chuckk2

Come on now!
Even a QC full military specification test sequence does not fully prove that equipment will always work as it should!
(Bake em, shake em, freeze em, etc, and make sure that they "keep on ticking".

The real problem is to try and determine the conditions that existed at the time of a field failure, and the exact failure mode(s).
Then, what to do about it.

I could get into some horror stories, like the one about a military A/C dumping flares down the runway. Turned out that a 10 cent resistor needed to be added to correct
a problem with noise that existed only under specific conditions on some A/C. And this was on equipment that had been in use for more than a decade without problems!

jester_s1

I'd agree with you chuckk2 if experience showed that these kinds of issues were present in all 2.4ghz systems. That would mean that with RC gear in general, you're going to have lockout problems no matter what and it can't be helped. But it's amazingly rare to see anyone talk about unexplained radio failures on anything but Spektrum equipment and maybe some of the HobbyKing cheap radios. Futaba, Hitec, and Airtronics can make receivers that don't lockout, so we know it can be done. Airtronics in particular has receivers that continue to maintain full range all the way down to 2 volts. Your servos will stop moving before the receiver loses its signal. So if the others can make reliable equipment, why can't Spektrum?

AndyKunz

I can make all those brands (and others) lose connection during operation.

I have not have trouble with my Spektrum products doing so.

Andy

JohnB96041

Have 2 Fatuba transmitters sitting on the shelf now for about 3 years. Have been using a DX7 and DX8 exclusively with no problems at all. Have AR7000 and AR8000 receivers, 4.8 volt nicads for power. No problems of any kind. I love my Spektrum equipment.

Dave McDonald

My Feedback: (19)

Just curious, but did you ever fly any of the 6110e receivers in electric planes?

asimatt

My Feedback: (26)

My buddy wiped out 25k in models in 2012 with Spektrum. Just sayin. Went with JR and powerbox and NO problems since.

atnhstywen

What are you flying?

2walla

My Feedback: (10)

Dave none of the esc you have been using have bec circuits in them that are that great. 4 3114 servos under load will bring you down with all of the castles you are using. i have experienced it. What I have seen with most of the bec is when they get overloaded the voltage will go to 0 so you wont get a brown out indication on the receiver led . The receiver thinks it was shut off not browned out and you are left scratching your head as to why you crashed. You need to remember that those speed controls are generally rated in free air conditions so a speed control with a 2amp bec stuffed inside a fuselage will most likely not perform as rated. Fly on a hot summer day and it gets worse. You dont need any troubleshooting. You just are overloading your speed controls bec.

rowdyjoe

My Feedback: (9)

I operated Spektrum equipment for approx. 5 yrs and, in the early years, found my biggest problems were with "park flyer" receivers. I bought all of them new from an authorized dealer with the latest software/firmware version but, experienced intermittent range issues. I have owned and used a DX6i, DX7, and DX7s transmitters and experienced receiver trouble with all of them. When I stopped using park flyer receivers and began using the AR600 and above, most of the receiver problems disappeared. However, they reappeared when I bought the DX7s and tried using it with DSM2 receivers (eg. AR600, AR6200, AR7000, etc). Since Spektrum declared the new DSMX transmitters to be backward compatible with DSM2 receivers I continued to use them in my older planes but, bought a couple of the newer DSMX receivers for additions to my "fleet". I began having momentary "glitches" with the older planes using DSM2 receivers but, the DSMX were generally good. However, I lost one of my favorite planes to a total loss of signal between my transmitter and an AR6200 with remote. This plane had flown fine on several different occasions but, on the first flight of the day, immediately after lift-off there was complete and total signal loss. The airplane was demolished in the crash. I blamed the receiver and continued to use the DX7s with my other planes until I had another signal loss and almost lost a different plane using an AR7000 with remote. Meanwhile, the DSMX receivers were working well. I returned my DX7s to Horizon for repair and they said they found a problem in the antenna circuit which they repaired. Having full confidence that the transmitter was to blame for the signal loss, I attempted to use the DX7s with my planes and lost another plane (with DSM2 receiver) due to signal loss. After that, I sold all of my Spektrum equipment and bought another brand. I have been using the new radio gear for approx. 3 months, flying at least weekly, and have had no issues.
I've lost 3 relatively expensive gas and glow planes due to signal failure this year but, none since I changed brands. I'm happy with my decision but, my fleet has dwindled considerably and I blame the radio equipment.

This is an honest report of my experience with Spektrum radio equipment. You can speculate and guess and recommend and argue all you want but, it won't change the truth as I see it.

Has Spektrum used it's customers to beta test their RC radio equipment? I don't know but, it sure seems that way to me.

RJ

ira d

I also agree with jester the vast marjorty of unexplained lockouts that I have heard of have been with Spektrum I would say at least ten to one.

chuckk2

Knock On Wood! - - -
The few failures I've had went away when I started using a 5A rated external BEC instead of the internal 2A rated ones.
After testing some well thought of AA size NMIH batteries in four and five cell configurations, I decided that they
also had a potential problem with battery voltage drop under loads >= about 2A.
The old analog receivers and servos worked well with the tested NMIH batteries.

I also had a rather spectacular 85A ESC failure on a then brand new tested but never flown P-51.
The static tests before taking it to the field showed that maximum load from the motor was right at 78A.
At the field, the ESC went up in a cloud of smoke and actual flames during a final short does everything work test
that was to be immediately prior to the first flight. Dissection of the well done remains showed that the BEC control? chip
melted itself off the circuit board. Getting most of the stink out of the plane was the real hassle. Repair really consisted of
cleaning the residue from the internal wood parts, painting them to seal in any remaining smell, and replacing damaged
covering. The ESC was replaced with another brand, and the remains were sent back to the source in exchange for a new replacement.
The 5000mah six cell LIPO power source was damaged, in that the cell closest to the ESC had a lessened storage capacity and end of charge voltage.
I guess I was just lucky that it didn't cook off!

Dave McDonald

My Feedback: (19)

I can't really argue that point. But those same BEC circuits worked fine with the 72 MHz Berg receivers, and have worked fine for 3 years with the Orange 610 DSM2 receivers. Assuming the BEC is the cause, only the 6110e had problems with it.


Let's assume you're correct. Then that doesn't explain the lockouts with only three 3114 servos.....and the lockouts with three Hitec 55 servos. It also doesn't explain why the Berg and Orange 610 worked just fine with the same Castle BEC. It also doesn't explain the lockouts with the 2 amp BECs that weren't Castle.


If the voltage drops to 0, then there won't be enough voltage to keep the light lit.

And if the BEC was that overloaded, why didn't the 6110e lockout on every flight?

Sorry, but what you are saying sounds more like an excuse than a real explanation.


These are all electric foamies with profile fuselages, so the ESC is hanging out in the breeze, and literally in the prop blast, which would be considered better than free air. Plus two of the first four lockouts happened outdoors between mid-November and mid-January. The other two were indoors in air that was no warmer than 70 degrees.

Again another excuse instead of a real explanation.


Since these same BECs worked fine with the Berg and Orange 610 receivers, then that means the 6110e itself is what is overloading the BEC, not the rest of the radio components.

And if that's true, then why didn't these problems occur every flight? How could some of these 6110e receivers work fine with no problems for 50 flights and then suddenly lockout? And why did they work fine again for a large number of flights after the lockout?

Even if you are correct, I'm not willing to add a 5 amp BEC to an electric foamie with three servos that weighs less than 5 ounces including the battery just so I can run a Spektrum DSM2 receiver.

Again, you are fishing for excuses instead of providing a real explanation of why these lockouts occurred.