I had an issue yesterday that I think is an Rx issue and need some opinions just to make sure I don’t miss any other possibilities. Here goes…Kingcat w/Rhino, JR 955 Rx, JR 10X Tx, Duralite batts, w/6.0 Volt Duralite Reg, 50+ flights. Using a standard JR antenna from the 955 going into a tube towards the rear of the fuse. ECU and radio are probably too close to each other at about 6” apart but have never had any issues until now.

4 weeks ago I was taxing out to the runway and the throttle would not come back to idle from close to full for about 2-3 seconds. I decided not to fly and called the turbine supplier thinking it was the throttle command in the ECU. I sent in the turbine and they determined it needed a new fuel pump. I put everything back in the plane and flew it 4 times w/o any issues last weekend, except one landing I had no brakes even though I had thought I put in air. The plane went off the end of the runway in tall grass so I walked down pulled it out of the grass and taxied it back. I never gave the no brakes issue another thought.

Yesterday I flew the plane, landed in the same spot where the brakes did not work the previous weekend, I slowed down the plane and turned to taxi back – when the plane was pointing at me nothing on the plane responded, but the turbine was still running. Sorry to say I never set up fail safe to shut it off, I will now! Walked down the runway and once I was close enough I got the plane back on the Tx. I did a complete ground check, turbine running, antenna down, up, everything was fine. Flew the plane again, no issues whatsoever in flight, then landed just like before and turned the plane to taxi back – same problem as before! Keep in mind I’m about 300-400 feet from the plane when it’s on the ground.

I put some fuel in the plane and decided to do more ground checks. We took the plane to the same spot and I stayed at the position I was flying from on the previous flights – as my friend slowly tuned the plane around on axis I had a couple of dead spots where nothing worked. Got the plane back a little closer and then started to taxi it back when suddenly it stuck in full throttle for about 2-3 seconds and nearly got away from us. Luckily no damage but lets just say the plane is grounded until this is 100% fixed. We thought there was a “dead spot” right where the place stopped both times, but then had ground issues on the taxi back, very similar to the issues 4 weeks ago.

I was planning on getting a new Rx and moving some of the ECU lines as this seems to be the most obvious problem – BUT is there something else I should be doing? Could this have anything to do with the turbine? We could not repeat this with the turbine off. Looking for all ideas just to make sure I do not miss anything.

First thing I would do is drag the RX aerial out the fuse and try it again.

Is the aerial running near fuel lines? and have you changed your refueling method?

Jason

No changes in how anything is done, I'm curious why you think the fuel process would have anythnig to do about this issue?

Static seems to be being assosiated with lock out these days. I have a mate who was having trouble with a plane locking out. Bonding the wheels to the engine which is a permenant negative to the ECU pack sorted the problem.

Jason

Switch to a Revolution antenna. Have not seen one glitch yet on my fleet with those, while I was on 72.

Of course, I'm all on 2.4 now, which I've been telling anyone who will listen, fly on 72 AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Definitly get a Whip antenna!

I have a Deans on my Bobcat and never any issues, but they are sold out everywhere - are the others out there as good or better then the Deans?

Our testing here in Texas found that the deans is adequate, but that the revolution was better. By about 20 percent.

Why do you have the antenna going towards the rear end of the fuse? If you installed the receiver in the location specified by BVM and the antenna is run towards the rear of the fuse then it must be doubled back somehow- thats a no no! How close is it to the wiring that is going to the turbine? Why not run it out the leading edge of the left wing as designed?
Al Watson

Sean, where are you mounting your revolution antenna, inside or outside the plane? Or I should say where did you before 2.4? Thanks - Jim

I was wondering the same thing.

Inside the airplane, no issue at all, but I did usually mount it at a 45 degree angle. Just dab some 5 minute on it, nothing special, last long time!

Try changing the crystal in the RX. I had a similar JR setup doing intermittant/odd things and changing the crystal fixed it.

Craig

Revolution antenna and never look back.
Rcpete

Thanks to everyone that posted about this issue. I'm going to do a few things...1) New Rx with new crsytal 2) Revolution antenna 3) Move the Rx and ECU farther apart. Because this happened after many successful flights, I would bet its the crystal alone, but why risk it.

Al/Bob

Did you notice no reply to your question

Jerry

sure did

I would bet that it has nothing to do with the crystal. If the crystal was cracked or broken you might have gotten off the ground but you would be picking up the pieces in a sack !
Al Watson

Sorry I missed your question, I was NOT avoiding it. I bought the plane turn key from a BVM rep. I did not change the location of the antenna since the time I purchased it. The stumper is that I flew it 50 times and never had an issue. If it was the antenna location why did it suddenly start being an issue?

Tolerances can change over time with electronic components and voltage spikes and extreme temperatures can accelerate some of these tolerance drifts. You may have been on the edge from the beginning and something in the Rx has become more succeptable to the ECU noise or the ECU has increased or changed the noise that it generates. I would go the route you are taking although I might try moving the ECU or Rx further from each other before trying another antenna but that's just me.

Marty

Man, you got 10K worth of airplane there, tons of flights on it. Why not bite the 250 clams and get 2.4 and be done with interference issues all the way? I've got four jets flying 2.4 and setup three others on it. All are worry free flyers, my F-86, I didn't even range check it. Flew as far as I could see it!

This stuff is that good, IMO.