transmitter reliability concern
 

I am a relative newby, having taken up this hobby just over a year ago. I have a Nexstar EP RTF. Last Tuesday, during preflight, I found that channel 1 (airlerons) was reversed. All other channels were correct, so I switched it in the transmitter and flew three flights. 2 long time flyers (club members) at the field said that this had never happened to them, 1 said that it happened once before. My concern is that this may happen again (possibly inflight). Is this something that I should be concerned about or not?

RE: transmitter reliability concern
 

Just had a look at your transmitter that is supplied with the model on the Hobbico website, and I'm surprised to see that it has reversing switches on the front panel. Is it possible that you've knocked the aileron reverser switch whilst the tranny was not in use? Make sure that the aileron reverser switch doesn't have a fault by checking that it switches correctly and reliably and is not suffering from an intermittent contact. ( if you can get to the wiring on the back of the switch easily, solder the wires in the appropriate positions to have the ailerons working correctly, thereby removing the need for the suspect reverse switch. As this has happened before, I really think you need to pin down the cause and rectify the fault before trusting the radio again. Have you tried contacting the supplier/manufacturer? I know the trading laws are very different in the US to here in the UK where we appear to have better legal rights when it comes to faulty goods, but it might be worthwhile before anything else at the moment.

Kev.

RE: transmitter reliability concern
 

Welcome to RCU. At a minimum I would surely find out if your switch is in the same position as others who have the exact same set-up. Are you saying that the switch itself moved positions? OR the ailerons got reversed WITHOUT the reversing switch being moved? It is possible that you don;t know , but finding out the "correct" position may be telling. I wish I had one to tell you. In fact I wish I had that plane too. ;)

RE: transmitter reliability concern
 

Thanks for your feedback. Actually, the transmitter (Futaba model # 6EXAP) is programmable and does not have external channel reversing switches. All channels can be programmed to "normal" or "reverse" in the transmitter. This is done when first setting up the new airplane/transmitter. In my case, all channels were set to "reverse" when I set up the new airplane. When my preflight indicated that the airerons were reverse acting, I changed the transmitter program from "reverse" to "normal" for channel one only. Then the airlerons worked correctly. Thanks for the comment re the Nexstar, it has been a great trainer airplane.

RE: transmitter reliability concern
 

This is very puzzling. You had all "reverse" and that's the way it flew. Now you have ailerons "normal" and it flies like that. If you never changed any servos,wires,ect in the plane or radio then I'd be real curious now to find out which way is "right" for this plane. Anyone else have the Nexstar EP they can check?

I started over a year ago too and have set up many planes on 3-4 transmitters and I did have 1 similar incident where an existing plane mysteriously got the throttle "reversed". I changed it like you did and it works fine ever since. Never did find out why.

RE: transmitter reliability concern
 

Looking at manual shows that it matters which aileron goes into plug A and B. I wonder why? Is there a Y-cord? I also see that the PA-2 assist has reversing switches too , but it probably only affects the pilot assist. I just can't see or find out what the "correct" way for the switches are.

RE: transmitter reliability concern
 

Are the ailerons on a Y cable or do you plug each into its own slot.

Do you disconnect the aileons at the end of the day or do you leave them connected.

If you disconnect them then it is likely when you reconnected them you reversed them.