Spektrum Binding Issues
 

So, just yesterday, I received a P-51 "Ferocious Frankie" in the mail from Motion RC. I also got a Spektrum DX5 transmitter / radio and an AR 400 receiver from the recommendations list on the P-51 page at the Motion RC website. Then I get to work. Eventually, I finish all the mechanical things (push-rods, gluing elevators, installing fixed landing gear, etc..), get all the correct servos plugged into the correct ports on the receiver, and start the binding process. I plug the Bind Plug into the BND/DAT port on the receiver. This is where the problem comes in. The receiver is blinking orange, I hold the trainer rod on the transmitter while I turn the thing, and the receiver stops blinking, then starts, then stops again. I let go of the trainer rod and the transmitter plays a little fancy tune. I then try moving the joysticks around and nothing happens.

What am I doing wrong? Am I forgetting something critical? Do I have faulty parts? What's going on?

This problem has been plaguing me for the past day and a quarter or so and it's quite annoying when it doesn't work how videos and manuals say it should work.

Any help or direction is appreciated.

Edit: Thanks everybody for your help! I finally got it working by moving it a little farther away from the receiver. :)

Did you preposition your sticks on your transmitter to their "failsafe" positions? If it is trying to set the throttle at a high failsafe...it may not let you. Also, did you remove the bind plug after binding?

http://www.horizonhobby.com/pdf/DX5eQuickStartGuide.pdf


CB

I will definitely check the fail safe thing and I don't think that the binding procedure was even completed, so I figured, "Why remove the bind plug when it hasn't even binded yet?" So, has it even binded yet?

When binding, move the TX about 2 ft. away from the RX. Too close and it tends to overwhelm the RX.

First you may have the transmitter too close to the receiver. Try to bind it again but keep the transmitter a few feet away from the receiver.
Or, you may have the transmitter in dsm2 mode. Read page 6 of the transmitter manual and set it for "dsmx on" mode and try to bind it again.

I had a problem trying to bind with a new model. No matter what I did after reading all the instructions it simply wouldn't bind. I took it back to the distributor and their tech guy couldn't get it to bind either at first. Until he suddenly laughed and said that the sticker on the Rx showing the servo port positions had been put on upside down :) meaning the bind plug was fitted in the battery port and the battery in the bind port.

You must remove the bind plug for it to work .

You need to follow the instructions right to the end doing everything in the order called for I know the bind plug must be removed but I think you need to shut your transmitter off too then restart everything . I have Spektrum and I find it very easy to bind but as I say you need to follow the instructions all the way . Plus as has been pointed out you should have your Tx a few ft away

Do the lights come on solid at the end of the binding process?

Throttle position has nothing to do with it (though for safety it should be at low throttle)

And yes, you need to hold the tx a few feet away.

One thing i found with Spektrum,plug in the Rx, The light should be blinking rapidly. Hold the bind button, Turn the radio on, The light on the Rx should start blinking slower. keep holding the bind button. As soon as the blinking changes, let go of the button and wait. After a few seconds it should be bound. I found that if you hold the button past that point when the blinking light pattern changes, it doesnt work. At least thats what has always worked for me. Once bound, shut everything down and unplug the bind plug before turning back on. Hope this helps.

Some people love Spektrum stuff, but I got weary of the binding problems with Spektrum myself. Following the instructions to the letter would not guarantee it would bind, or sometimes it would bind and then lose it in like 5 seconds. One time on takeoff, the plane completely lost signal, plopped to the ground and damaged the LG. Horizon replaced one AR610 for me, but I got tired of it. I switched to Tactic and have had zero issues.