Sanwa RD6000 Super Conversion to Frsky 2.4GHz

[Kevin Fairgrieve]

Not sure if this is the correct section for this, but would anyone be interested in the blow by blow on how top convert this.

Using one of these.

Into one of these?

What I don't want to do is to start a debate about whether it is legal, and will invalidate my BMFA insurance etc etc.
Just a blow by blow of how I do it. This will be my third conversion. I seem to attract the Sanwa`s for some reason. I used an RD6000 Super until I converted to Spektrum (no debate about that please). The two previous conversions have been one Corona and one Frsky. I did toy with the idea of doing this one with the two way hack, but decided against it.

I have started the conversion today and will finish it tomorrow. Lots of pictures to take so it is taking me a lot longer than normal.

I am also posting the "how to" to severall different Forum`s so you may see the same elswhere.

 

Kev

[Kevin Fairgrieve]

OK then.
First things first remove the telescopic 35MHz aerial by unscrewing it.
Then remove the 6 screws from the back case.

Once done carefully remove the back and fold it over to the left (when looked at from the back). Be carefull at this point as the trainer socket is on a short length of wire.

Remove the two screws holding the trainer socket in place so that the back case is completely free.

At this point you need to decide how and where to locate the bind button/LED assembly and the main 2.4GHz unit.
As this is to be a pure 2.4GHz conversion removing any need for the telescopic aerial, I removed the plastic guides moulded into the back case. This gives me the option of mounting the main unit at either the top or the bottom.

Also at this point I have drilled two holes in the back case, well out of the way of fingers to press accidentally, for the bind butten/LED assembly.

Next thing to do is to decide the aerial position. In this case it was a simple decision. Use the existing hole. This needs a little work to increase the diameter of the exit to accommodate the 2,4GHz aerial connector. Remove a little at a time and trial fit until a snug fit is obtained.

Insert the aerial connector and attach the nut to the top and tighten gently.

More to follow.

Kev

[Andrew767]

Great work Kev...i have a Futaba 6EXA converted using this module....nice to see another brand been done though and Sanwa TXs are so cheap on fleabay.

 

Andrew

[Kevin Fairgrieve]

So once the frost had gone off the shed roof off I went to finish the task.

Aerial fitted snug and tightened up.

View from behind.

The next job is to affix the hack unit to the back case. I chose to use super sticky foam pads as I have done on my previous conversions with no problems.

Now it is time to fit the bind button/led unit to the back cover. Carefully measure and drill holes to accommodate the fixing screws.

Secure the unit. Not to tight as the pcb will flex and break if to much pressure is applied. I have also taken the precaution of thread locking the nuts and as a final measure sealed them with hot melt glue (not shown because it looks messy ).

More to follow soon.

Kev

[Kevin Fairgrieve]

And so on to the last bits.

You need to identify where the - + and PPM signals come from.

In the case of the Sanwa RD6000 Super they are here. Some people use the trainer port or other locations. These are what I have found work for me on this particular TX.

They will of course be different for each type of TX.
Some usefull resources are here.

Trainer port connections

Now the only bit that requires any skill at all is to solder the three connections as carefully as possible.

Once you are done check and double check your soldering, and then check again.

Reassemble the TX using the reverse of the disassembly. Pay attention to the way the cables are routed internally so as not to trap any or cause them to foul on the stick gimbals.

Plug in the battery, switch on and pray that no magic smoke appears.
All being well you should see something like this. (TX dependant of course)

Check the bind butten/LED to ensure that all is good.

Red LED normal power.

Green LED low power range check mode.

Hook up your receiver bind and test.

Fit it into a model do a range check and go fly.

As stated before this is how I do it. You may have other methods. Whatever you do do it safely and carefully.

 

Why only a seven channel RX? The Sanwa is only a six channel TX so no need to buy a more expensive eight channel one.

Maybe I just put a little of the "E" back into RCM&E

A short video will follow on youtube soon.

Kev

[Kevin Fairgrieve]

Once the video is avaliable it will appear here.

 

 

Kev

[Trevor Crook]

Kevin

Excellent guide. I don't fly Sanwa, but I race cars with a Sanwa Gemini Tx, and as crystals are nearly impossible to get I've thought of this conversion, so I looked inside the Tx. From memory, the layout is very similar to the one you've shown, but there's no trainer socket. I'll do a closer comparison soon.

[YakMad]

Trevor,

You only need to identify the PPM output and a positive and negative power source for the FrSky hack module, I use a Crystal Earpiece (as recommended by someone on this forum and on the GC forum), Maplins sell them. Just touch the tip of the jack to each connection/solder joint on the tx board working back from the aerial until you hear a faint pulsing sound, solder the PPM conection from the module to this. I have converted several radio's including 4 Futaba FF7's and 3 old 27 mhz Car type steering wheel radios, all successfully operate on 2.4 now.

[Hamish]

As a result of your initial posting I converted my RD6000 and with your info it was very easy to do. I had previous issues with this Tx due to my errors and would not use it for aircraft. I now use it on model cars

I have subsequently converted two Futaba Txs a 6 & 7 chanel with no problems and am now going to change the 7ch to have telemetry.

Thanks for your initial posting

[Engine Doctor]

Converting the Sanwa tx's to 2.4 with Frsky's module is probably the best thing that can be done with them, making them a safe Tx to use. We have banned the use of Sanwa Tx's on 35 meg at our club due to a couple of Sanwa tx's transmitting dirty signals effecting two or three channels either side of the supposed frequency. Fr-Sky gear is IMHO brilliant , reliable ,simple to use and affordable unlike the big names .I have converted quite a few Tx's using the hack module and all perform faultlessly . Excellent pictorial blog on "how to "convert.

[Trevor Crook]

Yakmad

That's a handy tip, although I've got an oscilloscope tucked away for such things, fortunately. I'm hoping the board in the Gemini is the same as in the RD6000 so the encoder output is easy to find from the pictures above. I think it uses the same case moulding, just with a moulded blank where the trainer socket would be.

Engine Doctor

Interesting comment on 35MHz Tx issues. The Gemini on 40MHz has never caused any problems during racing - I know the environment is different, but you do get the receivers passing very close under other transmitters. Most of the guys have moved to 2.4 now, though, and I'm thinking of joining them, if only to avoid waving 3 feet of aerial in front of their faces!

[Trevor Crook]

Woo Hoo! Just checked the board in my Sanwa Gemini and the artwork looks the same as in Kevin's photos. Obviously I'll double check with a scope, but it looks like this excellent guide can also be applied to my car tranny too. Must get around to it soon.

[Kevin Fairgrieve]

Well its taken some time but the latest conversion took to the sky today.

Ranged checked to 90 paces, in two seperate models. Both free RCME plan builds as it happens.

Mini Jazz

Kestrel

[Biggestgerbil]

I have been using FrSky for about 14 months without incident, no "brown outs, glitches or interference". I have telemetry modules in a JR 3810ADT, a Futaba 9ZAP, a hack module in a 6 Channel Futaba Challenger (on mode one for anyone who wants to learn mode 1) and the most recent conversion is a hack module in a 5 channel Futaba FG (gold case) AM radio. I have made wireless training systems using FrSky for both my JR and Futaba systems and an totally happy with FrSky in general. My only comment is this, it's not why are FrSky so cheap, it's why are Futaba, JR, Multiplex receivers so expensive. You are being screwed, brothers and sisters, by the "big" names. I have used JR for years went to Multiplex, briefly, then back to JR. I think Multiplex get the prize for overcharging, although it is good kit. I recently bought a Futaba 9ZAP WC1 on e-Bay and am totally knocked over with the mixes and control assignment availible. I see someone uses the "peace of mind" reason for buying expensive kit. I used Spektrum DSM2 module and Rx's (with the 3810ADT) when I first went to 2.4. Never again; put me off Spektrum for life. It's not the 3810, works fine on 35meg and with FrSky module.

Again, not wishing to fuel the "is it legal" arguement, but it is "legal" The BMFA don't care if you control your model with a devining rod as long as "The Pilot Has Satisfied Him/Herself That The Flight Can Safely Be Made" If you kill your clubmates (who has'nt wanted to) then YOU have to explain what went wrong.

[Biggestgerbil]

Oh! If you want to see for yourselvs, go here...

http://shropshireflying.wordpress.com/

Lots of stuff on my blog about FrSky.

BG

Edited By Biggestgerbil on 07/06/2012 21:56:02

[Martyn K]

I did a similar conversion on a Futaba 6EXA.

One thing you need to be VERY careful about though.

The SMA socket supplied with the FrSky Hack module is barely long enough to get through the plastic case and leave enough threads for the aerial to connect properly. The result is that the aerial centre pin does not seat in the SMA socket correctly. There is a certain amount of capacitive coupling between the pin and the socket so you end up with about 50% range. A low power check may appear to work effectively.

My solution was to remove the lock washer between the nut and the Tx body and also file down the aerial screw by a couple of mm. With the aerial screwed in place, there should be a 1/2 thread gap showing between the end of the aerial and the nut locating the SMA socket.

I notice that in the photos, there isn't!

Good Luck..

Martyn

[Martyn K]

Posted by Biggestgerbil on 07/06/2012 21:52:43:

Again, not wishing to fuel the "is it legal" arguement, but it is "legal" The BMFA don't care if you control your model with a devining rod as long as "The Pilot Has Satisfied Him/Herself That The Flight Can Safely Be Made" If you kill your clubmates (who has'nt wanted to) then YOU have to explain what went wrong.

A VERY good question.

My understanding (from experience) is that CE marking refers to a full system test. i.e. a CE marked R/C system will comprise of a Transmitter, Receiver, power packs etc (and possibly a range of servos as well) and the conformance statement will refer to the entire system as submitted for testing. If you change any individual component, then the CE conformance certificate is no longer valid and you are essentially 'on your own'.

If you are involved in an incident using a hybrid system, then it will be up to you, not the manufacturer to prove that the components selected were suitable for the task.

Mitigating circumstances would be the number of people using similar setups (peer reviews volume sales etc). I would suggest that providing you made a competent decision (allowing for loading, velocity, mass, personal skill level etc) you are on much safer ground that scratch building a Tx or Rx where you would probably have to demonstrate much higher levels of personal competence.

Regards

Martyn

[Biggestgerbil]

@Martyn, you can scratch build your own R/C equipment and legally fly it without CE compliance, all legal and proper. It's when you try to sell what you have made, even a one off, that the problem arises, THEN you require compliance. In all honesty, it's the pilot at the end of the laystrate or on the sticks that is mostly the problem. I agree with most of what you say, and you make some valid points. However, how many pilots do you know who fly with the original box set that they buy? We all use mix & match. Personally I use either my 9ZAP (over 20 years old) or my JR 3810 ADT ( has whiskers) with FrSky 2.4 modules, FrSky Rx and a mixture of Hi-Tec and JR servos and Vapextec "Instant" Tx and flight packs. Damn, Iv'e forgotten the point I was going to make.

Regards

Ioan

[Martyn K]

Hi Ioan

Yep - fully agreed. The point I am making is that the installation of hack modules may not always be as straightforward as they appear and if you make a mistake, you can not rely on a manufacturer to bail you out. This fact applies whether you are totally re-engineering the RF modules or perhaps simply placing a 3rd party servo somewhere in the system.

My problem with the antenna connection almost cost me a model on it's maiden flight - it was something I should have checked (both as an amateur and a professional engineer) but I didn't, I simply assumed that the connection would be good.

I agree almost with your point about building home brewed stuff, you can sell it, but not as a commercial venture. I am not sure what the boundary is (in quantity - if there is one), but I think the point is whether you make an income/profit from the sale of such equipment. (There is also a development exemption that can be invoked, but this really starting to fudge some of the requirements). You can self certify CE approval, but my view is that anything that has electronic components needs certifying properly as they will have spurious emissions.

I think we are both in broad agreement, these FrSky modules are extremely good value and providing they are properly installation engineered then they will (or should) provide good service. However, if you are using one (or any other hybrrid system) then a coroner/accident invesigator may well start to ask some very difficult questions. I suspect that ignorance will not be an acceptable response.

Regards

Martyn

[Metalman]

I keep thinking about converting to 2.4GHz but I'm put off by the cost of Rx's because I have loads of models each of which flies rarely. I use a 35MHz Sanwa RD 6000 with receivers assembled from Micron kits. The Rx's are years old but perform faultlessly. I was interested in the comment concerning banning Sanwa Tx's because I had a problem a few months ago with it transmitting on an adjacent frequency. I took the Xtal out, cleaned the contacts and replaced it; it was still transmitting on two frequencies. I changed the Xtal for a new one on the same frequency and all was OK. As an experiment I then tried the old Xtal in a very old Sanwa Conquest Tx and that was OK. I put it back in the RD 6000 and again it appeared to be OK.

It would be very odd if a large manufacturer had an inherent problem but I am beginning to wonder. Maybe I'll be going down the FrSky route soon................

[stu knowles]

While there's nothing wrong with FRsky, why are you considering the change at all??

There was never anything wrong with 35 meg and now that the number of users had diminished, it's even better!! Apart from those who fly at public events, I personally don't see any need to change.

stu k

[Metalman]

Stu,

I quite agree about 35MHz. It's mainly the issue of transmitting on adjacent frequencies which had set me thinking. I heard from another modeller that their club had banned a Sanwa transmitter for the same fault. I still find it hard to believe they have an inherent problem, they are just too big a manufacturer. Significantly, I'm still on 35 MHz and I suspect I'll remain on it unless and until I get another problem.