One receiver different models

[Stephen Belshaw]

I've either got to stop building models and buying the consequent receiver for each one, or find a way of using a receiver in more than one model.

I've googled this and can't find an answer to it, of course it was easy enough in the old days but my models were simple slope soarers and used the same set-up.

I'd idealy like to swap around my X8R Rx, perhaps between an electric model with four channels to a scale glider with seven channels. Or to keep it simple should I only swap between models with the same set-up?

[Mark Howard 1]

I don't think it makes a difference really. Swapping the Rx between models almost certainly means a complete new setup in terms of end points, servo throws, rates, stabiliser setup (where used) etc. There's certainly more changes required for a multi-channel glider over an electric 4 channel model but a complete new setup is required either way.

[Stephen Belshaw]

Thanks Mark, so it's do-able. Accepting the need for different set-ups, do I just slot the Rx in and set-up/select the new model or do I re-bind it each time I swap?

[Denis Watkins]

One or two times a season Stephen, is a lot of extra work, but dooable

But any more than that and wear and tare could be detrimental to plugs and sockets on servos and RX

And flicking aerials about frequently is too risky for breakage

It is annoying having 12 receivers in 12 models, then flying just one

[Masher]

Assuming we are talking about Taranis/Horus you need to bind each time but this will take less time than it will take to swap the leads over with the Rx and re-locating the antennas properly.

Technically it is possible to just swap models without re-binding by setting the model receiver numbers to be the same. However this is not a good idea because it could lead to disappointment and/or danger!

At only £30 a pop for receivers I just buy one for each model but I suppose if you only changed them round infrequently it would be worth considering

[Denis Watkins]

Double post

Edited By Denis Watkins on 13/02/2019 07:53:05

[Jonathan M]

Posted by Mark Howard 1 on 13/02/2019 07:13:19:

Swapping the Rx between models almost certainly means a complete new setup in terms of end points, servo throws, rates, stabiliser setup (where used) etc. There's certainly more changes required for a multi-channel glider over an electric 4 channel model but a complete new setup is required either way.

No. All these things are in the TX's model memory - a standard template for a given RX gets copied to individual model memories, whereafter the settings (servos, rates, expo) can be customised to suit each model. The RX is just a dumb airborne slave which obeys the signal transmitted, without ever being aware of the settings behind them. The only thing that you'll have to do is re-bind the RX each time, and ensure that servo leads always go in the same output sockets (e.g. R-Aile->Aile, L-Aile->Gear, etc) whichever model you're flying.

If I were to go down this route, then I might have two RXs, say a 6-chan for power models, a 4-chan for slope soarers, but things would get complicated if you start having models with retracts, gliders with 4-aileron wings, or other more specialised models.

As the RX is usually a small proportion of the overall cost of a model, at £25 a pop for FrSky receivers each of my models gets its own slave.

[Nigel R]

"I've either got to stop building models and buying the consequent receiver for each one"

have to ask the obvious question - why?

[Stephen Belshaw]

Posted by Nigel R on 13/02/2019 09:06:50:

"I've either got to stop building models and buying the consequent receiver for each one"

have to ask the obvious question - why?

It was said tongue in cheek!

Ok, the consensus seems to be a Rx for each model, the "faff" of swapping them around and the possible risk of wrong connections/settings persuades me to invest in more receivers.

[Former Member]

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[Former Member]

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[Stephen Belshaw]

Thank you David, you have most definitely convinced me to spend more money on receivers!

Yes, supertigerfan, I wish I still had workable 35Mhz sytems!

[Robert Welford]

Posted by David Mellor on 13/02/2019 11:16:46:

Case in point - it is possible to end up with reversed-trim if you aren't careful when "recycling" a receiver into a different model. Under these circumstances, if you dial in some "up" trim on the maiden flight you will get "down" trim instead, even though the sense of the elevator itself is correct.

I'm not sure how this comes about. Surely once you have the tx controls setup for one model memory you would duplicate for the next?

All you would change are the model specific elements such as: the servo assignments, calibration (direction/movement/curves) and mixing.

[Former Member]

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[Ron Gray]

Posted by David Mellor on 13/02/2019 11:16:46:

Also - you can get the Tx controlling multiple receivers simultaneously, even when each has been re-bound to a different model. I still have this on two of my slope soarers.

This would only be the case if you used the same Rx number on each. I use this feature to specifically control 2 different RXs, one on my powered glider and one for the controls on the launch dolley so that rudder on the glider also operates the dolley steering and another channel operates the launch restraints. The launch dolley is another model on the Tx.

[Former Member]

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[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Alternatively, the occasional swap allows any oxidisation of the pins to be cleared!

I may be missing something by unfamiliarity with FRSky but in the case of my system, the only thing that may be generally individual to the model are the failsafe settings which are stored in the receivers. All other programming is done on the transmitter - and in the majority of systems in my experience.

The only exceptions to this that I can think of is one receiver I have with inbuilt stabilisation which does have some additional programming held on it and rare requirements to assign ports to other duties, but 95% of my models would be using the receivers with default conditions (failsafe excepted).

There again, I remember when you had only one or maybe two sets of airborne radio equipment, costing a king's ransom which would be transferred between models - sometimes at the field!

[Frank Skilbeck]

Posted by Martin Harris on 13/02/2019 14:44:11:

There again, I remember when you had only one or maybe two sets of airborne radio equipment, costing a king's ransom which would be transferred between models - sometimes at the field!

And the sets were supplied with a servo tray that held 3 servos (Rudder.elevator,Throttle) and the switch, so you could just swap the whole tray over, must admit I never did this at the field though.

[Manish Chandrayan]

If one is using Graupner HOTT system the Rx does store certain parameters (including fail safe settings). That would entail a factory reset of the Rx when moved from one to another model

[Manish Chandrayan]

Posted by David Mellor on 13/02/2019 12:40:22:

 

Hi Robert

It comes about because the "Inputs" page and the "Mixer" page on the Taranis menu both allow the user to reverse servo "sense" independently of the other page, and if you cycle through these two pages in the correct sequence then trim sense will always match servo sense. But cycle through the other way and you can leave a relict trim "sense" whilst correctly resetting the servo sense on the other page.

I don't, as a rule, duplicate the Tx controls from model to model because the models are often very different from one to the next. I fly slope soarers with airbrake on throttle, flying wings with elevons and conventional designs - all very different.

To be perfectly honest I was not aware of the existence of the problem myself until I encountered it on a maiden flight, and found that trim function was reversed. Thankfully it was a Junior 60 and was very, very docile, so making the trim initially a lot worse (because trim function was reversed) didn't actually cause problems and I was able to trim it out perfectly well. On landing I discovered the problem, and when I checked my other models discovered the same problem on one of those too.

 

 

With David on this, I recently started using Graupner MC 20 and found the very same thing with my Throttle trims (fortunately on the ground)

Edited By Manish Chandrayan on 13/02/2019 15:34:05

[Mike Blandford]

If using ersky9x or openTx firmware, with FrSky 'X' receivers, when using "custom" failsafe settings, the settings are held in the Tx and sent to the Rx regularly, so even these are not in the Rx.

As far as plugging and unplugging connectors is concerned, it will depend on how much gold plating is on them, but typical ratings are between 100 and 600 cycles.

Mike

[Bob Cotsford]

Posted by Frank Skilbeck on 13/02/2019 15:00:59:

Posted by Martin Harris on 13/02/2019 14:44:11:

There again, I remember when you had only one or maybe two sets of airborne radio equipment, costing a king's ransom which would be transferred between models - sometimes at the field!

And the sets were supplied with a servo tray that held 3 servos (Rudder.elevator,Throttle) and the switch, so you could just swap the whole tray over, must admit I never did this at the field though.

One of the great joys in life, along with resoldering servo leads using a 12v iron after the wires had dropped off from fatigue or pins come loose in the receiver.

[Brian Hammond]

Of you are using Spectrum then DSMX Rx,s are about £7 from Banggood which will not break the bank!

[Former Member]

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[Brian Hammond]

I,'ve been using these for a couple of years now Percy with no problems,I fit them ttoo foamies for a couple of flights first the to prove them which is probably a good idea with all Rx,s.