6EXP 35MHz Upgrade Options

[Kyle Gordon]

Hi,

I'd like to upgrade my aging Futaba 6EXP to 2.4GHz. I believe I have narrowed down the ideal options to FrSky XHT, or Corona CT8Z. What's the best choice these days? Only one receiver required.

Cheers...

tl;dr;

I have a barely used Futaba 6EXP on 35MHz that I've used about 4 times in the ten years I've had it. Flying cheap foamies is a hobby I've always aspired to have, and I'd like to devote some more time to it. I live out on a hillside with fields all around, and would love to just be able to loft something out of the garden on some calm evenings.

My 6EXP is not transmitting. I've have PPM output on the trainer port (got a cable to connect to the computer), and there's no signal on 35Mhz. Have checked it with an SDR, and there's radio silence.

Opened it up, and all seems intact and as expected. Short of diving into spectrum analyzer territory, I don't know why it's not transmitting. My hope would be that since the buddy port is working, I can pick up the PPM feed and put it into a 'new', replacement, RF stage that it conveniently on 2.4GHz.

[kc]

I expect one of the technical experts will comment soon and tell you whether it's practical or not. But if its not even working on 35 mhz then perhaps its probably not worth bothering. But why isnt it working? Removed the crystal perhaps?

[Kyle Gordon]

Posted by kc on 18/05/2020 15:59:30:

I expect one of the technical experts will comment soon and tell you whether it's practical or not. But if its not even working on 35 mhz then perhaps its probably not worth bothering. But why isnt it working? Removed the crystal perhaps?

Hey, I knew this sort of thing would come

I've got the back off it just now, and have diagnosed it to be a bad crystal socket. Solder looks good, but I'll redo the solder anyway just in case it's a dry joint or something. I have gotten it to work now if I hold it 'just right', so the transmitter as a whole is good - it's just the RF stage as suspected.

Whilst I'll try to fix the socket, I'd still like to upgrade to 2.4Ghz... so still open to suggestion and criticism

[Kyle Gordon]

Can confirm, it was a dry joint on the socket. The radio is now back up and working, but my upgraditis is still itching away...

[ken anderson.]

hello Kyle and welcome,4 times in 10 years...! is it worth buying a radio set ...if your radio is working again I would say use it......and get another 10 years out of it....Or buy a new current set...you can get some goodins for not a lot of dosh..spoilt for choice really..FrSky get good reports......what's your budget?

ken anderson...ne..1. radio dept.

[Engine Doctor]

If you want to convert to 2.4 then the FrSky hack module is no longer available /in production . You might be lucky to find one on the classifieds but dont hold your breath . Don't know about the Corona gear

[Phil Green]

Frsky have a new hack module and Rich at T9 is expecting them any time now.
There is no comparison between Frsky and Corona, I can go into detail if you're interested.
There is an alternative in the pipeline, I note you're familiar with SDR radios, well Lemon have an SDR module which has been in testing for a year and is about to be released. It does DSMX and we're told it will be 'competitively priced'.

Regarding the T6, its very worthy of a conversion, I put my aerial in the handle which makes it really convenient and much less likely to be damaged when wading through 4 foot undergrowth after a land out.

[Kyle Gordon]

Posted by ken anderson. on 18/05/2020 17:00:34:

hello Kyle and welcome,4 times in 10 years...! is it worth buying a radio set ...if your radio is working again I would say use it......and get another 10 years out of it....Or buy a new current set...you can get some goodins for not a lot of dosh..spoilt for choice really..FrSky get good reports......what's your budget?

ken anderson...ne..1. radio dept.

Hi Ken, thank you for the kind welcome That's the thing, not sure at my early stages it's worth getting something new. Now that I've found that it was just a dry joint I'll do my best to get another ten years out of it! Budget was certainly around the 50 quid mark for a conversion kit if available. FrSky do seem to be the winning contender if I do decide to upgrade. I guess I'm just (now) slightly worried that in a few years I might want to expand my little hobby a bit and get another receiver, only to find no more 35MHz gear.

But hey, it's working, I gotta get out flying!

[Kyle Gordon]

Posted by Engine Doctor on 18/05/2020 17:46:26:

If you want to convert to 2.4 then the FrSky hack module is no longer available /in production . You might be lucky to find one on the classifieds but dont hold your breath . Don't know about the Corona gear

Hey, I was beginning to think that too, but after some hunting I found some on Aliexpress.

**LINK**

I was surprised too, hence new thoughts along the lines of "should I just upgrade anyway, for fear of not being able to do so in five or ten years time"

[ken anderson.]

ok kyle,dont worry too much about a shortage of 35mhz RX's...there are loads around, you cant give them away..

ken anderson...ne.1... rx ...dept.

[Kyle Gordon]

Posted by Phil Green on 18/05/2020 20:10:07:

Frsky have a new hack module and Rich at T9 is expecting them any time now.
There is no comparison between Frsky and Corona, I can go into detail if you're interested.
There is an alternative in the pipeline, I note you're familiar with SDR radios, well Lemon have an SDR module which has been in testing for a year and is about to be released. It does DSMX and we're told it will be 'competitively priced'.

Regarding the T6, its very worthy of a conversion, I put my aerial in the handle which makes it really convenient and much less likely to be damaged when wading through 4 foot undergrowth after a land out.

Hi Phil,

I'm no expert, but the T6 just feels like a nice bit of kit. That's a really neat install you've done there too. I'm glad I got it all those years ago, and just sad I never got to fully use it. I'm one of those folks with too many hobbies and not enough time, from cars to house renovations. This is the third house we've done up since getting the T6, and my wife and I have agreed now it's time to focus on relaxing hobbies!

I'll drop an email to T9 and see what they say about the new hack module. I get the hint about Corona, will stick to FrSky

Yeah, SDRs, so I have passing interest in radio, amateur radio licensee too (see above wrt hobbies), and have tinkered a bit with them. Lemon-RX (and also Orange) are new to me, interesting! Will read up on the DSMX range of providers. So much choice these days! Flying computers basically, which thoroughly appeals! :-D

Cheers all!

Edited By Kyle Gordon on 19/05/2020 09:37:24