FrSky Taranis - user chat

[David...]

Yes RSSI and Rx voltage (whatever the supply voltage is to the Receiver is reported back)

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Posted by Brian Lambert on 03/06/2014 22:13:50:

Has anyone found any problems with opentx 2.0 on Taranis?

Thread here Brian. No one seems to be reporting any major problems.

BEB

[Masher]

Thanks David, that's what I wanted to hear!

[Brian Lambert]

Thanks BEB, as you may have guesed I had a problem, but all sorted now (I read the instructions and ticked the Haptic box), I may even get to try it in anger this weekend, if the weather holds off.

Brian

[Andy Butler]

My Taranis appears to have a bug!

And yes that is balsa dust on it.

Edited By Andy Butler on 07/06/2014 10:41:42

[David...]

It's attracted to the FrSky label - same colour Even bugs are liking the Taranis now

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Ready to order a set and need some help, I have no 2.4 gear as yet. What is my best option receiver wise ? I cant see any dimensions for the frsky rx's, I want it for mostly small lecky models, and only thing for now will be monitoring battery. Sorry if you've already covered it, I've not read all posts coz without the Tx it's a bit confusing

John

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Hi John,

I'd go for the "X" series receivers. They have Smartport capability which makes fitting sensors very easy.

There are 3 receivers in the series; the 4XR. the 6XR and the 8XR. Now you would be forgiven for thinking "ah, 4 channels, 6 channels and 8 channels". No. They are in fact all 16 channel receivers! True! The number only denotes the number of conventional 3-pin servo sockets they have - but they all have Sbus and through that all 16 channels can be accessed if you so wish.

This means - because they are all basically the same receiver with different numbers of sockets on - they don't differ in price much. I haven't seen the 4XR out yet - has anyone else? - but the 6XR is £22,98 and the 8XR is £24.83. So not quite £2 in it.

The 6XR will be slightlt smaller - due to fewer sockets - but TBH unless you really are pushed for space I'd go for the 8XR receiver. One of them fitted in my Dawn Flyer with no problem at all - and as you know that is hardly a spacious fuselage!

BEB

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

That helps a lot BEB thanks

John

[Brian Lambert]

John I only have three samples but perhaps we could start a listing?

X8R 46.5x27x14.5mm 16.7g

X6R 47.5x24x15mm 15.1g

V8R4-ll 39x19x8mm 3.4g

No telemetry on the V8R4-ll I think.

Brian

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

That's handy Brian cheers

John

[C Norton]

If you only need 4 channels then the D4R ii is worth a look, very light, cheap, small but full range and can monitor flight pack voltage with a very cheap or even DIY adapter. Also excellent for multi rotor or FBL controllers as it can output up to 8 channels using CCPM (though you need to flash the Rx firmware if using more than 6 channels this way)

Chris

[andyh]

I've ordered a Tx, a couple of X8R's, GPS v2, HP vario & a few other telemetry bits & pieces

quite excited about doing a bit of quality geeking :D

very much looking forward to the vario - today looked like a glorious thermic day, fluffy cu's , 5k base, but the field was in a blue hole - ie sink - the whole time I was there

does the Tx support a vario averager? in full-size, a 10-15s averager is quite useful as a rolling integral of the instantaneous

thanks

Andy

[David...]

I've been using the Vario this afternoon, it works great, although I have since made it switchable as the noise was somewhat annoying after a while. I figure it only needs to be on when required, so that's what I'm doing now. Very sensitive to altitude changes - it's brilliant!

[Paul Luby]

Hi Guys

I've had my Taranis since mid December and I think its an awesome bit of kit. In fact I now only use my Spektrum DX18 for indoor models.

I'm a bit of an electronics and software dabbler and have converted many older radio Tx's using Arduino's and the FrSky Hack Module. I have a selection of Taranis Smart Port sensors including the new N2 Industries Airspeed sensor.

I also have and Ardupilot and followed the development of the 6 position switch with interest but have been repeatedly disappointed with it.

Like many users I have experienced the channel value jumping when the 6 pos switch is moved from one selection to another. I've played with the delay and while you can mask the problem, it doesn't get to the root to the problem.

In my mind the root of the problem is in the fact that it is a switch and irrespective of it being a make before break or break before make, the issue still remains that the switch will either be open circuit or essentially an extremely low value between selection.

In my opinion, basically what we wanted as Ardupilot users was a 6 position dented selection mechanism (what a mouthful) irrespective of the electrical side of the mechanism. What we wanted was the 6 detents. The "switch" was a convenient method of providing this but has come with issues.

So, here's what I produced as my solution to the problem and it works with none of the jumping experienced with the 6 position switch.

The initial pictures show the 6 position switch as supplied by FrSky, dismantled and you can see the detent mechanism is actually in the metal portion of the switch assembly but the barrel is too large to fit into the new pot I planned to use.

So I filed down the barrel to fit into the slot in the 10k potentiometer I used (this was delicate work as the barrel becomes really thin).

I then made a Paxolin insulator plate which serves two functions, first in keeps the metal detent mechanism away from the pot and second it keeps the detent retention washer from becoming displaced. This washer holds the little ball in that makes the detent function.

Next I just held it all together and hot glued it along the sides.

Then fitted it to my Taranis in the S1 position, did a calibration with it set as a Pot and all is well. will try to calibrate it as a 6 pos switch later today.

Please remember this is a proof on concept device so beauty is in the eye of the maker.

The rest of the pictures show the modified "6 detent position potentiometer" at each of its switch selector settings.

It all looks good and seems to be pretty linear, please remember through that the 6 position detent has no centre setting for calibration so I will have to hold it between detents next time I calibrate it.

I hope this has been some help to somebody cause it meets my need much better that the 6 position switch as it makes the inter-switch position behaviour predictable.

Paul
(AKA Veri-Gash)

 

Edited By Paul Luby on 23/06/2014 12:00:45

[Paul Luby]

Hi Guys

Just calibrated it using the 6 Pos Switch facility OpenTx 2 has, it has done its magic averaging and the values are -100, -60, -20, 20, 60, 100. Bang on the button, don't think it gets better than that.

Paul

(AKA Veri-Gash)

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Forgive me Paul - I'm sure this is a really dumb question and will show that I have completely missed the point of what you have done - so apologies in advance and all that. But why couldn't you have done that with the original S1 pot? Then you could have used a bit of programming logic to effectively get the "steps"? Have I just missed something?

BEB

[C Norton]

I'm guessing it's because his arrangement provides detents and gives a more positive feel to where the switch is rather than having to twist a pot to the right place by guesswork?

[Paul Luby]

Hi BEB

If you look at the picture below,

The Ardupilot has 6 modes of operation which you can program to do different things such as Loiter, Atltitude hold, Return to Home, etc.

What selects these different modes is different pulse widths on one of the channels, you can see these on the right of the picture.

With a free rotating potentiometer, like S1 or S2 on the Taranis, its very difficult whilst flying to select one of these modes accurately so what we needed on the rotary potentiometer was six physical detents that went "click" when we went from one position to the next. It makes it much easier to select modes when flying.

This was done by some guys by replacing the rotary potentiometer S1 with a rotary switch on which was fixed daisy chained resistors to set the pulse widths.

Then FrSky produced a very neat little 6 position rotary switch (which is what I ripped apart) that could be fitted in place of S1 on the Taranis. Unfortunately like any rotary switch if its break before make it'll leave the wiper arm open circuit when between selections, giving a pulse width jump one way or if it makes before break it'll short out two resistors in the network which will give a pulse width jump the other way.

What we needed from my point of view was a 6 Position Device that didn't produce these pulse width jumps but produced a steady transition from one selection to the other. That to me sounds like a potentiometer, but one with the 6 mechanical detent positions. The OpenTx guys have programmed time delays to try and get round this problem of these jumps but guys don't like times delays on control systems. My opinion is that, these delays trying to fix or mask an issue that in all honesty was designed in by the original use of a switch and not a potentiometer with detents, which is what I think we needed for Ardupilot. So that is what I made and it works a treat.

Hope that helps.

Just seen the post from C Norton, that's exactly right and in a lot less words that me.

Paul

(AKA Veri-Gash)

Edited By Paul Luby on 23/06/2014 14:59:58

[Kevin Fairgrieve]

Well I took the plunge and purchased a Taranis.

My first impressions out of the box was. Oh my god what have I done!

After two days I had managed to upgrade to Companion 2.0.5.

After three days I had managed to get a four channel basic model set up. I have no idea how and was ready to put it up for sale!!!

Today I get home from work prepared to give it one more try. And blow me if there is not an upgrade to companion.

Eventually I got that installed and decided to do a Google. I came across this set of Video`s and have now managed to get that four channel model set up with duel rates. I used the Tx and not Companion to do that.

I need to have a fiddle around to set the throttle up, but I will persist.

I will update you.

 

Kev

Edited By Kevin Fairgrieve on 14/07/2014 18:26:32

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

I promise the penny does drop Kevin and you'll wonder how you got by with your previous Tx.

I guess that Taranis isn't for everyone, but when you get used to it's ways, it's so powerful and flexible.

One thing I always suggest is deciding which switches will do what, on all your models, and make all models as similar as you can. Just so you don't get mixed up between them.

I waited until I had a 6 Ch warbird set up, with 3 position ele and ail rates, aileron differential, retracts on a switch and flaps on a slider. I added in throttle cut, and some telemetry voices working off other switches. Then I made this my standard model, and copy and paste from this one, every time I start a new one. This way, most of the hard work is done.

[Kevin Fairgrieve]

Great advise Chris.

Already thinking along similar lines. All channels set as per my old TX, and Ail, Elev and rudder dual rates on the switches in the same position on the new TX.

Second model now installed and up and running, bar a field and range check.

Kev

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Well I got mine today, it feels like my 9x just a bit lighter, sticks need a bit more tension on them, is that easy done or is there lots to take out before you can do it, bear in mind when I take stuff apart then reassemble it..there are usually bits left over

John

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

If I remember correctly John, to adjust things like throttle ratchet and throttle stiffness you just need the back off, and to adjust the appropriate little screw.

I can't remember about stick tensions though, sorry.

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

This will help a lot John.