Let the walk through begin! Everyone gather round - and don't be shy about asking questions if I don't explain something well.
I'm going to start with the Global Radio Functions since those apply to every model - but I only have a couple of those.
GF1 bind the volume to the knob S1
GF6 reads out the value of Timer1 when I hit momentary switch SH.
Next is the Inputs screen (assuming that you're already able to do the receiver setup in the Setup screen and setup Timer1). There is one line in here for each of the stick motions.
You'll notice that the Expo on the Rudder/Elevator/Ailerons are each set to Global Variables (GVARS) named similarly to the stick input. These Global Variables are defined in the Flight Modes tab - we'll get to that later. Also, I overrode the trim setting for each of these three motion inputs to use the trim tab from the opposite gimbal. This is known as "cross trims" - it means I can keep my right hand on the elevator/aileron stick while using my left hand to bump the trim buttons around the left gimbal - no taking my hands out of position and risking loss of control.
The other fancy thing going on in here is with the throttle input. The top mix on that just says "send the throttle value through with no trim when logical switch L20 is true" - that's normal flying mode. The second mix on that (which overrides the first one) says when logical switch L20 is not true, pass the input value through Curve #4 - using no trim. Later I'll show the Curve #4 screen which is a 2 point curve going from 0 to 0 - which means no matter what the stick does, the throttle will stay off. In the logical switches screen we'll get into more of how it works, but this is the most secure throttle cut I've found so far.
Next is the Mixes screen. This is where I apply variable rates by using more Global Variables and set which channel gets which output. I also setup a straight pass through of switch SC to Channel 6 to control the flight modes on the Inductrix.
Next is the Outputs screen where I named each channel's function (so the name shows up in the Mixes screen) and setup Inv(ersing) for the channels Spektrum expects to be reversed from the FrSky stock setup. Spektrum also expects a total channel value to be 80% of the FrSky output, so here's the best place to lock in those maximum values. On a plane with standard servos, this is where you would put the maximum and minimum possible throws so the servos don't bind up in flight.
And here's that Curve screen I mentioned for curve #4 - just a 2 point flat line going from zero to zero. This is the brute force part of the throttle kill setup. Yes, it could all be setup to use Curve #1 instead, but remember when I said I stole these ideas from someone else? This is how they did it, and I copied it exactly until I learned how it worked
Ahh, the Logical Switches.
L1 is unused on this model - but it's meant to have two switches in the "AND" function and trigger the Instant Trim special function. Me and Instant Trim haven't always had the best relationship, so I put it on a double switch to make sure I didn't accidentally hit it.
L3 only goes true when I hold switch SH for 1.5 seconds - this works together with a couple special functions to use the SH to both read out my timers on a quick flick, and to reset the timers when I hold the switch for the 1.5 second duration.
L19 and L20 work together to be the brains of the throttle cut functionality. L19 will only go true with the throttle stick is all the way down (-98 to give a tiny margin of error). L20 keeps checking it's OR condition on a .5 second delay to see if something changed with L19 or SA which is my throttle cut switch. At the end of the day, the throttle is cut when switch SA is in the down position, and even when the switch is moved up it won't actually activate the throttle until the stick is all the way down for .5 seconds too. This prevents me from bumping the switch and throttle stick up and accidentally going live motor with full spinning blades. Very handy thing.
And the Special Function screen. Lots going on in here
SF1-3 are triggered with switch SB and call out the Flite Mode (from the Taranis flight mode screen, not the Spektrum stability modes)
SF4 just links the radio volume to the S1 pot
SF7 is my "autotune safe switch" that's usually hooked up with L1 - when L1 has switch SFdn in the AND condition. When it's setup, I get an audio warning of "autotune mode" when I take off the safety (SF) and then an audio alert of "brick mode off" when L1 triggers the Instant Trim function. Yes, I could have just turned off the "ON" checkbox on function SF5 to deactivate this whole process - but then L1 would still do the audio call out and make me think I hit Instant Trim. Anyway, enough about something that's not even used for the Inductrix.
SF9-11 trigger when I hold momentary switch SH more than 1.5 seconds (remember that from L3?) - then it resets both my timers and gives an audio alert of "reset"
SF13 & SF14 call out the Spektrum flight mode based on the position of switch SC - no callout for "angle mode" which is where I usually fly the little bugger.
SF16 and SF17 call out the throttle cut status
Next let's go back to those Flight Mode screens.
On Flight Mode 0 - the default, you'll see I use a .5 second fade in between modes, and name them similar to the audio call outs I setup in the Special Functions screen.
GVAR1 is the Elevator Rate
GVAR2 is the Aileron Rate
GVAR3 is the Rudder Rate
GVAR4 is the Aileron eXpo
GVAR5 is the Elevator eXpo
GVAR6 is the Rudder eXpo
I put in some pretty conservative numbers for each of those variables in this flight mode.
In Flight Mode 1 screen you'll see I connect it to Switch SBmid to activate, and put in numbers that are just a little less conservative for the rates.
In Flight Mode 2 screen you'll see I connect it to Switch SBdown to activate, and put in numbers that are pretty well on the ragged edge of what I can fly with.
I usually only go for the 3 flight modes, but it's possible to do more by activating them with logical switches that trigger based on combinations of switch positions or other values.
Ok, that was a lot of info dump. Did it help? Did it raise other questions? Did it inspire use of cold beverages and pain relievers?
