AR500 Rx

[Doug Ireland]

Hi Guys,

I've just bought two of these excellent little receivers but am a little confused with the aerial orientation. It says that the two parts should be at 90 deg to each other. As both of them exit the rx case on the same plane how is this acheived? Is the short aerial bent at 90 to the case or do you bend the tip of the longer one?

[Frank Skilbeck]

Not got an AR500 but from what i understand the last 3cm is effectivelly the aerial, so position the last 3cm of the longer aerial at 90 deg to the shorter one.

[winchweight]

It's like Frank says.

The first aerial is the short one attached to the box, the end of the long lead is another one, which can be turned to be positioned at 90 degrees. In my Tucano I have the box aerial in the belly, orientated so the short aerial is fore / aft, the long lead then curves away and is secured across the fuselage left / right against a fuselage former.

[Doug Ireland]

Thanks guys.

[Tim Mackey]

Frank and Shaun are spot on.

[Pete Norris]

guys  can  i use the   AR500 in a   63inch  P40 Pete

[Tim Mackey]

yes...its full range - assuming you can get away with the channel count - 5th channel is not independent of ailerons

[Eric Strefford]

Timbo

 

There are 5 channels with this receiver plus the additional aileron outlet so you can have normal 4 channels plus gear plus additional aileron instead of installing a y lead.

 

Eric

[Tim Mackey]

Yes I know.... but I was just trying to explain ( not very well ) that the "extra" aileron channel is effectively just "Y" lead connected internally as opposed to an indepently adjustable separate "channel".

[Clive Matthews]

I have 2 of these receivers. To clear up any possible confusion, they are a full 5 channel receiver with 6 servo ports + the battery/bind port. The ports labelled aileron are connected internally and are the same channel. The assumption is that they would be used to connect 2 aileron servos negating the need for a Y-lead. Of course, they could be used for other purposes. The important thing though is not to connect the battery to the aileron port when binding as thiscould overdrive any servo connected to the other aileron port.

Aerials; in my applications, the short aerial comes straight out and the long aerial is fixed (by tape) at 90 degrees.

I have achieved good range with this receiver in a glider, at least as good as a previous 35MHz installation. In my experience, the AR500 doesn't like some digital servos which are happy with an AR7000. I also have one fitted to a 40 sized Thunderbolt with a 52 4 stroke. Not flown yet, but the range test was fine.

Although I have not had any experience of this happening, I would be a little wary of using this receiver in a model with a large engine as the signal could potentially be blocked when flying toward the transmitter. This assumption is based on my personal experience with small wave transmission and the fact that Spektrum make big play on the need for a satellite receiver to increase signal diversity.

[Doug Ireland]

Hi Clive, but surely that's the reason for having such a long second antenna; to put as much distance between the two?

 

The reason I'm using the AR500 instead of the stock RD921 was the physical size of the airframe it's sitting in. Tiny in other words.

[Clive Matthews]

Hi Doug,

 

I'm sure that you're correct.

 

A small airframe is unlikely to have any problems 'seeing' a signal, however shorter wavelength signals are blocked by solid objects. This is why Spektrum have satellite receivers, to increase signal diversity (a process by which two small dipole antennas are used, combining their results for better effect). I'm not an expert in signal propagation, but as Spektrum have gone to such lengths to tell us that such a system is superior, by definition the AR500 antenna arrangement must be inferior!

 

I've been slope soaring today, 2 models had AR500 receivers. Both performed faultlessly. One, with an electric motor, managed to get a very large distance away, to a point where signal loss might be expected. Signal reception was perfect.

 

The point I was making is that I use and recommend the AR500 wholeheartedly, claiming it to be 'at least as good as a 35MHz installation'. However I would express some reservation at using such a receiver in a large engined model.

[Doug Ireland]

Yep, fair comment Clive. In my H9 CAP232G I've got two remotes making 6 aerials total simply because there is plenty of room in the airframe to do it. I've no idea what the range is with the AR500 in my Miss Demeanor (a Peter Miller design) as I'd probably loose sight of it first but to date it ain't let me down!

[Peter Jenkins]

I have bought an AR 500 on the understanding that I could attach 2 independent aileron servos.  According to Timbo the two Aileron ports are merely internally linked.  Does anyone know if you can use the Gear port for a second aileron servo?

[Tim Mackey]

And Timbo is correct - the 2 ports are merely connected internally just like a Y lead.

However yes you can use the spare gear channel.... here's how to do it.

You need to use either free mix 5 or 6  -  the only mixes where the master's trim will operate on the slave.
1. Set the travel adjustment on the gear to 0 in both positions.

2. Set mix 5 Aile > Gear +100% in both directions.

Now you can independently set the trim on the ailerons by using the sub trim on the aile and gear channels.

 

[Peter Jenkins]

Timbo

 

Many thanks.  Just about to hit the sack so will follow your setup directions next week end.

[Clive Matthews]

I flew the Thunderbolt with the AR500 receiver today. Absolutely no range problems at all (apart from the old eyes).

 

Interestingly, the range test with this model was at least double the distance achieved against 2 other AR500 receivers. My friends Tribute remained unflown today due to a poor range check. Reception was lost at low power after only 20 paces. We repeated the test with the RX out of the model, with another TX and finally with a 3rd RX which had flown successfully. In all cases, 20 strides was the best range achieved.

 

I spoke to Horizon Hobbies and was assured that this was acceptable as the reduction of power was based on the higher power outputs used in the US. Certainly the RX that had flown showed sufficient range at normal power. Just seems strange that the AR500 in the Thunderbolt had such a good range, we gave up after 50 paces!

 

What range check distances are others getting?

[Peter Jenkins]

Timbo

 

Followed your instructions on how to set up separate ailerons on the AR500.  One point I found out was that on my TX (a DSX9) you also need to inhibit the gear function otherwise nothing happens.  Thanks for the rest of the info though and any DSX9 users please note - although you may already be shaking your head and saying "fancy not knowing that!" 

[Tim Mackey]

Hi Peter, glad you got it working.

Heres a more comprehensive setup which also allows flaps / spoilers, although I confess that I couldnt quite get the spoileron travel as high as I wanted. This was on my DX7 not my DX6i  - remember that If you want independent adjustment use mix 5 or 6 since those are the only mixes where the master's trim will operate on the slave

1. Set  travel throw on  gear to 0 in both positions.

2. Mix 5 Aile > Gear +100% in both directions.

Now you can independently set the trim on the ailerons by using the sub trims on the 2 channels.

  For flaps or spoilers

1. Set mix 2 Flap>Aile
Rate> 0%
100%

2. Set mix 3 Flap>Gear
Rate> 0%
-100%

Use flap sys to adjust how much travel you want. This does work as flaperons with the 3 position switch. EG for no flaps and 2 different levels of flaps. You also could add another free mix to apply some elevator when the flaps are activated.

 

 (mix Ch5>Ch5 @ 100% to null the gear switch)

 

Edited By Timbo - Moderator on 18/03/2009 00:13:58

[Peter Jenkins]

Thanks Timbo. I'll bear that in mind but at the moment I'm planning to use the 9 ch Rx from the DSX9 combo for my Spit which will carry flaps and gear.  I will be buying more AR500s though as they seem to offer terrific value.  Mind you, I've not flown it yet so will have to wait for the proof of the pudding.  Incidentally, it is housed in a Top Gun Bucker Jungmann - a great flying and looking bipe. 

[Peter Jenkins]

Timbo, Having only flown the Jungmann once since putting the AR500 Rx in it, I came back to it today and found a rather strange happening.  Both ailerons just cycled from limit to limit when the Tx was on.  Switch the Tx off and they stop.  Re bound the Rx but that merely moved the malfunction to the ailerons and throttle servo.  Tried a secon AR 500 and rebound it but this time one aileron did not work and the other cycled away without the aileron stick having any effect.  Have you come across this before?

Regards, a confused Peter

[Tim Mackey]

Cant say I have Peter. In some ways I am the worst possible source of troubleshooting tips for the Spektrum stuff, as I have never suffered a single problem with any of my stuff     ( 23 Receivers to date )

 

Have you eliminated a Tx problem by for example trying it on another model?

[Lee Smalley]

I have 5 AR500s and i have sent 2 back already one lost bind mid flight (something Horizon say is impossible) well got the wreckage back and had to rebind the receiver to get it to work again, just had an ar500 lose complete signal, model did uncomanded snap roll, re-gained control and landed immediately no flashing lights nothing, range was 10 paces in low power mode and 60 paces full power, it never used to be !!!

in both cases batt was 90% and above, 6V packs as well !! i personally will never buy AR500s i will only buy 6200 or 7000

 

i never had this many problems on 35 meg !!

[Clive Matthews]

Peter, I have had this happen. However, in my case it happened regardless of receiver used!

 

An Hextronic servo installed in my Yak would cycle exactly as you describe. This was a 35Mhz installation. As the event only occured at switch on, and operated perfectly after that, it was ignored. I tried changing every component, even the electronic ignition, but the servo and concluded that it must be the servo.

 

Currently the Yak is fitted with a JR921 2.4Ghz RX, when I rigged to fly the other day, the servo motor was seized. The servo has been replaced, and guess what - exactly the same! It wags the aileron a couple of times on switch on and then operates normally. As this is now beyond logic, I continue to ignore it.

 

As to the AR500 receiver. I now have 3. 2 are working happily in gliders and 1 in a 1/6th scale P47 with an OS52FS. They have never given me a moments concern. They do have the '2 second delay' software and I would definately notice a brown out.

 

 

[Peter Jenkins]

Timbo, Lee and Clive

 

Many thanks for your incredibly quick responses.  In response to Timbo, the Tx works fine on all my other 2.4 GHz installations - that is a 9 Ch JR Rx, a parkfly 6100, and two full range 6200s.  I just wondered if I had inadvertently changed a setting and that there was now a contention.  I'm going to reset the Tx on that model memory and start again.

 

Lee - that thought had occured to me as well!

 

Clive - you have some encouraging words.  I will persevere with the two 500s and let you know the outcome after a full reprogramme of the model memory.

 

Thanks guys.

 

Peter