10X Is this PCM lockout?
 

Hi Guys,
Trying to help my buddy out, he just got a NIB 10X off RCU, and set it up into a new plane, with a receiver that was out of a plane that has flown one season with no problems on S-PCM with his 8103. He's using the module from the 8103 in the 10X. Airplane is set up on 6 volts with Futaba servos, (also tried 4.8) and here is the problem:
While setting up the elevators, going thru full throws in his garage, the servos seemed to hang up, momentarily while returning to neutral. The problem is very intermittent, sometimes hard to duplicate, but when it acts up, you can cycle the stick, and nothing. The servos are also energized, which leads me to believe that it's locking out due to drop in signal, or interference nearby of some stray sort. We also have seen this on the rudder. (Tail servos are digital, and like new, used on my plane with no problems)
Rudder pull-pull is Kevlar, 2 extensions run down the fuse for the elevator servos. No metal to metal contact anywhere. DA-50 was from previous plane, also never any sign of problems. The only component different is the 10X, which is the new item in the equation. My suspicion is the 10X is having an issue, but I thought to ask anyone out there who is a 10X owner (or not) if they have any ideas.
We took it out to the field last week, after not being able to lock it out, maiden-ed a flight, then on the runway afterwards, saw the lockout on the rudder! Airplane is grounded until the issue is solved, so Please!! I need some help here.
Thanks
Ernie

RE: 10X Is this PCM lockout?
 

The module is the heart of the radio. Some Futaba servo's don't like 6v. Also did you do a range check. With the 10x leave the antenna out of the radio. If you have a range issue, send everything to Horizon to have it checked. Dennis PS I forgot to tell you to make sure you have set the failsafe in the radio. I use engine to idle and all flight services to 0. The do a range check. If the plane does the same thing you have other issues.

RE: 10X Is this PCM lockout?
 

Good luck finding the problem, but I might suggest you set the failsafe to shutdown the motor, not set to idle, could save someone some serious injury or worse.

Good luck,

RE: 10X Is this PCM lockout?
 

If it is lookout then the radio must be currently set to hold the last good signal. Try this as a GROUND TEST, don't fly it like this: Set the failsafe positions to something like full up elevator, full left rudder, full right aileron. Now do your ground testing. If you are going into failsafe mode all the surfaces will deflect to full travel and make it easy to spot.

Remember that after this test - all the failsafe positions must be reset to the setting of his choice.

Ed M.

RE: 10X Is this PCM lockout?
 

Thanks guys for your input into this problem. After much discussion of possible causes with my friend and some late night hours trying different things to find the source of the problem I believe the problem is solved!!! After a range check (with antenna out of 10x) with no symptoms, we enjoyed a trouble free day of flying this last weekend!!! In short, the problem was the routing of the receiver antenna. In the original setup, the antenna had been run through a tube, then down the bottom center of the fus. with an inch or so out the bottom. This put the antenna right next to the two digital elevator servos. Moving the antenna away from the servos would eliminate the interference and moving it back near the servos would cause it to act up again. We routed the antenna out the turtle deck and attached it to the rudder fin. There have not been any signs of that ugly interference since! This is still somewhat of a mystery to me because my friend had no problems with where the antenna was with his setup. I’m just very pleased the problems been solved and it wasn’t an issue with my radio!
Thanks again for your input,
Miles