Beginner problem with throttle on simple cub with Spektrum DXe.

[MarkCC]

I'm working on a simple cub model from FT. I ordered the full power pack, and a new spektrum transmitter and receiver, so it's all parts that should work together smoothly.

I've been trying to get the radio to work, and I can't get anything to work on channel one.

It came from FT with the receiver bound to the transmitter. I wired it all together, with the ESC in channel one. Servos in the other channels work correctly, but nothing happens with the throttle. The ESC and motor aren't doing any signal beeps - they're just dead.

If I plug the ESC into a different channel, then ESC and motor start up, and I can control the motor on that channel - so the ESC and the motor are working - just not in channel 1.

If I plug a servo into channel one, it doesn't work.

I've tried literally every possible setting of the switches on the controller, just in case the throttle disarm was on a different switch. (I set up a chart to make sure I covered all possibilities - tested all 32 combinations.)

Is there something special I need to with the the spektrum transmitter or receiver to activate the throttle?

 

[BATTLEAXE]

I'm working on a simple cub model from FT. I ordered the full power pack, and a new spektrum transmitter and receiver, so it's all parts that should work together smoothly.

I've been trying to get the radio to work, and I can't get anything to work on channel one.

It came from FT with the receiver bound to the transmitter. I wired it all together, with the ESC in channel one. Servos in the other channels work correctly, but nothing happens with the throttle. The ESC and motor aren't doing any signal beeps - they're just dead.

If I plug the ESC into a different channel, then ESC and motor start up, and I can control the motor on that channel - so the ESC and the motor are working - just not in channel 1.

If I plug a servo into channel one, it doesn't work.

I've tried literally every possible setting of the switches on the controller, just in case the throttle disarm was on a different switch. (I set up a chart to make sure I covered all possibilities - tested all 32 combinations.)

Is there something special I need to with the the spektrum transmitter or receiver to activate the throttle?

I use the DXe myself and I have had issues when I first started. If you had picks of your receiver this might be a bit easier to solve. If the receiver is an AR620 or AR420, the cannel 1 is your throttle channel. On any other Spektrum receiver there will a bind plug that goes into the first channel slot which is not channel one, it is just designated for the bind plug.

The DXe requires a connect cable to a laptop or wifi to your phone for programming. I would suggest a laptop as opposed to your phone because it is way more detailed and functional. If you have this you will have to get the app for programming and set up your transmitter to it, registering and the usual jargon. Once you got this done check to see if the throttle cut off switch is activated, you can either activate or inhibit to any switch on your transmitter you choose. In this program you can set up any sort of mixes, dual rates, expos, store model memory, all the cool stuff you will need to get started.

Good luck

 

[MarkCC]

Here's a picture.

It's an AR620. According to the manual, it doesn't use a bind-plug. The 3 red bars on top are part of a button, and you hold that button when you plug it in to enable binding mode.

The sockets are labelled "BATT", "1/DATA", and 2 through 6. I've tried plugging the ESC into all seven ports. I'm able to get it working in anything except port 1. (But 1 is the throttle on my transmitter.)

I've got the bluetooth interface for the transmitter, and the software installed on an ipad and and iphone. (I don't have a windows machine that I can run the software on; my computers are all either Linux or MacOS, and Spektrum doesn't support them.)

The documentation for the software on iOS is really terrible for a beginner; I haven't been able to figure out how to do anything useful to fix this with it.

 

[BATTLEAXE]

View attachment 142664
Here's a picture.

It's an AR620. According to the manual, it doesn't use a bind-plug. The 3 red bars on top are part of a button, and you hold that button when you plug it in to enable binding mode.

The sockets are labelled "BATT", "1/DATA", and 2 through 6. I've tried plugging the ESC into all seven ports. I'm able to get it working in anything except port 1. (But 1 is the throttle on my transmitter.)

I've got the bluetooth interface for the transmitter, and the software installed on an ipad and and iphone. (I don't have a windows machine that I can run the software on; my computers are all either Linux or MacOS, and Spektrum doesn't support them.)

The documentation for the software on iOS is really terrible for a beginner; I haven't been able to figure out how to do anything useful to fix this with it.

I bet it's your throttle arm/disarm isn't activated, you did say you have played with this switch before correct?

I have had 3 of these receivers and I switched to Lemon brand because they are cheaper to replace. 1/data is your throttle port. 2 ailerons, 3 elevator, 4 rudder, 5 gear, 6 aux. So you cant get into the program at all?

At the top of the menu, on the left hand side of the screen is an icon that says transmitter, where you register your transmitter, and download any updates. Did you do that yet?

 

[Matagami Designs]

I use the DXe as well. you want 1/data for throttle.

@BATTLEAXE i actually have trouble getting my DXe to be recognized when programming at home on my PC or even on the app. I bought the usb cable SPMA3065 to do this not the audio one. I usually have to constantly power cycle my TX to get it to sync and then i lose the Rx signal in my plane. Do you ever have any issues like that?

What is the BATT port for anyway?

 

[BATTLEAXE]

I use the DXe as well. you want 1/data for throttle.

@BATTLEAXE i actually have trouble getting my DXe to be recognized when programming at home on my PC or even on the app. I bought the usb cable SPMA3065 to do this not the audio one. I usually have to constantly power cycle my TX to get it to sync and then i lose the Rx signal in my plane. Do you ever have any issues like that?

What is the BATT port for anyway?

I am still having trouble splitting my ailerons to 2 separate channels and mixing only happens when you are using certain Spektrum Rx's, all said and done I still haven't got it figured out either. there has been a lot of trial and error on my part. as far as the cycling goes I usually have to do it when I change models or a re-bind. Seems to be the system. I think I might invest in a DX8 sometime in the near future, just easier to play with.

BATT port might be used for unpowered gliders I think, something to plug power into without taking up ports i am guessing

 

[MarkCC]

I bet it's your throttle arm/disarm isn't activated, you did say you have played with this switch before correct?

I have had 3 of these receivers and I switched to Lemon brand because they are cheaper to replace. 1/data is your throttle port. 2 ailerons, 3 elevator, 4 rudder, 5 gear, 6 aux. So you cant get into the program at all?

At the top of the menu, on the left hand side of the screen is an icon that says transmitter, where you register your transmitter, and download any updates. Did you do that yet?

Yes, I did do the "register" and update.

I can get into the iPhone app - but I have no clue of what anything in the app means.

1. I open the app, and go to "model setup".I
2. Inside there, there's channel setup - but nothing seems to have anything to do with throttle disarm.
3. If I go to the throttle setup under channel setup, there's nothing about arm/disarm. There's a checkbox the bottom that says "link", but I have no clue of what that means.
4. Under model seup, there's a section labeled "throttle cut", which I guess would have something to do with throttle arm/disarm. But it's got "inhibited/active"; neither setting seems to do anything when I sync it to the transmitter. It's got a slider for 'cut value", which I didn't touch. It's got a setting labeled "switch", which was initially set to inhibited; I tried setting it to throttle cut switch, and syncing to the transmitted, but nothing changed. And it's got two checkboxes labeled "positions", but I have no clue what they do.
5. None of the other sections under model setup seem to have anything that might relate to the throttle.

At this point, I'm _this_ close to just saying to hell with it and giving up. I've been banging away at this for weeks, and nothing works; flite test ignores my emails asking for help. It sounds like without having a windows machine to use the spektrum app on, it's just hopeless.

 

[BATTLEAXE]

Yes, I did do the "register" and update.

I can get into the iPhone app - but I have no clue of what anything in the app means.

1. I open the app, and go to "model setup".I
2. Inside there, there's channel setup - but nothing seems to have anything to do with throttle disarm.
3. If I go to the throttle setup under channel setup, there's nothing about arm/disarm. There's a checkbox the bottom that says "link", but I have no clue of what that means.
4. Under model seup, there's a section labeled "throttle cut", which I guess would have something to do with throttle arm/disarm. But it's got "inhibited/active"; neither setting seems to do anything when I sync it to the transmitter. It's got a slider for 'cut value", which I didn't touch. It's got a setting labeled "switch", which was initially set to inhibited; I tried setting it to throttle cut switch, and syncing to the transmitted, but nothing changed. And it's got two checkboxes labeled "positions", but I have no clue what they do.
5. None of the other sections under model setup seem to have anything that might relate to the throttle.

At this point, I'm _this_ close to just saying to hell with it and giving up. I've been banging away at this for weeks, and nothing works; flite test ignores my emails asking for help. It sounds like without having a windows machine to use the spektrum app on, it's just hopeless.

Sounds like you have tried everything to do with the app. Post a pic of all your electronics set up and plugged in. Maybe there is something going on with the electronics themselves.

The only other thing I can think of is that port one is faulty on your receiver.
Can you get a servo to work on port one?

You said you already set up the motor on other ports and it works correct?
When you plug in your battery to the ESC does it beep and count out the cells?
Once plugged in and beeps for the cell count does it tone to tell you the receiver is armed when you have it plugged in other ports, does the receiver light come on?
If this is the case it isn't your ESC programming

Its just a process of elimination and as far as I can tell you are pretty good at it.

Do you have a local hobby shop you can go to to get them to look at it? They will set it up right in front of you and go through the process of diagnosing the issue. They may even pull out one of their AR620's just to see if there is an issue with yours. I don't think it has anything to do with the app from what it sounds like. Seems to be the same as mine from what I can tell. You are actually navigating it better then I was and I had to go to a local hobby shop to get things working the first time. They actually made it seem so easy that I kinda felt stupid but it does get straight forward after that.

 

[MarkCC]

• Nope, I can't get a servo to work on port 1.
• When the ESC is plugged into port one, nothing happens - no beeps from the ESC.
• When I plug the ESC into a different port, the motor does run, and the ESC does beep out the cells.

(I'm a software engineer; this is just debugging, which is what I do every day! So I expected I'd be able to figure it out; but I've run out of ideas.)

Unfortunately, I don't have a local shop. The only one I knew of in the area shut down a couple of years ago.
Rents are just too high around here; little shops can't survive.

(If anyone knows of a good hobby shop with people who know RC plains in Westchester county NY, I'd be happy to hear about it!)

 

[BATTLEAXE]

• Nope, I can't get a servo to work on port 1.
• When the ESC is plugged into port one, nothing happens - no beeps from the ESC.
• When I plug the ESC into a different port, the motor does run, and the ESC does beep out the cells.

(I'm a software engineer; this is just debugging, which is what I do every day! So I expected I'd be able to figure it out; but I've run out of ideas.)

Unfortunately, I don't have a local shop. The only one I knew of in the area shut down a couple of years ago.
Rents are just too high around here; little shops can't survive.

(If anyone knows of a good hobby shop with people who know RC plains in Westchester county NY, I'd be happy to hear about it!)

Faulty receiver port 1. It's just the receiver. there is no power running through port 1

 

[MarkCC]

Faulty receiver port 1. It's just the receiver. there is no power running through port 1

New receiver ordered; hopefully, all will work once that's wired in.

 

[FDS]

I can highly recommend Lemon RX receivers, they are fully DSMX compatible, light, reliable and have excellent range if you set the antennas in good locations. They accept satellites for larger builds too. They are also cheaper than Spektrum branded ones.

 

[BATTLEAXE]

I can highly recommend Lemon RX receivers, they are fully DSMX compatible, light, reliable and have excellent range if you set the antennas in good locations. They accept satellites for larger builds too. They are also cheaper than Spektrum branded ones.

That's the direction I went. I won't be using the AR620 anymore. To many LOS issues. And they are cheaper to replace