DX9 Owners thread

[SkippyUK]

Anyone care to comment on the range check of these?

Is it better i.e. further away, with the twin antennas especially as you can't 'tilt' the antenna like on previous TX's?

With Xmas coming I can't decide on DX9 or Lancaster!.

Skippy

[Colin Carpenter]

Hi Skippy . Had mine for just over 2 weeks now. Range no problem so far on 2 Orange DSM2 receivers. Flew my Electraglide as far as my cataract corrected eyes can see Tuesday , and that's as far as you would want to go at our field. AR400 receiver ok in a Riot as well.

Go on ! Buy one ! You know you want to !

Cheers Colin

[Romeo Whisky]

Well I've now had time to play with my DX9 for quite a while (not flown with it yet - hopefully that's tomorrow).

I've got over 20 models and - rightly or wrongly - I decided to laboriously copy down all the settings from my DX7 and then enter them model-by-model into the DX9. So it's taken a while but now I'm there and in many ways the process was useful as it gave me a ready-made programming learning curve, and enabled me to compare the old familiar DX7 with the new-fangled DX9. The software and therefore the programming is quite different from the DX7 but I imagine anyone upgrading from the DX8 would find it similar and for the most part it is intuitive and quick to program models. I do sometimes wish that whoever writes TX manuals would go beyond telling you how to do some of the more esoteric stuff and enlighten the new user as to why in the world he would ever want to do it! Still can't work out what the gyros on acro are supposed to do. Nor what use the rotary knob switch is. Nor what the back switches (sliders?) or the top/front trim buttons are for. Or why the normal Dual Rate switches have three positions (Triple Rates?).

It's certainly chunkier than the DX7 and seems designed for guys with big hands! But with the LiIo battery installed it's noticably lighter. I love the wireless buddy-leading and can see this being great when the grand-kids want a go. By the way, the manual override can be inhibited if it's a nuisance (see above post).

I like the idea of the pre-flight check list, but cannot understand why Range-Check isn't listed as an option in the pre-flight checks - seems such an obvious one. (Having set up all the models on the bench I'd hate to forget that I haven't range-checked any of them before its first flight).

So far everything I've done with it has worked flawlessly. DSM2 RXs and DSMX Rxs. Even a couple of Orange RXs - all bound and I love the verbal confirmation of successful binding.

I think that it will actually be easier to program some of the more complicated airframes and mixes with the DX9 than the DX7 because it offers more built-in choices and confugurations (eg. Dual elevator servos as on my Seagull Edge 540). I really like having two timers (stopwatch and countdown) and the verbal warnings are just great. So far so good.

Just now I'm wondering how the TX LiIo (at 4.2V charged per cell it must surely be Li-Po??) battery will respond to the freezing temperatures forecast in the next few days, but we'll see. Overall I'm really pleased I bought the DX9 and am looking forward to flying with it in the next day or so.

[YakMad]

The Lipo/Li-on TX batteries don't seem to be effected too much by the cold weather, I've been using one in my DX8 for 18 months without any problem and flew my MPX Extra 300 using the DX9 last weekend in cold slighty damp conditions with no issues.

Edited By YakMad on 21/11/2013 13:18:40

[Colin Carpenter]

Hi all . Thought I would post a quick update on my DX9. So far about 60 flights on it including 15 or so wireless trainer flights with DX6i slave. No problems whatsoever !! Got used to the trainer pushbutton but would prefer sprung switch (wait for gtee to expire Eh !!) .

So far so good and a happy bunny .

Cheers Colin

[Terry Walters]

'Someone', between you and myself that is me, is very sure that they have a DX9 being delivered by Père Noël (Father Xmas) on Wednesday. It isn't a brand new one but it is as good as new having never been used in anger! The wifey person has done well and shall be rewarded appropriately!

Stand by for providing help in the next few weeks, months, years........................................................!!

Terry

[Terry Walters]

Yep - I have joined the club and just started to get to grips with the wonder that is the DX9!

Have updated software to 1.02 but fell at the second hurdle ..............got the problem of not being able to load the voice software update - Brooklyn Betty is getting annoying.

On other forums there is a suggestion that the SD card fitted isn't good enough and that a replacement card usually works. In fact the failure warning includes the replacement of the card as a way of resolving this error (what a cheek!)

The file is there on the card - I can see it but on attempting to update the Tx I get the error warning and it fails. I re-formatted the card (the other resolution suggested on screen) and still the same. Tried with the zip file and the direct download - no change! New card then?

What does Uncle Pete think?

Terry

[Frank Skilbeck]

Terry, not got a Dx9 but on my friend's Futaba we had time install update and voice separately and reformat the card in the tx each time

[Terry Walters]

Thanks Frank - Uncle Pete has rung me and we've gone thro the options. I'm going to try another card so a trawl through my cameras and other gizmos to find another that I can try.

Terry

[Terry Walters]

Yep - change of card and all works well. Terry's DX9 is now talking his own, 'proper Brit' language!!!

Terry

Edited By Terry Walters on 26/12/2013 12:43:33

[SkippyUK]

Well I've joined the the DX9'ers and updated voice and firmware to 1.02.

First impressions are very good but strangely the only RX's that have caused any hint of a problem are genuine Spektrum (NanoCPX & Visionaire) - they don't seem to bind first time with Romford Rosie stating 'Bind Failure' but they do bind in the end with Rosie announcing 'Telemetry' - neither have telemetry so maybe that or the AS3X is the problem.

Orange, Lemon and GC bind first time.

Now to gradually change settings across from DX8 and then I might try the wireless buddy with the kids next door.

Happy New Year

Skippy

[Terry Walters]

Hi Skippy - welcome - nice for me to have you around at the same point of knowledge as me!

Terry

[Terry Walters]

Just going for a lie down after changing my DX9 from RHD to LHD (well this is France!) - it is now a fully functioning Mode1. Not for the faint-hearted but it's now done! More scary than putting your tongue on the terminals of a 9 volt battery! Well maybe not that bad once you work out what the manual is trying to tell you and you realise that the drawings shown are open to artisitic licence!

Phew!

Terry

DX9 Mode Change Consultant

[SkippyUK]

Had a few flights now with the DX9 and it seems fine (as expected at this cost point!).

I also had the chance to put it up against my old DX8 and a wireless beam (see this thread) and although contact was lost, it seems to be regained faster with the DX9 than the DX8 - no scientific proof here but the same Zagi flown through the beam recovered faster with the DX9 - is this a result of the twin antennas I wonder?.

The set-ups from the Spektrum community have helped make the transition quicker as well.

Another thing I have found is that digital trims (buttons by side of sticks) and sub-trims are different from DX8 so cannot be transferred across when manually inputting models into DX9 - the DX9 seems to have finer trims even though the setting is identical but this will be easily sorted on first flights although I tend to change the servo pushrods to eliminate sub-trims so might have to do this again.

Still a very happy bunny.

Skippy

[Kurt Zimmerman]

Greetings all from the other side of the pond..... I was attending an annual model show this past weekend along with SWMBO. To my surprise SWMBO made the suggestion I could use a new radio and should look for one at the show.... This came on the heels of me telling her that I will not be flying unless I update my radio. She pointed out that I might get a good price on it. Being a good sport I obeyed.

Long story short, I am now a proud owner of the DX-9. This radio purchase was the first one in almost 20 years, so I had a bit of a learning curve to get past before I get it to the field. Mind you I fly mostly the higher end multi-function gliders ranging in the 3m - 4m span range.

I may be looking for some assistance setting launch/cruise/"get-the-hell-out-of-here" pre-sets for full chamber flaps & ailerons. I went through the manual briefly and I wasn't able to find the pre-set feature setup.

I do like the feel of the radio. I find it much lighter than my almost 20 year old radio. The rubber grips have a good feel.

One feature I will be looking forward utilizing is RX voltage level. I may even consider adding a GPS as part of the telemetry, providing is offers X/Y/Z information.

As for upgrading the voice, the American English voice isn't tough to deal with.

All the best and when I have additional information to report I'll sure to reply. All the best.

Kurt

[Glenn Philbrick]

I have just taken delivery of my DX9, and have transferred most of my models onto it, however I cannot get my head round the trainer function. I want to use my DX9 as the slave to a DX6 so that I can teach a new club member. I can see how to use the DX9 as a slave but want him to use his own tranny which is the DX6i.

Any help would be good.

Thanks,

Glenn

[Pete B]

Not too clear on the question, Glenn...

Do you want to use the DX9 as the master and the DX6i as the slave, which will used by the newbie? If your DX9 is the slave, the newbie will decide who's flying the model...

Pete

[Colin Carpenter]

Hi Glenn. I use my DX9 as a master to a club mates DX6i. It means binding the Dx9 to the models receiver and if he wants to play around at home he rebinds his tx. So far on at least 50 flights it has worked flawlessly. If we don't want to use it this way (wireless) then the buddy lead is used,and his tx is bound to the model and the DX9 is held and used by the pupil.

The first option means he uses his tx whilst I maintain control with the DX9, wirelessly. Love it !!!!

Hope this helps.

Colin

Edited By Colin Carpenter on 31/03/2014 19:22:30

Edited By Colin Carpenter on 31/03/2014 19:23:16

Edited By Colin Carpenter on 31/03/2014 19:25:26

[SkippyUK]

As Colin C says, the DX9 has to be the master which is bound to the plane or the trainer function works backwards - the student giving control back to the instructor instead of the instructor taking control.

I also use the DX9 in wireless mode and also in Master Override mode which negates the need to hold any switch in - just move the sticks and you have control back.

I strongly recommend setting up the voice option to warn when control is moved around - the student hears this and knows what's going on as well.

Skippy

[Glenn Philbrick]

Thanks for the replies. I can now see that what I was asking is not correct, as you have pointed out the student would have control of who is flying the model. I should have thought a bit more about it. God help my pupil!!

Just spent time playing with the voice activation and I think I will be able to drive all the other pilots mad each time I move a switch or carry out pre flight checks

Thanks.

[Glenn Philbrick]

Good Morning.

I have another query on my DX9. One of my models has flaps and retracts, When I select the wing type to double ail and single flap it changes the Rx configuration for the gear channel to operate flaps and no channel to operate the retracts. I cannot reset the gear rx channel to retracts only ail or flaps. However if I use Dual ail then the gear port returns to gear, and the gear works on the switch selected, The flaps work off the switch I have selected(D) and work in the three positions but I cannot see how to adjust the positioning.

Thanks

[chris larkins]

You need to go into the 'channel assignment' screen which is in the system menu, this shows you which channel is assigned to each receiver port. Channel 5 is normally the gear channel however this will have been changed when you selected dual ailerons. You need to highlight which rx port you want the retracts to be plugged into (channel 7 - AUX 2 for example) and change the right hand side so that it displays GEAR instead of AUX 2, then click NEXT which is in the bottom right hand corner which takes you to the 'channel input config' screen, highlight AUX 2 and change it from switch E to switch A (or whichever switch you want to operate the retracts)

[Glenn Philbrick]

Ok I've tried that but the only options I am given to change aux 2 are Throttle,left ail,elevator rudder etc all the ones other than retracts. This also applies for the aux channels.

Thanks,

Glenn

[chris larkins]

Sorry I may have misread your post, so everything is working you just need to adjust the positions of the flaps?

chris

[Glenn Philbrick]

Hello Chris,

Thanks for the reply. The problem that I appear to have is when I select wing type, dual ailerons and single flap the TX changes the retract channel to flaps which is OK however the remaining channel aux 2 does not give me the option of switching it to retracts. I then configure the model to dual ailerons and the flaps work on Aux 2 but I cannot see how to change there degree of operation.

Glenn