Help w/ Futaba 9C and JR G500A Gyro
11-24-2006, 11:32 PM
#1
Help w/ Futaba 9C and JR G500A Gyro
Hello,
I need help getting a Futaba 9C to work with a JR G500A gyro in an airplane to dampen yaw. I am using a Futaba 9C with a Futaba 149DP pcm receiver. I connected the gyro as indicated in the instructions and the result is that I cannot get any rudder movement with the transmitter stick. I have double checked the connections and everything is per the instructions, but I cannot get it to work at all. I have the gain line from the gyro plugged into channel 5 and have tried adjusting the servo travel limit adjustment and the two dip switches (reversing and servo std/high frame rate) on the gyro and there is no change. I have also tried moving the plane and cannot get any response. Does anyone have any suggestions? When the gyro is working, is there anyway to tell from the gyro itself, i.e., does it make any noise or can the operation be felt in any way from the gyro itself.
Thanks,
-Ed
I need help getting a Futaba 9C to work with a JR G500A gyro in an airplane to dampen yaw. I am using a Futaba 9C with a Futaba 149DP pcm receiver. I connected the gyro as indicated in the instructions and the result is that I cannot get any rudder movement with the transmitter stick. I have double checked the connections and everything is per the instructions, but I cannot get it to work at all. I have the gain line from the gyro plugged into channel 5 and have tried adjusting the servo travel limit adjustment and the two dip switches (reversing and servo std/high frame rate) on the gyro and there is no change. I have also tried moving the plane and cannot get any response. Does anyone have any suggestions? When the gyro is working, is there anyway to tell from the gyro itself, i.e., does it make any noise or can the operation be felt in any way from the gyro itself.
Thanks,
-Ed
11-24-2006, 11:55 PM
#2
RE: Help w/ Futaba 9C and JR G500A Gyro
G'Day Mate,
But why would anyone that can fly a plane, need a gyro.
Ok fair enough on a Heli, but why not learn to use that rudder stick.
But why would anyone that can fly a plane, need a gyro.
Ok fair enough on a Heli, but why not learn to use that rudder stick.
11-25-2006, 12:10 AM
#3
RE: Help w/ Futaba 9C and JR G500A Gyro
I would like to use it on my 1/4 scale ME 109G for takeoff. The plane flys very well, but takeoffs can be extremely difficult and I would like to try a gyro to dampen the adverse yaw. It has the same poor ground handling characteristics of the real ME 109G, many of which were destroyed in WWII because of difficult ground handling.
-Ed
-Ed
11-25-2006, 03:21 PM
#4
RE: Help w/ Futaba 9C and JR G500A Gyro
High frame rate or not is dependent on what servo you are using. If you are using a standard servo then you want std if you are using a digital then use the high frame rate.
If you are using a 9C Super go into the advanced menu, then GYRO SENS
Set mix = ACT
MODE =GY
Rate up NOR 30
Rate dn NOR 50 (you dont want to use AVC mode in your application)
CH = CH5 (or whatever you have the single wire plugged into)
SW = F
Make sure the single wire is aligned with the signal wires from the servos (white for futaba servos). The gyro uses an SMM sensor so there's no movement but you should be able to plug the gyro into channel 4 and the sense wire into 5 and get the servo to move back and forth.
If you are using a 9C Super go into the advanced menu, then GYRO SENS
Set mix = ACT
MODE =GY
Rate up NOR 30
Rate dn NOR 50 (you dont want to use AVC mode in your application)
CH = CH5 (or whatever you have the single wire plugged into)
SW = F
Make sure the single wire is aligned with the signal wires from the servos (white for futaba servos). The gyro uses an SMM sensor so there's no movement but you should be able to plug the gyro into channel 4 and the sense wire into 5 and get the servo to move back and forth.
11-25-2006, 04:36 PM
#5
RE: Help w/ Futaba 9C and JR G500A Gyro
Barracudahockey,
Thanks for the suggestions. I am using a Futaba 9CAP and according to the Futaba Website, it does not have gyro mixing (the 9C super does). Any suggestions on where to go from here? I suppose the minimum I am looking for is the ability to at least turn a gyro on and off from the transmitter. Having to adjust the gain manually at the gyro would be fine. I hope there is a way I can do this with the regular 9C. Perhaps I should try a Futaba gyro?
-Ed
Thanks for the suggestions. I am using a Futaba 9CAP and according to the Futaba Website, it does not have gyro mixing (the 9C super does). Any suggestions on where to go from here? I suppose the minimum I am looking for is the ability to at least turn a gyro on and off from the transmitter. Having to adjust the gain manually at the gyro would be fine. I hope there is a way I can do this with the regular 9C. Perhaps I should try a Futaba gyro?
-Ed
11-25-2006, 05:08 PM
#6
RE: Help w/ Futaba 9C and JR G500A Gyro
Ah ok.
Plug it up the same way. Use the end points on channel 5 to adjust the gain, you cant turn it on and off but you can set the gain very low.
There's two modes, normal (rate mode) and heading hold. The way you tell the difference is heading hold does not return to center when you let go of the stick (this is why you dont want to use this in flight on a plane). Rate mode will center normally.
Assign channel 5 the switch you want to use for the gyro in the AUX CH menu, lets say the big two position toggle, on mine thats F but yours may be different, I have the 9ch. Turn up the system and see if the servo moves, if yes does it return to center? If no then flip the switch and move the stick, it should stay about where you put it, it will probably even make the servo creep, thats Heading Hold mode. Now what you want to do is watch the servo for creep, since you are flying a Futaba system with a JR gyro we will have to adjust the center pulse width so the servo stays put in heading hold mode. Goto the Sub Trim menu and slowly adjust the sub trim until the servo stays still, you will probably have to recenter the servo with the stick several times during this process as it will usually just drift to the end of its travel and stop so bump the stick back and tweak the sub trim till it stays put, its usually somewhere around 10 but it could be more or less depending on your reciever.
Now when you have that set go into the end point menu and adjust channel 5, this sets your gain. On the side of the switch for rate mode set the end point to around 30, on the side that puts it in heading hold mode set about 10. Now the leap of faith, you are going to have to do some high speed taxi tests. Adjust the gain on the rate mode side until it does what you want without making the rudder oscilate, start low and move up the gain in small increments, make sure not to switch to heading hold mode in flight. If at anytime in flight the rudder starts to wag back off the power, land and lower the gyro gain. Depending on your servo arm length you may need a little or a lot of gain but too much gain and it will over compensate and make the rudder wag.
Now set the heading hold side of the switch atvs to 0 and see if that turns off the heading hold function, if so then that will essentially be the "off" position for your gyro but I can tell you with the gyro adjusted properly you will probably just leave it on in flight, it wont fight you if you are doing coordinated turns and such as a stick command over rides the gyro.
Plug it up the same way. Use the end points on channel 5 to adjust the gain, you cant turn it on and off but you can set the gain very low.
There's two modes, normal (rate mode) and heading hold. The way you tell the difference is heading hold does not return to center when you let go of the stick (this is why you dont want to use this in flight on a plane). Rate mode will center normally.
Assign channel 5 the switch you want to use for the gyro in the AUX CH menu, lets say the big two position toggle, on mine thats F but yours may be different, I have the 9ch. Turn up the system and see if the servo moves, if yes does it return to center? If no then flip the switch and move the stick, it should stay about where you put it, it will probably even make the servo creep, thats Heading Hold mode. Now what you want to do is watch the servo for creep, since you are flying a Futaba system with a JR gyro we will have to adjust the center pulse width so the servo stays put in heading hold mode. Goto the Sub Trim menu and slowly adjust the sub trim until the servo stays still, you will probably have to recenter the servo with the stick several times during this process as it will usually just drift to the end of its travel and stop so bump the stick back and tweak the sub trim till it stays put, its usually somewhere around 10 but it could be more or less depending on your reciever.
Now when you have that set go into the end point menu and adjust channel 5, this sets your gain. On the side of the switch for rate mode set the end point to around 30, on the side that puts it in heading hold mode set about 10. Now the leap of faith, you are going to have to do some high speed taxi tests. Adjust the gain on the rate mode side until it does what you want without making the rudder oscilate, start low and move up the gain in small increments, make sure not to switch to heading hold mode in flight. If at anytime in flight the rudder starts to wag back off the power, land and lower the gyro gain. Depending on your servo arm length you may need a little or a lot of gain but too much gain and it will over compensate and make the rudder wag.
Now set the heading hold side of the switch atvs to 0 and see if that turns off the heading hold function, if so then that will essentially be the "off" position for your gyro but I can tell you with the gyro adjusted properly you will probably just leave it on in flight, it wont fight you if you are doing coordinated turns and such as a stick command over rides the gyro.
11-26-2006, 01:58 PM
#7
RE: Help w/ Futaba 9C and JR G500A Gyro
BarracudaHockey,
Thanks for the great information. I have an update. Yesterday I purchased a Futaba 401 Gyro and was able to get it to work correctly with my 9C. I was able to set it up on a switch using an aux channel and endpoint adjustments so that in one switch position the gyro operates in normal mode and in the other position it is off. The AVCS mode is not used. I have not yet given it a test run in flight because of bad weather today, but perhaps next weekend I will give it a try. My only remaining issue is that a fairly quick movement of the tail is required to activate the gyro. I am not sure how well this will work on takeoff when the ME109 swings to the left. Perhaps I need to play with the sensitivity adjustment.
Thanks again for your help!
-Ed
Thanks for the great information. I have an update. Yesterday I purchased a Futaba 401 Gyro and was able to get it to work correctly with my 9C. I was able to set it up on a switch using an aux channel and endpoint adjustments so that in one switch position the gyro operates in normal mode and in the other position it is off. The AVCS mode is not used. I have not yet given it a test run in flight because of bad weather today, but perhaps next weekend I will give it a try. My only remaining issue is that a fairly quick movement of the tail is required to activate the gyro. I am not sure how well this will work on takeoff when the ME109 swings to the left. Perhaps I need to play with the sensitivity adjustment.
Thanks again for your help!
-Ed
11-26-2006, 02:26 PM
#8
RE: Help w/ Futaba 9C and JR G500A Gyro
The 401 is the same way, you really cant turn it "off" you can only adjust the gain down. With the light off the gyro is in rate mode, where you want to be to fly. If you try AVCS on an airplane, for something other than hovering, I don't think you are going to be pleased with the results.
If you have G3 try the Yak with the gyro and put the gyro in avcs mode and you will see what I mean. Its great for doing torque rolls and flying high Alpha but for what you want to accomplish its not really appropriate.
If you have G3 try the Yak with the gyro and put the gyro in avcs mode and you will see what I mean. Its great for doing torque rolls and flying high Alpha but for what you want to accomplish its not really appropriate.
