Help setting up Phoenix and Spektrum DX7

[DBK]

I am 52 year old surgeon and I just got involved in this hobby.
I purchased Phoenix and a Spektrum DX 7 Transmitter without
the servos to get started. My plan is to learn on the SIM for six months
until I can hover and land consistently without crashing
before I even buy my first heli. I am thinking of starting with the TREX 500.
I was encouraged by watching a 5 year old boy do 3D amneuvers on uTube.
My first few sessions on Pheonix were a disappointment. I could hardly even hover
or land without crashing most of the time. There is clearly a steep learning curve.

My questions are:

1. Am I too old to learn 3D? Will six months be enough time if I practice a few hours every weekend?

2. Can you help me set up the transmitter settings mentioned below and the settings on the SIM
to achive the best learning environment with the TREX 500 model on Pheonix? I set up a model called
Phoenix on the transmitter already but I am not sure how to set up all of the Throtle Curve / Pitch Curve / Programmable Points, Expos, Mixing, switch asignments etc etc since I don't even know what the terms refer to and the manual that comes with the transmitter is like a foreign language.

3. Is there a tutorial out there to help a beginner learn 3D on the SIM?

4. It feels like yaw and roll are the hardest things to control and vary with nose in or out. If the heli is away from close sight I can't tell if its facing toward me , away, moving far or near.

5. I don't have a Heli club in my region that I am aware of so most of my learning will have
to be independent. Are there any videos to help a beginner on the SIM?

Thanks in advance for your help and great video...congrats.


Spectrum DX 7 and Phoenix Settings??

Tell me what to set each of these items on the transmitter and what to set up on the SIM.

Switch asignment and programming

Dual Rate and Exponential
Auto Dual Rate Expo
Subtrim
Travel Adjust
Swashplate Mix
Throttle Hold
Throttle Curve normal
Throttle Curve ST-1, ST-2
Throttle Trim
Programmable Mix
Gyro Sensing
Revo Mix
Pitch curve Hold
Pitch Curve Normal
Pitch Curve ST-1, ST-2
Idle Up
Stunt 1 and 2

I may have left of something out

[waveydavey]

What heli did you use on phoenix? The trainer is a very sedate heli with calm characteristics. In my experience, I am new to it also, the sim should be used only as a supplement to real flying. Joining a club where you get advice, encouragement and assistance is second to none. Don't try going it alone, you may be able to do it but it will be far quicker with help. I think nothing to 3D in 6 months is maybe a little optimistic but you never know you may be a natural.

Waveydavey

[Craig33]

I guess i answer some of these.

1. Am I too old to learn 3D? Will six months be enough time if I practice a few hours every weekend?

Never too old if you have the aptitude to work things out. More than enough time IMO.

2. Can you help me set up the transmitter settings mentioned below and the settings on the SIM
to achive the best learning environment with the TREX 500 model on Pheonix? I set up a model called
Phoenix on the transmitter already but I am not sure how to set up all of the Throtle Curve / Pitch Curve / Programmable Points, Expos, Mixing, switch asignments etc etc since I don't even know what the terms refer to and the manual that comes with the transmitter is like a foreign language.

3. Is there a tutorial out there to help a beginner learn 3D on the SIM?

edit:sorry mis-read this. THere are videos in phoenix or downloadable from their homepage that demostrate manouvres.
http://www.phoenix-sim.com/downloads_demo.htm


4. It feels like yaw and roll are the hardest things to control and vary with nose in or out. If the heli is away from close sight I can't tell if its facing toward me , away, moving far or near.
4a. There is a zoom setting on Phoenix but i forget where it is.
4b. Comes with practise, you fly a combination of last known input, expected result and visual cues.

5. I don't have a Heli club in my region that I am aware of so most of my learning will have
to be independent. Are there any videos to help a beginner on the SIM?
I have glanced over a few posts about NYC pilots and flying sites. Try the HF locator.
Thanks in advance for your help and great video...congrats.


Spectrum DX 7 and Phoenix Settings??

Tell me what to set each of these items on the transmitter and what to set up on the SIM.

Switch asignment and programming

Dual Rate and Exponential>Leave as default
Subtrim>Should all read 0 on sim.
Travel Adjust
Swashplate Mix>Sim only requires 1 servo mixing.
Throttle Hold>Use for autos set curve to be something like 25/INH/50/INH/100
Throttle Curve normal>Used for take off> 0/INH/50/INH/100
Throttle Curve ST-1, ST-2> 100/INH/50/INH/100.
Throttle Trim>0 on sim.
Programmable Mix> All INH on the sim.
Gyro Sensing
Revo Mix>Leave as default.
Pitch curve Hold>Answered already.
Pitch Curve Normal>30/INH/50/INH/100
Pitch Curve ST-1, ST-2>0/INH/50/INH/100
Idle Up> This is the normal term for ST1/ST2. Idle up 1 idle up 2

I hope this is of some help to you. No doubt some of my answers will get flamed. You dont need to learn it all at once just pick up bits and pieces as you go along. Also the values that i wrote on there are 3D settings. There are other options.

Craig.

[kevinh]

Hi and welcome to this fantastic hobby, you have done the best thing and bought phoenix, this will save you a bit off money in the long run.
best off learning to hover tail in and side on both ways left and right, start off with the basics first before moving on to 3d.
try to to do as much sim time as much as possible as this will help,

Have you tried looking at the BMFA website for a club in your area

http://www.bmfa.org/clubs/index.html

[heliTV]

Hi DBK

Welcome to the forum. You'll find loads of help here from the very experienced to the complete beginner (me!)

I'm in a similar position - just started out with Phoenix. I also bought a Blade CX2 micro heli which is fun and much easier to start on than a full CP heli. I found Phoenix impossible to start with but can now land almost all the time! I'm just about to get my first CP (probably a Blade 400).

The sim is more difficult to gauge orientation etc than in real life as the screen isn't 3D like the real world(!) - that's why I got the CX2 as this helps with orientation and controls without costing a lot when you crash!

Anyway, I noticed that the new version of Phoenix (due out very soon) apparently has a load of tutorials on it and best of all, its due to be a free upgrade to existing users!

Take a look at http://www.phoenix-sim.com/news.htm for more info.

All the best

Graham

[Mikee]

Im 56 and whilst I have had some problems in the past.. Im overcoming them slowly... Im not into 3D.. more sports flying, but admire the skill and have stood along side Ade Law and Richie Clarke at the field and been totally gob smacked as to how and how!!

Bite size chunks is the answer, and goals to achieve.. set your sights too high .... and your crash and never come back....

[Made2Fade]

See post 7 on this thread:- http://www.rcheliaddict.co.uk/f19/ph...ettings-14241/

Its a post i done to help a guy setup for phoenix... just do exactly the same thing but on your DX7.
Cheers
Lee

[Tim Procter]

Have you tried looking at the BMFA website for a club in your area

http://www.bmfa.org/clubs/index.html

His profile says he lives in New York in the US Kevin..

[bjd]

Yes but what do all the terms mean. Which parts do they affect - how does this impact on the flying characteristics? Where can you learn all about this element of flying? Any books, web sites? I bought Phoenix about 10 days ago downloaded CX2 and today Blade 400 and flying with the standard CX2 transmitter. While I appreciate that I have limited(none!) scope for adjusting settings on tranny I seem to be able to alter settings on the heli itself through the software but need to know what to alter and cause and effect - anybody help? PLEASE!

Bernard

[bjd]

I must say that I am very disappointed that I have not received a reply to my post above. I can only hope that the reply is rather complicated and still being compiled by 'the writer'

Surely someone knows the meaning of the technical terms and the effects of altering the various settings - I must admit I do like to know why I am doing things rather than just follow instructions - especially when it might cause accidents/crashes/frustrations.

Help PLEASE!

Bernard

[Made2Fade]

would be quite a massive write up to explain what every term in a TX is mate. Can you be more specific what it is you dont understand?
Cheers
Lee

[bjd]

The answer is that apart from what is in the CX2 instruction book - which is really not much as contas are relatively straight forward then I don't understand much. If there isn't a book/web site that does the lot then I will work my way through the various items over the next week or two. I suppose if I just ask one question at a time it will give me time to take in and fully understand - hopefully!

Thanks for reply

Bernard

[Made2Fade]

ask away then... would take an essay to explain it all in 1 go lol.
Cheers
Lee

[bjd]

Hi Lee If I bought a better tx with facility for programming do the instruction books have the information on various settings. For example what to ser and the effects of altering setting? If so then I had been wondering about buying a DX6i.
If they are anything like computer manuals I will still ptobably need them explaining to me!! My impression of most tecnical literature is that it is written by people who understand for other people who already understand!! That's where you and other helpful people on the Forums come in and tell us what the writers really mean!!

Look forward to your comments on upgrading the tx and usefullness or otherwise of the instruction manuals.

Bernard

[Made2Fade]

Yeh mate the manuals explain it all really, the new Phoenix update makes setting up your Transmitter as easy as it could ever be now. If you go for the DX6i then you can use the same settings you fly your models with but in the simulator itself. So it gets you as close as you can get to having the simulator feel like your actual real model. Definately worth doing and obviously your real model benefits too as you can set it up mechanically better with the DX6i. Check out the new Phoenix update, if anything the user friendliness has definately improved alot. Again theres not much else i can say about the transmitter unless you were to ask me what a specific function does on it and why you need/dont need it.
Cheers
Lee