The problem is that my Weatronic system does not respond to the full stick movement. I have proved it on two different Tx which were both serviced by the authorised agent earlier this year. But Weatronic just keeps insisting that my Tx is faulty. I know my two Tx are not faulty so the last remaining element is that my Wea tx module may be faulty. However I am not getting a helpful response from Weatronic so I need to establish from other users if they get the same result as me, or not. If you get the same result as I do then we can make Wea listen, if you don’t then I can start trying to figure out what is wrong with my Wea system.

The Weatronic system stops responding to the Tx stick, which means servos stop, when the stick has been moved 93% of its travel. The last 7% of stick movement is ignored by Weatronics. This is a small amount of stick movement so if I just wiggle the stick I won’t realise that the servo is not working at the end of stick movement. I have to move the stick slowly at the edge of its movement in order to see it. Before I reach max stick movement the servo stops, and any movement of the stick in the last little bit is ignored. It means that if I use travel adjust to fine tune the travel of the servo, nothing happens in the range 93% to 109%, so if I want to reduce or increase travel slightly from 100%, nothing happens. Those values above apply to Multiplex. If I am correct, the problem will occur on JR and Futaba too but only at particular values above 100% travel.

All brands set their 100% travel to a different length of servo pulse so different values apply if you are using JR or Futaba with Weatronic. All brands use centre +-600 microseconds (µs) as a limit but choose a different 100% value. Multiplex uses +- 550µs, JR uses +-400µs and Futaba approx +-430µs. That’s why different brands have different max travels, JR is 150% (400*1.5=600) Futaba max is 140% (430*1.4=600) and Multiplex max is 109% (550*1.09=600).

I first noticed that the servo didn’t respond to Multiplex full stick movement and then hooked the radio up to GigaControl and proved it there too. In the servo mapping tab, right click on the servo to see its curve etc and watch the green bar along the bottom of the graph, it moves in response to the stick. For a Multiplex tx, the green bar reaches 100% travel and stops before the stick has been moved fully over, and as per the servo it does not respond to any stick movement in that last little bit. I discovered by altering the servo centre value in the tx and watching the servo move and the green bar in Gigacontrol move, that the point at which Wea reaches 100% travel and stops responding is 93% Multiplex Tx travel. All Multiplex travel values from 94% to max 109% are ignored.

I keep emailing Alwin at Wea and giving him my findings but he just says his same Multiplex Tx as mine works fine, my Tx must be faulty. I tried Weatronic on another Multiplex Tx and got the problem at precisely the same values but Alwin doesn’t change his response. Alwin then told me that Wea specifies that a servo pulse limit is +-512 µs. Straight away we see the problem. Multiplex at 550µs normal 100% travel exceeds the Wea artificial limitation. Now we can do a sum. 512/550 = 93% !!!!!!!! So Wea’s own figures agree exactly with my experimental result. I asked Multiplex to confirm their servo travels and have it from them in writing for everyone to see http://www.multiplexrcd.com/mms/publ...ueyonder.co.uk I sent this confirmation from Multiplex, along with the results of the arithmetic and my experiments to Alwin and he still refuses to discuss it, insists that 512 µs is the max servo signal even though I have got it in writing for him from Multiplex, and still says my tx must be faulty even though both of them do the same.

Why haven’t the rest of you encountered the problem? The 100% JR and Futaba pulses at 400 µs and 430 µs respectively are within the 512 µs Wea limit. You will only encounter the Wea limit if you turn your travels up to JR 128% and Futaba 119%. Since that’s pretty rare then it is likely that none of you have encountered the problem.

Now for the experiment to see if yours does the same as both my Tx do on Weatronic. For a Multiplex Profi 30xx or 4000 or Royal Evo, set transmission type to PPM9, servo type to other or uni. For other brands of Tx please use PPM and not PCM modulations as I don’t know if the PCM will behave differently. In gigacontrol set tx modulation to Auto or PPM UNI. Ensure in your Tx that all travels are set to the max for your brand, e.g 109%, 150%, 140%, that no travel limits will affect it (e.g. in Multiplex tx go to LIMIT screen and increase from 100% to 109%). In gigacontrol go to servo mapping tab and right click the servo. Move the stick and confirm that you see the green bar along the bottom of the graph moving in response to the stick. Connect a servo to the rx. Now move the stick to the end of its travel. Slowly move the stick back towards the centre and see that for some distance the servo does not move and the green bar in gigacontrol does not move. Only when you have moved the stick back a little bit will the servo and the green bar start moving. You can wiggle the stick in that last bit of movement and the servo and gigacontrol will not move.

Next put stick back at the centre and in your Tx go to whatever screen can adjust the servo’s centre point, e.g Multiplex 4000 in menu 1, servo, travel, point 2, or Royal Evo servo calibration, point 2. The value should be at default 0%, move it upwards and the servo should rotate with the changing value and the green bar along the bottom of the gigacontrol graph should also move. Watch the servo and the green bar. If you have a Multiplex tx, do they stop moving at 93%, and any changing value between 93 and 109 has no movement of the servo or gigacontrol? For JR do they stop moving at around 128% and for Futaba do they stop moving at around 119%?

I am eagerly waiting to hear if any of you can replicate the problem I am getting from both my Tx!

Gyro solution!

Now for something much more fun than my post above. I have worked out how to get programmable “fade-out� from the Weatronic built-in gyros. This is a feature of some third-party gyros such as the ACT Fuzzy Pro aileron gyro which has a user-settable rate of fade-out. Fade-out means that the gyro gain is reduced as the control stick is moved, so that the gyro doesn’t keep fighting against you. Without it, you need to have greater static travel on your ailerons than you actually need, because in flight the gyro will reduce the travel. If you use the published aileron travel you will get a slow roll rate due to the gyro opposing you and reducing the travel below that which you have set on the ground. Having to set greater static travel means sacrificing some servo power to get more travel just to compensate for the gyro. So fade-out is a good thing and the Weatronic doesn’t have that feature. Ah but it does, it just doesn’t have it as a separate self-contained feature! The trick is to set the gain curve as an inverted V shape and set the gyro control channel to your aileron channel. Then as you move the aileron control, it alters the gain. The gain curve has 5 points (maybe more, I didn’t investigate that) so set the mid point to the gain that you need, and set the far left and right points to zero or a low gain. The intermediate points, 2 and 4, can be set in a straight line, or higher or lower to “expo� the rate that gain is reduced. See photo for screen shot of gigacontrol. The inverted V shape at the bottom with the red dot in it is the gyro gain curve. In the boxes on the right tick the “alt. Sensitivity� to switch on the programmable gain curve, in the channel box select your Txs aileron channel, then click on the “Sens. Gyro x� to be able to alter the gain curve (if channel X is still highlighted in blue the gain curve won’t respond to the mouse!)

The only snag is that because you have to use the aileron channel as the control, you can’t use something else such as a slider for setting up the gain during test flying, or the retracts as a gain controller for landing/normal flight modes. If those matter more to you then you will have to do without the fade-out.

I'll try it when I'm back home. I can also check with the oscilloscope, that's a bit more exact.
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No-one tried the test yet? I am beginning to get confirmation from users in a UK forum that I am right, there is a point at which Weatronic does not respond to the stick, there is a deadband towards the ends of stick movement but I especially need Multiplex users to confirm it is happening when the Tx is at the normal default 100% travel settings.

Will try later today... with the multiple issues with posting/reading at RCUniverse I have not seen your port.

Harry
i can confirm that there is a small issue with the end point on my futaba 14mz and ff9.. also in PCM there is no + movement on chan 5.(on FF9)
i have also had a problem with one of my TX units not booting, on power up (none of the leds come on at all)
, it has done this several times. i switch of and on and on it comes, as anyone seen this if so is a bug or a majour problem

can you point me to the UK forum

Steve

Can you confirm that with the tx and Wea set to their normal 100% defaults, the Wea stops responding to the stick movement towards the end of stick travel, i.e. there is a deadband before you get to full stick movement. Or does your Futaba not encounter the problem until you turn the tx travels way up? A UK user is telling me his Futaba at normal 100% has the same deadband as my Multiplex.
http://www.rcmf.co.uk/4um/index.php/...87654.html#new


Wow, I get that quite a lot, perhaps 1 in 15 times I switch on, it's like no power has got to the aerial box. I assumed mine alone had a problem but it looks like we might be uncovering another intrinsic Weatronic fault.

Harry

Changing the subject slightly...
My Weatronics equipment, and it is in all my jets, works flawlessly, about the only thing I notice on the data are occasional data dropouts for a second or so.
other than that the range is extremely good and the gps system is good, even though I haven't managed to put it onto Google maps as yet.

All I wish is that the customer service can improve, although Konrad has certainly made a HUGE improvement. Thanks Konrad.....

Now to my question, I am sure someone can assist:

I am putting together an Airworld Hawker Hunter, (yes I like big models) and instead of using air cylinders for all the various covers, such as the nose wheel,
main wheels and the under belly dive brake, Airworld have used servos.
This means that I have to be able to operate the servos for the retract doors before the undercarriage operates, then when putting away the undercarriage
the doors need to close slightly later.
(The dive brake is easy, that can be controlled by a seperate switch, not tied to the retract operation.)

So my question really is: is it possible to put in a delay so the doors open then the retracts operate, and vice versa, otherwise please how
can I put in the necessary delays.

Best wishes to all Weatronics fliers for 2011, from a very mild and lovely NZ summer

Ross

Ross, yes you can do that by having a separate channel for the retract and doors (covers).
To sequence you will slow the servo to say 4 seconds cycle and create a curve in the servo channel that will open/close the doors at the appropriate time. Example: ____/ \____ open the door and then close it.
You can do a search here for more details in previous posts.

I know I'm a bit late, but here are my measurements with the Multiplex Evo 9 and an oscilloscope. I didn't use the stick for controling the servo, but the digital dial. The sticks could be miscalibrated.

So, what I've measured on the servo output of the Micro is:

Travel goes from -93% to 93%.

The signal reaches 1ms reached at -93%, 1.5ms is reached at 0% and 2ms is reached at 90%. Maximum is 2.02ms. The signal jumps a little bit (0.01ms) in what seems to be a one second interval. Could also be half a second, I haven't measured that one.

I've done another measurement with a Cockpit SX and Synth-6. This one shows perfectly aligned values, even though the range might make you wonder a bit: -110% is 0.9ms, -100% is 0.95ms, 0% is 1.5ms, 100% is 2.05ms, 110% is 2.1ms.<br type="_moz" />
So much about the facts, assuming that my oscilloscope isn't rubbish and I'm not stupid.

Coming to the interpretation:

So one side is a bit shorter and no side reaches 100% or even 110%.

You can do a lot of arguing whether 1ms is long enough. It's pretty much to what one could call the PPM standard, but with some equipment it might show up as being not enough.

Hi Ross,
You can actually make it all happen with one channel. You can sequence using the slow function and then just do as in the attached pictures.
You can use up to 8 outlets for this. Notice that I have used 3 outlets.
1. DOOR-1
2. DOOR-2
3. GEAR
All of them are set to 2sec/100% meaning that it will take 4 seconds to travel from -100 thru 0 to +100%
DOORS 1 and 2 are closed with -100% and open at +100%. These values of course can be adjusted to suit your model.
GEAR is down at -100% and up at +100%
Important is the timing scale. The vertical dotted lines in this display and at the time set reflect 0.5 second time-lines.
DOOR-1 starts opening at 0.25 seconds and is opened at 0.5 seconds and starts closing again at 3.5 seconds to be closed at 3.75 seconds.
DOOR-2 starts opening at 0.75 seconds and is opened at 1.0 seconds and starts closing again at 3.0 seconds to be closed at 3.25 seconds.
GEAR starts retracting at 1.5 seconds and is retracted at 2.5 seconds.
When looking at the overall picture you will see that the DOOR-1 will open first and close last and be open only during the gear moving time.
Same counts for the DOOR-2 except that it is timed within the DOOR-1 period.
The GEAR will only be operated while the doors are open.
One last tip, try it dry first (no rods connected to the doors) or put it on a slider to figure out how you want it. Then you can see where the signal at the bottom is and move the points accordingly..
Once you have figured it out it is real easy.
Gerhard

Thank you Peter, you have proved what I found.

Gerhard, could you please take note and talk to Alwin, I have many emails back and forward between me and Alwin and he refuses to accept that the Weatronic stops responding to the Multiplex stick movement before it has been moved fully over. Peter has now measured exactly the same deadband at the end of stick travel that I get. When the stick has been moved 93% of the way the Weatronic reaches its limit of responding, and the remaining 7% of stick movement has no effect on the servo. I have done it on 2 Multiplex transmitters, and now Peter has done it on 2 Multiplex transmitters, other people using Futaba's have turned up the travel and encountered the deadband, Alwin just can't keep denying it.

Gerhard, would you please talk to Alwin and let us know the outcome. For Futaba and JR users it is a rare problem but Weatronic is not working properly with a Multiplex Tx set to its default 100% values.


Those are correct values Peter. All brands used 0.9ms to 2.1ms as the maximum value (110% for Multiplex, 150% for JR, 140% for Futaba).
0.95ms to 2.05ms is the Multiplex default 100% value, which is why Weatronic has a deadband with Multiplex since Weatronic only works from 0.99ms to 2.01ms - and that's Alwin's figures not mine, yet he denies it stops responding to Multiplex!

Harry

Hi Harry,
I think you are right. I will verify with my own EVO12 also and get the data to Alwin.
I though doubt that they will do much about it, as you can live with it as it is.
Not perfect of course, but I personally think one can live with it as because of the flexibility that you get in exchange. It more than compensates for this deficiency.
Since they are working on a new own transmitter, I am guessing that these kind of issues will fall to the background. Peter had pointed out why earlier.
Not much that we can do about at this time.
I will keep you posted.
Gerhard

Thanks for your help Gerhard but in no way do I accept that I can live with a radio that does not respond to the stick movement!

Harry

The latest news from the German language Weatronic website (the English language has not been updated since June 2010) -

A hub to connect many telemetry sensors is ready, but once again they are held up by getting the cases manufactured. Two version will be available, one for 6 and one for 10 sensors, though the way they have worded it it seems that only specific types of sensor can be connected to the 6 sensor hub and the only one that you want may need the 10 sensor hub. This does seem an expensive and space consuming way of doing it when compared to Multiplex's sensor serial bus where you simply plug one into the Rx and daisy chain the rest, USB style.

A new transmitter, DV4 is ready, but judging by the pics I think it means a new aerial module, not a whole Tx. The DV4 has bluetooth connection and supports the Skynavigator system, (a system for glider guiders, see http://www.icare-rc.com/skynavigator.htm) They have it in stock apart from the module case which is again the choke point.

The new shop site will go on line later in January.

For later in 2011 they are considering an ultra light 5 channel Rx approx 3.5g weight, a smaller circuit board for the type C whatever that is, and somewhat overdue the speech files in English and French.

They will continue development of several version of their own complete Tx, at least 20 channels, all telemetry displays etc.

Can anyone tell me about the external gyro input sockets? I have come up with a cunning plan to allow us to use a very useful device, not a gyro, with the Wea 12-22 by feeding its output back into the Wea via the external gyro socket, but only if the external gyro sockets work as I expect they might, and they are not described in the old Mhz manual or the new 2.4Ghz manual or Gerhard's instructions about using the internal gyros. So before I connect up the device to the external gyro socket I want to be sure I am not about to make it smoke!

Do they work like this - lets say aileron control is assigned to servo output 1. The external gyro is connected to servo output 1, and the gyro's output which would normally go to a servo is instead plugged into external gyro socket 1 on the rx. We want servos 2 and 3 to get the gyro output so in the servo allocation screen we assign ext gyro 1 to the servos, and those servo then get the signal from the gyro, not from the tx, in other words the gyro output is fed straight through from the external gyro socket to servos 2 and 3 without modification, other than the usual adjustable servo curve in the servo set-up screen

Harry

Hmm,
there is a "trade" deal going on their website now, they will swap your working 35MHz receiver for a 12-22 receiver set and give you a deduction of 150 euro.
The text from their web:

"Neue Umtausch Aktion.
Sie haben noch einen großen 35 MHz Empfänger der weatronic und wollen auf das 2,4 Dual FHSS System wechseln?
Wir tauschen ihnen diesen in einen 12.22R Set ihrer wahl um und verrechnen ihnen 150,- €

Hier die Bedingungen:
Die alten Empfänger müssen einwandfrei funktionieren. Bei mehr als einem Stück melden Sie sich bitte unter [email protected] Stichwort "Umtausch".
Jeder Kunde kann die Aktion nur ein mal wahrnehmen.
Ein Kaufnachweis wäre für eine schnelle Abwicklung von Vorteil.
"

Anybody has any idea if they intent to release the English voice file for the GPS? What about better documentation? (I may not need better documentation if I understand what the radio is telling me)
I'm kind of down on having my radio talk to me and not understanding a word of it![]

ok. I missed it!

Mmm, no you can't!! It looks plausible, but have you tried it for real with servos attached? It doesn't work and it can't work! It will only work if you use slowing at the Tx and leave the weatronic servos running at full speed.

The reason is that Weatronic slows down the servo, not the channel data. The timelines are not the vertical lines Gerhard, they are the horizontal lines. Try it, hook up servos, set the curves as shown in your post, and when you move the retract switch the door servos will not move and the leg servo will move immediately with no delay. The reason is contained in the little green bars, one along the x axis that shows the incoming channel position from your tx, and the one on the y axis that shows the servo position. When you move the retract switch the channel bar on the x axis immediately goes to the opposite end (left to right or right to left). Weatronic does not slow that down. What is slowed down is how fast the green bar on the y axis moves to the new position on the x axis. Look at your door curves. They start at x axis full left, follow some shape and end at x axis full right. When you operate the retract switch the channel data x axis jumps from full left to full right. What y axis positions correspond to those? -100% in both cases. So the door servo sees that it has to travel from -100% to -100% which is no travel at all and it doesn't move!!!!!!!!!!!!!. The leg servo sees its data immediately go from -100,-100 to +100,+100 so it sets off immediately to travel up the y axis from -100 to +100. It does it slowly. What we want is for it to wait stationary for some time and then move rapidly, instead it starts immediately and moves slowly.

So what you need to do is use the servo speed control in your Tx, set the curves as gerhard as shown, and leave the Weatronic servo slowing at Off. That way the channel data on the x axis moves slowly and the servo can follow the curve along the y axis. If your Tx doesn't have servo speed control, you can't do it.

Harry

One thing I really like about about Wea is thier packaging. All guranteeded to arrive in Oz in one piece..

My christmas present to myself, for the Super Bandit.. Ordered from Germany the week before Christmas, arrived today.

Roger

Airspeed sensor.
Looking at the Link Vario it can have an input from a number of sensors.
I am interested in the Air Speed sensor, as the GPS speed does not work very well when climbing vertically.
So does Weatronics have an air speed sensor that I can use with the Link Vario and then hopefully plug the
Link vario into mt 12-22R receivers.
If an air speed sensor is not available from Weatronics, suggestions as to what to use please..

Thanks.
Ross

ps: the 12-22R receivers work perfectly in my Jets, they are extremely reliable.

Maybe this one :

http://www.sm-modellbau.de/shop/prod...id=76&cPath=11

I have some question on the new 8 channel micro receiver:

-Are these ok to use in jets (specifically my new standard Scorpion, not the Super Scorpion)?

-What is the operating voltage of these receivers? (Asking because I want to use it with a Smart-fly eq10 that regulates receiver voltage to exactly 5.0 volts

-What is the current rating for the receiver?

-Are these programmable with the Gigacontrol software?


Thanks in advance for any help, Gary