Cockpit SX programming

[John Sheehy]

Hello all,

I've started flying FPV and I want to be able to change my rudder control (mode 2) over to panning my camera with a switch. Panning is currently operated with channel 5 through the flap slider.

I figure I will only be panning when things are quiet and the advantage of using the rudder control is the spring loaded effect. When I release the stick the view will return to forward view.

I'm working on it now but can't see daylight at present. I'm looking at mixers with the idea of mixing them with zero % on pan and 100% rudder as normal setting, and the reverse when mix is on. I can't seem to select zero % on the master, or source, control.

Any ideas anyone?

John.

[PatMc]

John, I'm a bit puzzled here. Channel 5 is normally assigned to right aileron, flaps to channels 6&7.

Does your model have ailerons? If so what channel(s) are you using for them & for rudder ?

[John Sheehy]

I'm using channel 1 for ailerons and channel 3 for rudder.

I went to the MPX site and updated my (Cockpit SX)Tx software to 1.6 from 1 and now in easy mode I can use channel 5 for any function. Also with the update I can now save my setups on my computer and move them between the computer and the TX at will. You need a 'USB to Tx' lead which is about £30 but it's worth it for the setup library facility alone.

Back to my problem, I saw on Youtube someone did it with a Spektrum DX6i by setting it up in heli mode, something about which I know nothing. I can't use my DX6i as it's 2.4Ghz and that's my FPV frequency.

I currently use channel 5 and 6 for camera pan/tilt.

John.

[Frank Skilbeck]

On the Cockpit, setting 0 in the mixer is effectivelly off, the master control is always the stick, maybe you could try this

Mix 1- Switch On - Rudder to Slider ( channel 5) - 100%

Mix 2 - Switch on - Rudder to Rudder - 1% (That way you only get a very small rudder movement)

Using the same switch to activate both the above mixers, other alternative would be to have rudder dual rate set to 0% so when you switch to pan mode you have no rudder.

[John Sheehy]

Thanks Frank,

Interesting thoughts and you pointed me in the right direction.

Prolems with your ideas are;

1. there is only one mix allowed in easy mode which is the only mode allowing channel 5 to be used for other functions.

2. Dual rates only allow you to go down to 25%.

However, your ideas got me thinking and what I've done is made channel 3 the panning control and channel 5 (left slider) the rudder. I set up a mix so I can use rudder normally when mixed and the camera pans as I apply rudder. Once in the air I switch off mix and the stick just controls the pan. I can adjust the rudder trim using channel 5 (slider).

Many thanks Frank, you set me on the path to success.

John.

[Frank Skilbeck]

Ah, I'd forgotten that reassigning channel 5 only works in Easy mode. Glad you got it sorted though.

[IAIN KENWORTHY-NEALE]

Hello John,

I have bought a Cockpitt SX with telemetry. I also bought an Eaststar RR as I didn't wish to crash the Junior 60 electric that I have built. It has been 35 years plus since I flew an RC plane. Things seem to have changed.

I have bought the USB lead to download the easystar into the transmitter memory but I am dammed if I can work out how to do this.

The multiples software seems very old fashioned and un-user friendly as does the web site.

I will be doing my prgramming on my Dell laptop which currently runs Windows 7 32bit as an opperating system though I have the 64 bit Pro version waiting to install.

I downloaded MPX Radiomaster 2.0 and the USB drivers from the Multiplex website. Installed both.

I plugged the USB cable into the transmitter and the display shows PUPILU.

When starting MPX radio master I just seem to get the choice of 4 Com ports with no USB option and so the transmitter is not recognised.

Any pointers as to the version of the MPX software and the USB driver you are using and how to get it to work?

Also where on the Multiplex site do I find the Quick Start Eaststar software?

PS the USB transmitter cable is the genuine Multiplex article with the usual non explicit instructions and not the flight sim version. Oh and the tranny and receiver do work in basic mode with the plane though understand the binding instructions needed 3 reads.

Thanks,

Iain

[John Sheehy]

Hi Iain,

I'm using the 35mg Tx but I think the same applies. I downloaded the MPX launcher and the USB driver. It's been a while since I installed this program but I seem to recall the port only option. Try port one first (and then the others if necessary). I've just checked and I'm using port three. I do recall ready made setups for various planes but can't remember where I saw them. I normally set up my planes and when I connect, using the launcher I can upload them to my computer or download previously uploaded setups (you probably know this but I include this just for clarity)

I've just connected my TX using MPX launcher and the setup for MPX E-Star is in the list, so,

install MPX launcher,

try all ports with the TX switched on and you'll find the settings for easystar are already there.

Sorry this is a bit fragmented but I have a very bad memory.

I believe the radiomaster program is for a different TX, the MM series.

This is the site where I got the MPX launcher;

http://www.multiplex-rc.de/en/service/downloads/software.html

This is a helpful site;

http://www.rc-soar.com/multiplex/cockpitsx/index.htm

I hope this helps. The Cockpit SX is a great TX and I wish you good luck with your flying.

John.

[IAIN KENWORTHY-NEALE]

Thanks for that John,

I have the driver from silicon labs that acts as a com port emulator. There are only 2 on the Multiplex web site. One for Win 2000 and the other for Vista and allegedly for Win 7. when I install it it my PC rejects it as it isnt digitaly signed. I have a bog standard Win 7 set up so i am surprised it is being fussy.

I have found the correct version of MPX but because the USB port is not emulating a COM port it cant find my Tranny. When I went into it in Control panel I discovered that it is (well would be if it installed it properly) spoofing COM3.

I am amazed that Multiplex are using a piece of software that needs to spoof a COM port in 2012 and aslo that if they are that haven't got a version that WIN7 won't install properly.

Silicon labs have a newer VCP driver for WIN 7 but the MPX launcher doesn't recognise it.

I chose the the Multiplex combo of trainer and Radio as I thought it would have been an easy way back into a hobby I left some 35 years ago. I am somewhat disappointed that Europe's challenge to the far east falls down with yesterday software solutions. Yet aadverts just gloss over these issues.

[Frank Skilbeck]

Iain sorry to hear abiut your software issues, I'm using Multiplex Launcher under windows XP and it works fine with me recievers and telemetry sensors but I don't have the Tx cable.

But the Easy Star is real easy to set up on a Cockpit Sx (especially if you are just using rudder and elevator) that downloading the settings is a bit of a luxury, and the Easy Star is such a nice flier that it's not that critical on the settings.

If you have any difficulty with the programming and set up just post on here and you should get a response pretty quick.

[IAIN KENWORTHY-NEALE]

Hi Frank,

MPX launcher works well under Win7 and indeed win7 is mentioned in the options on the multiplex site.

The problem is with the com port emulator. Win 7 doesn't appear to be an option. You and John both have it working under Win XP.

Does anybody know of a USB com port emulator that will work with MPX Launcher and Win 7?

You are right though I have the easy star set up under EASY mode. Even managed to reverse a servo and wuss out the dual rates. Getting the aerrolons to function as either flaps or air brakes whilst still working as flaps would be fun though.

[Frank Skilbeck]

Hi Iain, the Easy Star doesn't really need flaps or spoilers (airbrakes), if it's properly trimmed it will just about land itself, but if you wanted to set them up then follow the instructions in section 13.8.3. I'd just set up spoilers, down aileron (flapperons) won't really help at all.

One thing with the Easy Star is that the rudder is more effective than the ailerons, so it's worth going into the combi menu and dialing in a bit of aileron - rudder mix (say 50%), section 13.8.1, this works on the combi switch so you can switch it in and out in flight.

Also with regards to your Win 7 problem, go onto the Multiplex website and send them a technical query with your problem, you probably won't get an answer back over the easter holidays but they were pretty prompt at responding to a couple of queries I had.

[Frank Skilbeck]

PS these modern radios are great though, my avatar is my old (25 year) Pat Trakle HP18, I originally had that on a my Digifleet PCM set and to set up crow for landing was something like, move slider for up ailerons, pull back throttle stick for flaps down and adjust the elevator trim to retrim in some elevator compensation, miss the landing and I had to reverse all this. On the Cockpit I just set up mode 6 in Glider programming and crow is all on the throttle stick along with automatic elevator compensation and it's much easier to modulate crow on the landing approach.

[John Sheehy]

I read somewhere that you can have the top half of the left verticle stick (throttle in mode 2) operating the throttle while the lower half operates crow braking. Does anyone know how I can do this?

I imagine there would have to be a dead zone in the middle so both could be switched off for gliding.

I should have said it's for a glider with 4 servo wings and using a Cockpit SX.