We'll just swap that out then...

I wish they would have decided this a week ago. The cable for the Spektrum AS3X arrived last night. I updated the firmware in the Alpha6, but that didn't change thing. I tried reprogramming it through the software and got no where.

Today I contacted Spektrum support and before we even tried anything Cody had decided to just exchange the device. He is sending me a new one, along with, one hopes, postage paid to return the bad one.

I removed the unit and plan to maiden the Waco without stabilization. She looks amaze-balls!

She is big... 63" wingspan. I really don't want to take the wing off (I am damned if I am going to remove the right wing, with that switch obscuring the screw and all). I hope I can it it in my car or my wife's...

Castle for the Win!

I blogged a couple of weeks back about a new in box Castle Phoenix Edge HV80 ESC that was DOA. I contacted Castle and they send to send it in, even though I had no recall of date of purchase or from whom, and it was a couple of years ago... So I sent it in, and it came back yesterday! I suspect that they sent a new one, but I can't tell for sure. My soldered leads were gone (they did send back the cut off EC5).

I set it up on the Trex 600FBL in place of the FunFLy 100A I had installed, and plugged it in to the Castle Link Programming card, powered it up, and nada. Hmmm....  I powered it down, brought out the computer and plugged in the Castle Link Connector, opened the Castle programming software, powered up and immediately there it was!  I updated the firmware, just in case, programmed it for helicopter, and updated the settings. Worked perfectly. Took the Trex 600FBL out to spin her up, and everything worked perfectly! She is ready to go.

Thanks, Castle!

All soldered up.

It doesn't work with the programming card.

But works perfectly with the computer software and connector.  I LOVE it when a software works like its supposed to.

Installed! Thanks, Castle Creations!

The only one not flight ready is the Frankenheli 450 (not pictured).

The connector for the Spektrum AS3X came in from Horizon Hobby/Spektrum today. I did update the firmware, but was unable to accomplish anything else. It still bothers me that there is NO manual for any of this. If this isn't fixed quickly tomorrow I want to return it... I have wasted enough time.  I want to fly the Waco, dammit.

The good news is...

...that un-commanded roll issue is gone on the Trex 500fbl (HK).

The bad news is I didn't fly it very well.

c

I think the gyro gain was a bit off... She's got the BeastX FBL system. She flew ok, but was a bit mushy holding her head, and I was so scared the whole time I was behind her the entire flight. I lost control and she grounded hard. But now that I've secured the gyro that funky death roll on reaching headspeed is gone,

I've already got her back together but for a control rod, on its way from AMainhobbies. And I'll try again with more than 35%.

December Fly RC Mag Features Phoenix Waco F5C!

They guy who built the plane and wrote the article is a master builder. It shows. What a beautiful job he did with the custom graphics!

I don't know about this Onxy Charger...

A few months ago Hobbico took my bricked charger in and repaired the RIGHT display that had crapped out. Its been fine since. This morning I turned it on and plugged it in and got this from the LEFT display...

Still works, but come on...

Spektrum Alpha6 AS3X - Not Ready For Prime Time

I wanted to put 3 axis stabilization on the Waco, and was going for either the Futaba GYA-460, or the Spektrum Alpha 6 AS3X systems.  Being a Spektrum guy, I went Spektrum. Its advertised as ready out of the box, calibrate and voila!

Ok!

Very nice in the box, the Alpha6 AS3X from AMainhobbies.

Solid, high quality build I expect from Spektrum. Nice metal case. 

Put a nice pad of gyro gel underneath it. Being on a gasser I wanted to isolate it as much as possible.

The wires are a rat's nest under the foam cover.

Installed on the nice CG centered platform, got all the wires going from and to the correct places. A little confused about the rudder having two inputs, R5 and R6 are the channels. One is Rate Only, the other Rate or Heading Hold depending on the gain setting. Ok... I know what these are on my heli, but I don't know how to use this on my airplane.

Well, its not working so well. I have the receiver and Alpha6 setup stock. As you go through the calibration you have to "Cycle the gain inputs and return to center."

What gain inputs?

I finally called Horizon Hobby-Spektrum Tech Support and they have no idea. Well, after some thinking and calling around, they figured that I needed to free up the GEAR channel, and connect a lead from the receiver GEAR Channel to G6 on the Alpha6. Then in the DX8 set the receiver  gear channel to the F Mode switch. Done. This "cycling" would be the F Mode from 1 to 0 to 2 and back to 1.  This would give me three settings, which from the RC Groups forum I figured out are "SAFE", ON and OFF (UPDATE: Thats wrong. Its RATE MODE-OFF-HEADING HOLD) .  NONE OF THIS IS IN THE MANUAL!  It also doesn't say what the default gain percentage is (is it even percentage?), nor how to adjust it. This basic gain setting should be programmable from the transmitter, or at least from the Alpha6, but it sounds like you have to link it to your computer with a cable you have to pay for and they don't say you need, and cannot change it in any other way.

So we did all that switching around, and still can't get past the blinking blue light of "not working". Can't get out of calibrate mode, so the unit is a $129 pass though device with a nice green light.

Now they are working on it. Really? This is THE MOST BASIC setup anyone will do, and it's not in the manual and it's not working. How did this leave the shelf without this basic setup functionality?

While they are bumping heads on this in Champaign, I had to free up the AUX1 channel to set the GEAR switch to AUX1 and use it as the remote ignition kill channel. Done. I had to Y-harness the ailerons, which is fine, I don't need duals, making them a one channel thing (though by doing so I lose the ability to set aileron differential), then plugged the ignition cut out into the AUX1. This changed the behavior and "0 centered"  of the left aileron for some reason, so I had to remove the servo tray for the left aileron, recenter the control arm, fine tune the control rod, and set the new zero, without subtrim. Now its all good. 

I did decide to stop at the "Gain Reverse Mode" for each control surface, and programmed the correct directions for un-commanded movement response, but you save them by... completing the calibration phase. So the surfaces don't move at all except in that Gain Reverse Mode". At least I know the MEMS is working.

As soon as the boys in Champaign figure out what's wrong with their setup they will call me, and we will see if this thing works.

Oh, and they are sending me a programming cable gratis.

With all of this I really want to be sure there is a switch to disable it in flight!

UPDATE  I spent a couple of hours on the phone with the Spektrum guys. They did a great job as we walked through various possibilities. We never repeated things, they were organized, and we remained baffled. I worked with Tyler who then kicked it up to Cody. Cody had me go through some interesting but logical tests that made it clear the Alpha6 isn't responding to signal in the G6 channel. Cody wonders if the channel was inhibited when set up at the factory, but we need the connection cable and the programming software to find out and if it is inhibited and reset it. He's shipping me a cable asap and will walk me through it,

Horizon Hobby Spektrum customer service rocks!

First Run RCGF 26cc in Phoenix Waco F5C

Wowser.  Joe Netter, from whom I purchase this engine used, had her perfectly tuned. Plug and play!

I ran her for the first time today.

I had a small problem with the AGM Hobby Switch I purchased on eBay, new. The Number II switch to the ignition would not reliably turn on, and when on and the vibration from the engine started, it flicked off. I had to remove it from the engine circuit to get the ignition to turn on and stay on. I used only the remote cut from the transmitter (the RCEXEL Opto Cut) to turn the ignition on and off. I realize I can just use this setup, but will see if I can get a replacement from the eBay seller, chinoeuk2010.  UPDATE: Seller offered to replace it, but I had already fixed it by replacing the bad switch with one from another single switch set that I didn't need. Fixed.

Nice run up. I did find that damn right wing bolt bouncing around inside, it having come right out. Now that the switch is out I can get that baby in proper.  

Expecting the Spektrum AS3X Stabilizing system to arrive today from AMainhobbies, and will install that, then the wing.