paul7194

Flew my Mayhem today with a saito 125 and the DX7. It was 47 degrees cloudy and the wind was around 18 to 20mph and very gusty. Not a real good day for testing but all went very well. Radio ground check exceeded the recommended distance. I had NO glitches unlike my friend that was flying 72mhz. He had 2 or 3 glitches during the afternoon. I have been flying Futaba for years but I am really liking this DX7. So far so GOOD!!

Geistware

My Feedback: (16)

Dick, are you saying that the DX-7 will transmit through 2 aluminum walls and a car but can't penetrate rain!?
I think this needs to be checked again!

rmh

This is Utah rain - not that wimpy southern stuff --

davegr1

My Feedback: (2)

Flew the 85!! QQ Yak today, 55deg, 10mph wind. Absolutely no problems, No ignition noise no nuttin'. I noticed I to speed up the stick movement to do the rolling harrier. The hover was easy, I range tested to 187'. The ant was folded, when I pionted it at the radio, (a no-no) I dropped out at 100'. So with the way I hold the radio, Ill just keep the ant folded. I have the receiver hooked to a powerbox, works good. A little trouble getting the ailerons to work, but that was my inability to program the JR radio. I fly Futaba, well I used to . Also check the scews on the tension of the sticks, the throttle one was ready to fall out on mine.

goatboy

I see that the receiver has to use the supplied charger because of the neg center pin , but what about the receiver batt? I need to quick charge with a Triton charger at the field because I use a 350 Mha NiMh in my pylon racers.

Capt Jim

My Feedback: (168)

That negative center pin on the DX7 transmitter charge jack is just the opposite of what we have been accustomed to with Futaba gear...and, pretty much the rest of the world of electronic things too.
It kinda makes you wonder why they, and JR, would opt to be different.
It's like driving on the wrong side of the road. Perhaps their thinking is that this apparent mutual exclusivity keeps users locked into their brand.
Well anyway, I too use a Triton charger, and although I haven't recharged my Spektrum batteries with it yet...my plan is to simply reverse the banana plugs on the Tx charge cord, where they plug into the Triton output jacks. That is, plug the black charge cord plug into the red Triton output jack....red charge cord plug into the black Triton output jack.
That accomplishes the required polarity reversal.
Of course the Triton will sense the polarity before starting up, and it will shut itself off and beep at you if you get it wrong. I hate it when it does that. heh heh.
The downside is that this will be just one more little thing to have to remember.....
Hmmmmm, I see a potential..."Oh I forgot about that"...coming up in the future due to this little polarity quirk.

EDIT: I see IFLYj3 , or was it flypaper?...had a better idea ( see his post following) where he noted that the rx connections are same polarity as all the other mfrs. But then he rewired the transmitter charge jack to have + on the center pin, like everyone else. I like that idea too. I guess then the thing to do after that...if you ever wanted to use the wall charger that came with the spektrum, would be to snip off their plug, and resolder the wires in the reverse polarity. Then everything is compatible.

PS: I see you are in Deerfield, FL...I am in Boca. Do you fly at the Gold Coast club field (my home field)...or do you use Markham Park?

Capt Jim

My Feedback: (168)

A question regarding the Spektrum transmitter antenna.
It has a hinge in it, allowing it to fold over to a 90 degree bend.
Is this only to accomodate packing it into a transmitter case...or does it like to fly in the "bent" position?
If so...would it be happier flying bent left...right...or up?
I didn't see any reference to it in the manual....but then there's a number of things I didn't see in their manual. 8>)
Let's see what the antenna guru's have to say about this.

iflyj3

My Feedback: (7)

Observations etc;

I don't think the transmitter antenna orientation makes any difference. The one on the DX6 only folds whereas on the DX7 it folds and swivels. If you are the type that flys with the antenna pointed sharply at the ground, you may want to fold it in the vertical plane. Try it on a range check as the manual says hold the transmitter as if you were flying.

Transmitter charging jack. Airtronics finally got in step with the world with their servo connections. It is time JR did the same with the transmitter charge plug!

After I verify the new system is working OK, I remove the transmitter back and reverse the wires to the charge plug to make it compatible with the other 10 transmitters I use. Even though I use the Alpha 4 charger which will sense reverse polarity, I would rather have every one the same so I don't have to have two different charger leads.

Binding plug and dual battery packs;

I use dual battery packs with my own special switch harness. Since the binding plug for the receiver plugs in the charge jack that presented a problem with me. To solve this delima, I plugged my batteries in to two servo ports and inserted a 6 inch servo extension in the RX battery/binding socket. I simply insert the binding plug in this extension when binding is needed.

my $.02

Flypaper 2

Reciever batt polarity is the same as everyone elses. I switched the wires around inside to match the other trans. I have.

pizza

My Feedback: (24)

finally discovered something unusual about this radio - it hums when turned on and transmitting is this normal?

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

Transmitter polarity is the reason I avoided JR for all these years up to now. I have a JR buddy box that I keep a JR style charge cable tied to just as a reminder. I've always told my students it doesnt matter which brand you choose, just pick one and try to stick which it. Otherwise you end up blowing fuses and such. Naturally one student a while back didnt remember that, but he quickly sold the futaba after a few times. The LHS here pushes JR. Up to now I've been futaba and hitec. So there will be a transistion period that I'll have to deal with.
Edwin

Capt Jim

My Feedback: (168)

IflyJ3 had a brilliant suggestion...just pop open the back of the transmitter and rewire the charge jack so that + is on the center pin. Instant total compatibility! I love it.
I'm gonna do it to mine.

Capt Jim

My Feedback: (168)

Hi pizza...What a discovery. heh heh.
I thought mine was totally quiet...but then I placed my ear directly on the case, on the back side, near the binding button...and I could just barely hear a very weak buzzzing sound. Sounded like the sort of buzz you would hear from a flourescent fixture...but so soft...you cannot hear it unless your ear is right on the case.
It's a very curious thing!
It doesn't worry me at all, but it makes me wonder what component could do that?
How in the world did you even discover that faint sound???

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

Ed, I just got the new DX7, and already have an ACE MicroPro and about 4 JRs. I make up charge cords specifically for the JR and place a piece of red vinyl tape, (a tag if you will) with JR written on it. I make up two for each brand, one with two banana plugs for my FMA Nova 250 and one with a pin plug for my ACE chargers, bought when ACE was really ACE.

onewasp

CJ

Old Futaba flyers don't fade away, they just re-wire their JRs.

Not bad --- Douglas might be proud of that!

Geistware

My Feedback: (16)

It seems like we are getting a lot of good reports on the DX-7 system.
While the Spektrum systems are not JR, I wonder if any JR representatives are lurking and can give us their comments!

pizza

My Feedback: (24)

sounds like a motor running or a cat puuring just another good feature my other radios are quiet not sure if anything is going on inside. like an engine you want it quiet but not too quiet.

rmh

Team JR guys ?
as far as I know - all of em love it!
The buzzing sound you hear is the elves - having a party --
The rewiring thing is a real surprise to me - with the large battery in the 7 - it will fly for hours .
The feature I really like -is the combining of ailerons with Aux 1 and the combining of Elevator with Aux 2.
for those who don't know about this feature -which is proprietary in the DX7- go to Horizon and download the video on latency-
I was trying to setup a 10 channel PCM Heli radio on a big CAP and I found a delay when El was coupled into Aux 4 - This feature in the DX 7 STOPS the delayand uneven travel rates found in PCM equipment-- it isn't much but you can see it.
On some setups it could be important.
PS The big CAP now has a DX7 in it --- as does my CAP

Geistware

My Feedback: (16)

Dick,
I am glad that someone has chosen to address the latency problem with dual channels.
I have taught myself to add ailerons to any elevator input for big loops. This offsets the rolling moment from the uneven movement. It is small but for a big loop it is noticeable. You will not come out with wings level without adding aileron.

rmh

I thought it was important -
Reading many different inputs -I think that it may be of small interest to a number of those interested in the DX7 --who see the radio as simply a new rf thingamabob.
Anyone who uses Y harnesses for dual elevators is not going to see the improvment from the new dual channel coupling.
Also I am certain a number of fliers see the system as a low bucks setup -and not competitive with systems costing thousands of dollars . In my book , nothing could be more misconstrued.
Having bought - used and rejected (for my own opinions) some highly touted expensive radios- This radio reminds me of my first new Honda Accord - it was cheap (I paid 4360 bucks cash for it) and was stunned at how it simply blew away any of the new offerings from the big three back in 1977.
It was dismissed as just a cheap car by my associates at the factory- they just did not want to see what had happened to the state of the art.
anyway -- that's MY take on the DX7--

pappy35

I'm with Richard on the latency thang. I worked at Pratt & Whitney's engine Control Systems organization for a while and know something about digital data streams. I think it's great that they took the time to figure out that it's good to group together the words for associated channels.

This radio is the best thing since sliced bread and knowing what I know about it now, I think they WAY underpriced it. For about $25 more than the 7202, this is the best bang for the buck I've had since the last time I got....

...never mind, this is a family station...

Geistware

My Feedback: (16)

OK, from all that I have seen and read. I still have one question.
Can you set a count down timer to the throttle stick?
This system seems to do all that I need it to do.
I don't need flight modes and the such, just need to be able to know when I have flown 10 minutes.

rmh

the count down is accessed by the rocker on the lower right of the screen - one touch it starts - touch lower side -it stops etc..

Airbike

My Feedback: (6)

OK, I experienced a quirk with my DX7 that kind of freaked me out a little.

I've been using the DX7 on my electric Yak parkflyer (AR6000 Rx) as well as on my DA-50 powered Double Vision Bipe (AR7000 Rx). About 5 or 6 flights on the DV without any problems, and about 15 flights on the small Yak without problems.

Today while I was hooking up the battery to fly the Yak, I had the DX-7 Tx on and then hooked up the battery to the ESC. I was speaking with another flyer for a minute and then went to check things over before launch. I found that the DX7 Tx screen went blank but the switch was still in the on position and nothing worked. I cycled the switch and everything was fine. This really caught me off guard, as I would never expect the Tx to go blank when powered up.

Everything continues to work now so I don't know what caused it or if it wil ever happen again (certainly hope NOT).

I'll keep a closer eye on things as I get more flights with my DX7.

goatboy

CAPT JIM

I fly at Markham, would like to check out your field though, as it is closer I had joined the Condors but they closed down right after and I never flew there. I also thought of the rewire of the transmitter but figured I would let some one else jump out of the frying pan first! I also noticed the antenna and like the idea of bending it. I race 424 and tend to point the radio at the plane (bad) so this may help. Anyone know what the min Mha nicad or NmH battery the receiver/ servos can take I hear the digital servos suck up the juice.