trainer box questions
10-01-2007 | 09:18 AM
#1
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trainer box questions
Hi everybody,
I've got questions on using a buddy box. One of our club members offered additonal flight training help. I have a Futabe 6XEAS TX and he has an older Futaba (which is not digital). He plugged in a trainer cord and after much head scratching, got the boxes to work. But the only way they will work is if both transmitters are turned on. I thought one of the transmitters (buddy box) did not need to be turned on? The Master TX was turned on, and the slave was to be off. We tried turning off the slave TX, but it would not operate the control surfaces, unless it was turned on. What are we doing wrong? Turning on both TX's and depressing the trainer switch on my Futaba is the only way The older TX will work. The transmitters are different channels, so do I need to get a "Buddy Box". i"m confused. If I didn't give enough information, let me know and I'll go into more detail.
Thanks
CC
I've got questions on using a buddy box. One of our club members offered additonal flight training help. I have a Futabe 6XEAS TX and he has an older Futaba (which is not digital). He plugged in a trainer cord and after much head scratching, got the boxes to work. But the only way they will work is if both transmitters are turned on. I thought one of the transmitters (buddy box) did not need to be turned on? The Master TX was turned on, and the slave was to be off. We tried turning off the slave TX, but it would not operate the control surfaces, unless it was turned on. What are we doing wrong? Turning on both TX's and depressing the trainer switch on my Futaba is the only way The older TX will work. The transmitters are different channels, so do I need to get a "Buddy Box". i"m confused. If I didn't give enough information, let me know and I'll go into more detail.
Thanks
CC
10-01-2007 | 10:20 AM
#2
RE: trainer box questions
ORIGINAL: ouflyer
Hi everybody,
I've got questions on using a buddy box. One of our club members offered additonal flight training help. I have a Futabe 6XEAS TX and he has an older Futaba (which is not digital). He plugged in a trainer cord and after much head scratching, got the boxes to work. But the only way they will work is if both transmitters are turned on. I thought one of the transmitters (buddy box) did not need to be turned on? The Master TX was turned on, and the slave was to be off. We tried turning off the slave TX, but it would not operate the control surfaces, unless it was turned on. What are we doing wrong? Turning on both TX's and depressing the trainer switch on my Futaba is the only way The older TX will work. The transmitters are different channels, so do I need to get a "Buddy Box". i"m confused. If I didn't give enough information, let me know and I'll go into more detail.
Thanks
CC
Hi everybody,
I've got questions on using a buddy box. One of our club members offered additonal flight training help. I have a Futabe 6XEAS TX and he has an older Futaba (which is not digital). He plugged in a trainer cord and after much head scratching, got the boxes to work. But the only way they will work is if both transmitters are turned on. I thought one of the transmitters (buddy box) did not need to be turned on? The Master TX was turned on, and the slave was to be off. We tried turning off the slave TX, but it would not operate the control surfaces, unless it was turned on. What are we doing wrong? Turning on both TX's and depressing the trainer switch on my Futaba is the only way The older TX will work. The transmitters are different channels, so do I need to get a "Buddy Box". i"m confused. If I didn't give enough information, let me know and I'll go into more detail.
Thanks
CC
Mike
10-01-2007 | 10:40 AM
#3
My Feedback: (1)
RE: trainer box questions
The master TX is always "on" with antenna fully extended. The student slave TX is turned off. I'm pretty sure the slave TX has to be set in FM or PPM mode but the power should not have to be turned on. The antenna should be collapsed.
I have the older 6XAs TX with dedicated Futaba buddy box and the round to micro cord. The buddy box will NOT work if I am in PCM mode and with a PCM RX. As soon as I hit the trainer button on the 6X, the LEDs on the buddy box light up and it has control. The 6XAs was a bit odd in that everything had to be PPM mode. My 9C can be in PCM but the slave TX has to be PPM (and turned off).
Which "old" Futaba system are you using?
I have the older 6XAs TX with dedicated Futaba buddy box and the round to micro cord. The buddy box will NOT work if I am in PCM mode and with a PCM RX. As soon as I hit the trainer button on the 6X, the LEDs on the buddy box light up and it has control. The 6XAs was a bit odd in that everything had to be PPM mode. My 9C can be in PCM but the slave TX has to be PPM (and turned off).
Which "old" Futaba system are you using?
10-01-2007 | 10:40 AM
#4
RE: trainer box questions
You could try using the puter radio as the slave. I had a puter radio as a buddy box once. The basic 4 channel powered up the slave puter radio even though the swich on the puter radio was off. The downside is powering up the puter radio put a higher drain on the Tx. battery whcih you could see the power levels dropping off much quicker. My setup was also Futaba. [8D]
10-01-2007 | 08:13 PM
#5
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RE: trainer box questions
Thanks for your input guys. I went to the LHS and had him check that out. He had several TXs in the back and we tried them all. None of them worked unless the TX was turned on. My TX was set on PPM (FM). Even tried to see if my TX would work as the slave. Seemed the only way to use the Slave TX was by turning it on. We did all sorts of ground tests, and everything worked. Even did several test flights with no problems. If someone here is a radio expert, please tell me what is wrong or what other options to try.
Thanks
CC
Thanks
CC
10-01-2007 | 09:13 PM
#6
My Feedback: (1)
RE: trainer box questions
Well, here's the instructions straight from the 6EXA Super manual:
To use the trainer cord:
1. It is best for the instructor to use the transmitter that is already set up for the model to be flown.
2. If the student's radio has PCM/PPM capability, set it to PPM.
3. If the student's radio has a plug-in RF module, remove the module.
4. Collapse the student's antenna and fully extend the instructor's antenna.
5. With the transmitters off, connect the trainer cord to both radios. (On the 6EXA the trainer
jack is in the center of the rear of the case.) Do not force the plug into the transmitter and
note that the plug is “keyed” so it can go in only one way.
6. Turn on the instructor's transmitter. DO NOT turn on the students transmitter it will automatically “power up,” but will not transmit a signal. Set the servo reversing and trims of the student's radio to match that of the instructor's.
7. Turn on the receiver switch in the model. Depress the trainer switch on the instructor's radio. Use the student’s radio to
operate the controls (ailerons, elevator, rudder, etc.) and observe how they respond. Make any adjustments necessary to
the student's transmitter to get the controls to respond correctly.
8. Check to see that the trims are in “sync” by toggling the trainer switch back and forth a few times. The controls on the model
should remain stationary. If the controls do not remain stationary, this indicates that the trim settings on the student's radio
do not match those on the instructor's radio. Adjust the student's trims as necessary.
Note: When the instructor initially depresses the trainer switch on his transmitter, there will be a one-second delay before the
student takes control. In most situations this momentary delay will go unnoticed.
So if you're having to turn on the student transmitter, I'd suspect something is awry with your buddy box cable?
To use the trainer cord:
1. It is best for the instructor to use the transmitter that is already set up for the model to be flown.
2. If the student's radio has PCM/PPM capability, set it to PPM.
3. If the student's radio has a plug-in RF module, remove the module.
4. Collapse the student's antenna and fully extend the instructor's antenna.
5. With the transmitters off, connect the trainer cord to both radios. (On the 6EXA the trainer
jack is in the center of the rear of the case.) Do not force the plug into the transmitter and
note that the plug is “keyed” so it can go in only one way.
6. Turn on the instructor's transmitter. DO NOT turn on the students transmitter it will automatically “power up,” but will not transmit a signal. Set the servo reversing and trims of the student's radio to match that of the instructor's.
7. Turn on the receiver switch in the model. Depress the trainer switch on the instructor's radio. Use the student’s radio to
operate the controls (ailerons, elevator, rudder, etc.) and observe how they respond. Make any adjustments necessary to
the student's transmitter to get the controls to respond correctly.
8. Check to see that the trims are in “sync” by toggling the trainer switch back and forth a few times. The controls on the model
should remain stationary. If the controls do not remain stationary, this indicates that the trim settings on the student's radio
do not match those on the instructor's radio. Adjust the student's trims as necessary.
Note: When the instructor initially depresses the trainer switch on his transmitter, there will be a one-second delay before the
student takes control. In most situations this momentary delay will go unnoticed.
So if you're having to turn on the student transmitter, I'd suspect something is awry with your buddy box cable?
10-01-2007 | 09:48 PM
#7
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RE: trainer box questions
PipeMajor,
We thought of that too. Bought a new trainer cord and it still didn't work unless we turned on the slave transmitter. We read my manual and it stated the same thing. We followed the manual step by step. And we still had no input, unless we turned on the slave TX. Is this thing posessed?
Thanks
CC
We thought of that too. Bought a new trainer cord and it still didn't work unless we turned on the slave transmitter. We read my manual and it stated the same thing. We followed the manual step by step. And we still had no input, unless we turned on the slave TX. Is this thing posessed?
Thanks
CC
10-01-2007 | 09:52 PM
#8
RCU Forum Manager/Admin
My Feedback: (9)
RE: trainer box questions
Ouflyer,
It's really starting to sound like there might be something wrong with your radio. I've trained a lot of students using Futabas, and on every one of them the buddy box has no battery, crystal, or antenna on it. And it worked just fine.
Ken
It's really starting to sound like there might be something wrong with your radio. I've trained a lot of students using Futabas, and on every one of them the buddy box has no battery, crystal, or antenna on it. And it worked just fine.
Ken
10-02-2007 | 07:43 AM
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RE: trainer box questions
I don't know RCKen, it's strange. I'm being trained by 2 instructors, when I fly with my original instructor, he uses my TX and I use an old one of his. And it works just like the manual says you should do. The only reason I'm using 2 instructors is my first one recently found out he has Parkinson's disease. But with my 2nd instructor, we use the same process, but They will not work unless the other TX is turned on. Could my first instructor programmed something on my TX to make it work like it is supposed too? i'm lost.
Thanks
CC
Thanks
CC
