Hi guys, I'm pretty new to the hobby. I've only been flying for a few months but I'm pretty hooked and I'm thinking of moving up to getting my own transmitter (this may have been instigated by a few transmitter/receiver problems I've been having with some of my quads) but I just had some beginner questions. 1) How could one troubleshoot problems with communication between a transmitter and receiver? Is there a good way to know if you should replace the transmitter or the receiver board? 2) Is there anyway to know if a quad will be compatible with a specific transmitter? As far as I can tell, this is kind of a trial and error type thing, but I thought I'd ask you veterans just in case. I'm sure I'll have more questions in the future, but this is a good start. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
In terms of the stock TX's, there is usually not a fix - if they work when you get them, they usually continue working. Many, though, have production problems - usually at the beginning of their production runs. If this is true, there will usually be some info around the net on them...others having the same problem(s). WL Toys is known for having a lot of problems in TX's. I've never had a problem with Syma TX..... Often you can find someone to sell or give you (for postage and handling) a TX - because they may be using their generic hobby TX and the stock one just sits on the shelf.... I have a cheapo 9x TX, which seems to be compatible with a good percentage of the quads out there. Keep in mind that many quads allow you to add your own RX module to the quad (they don't come with one), so in that case any TX/RX combo will do the job. This is opinion only - and I will probably catch some rebuttals, but IMHO the current generation of TX's will likely go the way of the DoDo bird over the next couple of years! They are needlessly complicated, having been built to be able to fly virtually tens of thousands of different control scenarios. Only a certain percentage of the population could possibly even understand them (IMHO).... It seems to me that we will have customized and simplified (like the Phantom TX) for a couple of years and then even more advanced models with touch screens and sliders to adjust things, etc. Right now I only use my 9X for learning - I bound my micro-Qbot and X1 to it and they work fine. I think it's worth learning on a cheapo TX - and then if you really decide to start flying very expensive quads, step up to something with a bit more quality control. One step up from mine is the 9XR, probably the one to go with these days. I just upgraded my 9X with a Smartiepants board (mini-review soon), so mine works like the 9XR: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__31544__turnigy_9xr_transmitter_mode_2_no_module_.html (that does not come with a RF module!).... http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__8992__Turnigy_9X_9Ch_Transmitter_w_Module_8ch_Receiver_Mode_2_v2_Firmware_.html (that's the one I have - comes with an RF manual and even one receiver)
Thanks! Those are in fact, the models I was looking at. Glad to know I'm at least on the right track. As for the RF modules, how does that work? Can you put in a new module to control on different frequencies? Or are those for the various protocols used by different models of RC vehicles?
Yes, it's different protocols although I never have used any except the stock and the HiSky one (that one comes with the micro QBot. So you could probably buy a "orange" or a spectrum module and then control those quads which use the spectrum protocol, etc. I guess for some people it's a question of how many quads and Txs you want! Also, the price of the (cheapo copy) TXs is often so low that it's hardly worthwhile sometimes getting the RF modules.
