rabraaten

I wasn't getting much help in the radio section of the forums so I'll try here...I've crashed my JR RS600 receiver a couple of times now. The first airframe was a total writeoff. I did a throrough range check, running, on the second airframe and had no troubles for 30 or so flights. This one pancaked hard enough to pull the firewall off, dumb thumbs not radio related.

As I'm repairing the plane I pulled the receiver and all out and found that the case is cracked, couple of small pieces of plastic missing. I have little doubt that this crash was far less dramatic than the last one and I'm not sure if the damage was there last time or not. I will of course thoroughly range test this receiver as well before I fly it again. Can anyone out there tell me exactly how and what Horizon (or any other repair type facility) would check if I sent this in for inspection/repair? I've looked a bit into sending it in but the cost seems like it may not be worth it. (As opposed to just replacing it...)

Thanks

Ryan

Campgems

I can't answer for a JR receiver, but the Futaba service center charges something like $20 to check out a receiver. I've sent two in so far, and both needed a ceramic filter, an on one, the xtal was bad. Neither cost more than $35 to fix and ship back. I think it was good peace of mind insurance.

They sent me instructions for checking after a crash and it is the same as you did the first time, range check with a running engine.

My rule of thumb is that if I can replace it with a new receiver, cheaper than a repair, it's a new receiver. However, replacing it with a used receiver may put you back in unknown waters again. I don't know what Horizon's charges are, but I expect they are not much different than Futaba's.

Don

ChuckW

I've sent two Spektrum receivers to Horizon. One was in a crash and I just wanted it checked out. I got it back a couple weeks later with an invoice saying it was OK and no charge. Even if it was $20-$30 to fix it, it is worth it for the piece of mind.

rabraaten

I live in Canada (obviously)....Horizon has a separate repair form for us Northern folk. Minimum 15 dollar fee, half hour at 30 bucks an hour, plus 10 bucks to ship it back to me. The new receiver is around 60 bucks. I know that channel modification is highly frowned upon for very good reasons. I'm not sure I understand how I can safely use another manufacturers receiver with my radio, say a HITEC Electron 6 or something.....

Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

As long as you have the proper conversion, you can use other brands of receivers with the proper channel crystal. There are much less expensive alternatives to buying new JR receivers, and probably even less to buy a new receiver than to get yours fixed.

You can save the 'bad' one for bench use, to plug in servos and center them, etc.

mclina

If all you need is a four channel RX, I have had really good luck using the little Berg Microstamp RX's with my JR Sport TX. They are auto-shift detecting, and cost about $30 (US). They do only have four plugs, though, so you need a Y harness to attach the battery/switch to any one of the servo connections.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXLBY8&P=0

Good luck

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXKYK3&P=ML

This exact Hitec Rx will work fine with your JR TX. It is Auto shift meaning it will automatically set to the required positive shift of your JR Tx. There is nothing to do differently your servo plugs, Switch harness will all fit with no mods, nothing.

You can also use the new Neutron 6 autoshift which I beleve is replacing the Electron 6 which was avaliable in positive or negative shift only.

John

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

I neglected to mention use only a Hitec blue stripe (dual conversion) crystal with your new Rx. that is the frequency of your Tx. Do not attempt to use your JR crystal in the Hitec Rx. The 600 Jr Rx is a single conversion (ABC&W) RX and that crystal will not work in the Hitec.

John

Tom Nied

I was in the same predicament once. And you know what, just get a new receiver. Why take the chance. New is always better than repaired when it comes to electronics. I've found you can save money in some areas, but when it comes to electronics, buy the best, use the best, it's really worth it.

Campgems

Tom, actually new is not always better than repaired. I spent a decade doing Service cost estimates, figuring failure rates and figuring how much it was going to cost to keep things going. There is a basic failure reate curve, we called it a bath tub curve, High on both ends and very low in the middle. This is true for all electronics. Once they have passed the 90 days useage, electronics are solid as a rock, until the reach the other end of the bath tube curve. That is usually in the 10 to 15 year of usage range. That is why that I will never buy an extended warrenty on any electronic gear. Mechanical wear out is a different story and I won't address that here.

Now, if you apply that to the RC gear we use, things are accelerated a bit on one end due to the number of power on/off cycles, but the short usage cycles overides that by a bunch. I would estimate that if a receiver has survived a year of flying two to three days a week for 6 months, It is at the bottom of the bath tub curve and should work fine for many years after, crashes not included.

The overal failure rate is based on all new components when made. After you have reached the bottom of the curve, one new component will not nudge the failure rate very far off the bottom.

Bottom line is this, a fresh off the shelf new receiver is more likely to expreience a failure than a year old receiver that has been repaired, and a BIG IF HERE, if it was repaired by a skilled service tech. I would expect that Horizons techs are very skilled and therefore, I would trust their repair. Cost should be the only factor in deciding to repair or replace.

Don

Tom Nied

Campgems, I can agree with you to a certain extent. But when it comes to a receiver that is questionable, I have to just replaced it. I don't want to mess around with "maybes". Sure if a piece of electronics have been working fine for 90 days, it probably will be fine down the line. But after a crash, if its questionable, the cost of replacement versus repair, I'm going to replace it. All engineers are familiar with the term "(dog feces) can it" to keep this forum clean of bad words. When it's garbage, it's garbage. So fine, if you want to chance your plane to repaired electronics and feel fine with that, then great. At a certain point, I'd rather just replace it. We agree that we disagree.

rabraaten

Okay time for a minor shift...I have a 7C 2.4 Futaba radio for a future project and have been reading up on that technology a bit. Most people are agreed that mounting receivers with velcro to the plane is fine, better for cooling and all that jazz....Is the technology advanced enough in the 72 MHz world to do the same or is wrapping in foam still necessary?

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

I have for years mounted PPM Rx's on velcro only and it works fine function wise primarily on pylon racers and the reason to do so is a fanatical effort to reduce weight. Is there a price to pay? Yes of course and that is virtually no crash protection with most crashes resulting in a destroyed Rx. Thats Racing

Of course on the other hand I can also remember mounting Rx's suspended mid air on rubber bands in a caniverous fuselage to protect glass tubes and delicate relays or reeds.

John

aerowoof

someone is showing their age.

Tom Nied

I remember tubes in tv's when I was a kid.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

We are blowing our cover guys. My favorite was magically waving the degaussing coil over the first color screens and making all those purdy squiggles, Better than a Etch-a-Shetch

Campgems

And remember what a set of A and B batteries cost??

And, you had to carry the TX to the flight line on a hand cart, and you had to put out the guy wires on the antenna a stake them to the ground.

And you had to wind up the escapment rubber before each flight.

Don.

rabraaten

Oh come on John...thats nothing...My three year old has done that a half a dozen times....who knew so many things had magnets in them these days

42etus

My Feedback: (2)

I remember tubes in TV's when I was an adult.

skipperwayne

I used to teach vacuum tube theory in the US Air Force. Then we got some transistorized equipment and I taught both tube and transister theory. But, I'm still a kid..... at heart.