RADIANT !
06-15-2007, 10:01 PM
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RADIANT !
HI THERE !
I JUST PURCHASE A NEW IN BOX AIRTRONICS RADIANT ; OH GOD ITS SHINES ! I DONT EVEN HAVE TO USE THE MANUAL , TO START WORKING WITH IT ! ITS SO EASY TO USE ! I LOVE THE MIX BETWEEN COMPUTER PROGRAMS , AND OLD SCHOOL LAY OUT !
THE RADIO WAS NEVER USE ; THE FINAL PAGE OF THE MANUAL MENTION A LITHIUM BATTERY FOR THE BACK-UP MEMORY THAT WILL LAST 5 YEARS ; I DONT KHOW THE MANUFACTURING YEAR OF THE RADIO
CAN SOME BODY TELL FROM WHAT YEAR THE RADIANT WAS MADE ???? SO I CANT DETERMINATED MORE OR LESS THE YEARS ??
EVEN IS THE RADIO IS NEW IN BOX , DO I HAVE TO REPLACE THE MEMORY BATTERY ??? RIGHT NOW IT WORKS PERFECT AND NO PROBLEM WITH MEMORY
THANKS
PECOJETS
I JUST PURCHASE A NEW IN BOX AIRTRONICS RADIANT ; OH GOD ITS SHINES ! I DONT EVEN HAVE TO USE THE MANUAL , TO START WORKING WITH IT ! ITS SO EASY TO USE ! I LOVE THE MIX BETWEEN COMPUTER PROGRAMS , AND OLD SCHOOL LAY OUT !
THE RADIO WAS NEVER USE ; THE FINAL PAGE OF THE MANUAL MENTION A LITHIUM BATTERY FOR THE BACK-UP MEMORY THAT WILL LAST 5 YEARS ; I DONT KHOW THE MANUFACTURING YEAR OF THE RADIO
CAN SOME BODY TELL FROM WHAT YEAR THE RADIANT WAS MADE ???? SO I CANT DETERMINATED MORE OR LESS THE YEARS ??
EVEN IS THE RADIO IS NEW IN BOX , DO I HAVE TO REPLACE THE MEMORY BATTERY ??? RIGHT NOW IT WORKS PERFECT AND NO PROBLEM WITH MEMORY
THANKS
PECOJETS
06-21-2007, 08:57 PM
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RE: RADIANT !
pecojets,
Your timing is good. As luck would have it, I have just returned my Airtronics Radiant transmitter to service after letting it sit for a few years. Of course, the memory battery was flat, so it had to be changed. I am a lifelong electronics technician and engineer, so replacement was no problem for me. Here's the poop:
1. The original Radiant memory battery is a lithium type CR2032-FT4-2, which is exactly the same as the CMOS battery on virtually all PC motherboards, except the "FT4-2" variant has vertical mounting/connection tabs spot welded onto the battery surfaces.
2. Any reasonably adept technician should be able to perform the desolder/solder operation to replace the battery. You can either install an exact replacement battery with tabs, or install a battery holder (same mounting footprint) that takes a common CR2032 battery, which will make it much easier to replace the battery again in the future. Airtronics recommends replacement every three years, but the battery should easily last five - your call. See photo 1 for the battery and holder.
3. Procedure:
a. Support the transmitter face down while protecting the sticks. I use a piece of 10" x 10" x 3" foam with holes for the sticks.
b. Remove the transmitter rear battery cover, unplug the main battery, and remove it.
c. Remove the six Phillips-head screws that hold the transmitter back in place. Gently lift the transmitter back, and unplug the trainer port connector (E) from the main PC board (PCB) - see photo 2.
d. Unplug the pushbutton PCB connector (F).
e. Remove the three Phillips-head screws indicated.
f. Push the antenna out of the transmitter case approximately one inch so that the plastic hex nut on the bottom of the antenna is no longer directly over the PCB, see photo 3. Lift the PCB straight up approximately 1/2" so that it is clear of the two plastic pins at the bottom of the PCB.
g. Turn the transmitter upside down on the foam with the antenna pointing downward and the transmitter back tilted at approximately 45 degrees toward you. It's helpful to use an improvised prop to support the transmitter in that position.
h. Tilt the bottom edge of the PCB away from its normal position enough to expose the PCB bottom.
i. Unsolder/solder the old battery as required.
j. Install a new battery or holder as desired.
k. Clean the soldered connections with alcohol or similar solvent.
l. Reverse the above step to restore the transmitter to operation.
A few caveats:
a. High-quality soldering is REQUIRED. Make sure that whoever does the procedure is well qualified.
b. If you choose to install a battery holder, future battery changes take only a few minutes, with no soldering. BUT, the battery holder is not rated for hazardous environment (especially corrosion). If you take good care of your equipment, then it should be fine. If you fly in the rain, solder a "FT4-2" battery directly.
Parts are available from www.mouser.com CR2032-FT4-2 battery is Mouser part number 639-CR2032-FT42, and costs approx $4.00, The Renata battery holder is Mouser part number 614-VBH2032-1, and costs approx. $2.00, and you'll have to buy a CR2032 battery separately.
If you decide on a "FT4-2" battery, I have a fresh (received this week) battery that is excess to my needs. Shoot me $4.00 via PayPal and your mailing address to get it.
I hope this gets your transmitter back on the air. It is one of the best Airtronics ever made for the reasons you already stated - excellent blend of computer radio and "old school" functionality. No complicated programming menu structure and very intuitive. I bought my Radiant system in 1997, and it was being produced several years after that.
Doug
Your timing is good. As luck would have it, I have just returned my Airtronics Radiant transmitter to service after letting it sit for a few years. Of course, the memory battery was flat, so it had to be changed. I am a lifelong electronics technician and engineer, so replacement was no problem for me. Here's the poop:
1. The original Radiant memory battery is a lithium type CR2032-FT4-2, which is exactly the same as the CMOS battery on virtually all PC motherboards, except the "FT4-2" variant has vertical mounting/connection tabs spot welded onto the battery surfaces.
2. Any reasonably adept technician should be able to perform the desolder/solder operation to replace the battery. You can either install an exact replacement battery with tabs, or install a battery holder (same mounting footprint) that takes a common CR2032 battery, which will make it much easier to replace the battery again in the future. Airtronics recommends replacement every three years, but the battery should easily last five - your call. See photo 1 for the battery and holder.
3. Procedure:
a. Support the transmitter face down while protecting the sticks. I use a piece of 10" x 10" x 3" foam with holes for the sticks.
b. Remove the transmitter rear battery cover, unplug the main battery, and remove it.
c. Remove the six Phillips-head screws that hold the transmitter back in place. Gently lift the transmitter back, and unplug the trainer port connector (E) from the main PC board (PCB) - see photo 2.
d. Unplug the pushbutton PCB connector (F).
e. Remove the three Phillips-head screws indicated.
f. Push the antenna out of the transmitter case approximately one inch so that the plastic hex nut on the bottom of the antenna is no longer directly over the PCB, see photo 3. Lift the PCB straight up approximately 1/2" so that it is clear of the two plastic pins at the bottom of the PCB.
g. Turn the transmitter upside down on the foam with the antenna pointing downward and the transmitter back tilted at approximately 45 degrees toward you. It's helpful to use an improvised prop to support the transmitter in that position.
h. Tilt the bottom edge of the PCB away from its normal position enough to expose the PCB bottom.
i. Unsolder/solder the old battery as required.
j. Install a new battery or holder as desired.
k. Clean the soldered connections with alcohol or similar solvent.
l. Reverse the above step to restore the transmitter to operation.
A few caveats:
a. High-quality soldering is REQUIRED. Make sure that whoever does the procedure is well qualified.
b. If you choose to install a battery holder, future battery changes take only a few minutes, with no soldering. BUT, the battery holder is not rated for hazardous environment (especially corrosion). If you take good care of your equipment, then it should be fine. If you fly in the rain, solder a "FT4-2" battery directly.
Parts are available from www.mouser.com CR2032-FT4-2 battery is Mouser part number 639-CR2032-FT42, and costs approx $4.00, The Renata battery holder is Mouser part number 614-VBH2032-1, and costs approx. $2.00, and you'll have to buy a CR2032 battery separately.
If you decide on a "FT4-2" battery, I have a fresh (received this week) battery that is excess to my needs. Shoot me $4.00 via PayPal and your mailing address to get it.
I hope this gets your transmitter back on the air. It is one of the best Airtronics ever made for the reasons you already stated - excellent blend of computer radio and "old school" functionality. No complicated programming menu structure and very intuitive. I bought my Radiant system in 1997, and it was being produced several years after that.
Doug
