Yeah ok I'll keep it a secret. The 2,4 Skysports can only use the specific Rx that is made for them so there is a limitation to them , but they are a great radio. They are what I use on most of my builds. But, when I do do a built i am usually using Tamiya electronics. I just had an Abrams set up and done by YHR with the BARC and Benedinni and it is great so i will be using that config. in the future. Especially when the Chally II comes out. I'm going to purchase it through him and have him set it all up.

Thank You very much, gentlemen!
Your advices were very helpful!!! My Pershing is Ok now!
EddyK

I tend to agree to the KISS approach as well. That is why I go for the 6 ch T6A. For my own tanks I set these up all exactly the same. I don't have to remember any special nuance for a particular tank.

I have found over the years these special nuances can be forgot and you have to spend time retraining yourself to what your were thinking,!!. Multiple models, different radios etc can turn any RC brain a little foggy over a couple of years.

Some people dislike the fact that the T6A has to be plugged into a computer to make changes. I think the opposite. The computer interface means chages just don't happen by accident. In addition every set up can be saved and filed. Set up file JagD 312 and save the radio set up file to it. 10 years there is no memory fog to contend with.

What I dislike is complicated interfaces that you haven't got a hope of mastering without a manual. Multifunction button pressing in certain sequences to do this or that is a recipe for frustration after something has been set aside for 6 months

I'm guessing the main argument for not liking PC links to adjust parameters is having to lug around said PC into the field if you need to do any fine tuning.
Same thing with the Elmod, they use to have a field box but not sure if they still go that route or not.

That's the part I didn't like. I'm not a computer person so it took me over two hours to figure out how to download the drivers for the cable and the radio. In addition, my cable came with one of it's pins folded down and I had to correct that. I copied a transmitter set up that Ian (ibu2) had set up for me. Now I have things like MX 1 VRA, Switch A&B Null, etc etc. and I don't have a clue what any of it means and how it applies to my tank functions. So now I have a brand new CT-6 that will probably never get used. For me, the Tamiya or Futaba radios are the way to go.

And that is why there are multiple options for consumers.

I have a small notebook that I can use for the purpose and take it with me. However with a fleet of tanks all set up the same on the same radio there is not much that can go wrong. Whether it is a Leopard 2 or a KV1 the tanks are all the same. That is why I only use one type of electronics as well.I used to Run EL Mod, Tamiya, Clark, IBU2 as well as the BARC/TBS, not to mention 4 different radios. Even the Tamiya stuff is on the bench now. Now I just use one set of electronics in everything including the radio. The multiples of variety became a handicap to my enjoyment of the hobby. Trying to remember and operate so many different variables seemed pointless after awhile.

When Greg wanted his Abrams set up like a Tamiya , I fully understood. Why have tanks different from each other.

With ya on that. Would rather just use 4ch futaba and some "Y" servo lead splitters off the RX if needed. I can't have all the bells and whistles of things like volume control, smoke on/off, animated MG, etc but for the most part don't want that stuff cluttering up the lower hull for maintenance after a weekend battle. If I have to go into a battle
with anything more than 2 self centering sticks and a fire button its a disadvantage. Do like seeing what everyone else does with all the different channels, just not for me.
Keep my DX8 for r/c aviation.

Dan, can you add a push button to use as a main gun firing button on the HK T6A?

Yes. This is true for all radios. Essentially all the fire button is doing connecting across the potentiometer. Two wires and a momentary push button are all that is required. Is is the same for all radios and one of the easiest mods to make. I have a tutorial showing how to add one to a D6Xi, but it is the same for any radio.

I just looked at your tutorial, if you added a three position switch instead of a push button to the DX6i, would the machine gun work if you either pulled or pushed the switch or is the machine gun on a different circuit?

It depends on what RC signal is firing the MG. The joystick is a dual potentiometer. Different positions return different X, Y values. The cannon is easiest because the trigger point is full up on the X axis meaning a shunt between a momentary single pole switch will give you that.. IF the MG is fired on a half up signal then you would have to find the required resistor to put in line that would generate the same value on the X axis. So in your question you would have the full shut on the X axis hooked up to one side of the switch and on the other side you would have an inline resistor of some value to the same x axis,

Flipping the switch one way would fire the cannon, flipping it the other way would create a shunt through a resistor that would generate the same X value as moving the stick half way up.

Also triggers that require stick movements on the other quadrants can be done as well.

For example. BARC 4 has the Cannon fire on the full up and full left psotion on the stick. I person can duplicate this with a DPST button. By tying into the potentiometer I can duplicate this action with one button. Pushing the button shunts the full up and the full left at the same time. This fires the cannon with just a single button.

Cheers

Thanks for the explanation Dan. I'm curious, are you self taught on electronics or do you have a formal education in the electronics field? You seem to know quite a lot.

I have let the smoke out of a lot of stuff over the years.:D With the net, it is easier to educate yourself on some of this stuff now then it used to be. Thomas Benedini and David Lancaster have also helped home school me on specific things that apply to the BARC and the TBS so I get by, I also don't mind experimenting, and another reason I am a fan of $25 radios. You can afford to strip these down, get the multimeter out, and get some wire for an evening of enlightenment and entertainment, So I am a hack, but for most of the stuff going on in a tank, being a hack works.

Cleanliness is your friend in electronics. Wire routing, and taking the time to run wire paths will pay dividends at the end. A Rats nest may work, but if something goes wrong the whole project is that much harder to troubleshoot. So even though clean wiring is not essential, it just seems to help the whole project go better.

Cheers


Dan