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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/9/2012 9:54 AM

TimWatson

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Justflying1

Yes but when you use a Power expender, Power box switch, these are fail safe. They will only fail in the on position.
Who cares if they fail you will still have power to everything.
If your Y lead craps out you loose two servos.

Like I said everyone has there opinion on different set ups, for all those that wish to use them good on you.
I was more interested in those who are using the power expender just like me, and how you would hook them up with the 9 channel receiver, and X+ module.

My thinking is if you hook up all your flight surfaces direct to the expender, and leave the Kill switch, ECU, brakes, gear etc if left over to hook up to the receiver they would not draw enough power to effect the receiver. I could be wrong about this, and would appreciate someone with this experience to direct me the rite way.

Please Guys Don’t start this tread into an argument of which is the best equipment as I respect what ever you are using. (Futaba, Jr, Spectrum, Hitec, Power expenders, Power Box etc)
If it works for you well that’s great for you but I would like information on the kind of set up I usually run with my set ups.

For a Y lead to crap out as you are suggesting it would have to melt. In this situation so would the wires from the powerbox switch as they are the same gauge of wire. I am afraid your arguement does not hold much water

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/9/2012 10:04 AM

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Not that any of the above has anything to do with the thread title but....

Tim I think you are wrong about that. If say every servo was drawing 3 amps, the single servo lead going into a powerbox etc would be carrying 3amps, but a Y lead with 2 servos attached would be carrying 6amps would it not?

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/9/2012 11:37 AM

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Would make sense to me to have two 9ch receivers, buy a second, plug them together and now it is 18ch dosnt take a lot of brain cells to work that one out!

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/9/2012 12:12 PM

Justflying1

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Xairflyer

Would make sense to me to have two 9ch receivers, buy a second, plug them together and now it is 18ch dosnt take a lot of brain cells to work that one out!

I have heard of Giant scale planes running dual receivers with a power box set up so if one fails the other can take over.

I did not know that you can connect two together to make more channels.

A straight out 9,10,12 channel receiver etc has ports for the flight surfaces, accessories ports e.g. Brake, canopy open, bomb drop.

So if you connect two 9 channel receivers and connect your flight surfaces to one and you need to put accessories into the other one eg, brakes in the aileron port how is it going to let you do that.

Do you understand where im coming from. Please excuse me if I haven't explained properly. Also im not saying you are wrong or I am rite. I honestly don’t know, and would like some confirmation on this.

If it is as simple as connecting to 9 channels together, well the problem is solved. Mind you I still would think its easier for spectrum to just supply to buy a 18 channel receiver. Otherwise for instance why bother with a 12 channel when you can use two 6 channels.

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/9/2012 12:16 PM

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Has anyone setup the trainer mode on the DX-18? I have a DX-18 and DX-8. Both are great radios but setting up the trainer mode using the 18 as the master and the 8 as the slave has been a bad experience. Seems to me there's a lot missing from the manual instructions. I can't seem to just transfer stick control to the slave without having to select the same model in the slave and adjust the subtrims to match the master. I've tried Programmable Master and Pilot Link. I've also put the slave Trainer to Inhibit and Slave.

I hope I'm just missing something here and someone can set me straight.

Mr G

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/9/2012 12:28 PM

Xairflyer

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The receivers would have to to have a data port to join them together, output/input RSSI
ch1 on second receiver would become ch10, ch2 becomes ch11 etc.

It has been done already with the cheaper chineese 2.4 systems.

I think spektrum looked at more of an expansion type system similar to Xbus which is really a joke, who would want to run five or six servos on one servo lead?, and purposely fit another battery rearward in an aeroplane! futaba tech had too much vindaloo that day I think.

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/9/2012 12:45 PM

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It wouldn't suprise me if you had to use a DX18 as a master and slave!

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/9/2012 1:36 PM

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Close. I have successfully used a DX-5 as a slave for my new DX-18 and had problems 'till Andy Kunz helped (thanks, Andy.)

It depends upon how complex your -18 model is (I was using nine channels: dual ailerons, dual flaps, plus aux nosewheel steering.)

Basically, I wound up (via Andy's recommendation) using P-Link Master and enabling only the top row of master/slave channels settings; i.e., throttle, elevator, rudder, and left aileron. The bottom row had "right aileron" and that was giving the -5 conniptions. I figured it had to do with left vs. right aileron as the mixes advise that left/right aileron (and flaps) behave differently (both up vs. one up/one down), but I just wasn't getting the right combinations. :-)

Right now, my Habu 32 EDF flies great with the -18 and the -5 also works great, as a slave, without having to change anything in the -5 (i.e., no servo reversing, no trims, etc.)

I have not had a chance to check my JR12X as a slave box, but will do so when time permits, but if a stone-cold simple -5 can work, then I do not see why a 12X won't.

Good luck. It is a new XMTR and there is a bit of a learning curve, but so far the -18 is proving superior in so many ways to my 12X.

Michael

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mr_Grump

Has anyone setup the trainer mode on the DX-18? I have a DX-18 and DX-8. Both are great radios but setting up the trainer mode using the 18 as the master and the 8 as the slave has been a bad experience. Seems to me there's a lot missing from the manual instructions. I can't seem to just transfer stick control to the slave without having to select the same model in the slave and adjust the subtrims to match the master. I've tried Programmable Master and Pilot Link. I've also put the slave Trainer to Inhibit and Slave.

I hope I'm just missing something here and someone can set me straight.

Mr G

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/9/2012 2:34 PM

Mr_Grump

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Thanks guys for your input.

Snowflake..... I did as Andy advised you and that cured my issues. I have individual channels for elevator and ailerons and was getting some weird responses.

Once again the manual leaves us short. Like most manuals, they sometimes assume the reader knows more than they actually do. The manual for the 18 isn't that bad but like most, it could have used a lot of examples of the different programming options.

Thanks again...

Mr G

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/9/2012 3:27 PM

TimWatson

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Duncan

Not that any of the above has anything to do with the thread title but....

Tim I think you are wrong about that. If say every servo was drawing 3 amps, the single servo lead going into a powerbox etc would be carrying 3amps, but a Y lead with 2 servos attached would be carrying 6amps would it not?

Nooooooo it is like water in a pipe where the pipe splits there cannot be more down stream in total than there is at the top of the stream and the bat lead from the switch is at the very top of the stream

< Message edited by TimWatson -- 6/9/2012 6:04 PM >

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/9/2012 4:37 PM

Snowflake6515

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Mr. G, so glad it worked out for you. I'm starting to think I understand the -18 programming when you have multiple servos on a control surface. I look at the DEFAULT mapping (even though you can override it via channel assignment...) because one of the pair will provide normal throws and the other of the pair provides a reversal on the other surface.

E.g., with dual ailerons, normally, the left aileron goes into the AIL channel on the rcvr and is assigned channel 2, whereas with dual flaps, the right flap goes into the GEAR port and the left flap goes into an AUX port (depends upon whether you have retracts...).

Thus, in mixing, LAIL will have the ailerons move as normal; i.e., one up, the other down, whereas mixing RAIL, both will go up or down, together. With dual flaps, mixing RFLP will have them behave as normal, but mixing LFLP will have them moving in opposite directions (as flaperons...) I forget the dual elevator mixing, but, and I could be completely wrong, I would look at the DEFAULT assignment of which elevator half is assigned to the standard rcvr ELE channel and I bet that one, when mixed, will provide for both elevator halves moving up/down, but mixing the other half would provide for split up/down movement (for vectored thrust effects would be my guess.)

The other key point I am learning is that the mixes are based on FUNCTIONALITY and not the STICK or the concept of AILERON, ELEVATOR, etc.; hence LAIL, RAIL, LFLP, RFLP, etc. E.g., for my Habu 32 EDF, with variable nosewheel steering sensitivity, I had to use two mixes: one PMIX between RUD and AUX4 (for the nosewheel steering servo) and a second PMIX for RUD and AUX4 for the increased (or decreased) sensitivity. I had tried to use channel assignment capability to "copy" the rudder to aux4, but then I could no longer increase/decrease aux4 with a SINGLE mix as AUX4 was no longer listed as a destination option, but "rudder" was.

Slowly, it is coming together, but I do agree that the programming examples in the manual leave a lot unstated. Andy did recommend that sailplane folks go to Kennedy Composites site and look at the template and PDF instructions for the -18. I did that, even though I have a rather simple/brain-dead glider, as there was a wealth of information WITH explanations about mixes with dual ailerons, flaps, etc. It was worth a look/read.

It will come. Andy had told me that it will "click" and I have to admit that more and more of my first programming setups are now working, or, within a minute or two, I know what I did wrong and can get it right.

Not an expert, by any means, but starting to get it. :-)

Good luck and stick with it. By us all pooling our learning experiences, we may wind up with an on-line "programming manual for dummies" that others can use. :-)

Michael

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/9/2012 6:22 PM

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I've been trying out my DX18 today with all the telemetry gizmos. I'm a mechanical engineer so all this electronic stuff is pure friggin' magic (PFM) to me. Thank God for instructions and I read them a few times. Setting this all up has been a bit of a struggle, but I'm making some progress.

My AR9020 receiver that came with the radio suffered from infant mortality and lasted a couple of minutes before dying. That's the whole point of testing it all out on the bench, and then in a foamie, before putting it in a jet.

I tried using a JR921 receiver (after confirming with the TM1000 module that it works on all JR receivers with a data port). I connected the data port on the TM1000 to the data port on the R921, pressed the bind button on the TM1000, and turned the power on. According to the manual, the lights in the TM1000, receiver, and satellites are all supposed to blink. They don't; I only got blinking on the TM1000. I tried binding anyway but it failed.

Then I noted that the R921 ports are Batt1/Bind and Batt2/Data whereas R1221 and R1222 receivers have a Bind/Data port. Ah, a clue!!!! To bind this receiver with telemetry, you have to use a bind plug AND press the button on the TM1000.

To bind a R921 receiver with telemetry you have to:
1) connect the receiver battery to any servo port
2) connect the TM1000 to the Batt2/Data port
3) put a bind plug in the Batt1/Bind port
4) press/hold the button TM1000
5) turn the receiver on, then release the bind button on the TM1000, then pull the bind plug out of the Batt1/Bind port
6) turn on the transmitter while holding down the bind button.

Now that it has been binded (bound?), you can remove the battery lead from the servo port and plug it into the Batt1/Bind port.

Jim

< Message edited by rcjets_63 -- 6/9/2012 10:19 PM >

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/9/2012 7:20 PM

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Thanks Michael

Appreciate all the good info. I've not done a lot of programming in radios. I guess I've never had a good reason. I was using a 12Z but sold it. It was a great radio but I found the manual awful and when I did try programming, it was even worse. I had to go to Futaba to get help for flapperons. It wasn't really that difficult but the menu wasn't visible. I had to scroll off the bottom of the visible menu to find what I was looking for. I decided then it was time for a change.

I like the DX-8 but since I fly mostly giant scale, I had to get really creative and really get manual setup correct as I didn't have enough channels to do it the easy way. The DX-8 will be used to buddy box others and maybe even pull the wife into the hobby. I'm struggling to decide if that would be a good or bad thing... :-)

I'll check out the web site you mentioned and try to get educated. I just picked up a S12020 rx so I should have 12 channels now in the DX-18. Easy. Guess I'm getting lazy in my old age... :-)

Regards

Lane

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/9/2012 11:29 PM

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Just some information for those like myself who did not know.

I found this on the Spectrum website http://www.spektrumrc.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=SPMAR12020

Looks like they do make the 12 channel receiver which is X+ compatible which will give you the 18 channels some of as mite be after when used with the X+ module .

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/13/2012 12:20 AM

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I've purchased the S12020 receiver. I've tried everything I know to get AUX-6 and 7 to work on the receiver. Would someone mind giving me some step-by-step directions? I'm obviously looking over something.

Thanks

Mr G

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/13/2012 12:30 AM

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I think you need to turn on x+, then assign the first two to the inputs you desire.

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/13/2012 12:48 AM

Mr_Grump

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Haven't tried that. Thanks Dustin.

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/13/2012 12:55 AM

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That was it Dustin. Thanks again. Don't know where I missed it but it's working now.

Mr G

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/13/2012 2:57 AM

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Here is a little intro to the DX18 that I threw together. Enjoy! more to come.

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/13/2012 12:17 PM

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Apparently ANOTHER 2+ weeks until we get it in UK after being told it was either last week or this week.

Get your act together Horizon.

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/13/2012 1:11 PM

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Know how you feel Dom!

Al said you're the last on the list btw!

Gary.

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/13/2012 3:21 PM

Gordon W

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Dustin Buescher

I think you need to turn on x+, then assign the first two to the inputs you desire.

There's more. Quoting an Andy Kunz reply on the RCgroups thread:

One of the minuses (not a huge miss) is when using X-Plus the frame rate goes from 11ms to 22ms for the first 10 channels.

If you are only using X+1 and X+2, you can keep the 11ms rate if you use a 12-channel rx.

What you do is configure those two channels as desired, then turn off X-Plus. The channels are still calculated, but they are only transmitted as Aux6/7 and not as X+1/2.

When you use XPlus, the receiver channels are updated every 22ms. Period. The XPlus channels are updated less frequently according to an algorithm that speeds throughput as needed.

When you don't enable XPlus, the primary controls (A/E/R/Aux1) can be updated every 11ms if you are bound in 11ms mode (ie, you have a fast receiver).

Gordon

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/13/2012 3:46 PM

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quote:

ORIGINAL: madmodelman
Al said you're the last on the list btw!

Yes, well, I've been moaning so much I'm not surprised at all by that.

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/13/2012 5:14 PM

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Only pulling your leg Dom

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RE: Spektrum DX18 - 6/13/2012 5:16 PM

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Gordon W

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dustin Buescher

I think you need to turn on x+, then assign the first two to the inputs you desire.

There's more. Quoting an Andy Kunz reply on the RCgroups thread:

One of the minuses (not a huge miss) is when using X-Plus the frame rate goes from 11ms to 22ms for the first 10 channels.

If you are only using X+1 and X+2, you can keep the 11ms rate if you use a 12-channel rx.

What you do is configure those two channels as desired, then turn off X-Plus. The channels are still calculated, but they are only transmitted as Aux6/7 and not as X+1/2.

When you use XPlus, the receiver channels are updated every 22ms. Period. The XPlus channels are updated less frequently according to an algorithm that speeds throughput as needed.

When you don't enable XPlus, the primary controls (A/E/R/Aux1) can be updated every 11ms if you are bound in 11ms mode (ie, you have a fast receiver).

Gordon

That's a nice "work around" to know about! It's certainly not intuitively obvious and I'd suspect (hope!) that this gets changed in one of the upcoming software upgrades, so that going into 12-ch mode (with option of 11 ms rate) without going into X-plus mode is more straightforward.

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