I REALLY need your help!

Carbon

Elemental Madness
Thanks for checking out this thread, I really need some help on this one.

Here's the story; I spent all day rebuilding from my crash I posted in the "maiden flights" thread. I bought a new body with the last of my RC savings and spent the entire day fixing up my Super Cub. I went out at 7pm tonight and finally flew it. I did all my pre-flight checks, and then launched it. I flew a complete circle trying out the ailerons and doing barrel rolls. It went fine so I decided to test the vertical. It was unlimited! I went up approx. 150-200ft possibly more. Suddenly,once again, I lost control. It stalled and began to plummet towards the earth. I immediately set my transmitter back to neutral and adjusted the the antenna and then tried to save it. 30ft before the ground I pulled up but the wings couldn't take it (I haven't put a spare in yet) and they bent and I crashed pretty hard into the ground. I'm sick of losing signal! What's going on?
here is the info, tell me if you need more:
1st crash:
Using the stock Super Cub receiver and my DX5e-lost signal approx 700ft away
2nd crash:
yesterday- lost signal about 600ft away. Using orangeRX reciever and DX5e
3rd crash
today: same setup, lost signal aprox 300ft away

Other info: both times there were cell tower kind of near by but I don't think that was the problem.

Any ideas? could my TX be bad?

all help is greatly appreciated. I don't have the money to keep fixing stuff and can't stand the thought of not flying! :D

Thanks guys, tell me if you need any more info

GOPR6604.JPG

GOPR6605.JPG

GOPR6606.JPG

GOPR6607.JPG

GOPR6608.JPG
 
Last edited:

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
I had to resolder one of the antennas onto my cousins stock DSM2 receiver after a bad crash as it was doing similar things. Take the case apart and look very very closely at the two antennas where they mount to the board. With that repaired the plane flew great again.
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
Yeah, antenna wire doesn't like bending. The wire has likely broken somewhere along the cord, but because of the coatings around the wires you might not have noticed. This is just a theory, but you may either need a new rx or to re-solder (very carefully) the antenna from where it's broken.
 

Carbon

Elemental Madness
Dear lord! you did it guys! Thanks soooo much! I popped open the case and the wire literally fell out!
GOPR6610.JPG

EDIT: how far should I be able to fly away? I can't remember but somewhere I heard it was up to almost a half mile, is that right?
 
Last edited:

Tritium

Amateur Extra Class K5TWM
This is the very reason that a reduced power transmitter distance check is recommended before each flight in most transmitter manufacturers instructions. It would have verified that you had a problem BEFORE it caused a crash. I have neglected these checks as well at times but you now see quite painfully why they should be done. ;) Glad you found the or a problem but do the check to verify before you commit your plane to the air again.

Thurmond
 
Last edited:

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
Basically it reduces the transmitting power by a magnitude - for example with Spektrum systems, from 200mW to 20mW. It mimics the effect of removing the antenna and therefore if there's something wrong with the signal. I don't do these checks I must admit, primarily because it involves walking to the other side of the oval to my plane. Too much effort most of the time, unless you suspect the tx or rx
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
Agreed, range checks are important.....can't say I've even done one but they are a great idea. Glad to know you found the problem. As far as range goes, with the stock equipment I've flown it to the point I almost couldn't see it anymore and I've never had a problem. So far with the Orange Rx's I've had the same results.
 

jd7792

Senior Member
Basically it reduces the transmitting power by a magnitude - for example with Spektrum systems, from 200mW to 20mW. It mimics the effect of removing the antenna and therefore if there's something wrong with the signal. I don't do these checks I must admit, primarily because it involves walking to the other side of the oval to my plane. Too much effort most of the time, unless you suspect the tx or rx


This is the first time I have heard of a "Reduced power check"!
I kind of understand the principle of replicating a reduction caused by distance, but how doo you reduce the power?
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
I don't know. I just press the magic button on the back of the tx! The principle is to save you from finding a 2km LOS spot to test your range. If it works on low transmitting power at the other end of the field, it's going to work in the air to at least that distance when flying.

When I was first taught how to fly, there wasn't a range test button (which usually doubles as the bind button). You did your range check by not extending the antenna.
 
Last edited:

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
That's how we used to do it as well. Now we just have the button that you hold down and it puts it into a low power mode, Futaba has you hold a button during transmitter power up and I can't remember what the Spektrum wants me to do but it's all doing the same thing. It limits the output signal strength of the Tx, then you walk a ways a way and see if you still have all your controls. If all works well, you take it back into the normal mode (very important) and fly your heart out.
 

earthsciteach

Moderator
Moderator
Glad you found your problem, Carbon. Like you, I have crashed due to the same circumstances. I have repaired the antenna successfully on one RX and have 4 more that need the same repair!

To help prevent breaking, I make a gentle 'S' bend in the wire coming out of the rx and sandwich that between two pieces of electrical tape which also tapes to the rx. Since I have 4 broken antennas, it isn't a perfect system, but it does help. I'm pretty rough on them, I guess.
 

oagh

Senior Member
the 29.00 Spektrum reciever is out and in stores . Hint,Hint
maybe 24 $ there 4 ch and have a Good rage,
 

colorex

Rotor Riot!
Mentor
To help prevent breaking, I make a gentle 'S' bend in the wire coming out of the rx and sandwich that between two pieces of electrical tape which also tapes to the rx. Since I have 4 broken antennas, it isn't a perfect system, but it does help. I'm pretty rough on them, I guess.

I don't think bending your antenna is a good idea - old 72MHz antennas said specifically to install them straight, and not to roll them up. As for 2.4GHz, they want you to put the antenna straight. Just be careful with the receiver.
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
Most 2.4 rx antennas that I've seen (except Spektrum) have a length of shielded cable before the active part. It's a compromise between having a satellite (diversity for extra range) and a short cable (having the cable active from the solder).
 

Carbon

Elemental Madness
ok guys, I have a question: can you upgrade the power of a spektrum transmitter? If it runs at 200mhz, and I can legally transmit <500mhz, is there a way other than a patch antennae that I could do that?
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
I'm sure you meant mW... Depending on what part of the 2.4 spectrum it's using, you can either use up to 1W (1000mW) or 2W (2000mW), however there is diminishing returns on range as you go up in power. With a properly functioning tx/rx you should be able to fly about 2km, which is well beyond visual range for most planes. You can probably upgrade the power output electronically, but it's well beyond most mere mortals.
 

Carbon

Elemental Madness
oops yeah, I meant mW.

so I should be able to fly that far huh? Well, when my new receivers show up I think I will do a ground test. I know a stretch of road that is about a mile long, I think I'll try that out. My friend can drive it off in his truck and I can see how far it will go.
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
Nice. I thought I'd try out a range test with a rx I fixed up a little while ago. I've been using it in my cheap EPP wing and not had any issues within an oval. So while slope soaring today, I flew it out over fields as far as I could see, so the wing became a little speck that I could *just* orientate (and I've got pretty good eyesight!). No worries whatsoever. If I were you I'd have a go at re-soldering your antenna onto the rx if you have a nice, fine soldering iron tip and don't need to strip much coating off to solder the shielding and core separately.