Jumper T18 - loading models without OpenTX Companion

[Oli]

Hi all, I purchased several Jumper T18 radios for my school (we build quads in class - whoohoo!). This is on the back of purchasing several T16 radios but when wanting to buy more of those was told they are no longer available - have to buy T18. No big deal, except that OpenTX Companion doesn't support the T18 just yet (26 July 2020). I know it's coming soon.

Why You No make Companion work with T18 !

(seriously though: love what all those hard-working coding people are doing to develop OpenTX - thank you soooo much!)

So my question is: how can I transfer settings and models from one radio to another without OpenTX Companion? Can I stick them on the SD card somehow and then transfer them that way?

I've played with all of this for quite some time. I can even hook the T18 up to Companion and 'Write Models and Settings to Radio', and something does write. But when turning on the TX, I initially get an error about incorrect files or something - goes away when pressing the wheel, but most importantly the models are not transferred across.

My models are not quick to set up - I have a lot of logical switches and functions to make things easy and safe for students.

Would love some help & I'm just about willing to donate a kidney to find a solution.

Thanks all,

Oli

Edited: originally my post didn't mention Companion

 

[bracesport]

the T18 is an openTX radio - are you using companion - jumper T18 downloads

 

[Oli]

the T18 is an openTX radio - are you using companion - jumper T18 downloads

Thanks for helping out bacesport.
Yes, sorry, I didn't make that clear when I posted (I'll edit it) - yes, using Companion. There is no Companion download at the link you provided. Doesn't matter though, I've got the latest version already installed and using it with my T16 and Taranis 9XD+. Unless Jumper provides a version that will work with the T18, but I doubt it.

 

[LitterBug]

You can use the SD card to backup and transfer models. You can also back them up and then transfer them using the USB port. There are options other than companion.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[Oli]

You can use the SD card to backup and transfer models. You can also back them up and then transfer them using the USB port. There are options other than companion.

Cheers!
LitterBug

Hi LitterBug.

That sounds promising but I have found no instructions on how to do this. I'm a little bit lost. Can you help me out?

Thanks a lot, Oli

 

[LitterBug]

Hi Oli,
When you are on the model selection screen, highlight the model you want to backup. Long press the Enter key rather than a short press. A menu should pop up with one of the options being backup. If you choose backup, it will make a copy of that model in the [MODELS] directory on the SD card. You can either use a USB cable to connect the radio to a PC and browse to that directory, or pull the SD card and read it from the PC. Once you have the model on the SD card, you can do a "restore model" to a model slot on the radio, similar to the way the backup model was done.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[Oli]

Hi LitterBug,
I followed your instructions - one step closer to a solution
However, it seems that the Jumper doesn't seem to have the same 'backup' option when pressing those buttons. I've spotted it on my Taranis - works there. But as you can see in this screenshot (hoping that's the menu you were referring to), no backup option is given:

I've tried duplicating the model and then long-pressing on the non-selected model, but the only extra option is to delete the model.

Thanks again. I'm open to more suggestions.

 

[LitterBug]

Interesting. I assumed that would work the same as my DX9+ since it is OpenTX. I don't have a jumper to play with. Maybe someone else can chime in.

Cheers¡
LB

 

[Oli]

Yes, I thought likewise - why is it not the identical!?

All the same, thanks very much for your suggestion.

If anybody has other suggestions - I'm all ears!

 

[bracesport]

are you on OpenTX 2.3.9, and have you tried your T18 on companion using the T16 profile?

 

[bracesport]

So, download the nightly build of companion 2.3.10 (earlier versions dont support the T18):

https://downloads.open-tx.org/2.3/ni...anion/windows/

Install it. Assuming you have a radio profile for the T16 set up already, you'll just need to set one up for the T18.

Select the T16 profile, plug the T16 in, then read models and settings from the radio. I dont know if it's necessary but i then go file>save and put the .otx file somewhere safe.

Now unplug the T16, select the T18 profile you created and plug in the T18. Open the .otx file and Companion will prompt you to convert the models, which you should say 'yes' to. If it doesnt then it means the profile isnt set up correctly. Now write models/settings to the radio and you should be good to go.

 

[Oli]

Success!!

So, download the nightly build of companion 2.3.10 ....

Bracesport, you are my hero of the day. Maybe even the whole week!

I was able to transfer the model across to my T18. Haven't tested binding/flying yet, but this is a giant leap for T18-kind.

Thank you soooo much! Saved me hours of manually entering the model settings into the six T18 radios I have for my students.

 

[bracesport]

it was my pleasure - I love the jumpier gear!

 

[Oli]

Yes, it's good gear at an affordable price. I was just sad that the T16 had such a short run. Hopefully the T18 will be current for a bit longer. Some stiff competition from the RadioMater T16S though. In the end, for what we need here at school, either one of them is far more feature-rich that what we would ever need.

 

[bracesport]

the T18 is basically a T16v2!

 

[Oli]

Oh boy, I celebrated too soon. Unfortunately one of my six T18s became totally unresponsive after attempting to use it as a 'joystick' by plugging it into my computer via the USB cable: weird things on the screen, flashing, buzzing, even the lit T18 logo above the speaker went into a spasm. I re-flashed the firmware, re-wrote the SD card, but to no avail. Will have to contact Jumper about this.

Another of my T18 would not connect up to OpenTX Companion even with the latest nightly build. So I'm back to square-one. I cannot get my models onto the T18.

 

[bracesport]

Without having a T18 it is hard to comment - are you saying 4 out of six connect to companion? and, out of six units, how many run without being connected to companion?

 

[Oli]

Hi Bracesport, thanks for tuning in and helping out.

It's working again.... in that the models were transferred across - that's the main thing, yipee! No idea what the glitch was. Most likely user stupidity

However, the radio is not officially connecting to Companion with a message informing that the T18 is not supported.

I have only taken two out of the six out of their boxes, so I don't know about the four yet.
The original one that you helped me with seems to be fried somehow - as described above. We'll see what can be done there....

OpenTX 2.3.10 is making progress - 84% complete, 62 a few days ago (although went down to 40s for a few days with new issues): https://github.com/opentx/opentx/milestone/58

 

[bracesport]

I was using companion when it was not officially supporting the T16 - at that time I was using the Horus profile! stick with it!

 

[Oli]

Cool, there is hope yet. Thanks again, I'll hang in there...