tacx

My Feedback: (1)

I have purchased a new dx7. It has the "SmartSafe Failsafe" feature. In the manual under the "SmartSafe Failsafe" section it states.

"Maintains last-commanded control surface position in the event of RF link interruption"

Then right under that it states.

"Note: Failsafe positions are stored via the stick and switch positions on the transmitter during binding"

I'm confused. It sounds like these two statments are saying two different things??? I would like my surfaces to go to neutral position if I loose my link. This in fact is what is suggested in the binding process, explained in the manual. I bound my RX with trottle at low and all other sticks at neutral. After turning everything on and its all working fine, I hold my surfaces (with the TX) to full in one direction and turn off my TX. (which should similate a RF link interuption). The surfaces stay in that position?? Shouldn't these surfaces return to where they were during binding??

BuschBarber

My Feedback: (2)

There are two Binding procedures. One is for Hold and the other is for Preset.

For Failsafe Hold, Insert the Bind Plug, Turn on the Rx, Wait for the Blinking Lights, Depress and Hold the Bind Button on the Tx and Turn on the Tx, then Release the Bind Button and Remove the Bind Plug after the lights go Solid. If you turn off the Tx while the Rx is still on, all Control Surfaces should Hold their positions and the Throttle should go to Idle

For Failsafe Preset, Insert the Bind Plug, Turn on the Rx, Wait for the Blinking Lights, Remove the Bind Plug, Set the Sticks, Switches, and Knobs on the Tx to the position you want the Control Surfaces to move to in case of a Failsafe Event, Depress and Hold the Bind Button on the Tx and Turn on the Tx, then Release the Bind Button and wait for the lights to go Solid. If you switch off the Tx while the Rx is still on, the Control Surfaces should move to the Preset positions.

tacx

My Feedback: (1)

BuschBarber,
Thanks for the help. It works just like you said. What I don't understand, is why the Spektrum manual doesn't cover the PRESET function? After some research I find that this is not real new information. I just bought this radio a week ago? Anyway, Thanks again for your help. These forums have been a wealth of info.

BuschBarber

My Feedback: (2)

When I first bought my XP9303, I found the manual to be lacking regarding a number of features. When I purchased the Spektrum Module, I did not realize that there were two methods for setting up Failsafe parameters. I found out when I was at the Toledo Show, a year later. There is much more information in forums like this than is published in the manual or on the Horizon site.

I remember when I tried to discover what the Side Levers were called on the 9303 so that you could assign them to a channel or a function. Try and find that in the manual.

The radio is great.

I think manuals for any manufacturer's radio leave quite a bit to be desired. It seems like they are not written by people who actually use the radio.

shaggy48

As I am leaning towards purchasing a new radio myself, am I to understand that the DX7 has both the Failsafe Hold and Failsafe Preset ? I'm only asking because I was led to belive that the DX7 does have the Failsafe hold, but that only the more expensive models such as the XP9303 had the Failsafe preset feature. However, only a few days ago at my LHS I was told that if I wanted the failsafe preset feature, I could simply bind it with everything in the (preset) positions I wanted.

So, aren't we really just talking about the same feature? With the only difference being that the radio would return to what ever position you set for your Failsafe. So if you want everything to return to neutral and throttle to idle, just bind it as normal - and thats called failsafe hold.

But if you want to set specific control surfaces, i.e, gear up throttle at idle, a little elevator and a little rudder. You could set all those and bind it there - i.e. failsafe preset. Both done a little differently per Buschbarber's excellent explaination.

But both of these are just the same feature right? Just set differently based on what you want if the receiver looses signal?

Shaggy

AWorrest

My Feedback: (5)

Shaggy,

Smart Failsafe or failsafe hold is not the same as Preset Failsafe. Failsafe as implemented on the Spektrum and JR 2.4 receivers is more complicated than failsafe used with PCM. First the failsafe is a function of the receiver and not the transmitter. Aircraft receivers manufactured recently with seven or more channels can be set to one or the other type of failsafe. Six or fewer channel receivers usually have only Smart Failsafe. One exception is the AR6250 which has Preset Failsafe on the throttle, aileron, and elevator channel. I assume it has hold on the other channels.

Smart Failsafe can be confusing as there two different states of failsafe. If the receiver is turned on before the transmitter (that is before the radio frequency link is established), the throttle channel has no signal, and the other channels go to the positions preset at binding. The second state is if the receiver loses the RF signal after the transmitter is turned on. Then the throttle will go to its preset position set at binding and the other channels will hold their last position.

Preset Failsafe works like Smart Failsafe if the receiver is turned on before the transmitter is. However after the RF link has been established and then the receiver loses the signal, all the channels will go to their preset positions.

Allan

Addendum: Actually it is the first channel, not the throttle, that acts differently from the others. For planes and hellicopters the first channel is the throttle channel. But on the 9303 and 12X in the GLID mode, the motor will not be on the first channel. The AR9250 that is designed for sailplane use is made differently for this reason.