Bozwth

My Feedback: (3)

I had a crystal fail on my Hitec receiver. The aircraft simply did not respond when I did my initial radio check before engine start. It worked fine the time before. Is this a symptom of something else? Did something cause the crystal to fail that could cause it to fail again during flight?

Bozwth

famousdave

My Feedback: (61)

This is common if the RX is not wrapped in foam and protected from Vibration.
Hitec receivers are not the best either... JR or FUT have the best RX

DP

mglavin

My Feedback: (31)

How have you ascertain the crystal failed? Did you simply replace it and all was well?

mglavin

My Feedback: (31)

This statement is simply erroneous IMO...

Where did you get this information? Hitecs Supreme 8 channel PPM RX's lab test as well if not better than most OEM RX's... Field reports support my assertions as well.

Rodney

Crystals are rather delicate units, just a piece of ground quartz with two electrical connectors bonded to two opposite faces and connected the the two external terminals with a fine wire. Vibration and/or shock can wreak havoc with them. Did you make a hard landing? Was the receiver wrapped in foam?

Bozwth

My Feedback: (3)

To determine the problem I first changed receivers. But in the receiver I used didn't have a crystal in it so I used the same crystal. Same situation. No response from the sticks at all. Only a twitch when I turned the transmitter on and off. So then I changed the crystal only (and put the original receiver back in) and all was well. I've flown it twice since. The first time it took hits on the rudder (predictably at the same place on final every time). I repositioned the antenna and the second time flew well without incident.

Bozwth

Bozwth

My Feedback: (3)

The receiver sits in a box completely lined with 1/4" foam. Foam is the only thing touching the receiver. No crashes what so ever since the receiver was new. Its one of those receivers that you can change from Futaba to JR By reversing a jumper.

Bozwth

famousdave

My Feedback: (61)

Mglavin... Sorry didn't mean to generalize . I forgot about that RX, I had one and well, yes, it is was as good as JR or Futaba but there are not that many of them around... yet. I like the 555 too, that is a great little RX.

I was refering to the smaller, cheaper hitec receivers. They just don't look that sturdy or bullet proof to me...

When Hitec decides to make a good PCM 9 channel RX I might be back...

DP

mglavin

My Feedback: (31)

FWIW: I believe Hitecs 8-channel Supreme RX has sold more units than any other... So it’s been around the block more than once.

The only Hitec RX I am aware that suffers from reliable performance is the Hitec "Feather" Single Conversion micro RX.

It's not likely Hitec will build a 9 channel PCM RX, unless they offer a 9-channel TX. PCM protocol is proprietary, JR to JR, Futaba to Futaba and Hitec to Hitec... Hitec does have an 8 channel PCM RX which only works with Hitec's Prism to the best of my knowledge.

Bozwth

My Feedback: (3)

No hard landings. It must have been just one of those things. I sure hope it never happens in the air. Of course if it does, I'll never know that it was what caused it. I wander what the odds are of this happening in flight?

Lynx

A crystal can't really fail accept from extreme shock. If you want to REALLY know how fragile these things are take one apart. VERY VERY carefully, cut, or tear the can away from what's inside. It's a hair thin slice of quartz crystal, the first time you see one you'll just be stunned into disbelief that that piece of material is the only thing keeping your bird in the air. If it cracks it fails, period. More than likley what happend in your case was the crystal went through too much shock at some earlier point and developed stress fractures, that just all of a sudden 'went' even when protected by foam. Could have been the machine that ground it, could have been the handler, or the person that sold it, could have been the UPS guy (I always blame him, they're rough!) Could have been you, it's impossible to determine with a failure like that. Replace it, go on, don't take anything out on anyone or any company, unless it happens again. Then you glare, if it happens a third time, go for heads =)