dx6i settings for the blade 400

[John G.]

DX6i for Phoenix

Hi everyone

This is my first posting since joining the site just a couple of weeks ago. Have spent hours trawling through numerous threads which have been extremely helpful and informative.
Caught the bug at christmas when my wife bought me a Bladez 3d. Realising that it wasn't up to much, quickly progressed onto the Blade CX2 then mCX as well. (Much to my wife's dismay!).
Now thinking of something bigger for outdoor flight and have purchased DX6i and Phoenix to practise on CP helis.
However, the experience has been a real eye opener and one that the CX2 just does not prepare you for! Hope I have the perserverence.

Boggy's guide has been a great help but I have a few questions that I hope you have time to help with.

In your main article you had the following:
d/r - expo
pos 0 100% expo as req" (with expo + values numb the controls - values sharpen them)+20% is a good start point for beginers
pos 1 80% expo as req"

Does this mean I set the values at 20%? I ask because you mention -ve and +ve values but you can't set a -ve value unless say 50% is the starting point in which case the +20% would actually be 70% - I hope the query makes sense.

In a later article you mention setting toggle h/h to controller ch 5 (Phoenix).
Is this the 'toggle governor'?

Sorry if these seem like stupid questions but trying to fly these helis is difficult enough without possibly having misunderstood the guidance.
Once again, to one and all, many thanks for the help.

[Boggy]

hi john welcome to the forum.

in the d/r expo menu you will have two values. default they say 100% inh the first is the dual rate value the second the expo. if you use the scroll wheel to highlight the "inh" then click it you will be able to set either +ve or -ve values for expo.


the toggle switch on channel 5 allows you to set the gyro gain to two different values.
h.h = heading hold. i have them set to both h.h values 74% being a strong hold the 64% allowing the tail to wander slightly which is easier to learn turns in forward flight with.( however im not so sure this was a good idea, as you end up learning twice)

[Huskyboy]

I've just got a Blade400 and Pheonix

Hi,

Another newbie here!

I've been flying a Blade CX3 for a couple of weeks (I wanted to try 'proper' flying after a £30 'toy' copter) and I also bought a 2nd hand Blade400 for £150 with a DX6i radio... as a deal I couldn't really say no to. I've just started working in Harrow and found Phil Greeno models where I bought my 'copters - he's a very helpful and knowledgable chap!

I also bought Phoenix 2.0 this week and boy am I glad I did!

It's a very steep learning curve when you start flying full control helicopters, and that's from someone who spent 9-years in the RAF and 3 years working on a helicopter squadron, so I know a thing or two about aeronautics. OK, so like many blokes I thought it would be 'easy' (even more so because I grew up with planes), but now I've discovered how difficult it really is I've realised a few things...

1 - I'm glad I followed Phil's advice and got a CX3 to start with
2 - I'm glad I used a simulator before I binned my Blade400 for real
3 - I'm glad people buy Blade400's and can't fly them, coz they're a great bargain 2nd hand
4 - I'm now even more determined to learn to fly a model helicopter
5 - You guys rock for providing such great support and advice!



If I'd crashed my Blade400 as many times as I did on the simulator last night I'd be gutted... I couldn't comprehend just how high-performance it is. I've just found these settings and I can't wait to dial them in tonight and try flying the Blade with less sensitivity.

I'll let you know how I get on.

BTW - Phil Greeno recommends +30 expo, for that little extra control...

Huskyboy

[John G.]

dx6i settings for the blade 400

Hi Huskyboy

I'll be interested to see how you get on.
I think I've set up Phoenix and Dx6i as per guidance by Boggy and others but the description 'less sensitive' seems to be anathema.

I don't think of myself as particularly clumsy and felt very good about flying the cx2 for real but the TREX 450 I'm practising with on the simulator just feels like a bucking bronco when I use the model without training gear.
With the TG I can move around as per Radd technique but almost impossible to not roll over without TG.
Unbelievably frustrating as have spent 3-4 hrs over the last 2 days practicing and the simulation just rocks back and forth like a pendulum despite what I feel is absolutely minimal input then tips over.

Good luck with the sim.

John G.

PS. Seems to me you got a good deal on the Blade/tx. Just hope the 400 is in good nick and not beaten up!

[Boggy]

if your comparing a blade to your experience with a cx guys. its not going to feel "less sensitive" no matter what you do.make a boob with a contra and it'll help you, make one with the blade its game over!!
you both have sims so practice will help. and the pendulum effect you describe john will diminish as you master the skill!( instead of concentrating on small movement try and predict the next move and stay ahead of the heli. imagine a marble on a sheet of glass,you have to level the glass and tip it in the opposite direction way before the marble follows. )

phil greeno??? suggests 30% for extra control? thats not strictly true mate the more expo the less movement around centre stick..expo is purely a matter of taste and everybody has a different idea of what feels right. so its suck it and see im afraid and find your own "correct settting" mine is just a guide

welcome to the forum Huskyboy

[John G.]

dx6i settings for the blade 400

Ron

Many thanks for the feedback and encouragement. Was getting worried that perhaps had set something up incorrectly.
My wife is already regretting getting me hooked on this pass time/obsession.
Practising on sim ( concentration span limited due to intensity required) and alternating with getting more info on the forums.
The gardening can wait until summer!!
Thanks again
John

PS. How comparable is flying on the sim to the real thing?

[ericthered40]

Another newbie here with a blade 400

Picking up all this info is a great help thanks. Been flying fix wing for years but these little buggers are a hole different wagon lode of monkeys

Funny up to a few weeks ago I used to look over at the Helli flyer's and think what's the point and now I can't put this thing away lol

I found Radd's school of rotary flight for the first 10 batteries and I am on it.

[Boggy]

John
tbh once you have mastered it the real thing is probably easier!!

the sim can be a bit demanding when you start,so short hops are best. the strange thing being you will stuggle one time be ok the next then stuggle again. but suddenly it will click and you will wonder what all the fuss was about it happens to us all.


welcome eric

[marktigere1]

but suddenly it will click and you will wonder what all the fuss was about it happens to us all.

Still waiting Ron

[Huskyboy]

Hmmm... interesting...

I'll let you know how I get on tonight, because I had the 'bucking bronco' effect when I was trying slow hovering... but I had some great loops, barrel rolls and stall turns if I just went for it, and I love the sound of the blades when you're giving it some hard turns!



As long as I didn't mind 'landing' nose down...

I don't seem to be able to 'stop' once I've started chucking it round the sky. It just won't come back to me in a controllable manner, so I'll keep practicing and see if I can get it.

TBH I had the same 'bronco' effect with the CX3 until I started to read the movement more, and I've also learnt that it requires quite a lot of concentration... just like the marble on the glass you mention Boggy! It's not like a computer game where it does 90% of the flying for you!

After reading your reply Boggy I'm now more glad than ever I got the SIM. I know what I'm doing this weekend!!!

BTW... I'm using my sim on a (brand new) laptop and the bigget issue I have is not being able to see the attitude of the copter, so I'm going to rig it up to my TV tonight (big LCD flat screen) to see if that makes it easier to see what's happening.

Phil said the expo was a matter of taste, so I'll stick your settings in as a default and play from there. Is there a 'Blade400' meet anywhere west of London?

Tell you what... I'll check the right section of the site...

[Huskyboy]

My first Blade400 landing on Pheonix... here's how!!!

OK Folks... I've got a grin on!

Firstly I hooked my laptop to the LCD TV, so I've got a big field and it's easier to see what's going on with the heli.

I started by setting up the DX6i with Boggy's settings, although I was still struggling a bit, so I put the training gear on and also knocked the D/R & EXPO back a bit, so it's:

AILE 90% +30
ELEV 90% +30
RUDD 90% +30

That's on the '0' setting, because I think the switches are to allow you to have a 'soft' setting for hovering (or learning ) and a 'hard' setting for proper flying, which you switch 'in flight' so I'm not bothering with the switches and just setting up the controller on standard '0' switch positions to how I want them.


When I get a bit more adventurous I'll introduce something new, but I'm takking the KISS approach for now.

I then spent a bit of time in Phoenix on the 'Training' section, in the hover part, gradually building some muscle memory with one control at a time until I was hovering with all the controls... doing OK, but I was getting a bit tired by that point.

Oh yeah, I set the heading hold to on as well in the Pheonix (model - edit) settings!

Then I walked the dog to take a break, and then I flew my CX3 in the flat for a couple of batteries (my god it felt easy after the Blade400 on Pheonix)! So, back in to Pheonix and in to a field with the Blade400, training gear and the new settings. I managed to sustain a 'wide' hover with a few decent moments, then flew round the field, did a few loops, stall turns etc and managed to stop it in mid-flight, hover it and slowly bring it back to myself and land it about 10 feet away.

Phew!!!




The softer settings really help to take the twitchiness away, but you still have enough power and control to 'play' a bit. I'm not saying I've cracked it, but it's a huge leap for this mankind!!!


The dog's looking a bit less terrified too!




Right, maybe a bit more play before bedtime!

Initial observations about the DX6i is that the right stick feels a bit 'clunky' which is off-putting when making micro adjustments around the zero position - i.e. you have to get past the resistance of the 'zero' control position, which I find affects the smoothness with which I can give input to the copter.

I'll see if I can make it smoother... but maybe I'm just being picky... anyone else had this and sorted it?

[Sqwidge]

the delay in inputs around zero is down to the expo

[Boggy]

husky
it would seem 30% expo is too much for you. coupled with knocking your d/r down to 90 may be the problem.


irl dont flick between rates "in flight" it will probably end in tears. d/r is really a plank thing but a handy way of taming the helicopter for newbie's. once you can fly the heli confidently you'll find there is no use for two settings

[John G.]

Left drift (on sim)

Ron

Perhaps a stupid question but have nowhere else to ask.
On throttle upo heli drifts left so compensate with left cyclic- no problem.
Question is once in hover out of ground effect should you (me) constantly need to maintain this compensation to the right to prevent the left drift ?
Does this happen with the real heli or do you correct with trim or some other method?

Many thanks
John

[Boggy]

yes john on lift off it will drift left slightly. start with your trim centered then hover and add right trim to compensate for he drift.

irl the left drift is caused by the tail rotor pushing right to hold against the torque of the main rotors. you will also see the heli "lean" to the right instead of flat when in a steady hover.(not quite as obvious on the sim)