Taranis + IRX4 = universal remote

[varg]

I've been using the irangex IRX4+ for a little over a year with my X7 to use spektrum gear and I figured I'd share what I've learned in that year. I'm no programmer, I try to avoid that stuff, so I can't get into the firmware. The most important thing to do when using this module is to change the channel order when you set your model up in openTX. As an frsky only guy up until I got this module, channel order was pretty much irrelevant to me, but the module expects AETR and switches things internally to the protocol's expected order. In a nano CPS, travel had to be limited to 80% on the output tab for the flight controller, in typical spektrum receivers such as the AR6100e and AR636 I have used this has not been necessary, the travels and mixes were set up as you would with frsky receivers. As for range, I have yet to find its limits. Definitely adequate for flying within visual range on mini receivers. As I do not fly anything FPV on anything but frsky receivers, I can't tell you how it is to fly through trees or behind structures or terrain, but the range is adequate for flying conventionally. There is a caveat with RSSI on spektrum receivers though, in short; it's useless. With the AR636 AS3X receiver I got signal strength low alerts at ridiculously short ranges during my range check. Through some searches, I saw that others said that the telemetry output of the Spektrum receivers is shorter range than frsky output. A conventional range check, walking away while watching control surfaces move, confirmed this; even quite a distance past the announcement of "telemetry lost" the plane was still responsive. The module is best used in serial mode, with the protocol selection within the model setup menu. There are too many protocol options for one person to ever use them all imo, but they're much easier to clearly select in serial mode, with options like DSM2/DSMX 11/22ms being easily selectable. With my sample size of one, I can recommend this module. It's an easy and cheap solution to using DSMX, among other things, with your Taranis. If you're flying expensive planes with spektrum receivers, I'd just pick up a used spektrum radio. What's a couple hundred bucks when the model is a few thousand?

Anyone else using one of these modules? Post your experiences in this thread. It's good to have these repositories of information available for search results when someone has questions.

 

[FDS]

I am using both the IRX4 and Jumper multi module, both have been very reliable and bound to everything I have wanted them to. You can also buy the Jumper T16 with an onboard multi protocol module AND a module bay, meaning you can do all the stuff the above set up does plus Crossfire without unplugging anything.

 

[daxian]

i also have that combination ..and use it with my flysky ia6 recievers ,mostly without problem (occasional rebind required)can be annoying to get to the field and find it needs to be rebound...but quick to rebind ,as long as you have the bind loop !!

 

[bracesport]

@daxien - do you have the bind to channel set to on or off - I have the same issue with binding to the iA6 Rx - binds well but does not auto bind on next outing?

 

[daxian]

@bracesport ...no idea ,where would i find that option...does not seem to be in my tx bind options (qx7 frsky) ?

 

[bracesport]

@daxian - with some more thought I think my issue could be that I have the same channel tag in two different Rx’s so it might be trying to bind with the wrong one - something to check!

 

[bigjoncool]

I've been using FR sky qx7 with the irx4 multi-protocol module for a few months now and haven't had any problems besides one. I've scoured the internet and I've only found one discussion.

I can't seem to get my qx7 alarms set up for RSSI alerts. I've read that instead of using RSSI you have to use RSNR... but when I turn on alarms the qx7 constantly every 3 seconds says Telemetry lost Telemetry recovered Non-Stop.

I am using Flysky X8b and X6b receivers on my Quadcopter.

The only Forum discussion I found on this was a few years old and the original developer of the multiprotocol module had a long Thread about needing to flash specialized firmware on to the irx4 and different firmware onto the qx7....

It's been maybe four years since that was posted I'm assuming there must be an easier way nowadays. If anybody knows how to get RSSI alerts on the qx7 please let me know.

THX u

 

[FDS]

Why wouldn’t you just use a Frsky receiver on the quads?

 

[daxian]

@bigjoncool otx latest update ..fixes that for me with the ia6b rx on the qx7 !

 

[varg]

And just like that, I think my module has gone bad. Was flying the Timber X yesterday and had a failsafe, it wasn't even far away. Very lucky that the failsafe happened during a stretch of level flight between maneuvers at relatively low level so my plane just glided in and landed in the grass with no damage done, didn't even nose over. 20 seconds earlier and it would have been a failsafe during an inverted flat spin. I unplugged and replugged once, no response, then again, and it connected and worked fine. I put the plane away for the day after that and range checked on another airplane that uses a DSMX receiver and it would consistently lose connection a couple of hundred feet away on the runway.

Now to decide whether to replace the AR636 with an S6R and the other spektrum receivers with FRsky units or buy a used DX7/8. No idea what those used transmitters cost, but I remember a new DX8 being over twice the price of my Taranis when I decided on it.

 

[FDS]

If you bought the IRX4 from a vendor then it could still be under warranty. Here the Sale of Goods act can apply for up to 3 years if goods are not fit for purpose.
The other option is to check the transmitter antenna, the modules come with a pretty cheap one, it might also be suffering a poor connection internally to the SMA connector on the module case.
The IRX4 is pretty much a cheaper multi module in a box, they are not hugely complex. Repair shouldn’t be mega difficult if it’s antenna related.
If the DSMX chip is bad I would expect it to unbind or not make initial contact with the receiver reliably.
Worst case scenario a cheap un cased multi module or DSMX only module will do the same job and be cheaper than replacing your receivers with FRsky.
I certainly wouldn’t buy another radio to fix a relatively localised problem. There’s cheaper options.

 

[varg]

Purchased from banggood, did anyone actually buy these with a warranty from a place that you could return it to? I thought they were a banggood only thing. I just did some in house rssi testing with the stock antenna and a dual band WLAN antenna and saw a couple of 'rssi' points difference in range test mode through several walls, but nothing significant since the rssi value has high variability. It also failed to respond as I walked up to the plane after the failsafe event, I had to unplug the battery twice to get it to connect again, which paired with how close the plane was to me (50ft or so) when the failsafe happened makes me doubt it's the antenna but an intermittent hardware fault. Electronically the IRX4+ is a black box to me and I have no hope of troubleshooting a hardware issue let alone repairing it.

I'm definitely not willing to chase an intermittent fault and risk a $250 airplane on thinking I've fixed it, when next time it might failsafe at a much worse time. Failsafe during low speed level flight, with a big open field in front of the plane... I don't get that lucky often. I'm taking it as a sign to discontinue use of this setup and either ditch the spektrum receivers for FRSky (which will give me usable RSSI) or get a used spektrum radio for future BNF use. I'm not doing patterns with a 3 channel trainer here, I'm doing 3D, for most of the flight losing radio connection means curtains for the airplane.