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Futaba T14SG chat


Simon Chambers
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So far I have had no problem with the supplied 14SG instruction manual, dialing in multiple mixes, like servo slows on butterfly etc, easy peasy. I have a 10C set which is much the same.

However a problem arose when I decided to check on the book you are talking about, to see if I had missed anything.

My problem is, I can't find out how to download the Kindle app to my PC. All I get is a list of my buying history with Amazon marketplace.

embarrassed

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Have a look at Keith Emerson's post above Tom. Well done if you have no complaints about the 14SG manual. Mind you if you have the 10C and the functions are similar maybe your earlier experience with this has stood you in good stead, Like many people, it took me some considerable time to get to grips with the '14' manual and I'm not sure that I've mastered 100% yet....

Edited By Barrie Dav 2 on 18/05/2013 14:52:44

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  • 4 weeks later...

Thanks for all this useful info, chaps.

I have now been using my tx for a few months, and I am really growing to like it.

The shape and feel and balance are excellent, I no longer need to use a tray, the neck strap balance is so good.

The feeling of confidence it gives me, the radio link seems rock solid compared to my other leading brand 2.4 Mhz, I think a bulk purchase of Futaba RX is in the offing!

After a bit of use the programming becomes easier, I managed flaps and an elevator mix quite easily.

I used it as a buddy master with an older type futaba, no problems at all. (Buddy lead with voltage regulator "lump"

The aspect which I find tricky is the failsafe. It is so easy to get it wrong, or forget to set it up for a new model. It needs to become part of my preflight ritual to check this. Last night it took me about ten minutes to persuade it to work for a newly inputted model, and I am still not quite sure how I got it to work. It looks like I need to buy that manual!

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  • 2 months later...

I have made a few amendments to my e-book, “Futaba 14SG – Programming for Fixed Wing Aircraft”. There is also an additional appendix and brief notes relating to the software changes introduced by Futaba’s V 2.0 upgrade.

If you have bought the book in the last three weeks you should already have the latest version. You can check this by going to the Info section (System Menu) to check that it says, “These notes are based on version 2.00 released in August, 2013”.

If you bought the book prior to this, Amazon have now made the latest version available to you as a free update. Go to Manage My Kindle (via Tools if you are using a PC or phone App) and follow the instructions for updates. If you have added notes, highlights or bookmarks you need to make sure that “Annotation Back Up” is turned on or you will lose them.

Sorry I can’t give detailed instructions but there are so many different platforms on which the book can be read that it is not practical. The Amazon instructions are pretty good but, if you are really stuck, please PM me and I will do my best to help.

If you haven’t already discovered the book you can preview the first few sections free of charge and read reviews by searching for Futaba 14SG on either Amazon.com or Amazon .co.uk. The book can be read on the Kindle and most PCs, tablets and phones.

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  • 2 months later...

Hi Justin,

If you go to the top of this topic, a posting by Andy Green provides a link to the Futaba software update page. The one you are after is listed under "speech functions" but you must update to version 2 of the base software first.

The update went without a problem (download the associated instructions from the above link) and I get the extra functions in the telemetry menu. I haven't tried it yet but I've just ordered the Futaba GPS module so I'll give it a go when that arrives.

Hope that helps, Keith

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Hi Keith, thanks for your reply . I don't actually have a 14 SG yet but am looking to upgrade my 7c soon . I just wanted to know the extent of the voice prompts . There seems to be lots is stuff online about the DX 9 but not much about the 14 SG .

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I upgraded a friends 14sg (he has an Apple computer) and hooked up a SM Modelbau Unisens sensor, from what I recall you can get the vario beeps from the Tx but you need an earpiece to here the telemetry voice readouts, and the readouts are for the telemetry values only not prompts for when you activate a switch etc but that may change with future updates.

The earpiece socket is on the rear of the transmitter, not the most convenient and you'll need a fairly long lead on the earpiece.

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From what I have read so far you can only get a voice prompt for one parameter at a time e.g. height. As it is purely a software function Futaba may add additional facilities in due course. As I said I haven't had a chance to have a play yet but my GPS module is on it's way and if the wind reduces below gale force I'll give you an update on how I get on. I'm also very interested to see the flight log information displayed. Incidentally the Spektrum DX8 software has been updated to allow telemetry data to be saved on the SD card thus allowing the display of flight info in graphical form on a PC (haven't tried that out either).

Very happy with the 14SG to date particularly as I can use all Futaba receivers, including the "cheaper" S-FHSS and my old 606FS's (FAAST) and of course the FAAST test ones with telemetry.

Keith

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Yes Keith the fact that my 10 Fasst RX's will all be able to remain in place is a massive bonus and I like you like the look of the cheaper S-FHSS especially for foamies etc.

It's disappointing that Frank reports that you can't assign audio to the switches like the "gear up/down" available on the DX9 but I wouldn't image it be to hard for Futaba to introduce it? On that subject I can see some heated debate on its use on the flight line in some clubs as some flyers will find it off putting but that's another debate.

Lets hope this damn weather perks up and then you can give us a rundown on the gps Keith.

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The following may save you a little time.....

After testing out the speech function out of the plane last night I installed the Rx in the plane and went flying.

All control functions fine but no telemetry info. After trying various setting in various menus and a flask of coffee later the solution was to link the receiver to the Tx. Go to the linkage menu and select system then link. When Tx starts beeping power on Rx. the serial number should then appear towards the top of the screen. What threw me was that I had a solid green on the Rx and all the controls worked.

Voice info was fine, I selected height & speed and the voice output gives this info in sequence although sometimes it would only give speed and then a few outputs later speed & height again? Overall this info "looked" roughly correct although speed takes some time to update (I suppose because it is working on GPS coordinates? Speed did look towards the high side (Flying an Acromaster, uprated motor, 700 Watts!) clocking 70 mph at times but altitude seemed about right.

The voice does get a little irritating after a time but you can switch the voice off for any of the parameters by designating a switch to that function.

I looked forward to looking at the logged data when I got back to base. No joy, No logged info.

There has been a very recent update to the 14SG software. You need version 3 to log flight info. Also you need version 3 of the Futaba FFS system in order to get the info off the SD card and then exported as an Excel readable file. It is in CFG format which uses commas to separate the items of data. This seems to look OK when viewed in Excel but I'm a bit limited in the height that I can achieve in my workshop!

You can use any switch to start logging data. I've decided to use the joystick when it is just off the min throttle setting (electric plane). Seems to work on the ground.

Unless I'm missing something I think that the telemetry log convertor is now redundant as this seems to be handled by the FFS software.

What I now need is something like the Spektrum software which takes the log data and reproduces it graphically. You could do this in Excel but it would be nice if there was something out there to do it for me. Overlaying the info on a Google map would also be nice. I did read somewhere that the Futaba GPS coordinates didn't support this but I may be wrong.

As with all things there is a learning curve which I am now a little way along. Overall I still like the 14SG, it is very versatile but does require ( at least for me) a fair amount of time to work out how to do it. The documentation does leave a little to be desired in this respect.

If you hear of any data processing software for the log files please let me know,

Keith

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Just a suggestion to Kieth's post above, if you want to log GPS data then the Futaba Faastest compatible SM Modelbau GPS logger has onboard logging and the software they provide gives you graphs, data and converts the file to a GoogleEarth KMZ file, even though the software and instructions are in German it's still very easy to use.

PS I know I keep mentioning the SM Modelbau stuff, I have no connection to them other than a satisfied customer, it works really well on my friends Futaba 14sg and my Multiplex M link system.

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I'm having trouble downloading the updates onto the SD card. The updates load onto my laptop and are shown in the WinZip folder but when I try to unzip I get the message:- 'An error occurred at the time of reading in the configuration file. Confirm or redo a download once again. It failed in the copy.'

I've reformatted my CD card in the '14' and it's ready to receive the updates but as can be seen from above I can't make any progress.

Needless to say, I've redone the download a couple of times. No joy.

Any suggestions please?

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Yes Frank, I download from Futaba onto the 'Downloads' file. I open the Zip file and send it to my documents folder. When I try to execute the update.exe program by sending it to the SD card I'm told that there is not enough room on the card and am told to confirm the card.(?) Also the program will not open on the hard drive without error warnings.

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