insisted the range check that it displays RSSI data and at about 30m the low signal alarm went off, so with that distance and a factor of 30 quoted that gives me nearly a Km. I have now figured out how to perform a channel mix, which is not intuitive, but once done becomes easy, that said I don't really understand the offset value. Flew with the GPS V 2 module today, units are km100 for sped my typical speed was 0.44 or 44Km/ Hr. Height is in metres and distance appears to be distance from take-off point in 3d, so if I fly overhead it reads height.

Range Checking - how are you chaps doing that? I always do a quick range check before I fly after a gap off a few days, so I put the Taranis into range check mode, walked out 30M or so and everything worked fine, so on that basis I figured the range should be good. Does that sound right to you?

Hi BEB, thank you I've now successfully imported my settings, amended them and written them back, so easy to do. Yes I shall need to be disciplined on the backups and version control, I tend to use file names ccccmmdd-name-v01 so I'll use that format to help out. Im like a kid with a new toy, because I've never been able to do anything like this with my DX6i and DX8i.

Posted by Chris Bott - Moderator on 03/05/2014 11:36:19: Posted by David... on 03/05/2014 08:05:01: I can't quite see yet how to set a voice alarm for a given % or battery voltage! Hi David. For a voice alarm you need both a Custom Switch and a Custom Function. Set up the CS function as A<S and with the sensor selected and a value set. Set up the CF so that the switch is the CS, the function is Play Value and the Param is "batlow" or other suitable audio. Chris, many thanks, I've just been this setup and once you know how Thanks to you, it's easy and logical, but I would not have made the link to the CS to be honest, not from the documentation anyway. This is making this Taranis better as each days goes by. Ive been out flying this morning, worked like a dream. Once again thank you for your help.

I can see at least one of the big four offering an Open Tx, what's to stop them... So I can load OpenTx onto my Spektrum or Futaba or whatever.

Is it possible to set the radio up and then import that into the Companion? I there is a process issue in that the Companion overwrites the radio settings without having first imported or warning. I guess easily resolved by the community in the fullness of time.

Hi BEB, thanks for those additional ideas, I had not realised power used was an option and that it integrated the two (V and I),as you say that's a much better indicator of battery capacity than voltage. I can't quite see yet how to set a voice alarm for a given % or battery voltage! I'll have a go through the menus. if I had a criticism it is the manual needs much more input from the community to add in all the features. The GPS v2 module is a case in point, I can find little or no information as to what all the parameteres are, so I went through the taranis source code to see what the telemetery module was doing, that's how I figured out GAlt was GPS derived altitude, of course I should have figured that out as the other source of altimeter is that from the air pressure derived vario. Even the units are hard to determine, I will know today when I've flown it all. I'd like to know a bit more about the half-duplex S-Port but can't find any details of it, to add my own vario, which is odd as it's supposed to be an open system, still by the time I've purchased a Bosch BMP085 and an Arduino I will have spent more than buying a ready made unit! If that keeps Frsky in business then that's what I'll do. Its amazing that they are selling out as soon as they come into stock, so I watch with interest the current survey. Once someone has seen and experienced these radios, it seems hard to contemplate why anyone would purchase any other brand. David     Edited By David... on 03/05/2014 08:13:45

I fly electric, have been using a Spektrum Dx8i, but just received the Taranis and the difference for me is incredible, I think it's the best equipment I've owned now. In minutes had it programmed, although I should have read the manual for binding the X8R Rx! I've added the LiPo monitor to get minimum cell voltage and total pack voltage, I have a switch set that I can flip to get a voice announcement of voltage e.g. "12.1volts", I've just found it will tell me when the trims are back to zero, I like that and today I added the GPS V2 module, which takes about 45-secs to a 1-minute to lock, but then I get quite a few options: Alt for Altitude, -Alt for minimum Altitude, +Alt for Maximum Altitude, GAlt for GPS derived Altitude, I can get GPS time, heading, Vertical speed, Horizontal speed, the list goes on and all for £24. I have also got a switch for flight logging, so I can record my flight path and altitude, I can't wait until tomorrow to get out and try it all. The fact that I don't have to look at my screen anymore for flight duration and can check battery voltage anytime I like and I get a count down of flight time remaining is a big bonus for me and I shall probably never go back to Spektrum after this. By contrast a Spektrum Tm1000 module is £39 and all it gives me is voltage and temperature to the screen, plus I would have to add a GPS module at £60 or more, well actually I can't get all this in the current mainstream market for a cost for me so-far of ~£200 total. Spektrum has cost me ~£300 but no voice! I am glad to join you folks in this new revolution in Transmitters/Radio gear.

When you place a HK order have you noticed that they value the goods correctly (?) at their trade price not the retail, it makes a big difference to VAT thresholds...

The yellow ones are XT60 which are specified for 60-amps, yes there are XT90 variants which are much bigger and specified for 90-Amps. A they are a good design as the power connections are shielded all of the time and you can't mis-connect them. They seem to be emerging as a standard connector.

Temperature should be a consideration (expansion/contraction), was it in a cold place when you checked it, but a warm place when you filled it, that's the most likely reason for the change.

I think the 130amp unit is all you will ever need. For electric models you need to know peak Amps and ideally mA-Hr and it does all of that plus voltage so perfect is my assessment, but then for a few dollars more you get all those extra functions, so for $17 that's got to be worth it - decisions decisions

I know it might be obvious, but there are many folks buying stuff from HobbyKing then reselling on eBay at considerable mark-ups. I have long since stopped buying from them and now buy direct from HK; I have to wait, but don't mind/care.

**LINK** These devices are worth a look, I use one on my Quad-Copter, they send back a GPS location when you call/text them, so about 3M accuracy. They are quite small. Some are available with less functions, even cheaper. rechargeable battery lasts about 1-day, maybe a bit more. Needs a SIM Card PAYG with credit, enough to send a txt message. Some of them link a smart phone back to Google earth to show you exactly where the unit is. You can also get other GPS data off some, like speed and track details, so very versatile.

DJI Phantom is without doubt one of the best and most stable all weather quad-copters around. It uses the NAZA flight controller - have a look at one of those.

Well I was into aeromodelling big time when I was 16-18, then I got married and we had children, that saw a decline, then I had a mid-life crisis and started again at age 50, then stopped again because of work pressures, now at 58 I'm back again into full-time aero modelling with too many models to realistically fly in a week, so for me it has been in-phases and surveys like this don't catch this. All that said, my current general impression is most folk who fly around me are about the same age as depicted in the response demograph here...

This looks great, can't wait for it to arrive in the UK **LINK**

Somewhere in my stuff I have a Cox 2.5cc version, very powerful as I recall, I used it on a control line model. I wonder how rare it is?

Hi Allan, Thanks for the suggestion, I will give it a try, I know what you mean. The channel used should be OK because it controls the motor OK when the battery is charged, doing as you suggest will remove any channel influence. Tonight I'm also going to try another AR6210 Rx to see if the problems follows the Rx type and hopefully then pin-point it as a Rx problem and not the ESC after-all. I found the error beeps of another ESC and this sequence of beeps on that device would indicate lost of signal/brown-out, so that might be the case and indicates a receiver problem. I've had no response from JPerkins, I don't know what their customer service is like, but I expected at least an acknowledgement of my query. David

Update: I tried an AR500 RX, all works perfectly, at low volts all surfaces work as expected, no motor. No beeps, see later. Same result again (as AR500) this time with an AR600, no problems, operates as expected. Then the AR6210, it binds, ESC works, but then starts to emit 1 then 2 then 3 then 4 then 5 then two then 5 beeps in a rising tone very quickly, sounds like half an octave apart. Something like 800Hz, 1200Hz, 1800Hz, 2700Hz and 4050Hz, then the whole thing repeats again. Weird. Clearly a error beep for this ESC, but only when the AR6210 (which is new) is plugged in. Could be a faulty Rx, although I think unlikely. I'll give Perkins a call tomorrow and see what they say. David

Hi Allan, thanks for the response. make/model - unfortunately not, it's completely anonymous . I'm going to run some more trials now, different Rx, an AR600 and then different battery, I will post the outcome. I'm guessing it's a faulty BEC in the ESC as the ESC part works fine. As the AR6210 is new, it's just possible that is playing up too. David

I purchased a Sky Surfer to use for aerial videos (I’m an experienced flyer BTW) and have noticed a few problems with the ESC, this is what I have found: 1. My Spektrum AR6210 will not bind with the TX when powered from the supplied ESC, I have to bind it in another model. That seems odd. It is giving out the correct voltage when measured by my DVM. 2. Today I did a ground test (first decent day of weather) and the model performed well until the battery went flat, well enough to lose motor drive, when I expected the Rx to continue to work, it didn’t and I lost control of it, hence the need for a ground test before a flight. I measured the battery voltage and it was 9.95 volts, the battery was fairly cool. I admit the battery should not get so low as to lose the motor, but that can happen and in the hands of a beginner it would be sad that they would almost certainly crash in this event. BTW there is nothing in the manual about this problem. has anyone seen anything like this before? It seems to me the ESC performance or specification is not fit for purpose. I have four other speed controllers and they work find with the same battery. I expect a margin of 5.15Volts (9.95 – 4.8 volts) to be more than enough margin for safety and reliability and the noise output of the ESC should be much lower enabling a Rx like the AR6210 to bind OK. Not impressed so-far, any help or ideas welcome. David