Electronics

Futaba 2.4 GHz Compatibility Chart

Daniel Switkin — Mon, 25 May 2009 08:57:50 -0500

As pilots switch more and more to 2.4 GHz radios, compatibility has decreased significantly. Gone are the days of universal PPM receivers that can handle positive and negative shift from any brand transmitter. With 2.4 GHz, you must buy your receiver from the same manufacturer as your transmitter, or 2.4 GHz module.

That's not the only gotcha though. Within each system, there are some hiccups too. Futaba has a somewhat confusing chart on their site showing the compatibility of various systems. To make it more legible, I've removed the land systems and cleaned it up:

Futaba 2.4 GHz Compatibility Chart (air systems only)
		Receivers
Transmitters		R606FS	R6004FF R616FFM R607FS R617FS	R608FS R6008HS R6014FS	Protocol Selection
6EX 2.4GHz		Y	Y	N/A
7C 2.4GHz		Y	Y	N/A
TM-7(*)		INC	Y	N/A
TM-8(**)	7ch Mode	INC	Y		Via Switch
TM-8(**)	8ch Mode			Y	Via Switch
T10C 2.4GHz (with TM-10)	7ch Mode	Y	Y		Via Menu
T10C 2.4GHz (with TM-10)	10ch Mode			Y	Via Menu
T10CG 2.4GHz	7ch Mode	Y	Y		Via Menu
T10CG 2.4GHz	10ch Mode			Y	Via Menu
TM-14	7ch Mode	Y	Y		Via Menu
TM-14	Multi-channel Mode			Y	Via Menu
LEGEND: Y: Supported INC: Incompatible N/A: Not applicable (too few channels)

In truth the only incompatibility is when using the TM-7 and TM-8 modules, which don't work with the discontinued R606FS receiver. But it's also important to remember that you can't use a 14 channel receiver with a 7 channel transmitter like the 7C. Happy flying!

Futaba R6004FF FASST Receiver Released

Daniel Switkin — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 21:20:24 -0600

The Futaba R6004FF micro 2.4 GHz receiver

Futaba has released the R6004FF FASST receiver, a micro four channel receiver running on the 2.4 GHz spectrum. Weighing only 3.8 grams, this unit is perfect for indoor foamies and smaller park planes. Featuring one external antenna and one internal antenna, the range is reported at 600-1000 feet. The R6004FF is compatible with the entire line of Futaba 2.4 GHz transmitters and modules. The receiver has standard servo connectors are is available now for a street price of $50 USD.

Our take: It's about time! Futaba has fallen behind in the 2.4 GHz market due to its lack of competitively priced receivers. Up to this point, the cheapest and lightest Futaba receiver was the R616FFM, which is only 4 grams but has micro connectors on 5 out of 6 channels, making it useless for most of us.

That meant modelers either had to modify the R616FFM to have standard connectors, or shell out $100 for the full range, seven channel R617FS. In comparison, the Spektrum lineup has been much more complete and affordable for some time. The DX7 transmitter also came to market before the Futaba 7C, which meant locking the early adopters into Spektrum gear.

This is a good first step towards getting Futaba back in the game. The R6004FF is a lighter weight 2.4 GHz equivalent of the Futaba FM R114F, which is also around $50 (with a crystal), and is in the same ballpark as the popular Berg 4 and 4L receivers, which are about $40 with a crystal.

Still, the Futaba full range receivers continue to start at $100, which can make the cost of converting a PPM or PCM fleet to spread spectrum daunting. We'll be watching and hoping that these prices fall over time.

Duratrax 7.4V LiPo Car Battery Packs

fastie — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:00:00 -0500

Duratrax 3700 7.4V LiPo Car Battery Pack

With some of the newer RC cars on the market, even sport drivers are now moving over to LiPo batteries to handle the powerful brushless motors like on the Traxxas Rustler VXL. The new LiPo batteries are generally lighter and much more powerful than the comparable NiCd and NiMH batteries. A note here is to make sure your motor is capable of handling these batteries and you should check with your manufacturer before using. LiPo allow motors to draw more amps quicker and this also generates more heat and of course power and speed for your car or buggy. So use as recommended.

Duratrax 5400 7.4V LiPo Car Battery Pack

With that said, Duratrax has two battery packs available which may suit your needs. They have a 3700 model which stands for 3700mAh at 7.4V which has a max charge rate of 3.7A. Also, they have a 5400 model which is rated at 5400 mAh at 7.4V and a max charge rate of 5.4A. Both packs are built securely with impact and puncture-resistant ABS case. This is important becuase of the special handling that is needed with LiPo packs which may catch fire when damaged. You should read all safety instructions before using to make sure you understand how to discharge and charge your battery packs. In addition, the battery packs come with gold-bullet connectors for the terminals and have standard connectors. Other connectors are available as well such as Deans or Traxxas style connectors.

Oynx 230 Charger

Duratrax's website also recommends a quality charger such as the Onyx 230 or the Intellipeak ICE that are specially made for LiPo batteries. In addition, you will need a balancer for these packs which make sure each cell is conditioned properly. Duratrax recommends the Team Checkpoint Pro Balancer.

Duratrax Onyx AC/DC Charger Overview

fastie — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 03:00:00 -0500

Onyx 200

Duratrax has introduced a new line of chargers called the “Onyx” series of chargers geared to “sport level performance”. But, don’t let that description fool you, these are some nice chargers with excellent features for the price. With five different models to choose from, these chargers are sure to be a hit at your local RC raceway. Duratrax Onyx Chargers standard features include: AC/DC input, AC power supply built-in, peak detection for NiCd and NiMH packs, auto trickle feature, a wide range of currents, a higher charge current, solid-state overload and reverse polarity protection, audible indicators and a 5-year warranty.

LCD Display

Available Onyx Chargers

The line of Onyx chargers is sure to include a charger to meet you needs. The models available include the AC/DC Sport Peak Charger which is a great entry level chargers geared more to cars and boats. The AC/DC Peak Charger adds a custom LCD display and the ability to charge at lower amp settings. The AC/DC Programmable Peak Charger features an advanced reverse-backlit LCD, fully adjustable amp settings, has built in battery memories, can charge receiver and transmitter batteries and has many programmable features. Now, the AC/DC Advanced Charger further kicks-up the features by providing the ability to charge the latest Lithium battery packs including LiPo, LiIon and even LiFe (A123) cells. It also has all the advanced programmable features and even a built-in fan to keep all the electronics cool. The last charger on the list is the AC/DC Dual Peak Charger. This charger features two independent outputs and is designed for NiCd and NiMH battery users who alternate between various packs at the track. Go to the website for more details and a nice comparison chart on the different chargers.

Onyx 210

Duratrax Onyx 220

Onyx 240

Specifications:

AC input: 110V AC 60Hz
DC input: 11-15V DC, built-in lead with alligator clips
Battery types: 1-8 NiCd or NiMH cells (1.2-9.6V)
1-3 LiPo, Li-Ion, or LiFe cells (3.7-11.1V)
Battery capacity range: 50-9900mAh
Fast charge current: 0.1-7.0A linear, adjustable (AC 50W, DC 70W, 2C limit for lithiums)
Fast charge termination: peak detection for NiCd/MH, cc/cv for lithiums
Fast charge safety timer: off-300 minutes
NiCd/MH peak sensitivity: 3-20mV adjustable
NiCd/MH trickle charge curent: auto mode (1/20 fast charge setting), or manual set 0-250mA
Controls: 4 pushbuttons
Battery memories: 10
Display type: 2x8 reversed LCD with backlight
Setup tones: on / off
Audible melodies: 5
Output connection: banana jacks (includes standard adapter)*
Protective devices: solid-state reverse polarity and current overload
Case size: 6.0 x 5.28 x 1.69” (153 x 134 x 43 mm)
Weight: 23.5 oz. (666 g)

FMA Direct Cellpro 10s Charger Review

Daniel Switkin — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:10:52 -0500

The FMA Direct Cellpro 10s is a balancing lithium battery charger, capable of charging a single battery up to 10 cells, or two batteries simultaneously up to 5 cells, with power up to 10 amps. It can handle lithium polymer, lithium ion, and the M1 lithium cells from A123 Systems. Let's dig in and put it through its paces.

Eagle Tree Systems eLogger V3 Review

Daniel Switkin — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 21:50:11 -0500

The eLogger V3 from Eagle Tree Systems is an in-flight data logger which continuously records volts, amps, watts, and milliamp-hours to enable pilots to analyze the performance of their electric power systems. In addition, it supports a wide variety of optional sensors to record altitude, airspeed, component temperatures, RPM, and more.

Futaba Servo Quick Guide

Daniel Switkin — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 16:49:29 -0500

If you've spent any time browsing Futaba's web site, or your favorite online dealer, you've probably noticed the incredible number of servos available. It can be daunting for modelers to choose the right servo for a given use.

It turns out that for airplane applications, there's probably only two servos you need to consider. (If you're one of those very serious flyers with a 10 foot wingspan, 5 horsepower monstrosity, you don't need this quick guide anyway). That's because most planes call for either standard or micro size servos, although it's worth noting that not everyone seems to agree on what micro means. This table lists the two models to look for:

Home Made Servo Tester

Daniel Switkin — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 21:03:27 -0500

Mikael Pedersen is one clever guy. He's built a very impressive home made servo tester with many cool features. From his site:

Generates two separate signals for driving two servos.
Sweep mode for stress testing servos.
Input for reading a servo signal (from a receiver).
Receiver signal quality analysis.
Very high resolution at both input and outputs. 0.1µs (which equals 10,000 steps between 1 and 2 ms).
Voltage and current readout.
Simple user control. Access all features with just a single rotary knob with integrated push button.
2 x 16 character LCD.
Optical tachometer.
RS-232 connection for future expansion.

Mikael has complete hardware plans and the software needed to build your own tester freely available. If you're a servo geek and handy with a soldering iron, check it out! read more »