Help! - trying to setup Align RCE 600 with Futaba rx/tx

[GtD]

Hi all - just bought a lovely Trex 500 from BladeStriker (Nick)...I know it all works OK as he hovered in his garden before taking out the Rx.

I've wired up the rx - had to reverse a couple of channels - but the rudder doesn't seem to be working as I'd expect it to. If I switch the tx's chan 5 for the gyro from HH to Rate mode the pitch on the tail blades changes slightly...(so I know it is getting and responding to the signal). However, in rate mode I'd expect a small input of rudder to move the tail blades to a position relative to where I have the stick on the tx.

e.g. if I move rudder 50% to the right I'd expect the tail blades to move say 50% of their travel....I know the amount they move would depend on the 'limit' on the gyro and the EPA on the tx....but the weird thing is (to my limited knowledge) is that if I move the rudder control on the tx just a tiny amount and hold it there...the tail blades *keep moving* until they reach the limit.

I'd expect this in HH mode but not in rate mode! I've done the same experiment on my 450 (which has a GY401/9257) - and that is how it works....HH mode a small input will cause the blades to keep moving slowly till they hit the limit, Rate mode a small input moves the blades a small amount.

Gyro is Align RCE 600, servo is Align DS520, rx (brand new from Fastlads @ 3D Champs!) is a Futaba 6106HCF and Tx is a Futaba 6EXH.

Any ideas? Am I missing something obvious? I'm really a total noob when it comes to setup as I got my Trex 450 all ready built and setup with the tx so didn't have much to do other than tweak the tx settings to my abilities.

I don't actually fly in rate mode...but I wanted to go through and set the limits in each direction...and even with the limit right down on the gyro it still moves all the way out to the extremes in each direction! So I brought the EPA down *really* low (10%) on the tx which has the effect of really slowing down the speed the pitch on the tail blades change (which is what I'd expect in HH mode) - but the thing is it still behaves the same way in Rate mode.

am I going mad?

all help much appreciated!

[Nick B]

but the weird thing is (to my limited knowledge) is that if I move the rudder control on the tx just a tiny amount and hold it there...the tail blades *keep moving* until they reach the limit.

Hi Jonathan,im glad you like the heli...im still new to this but is this not how rate mode works???

Hopefully someone with a bit of knowledge can confirm this

[Helimadlarry]

I've never actually used an rce 600, but what it sounds like is that you have the gain set too close together in both rate and HH modes. So the gyro is actually set up for HH in both modes. Try setting the difference in gain between the two modes to a greater value and see if you still have the problem.

[GtD]

Well, I've had another look. I still think something isn't right. It really seems like it isn't going into 'rate' mode...even though flipping the tx switch does move the tail blades a little...so it does 'something'!.

If I dig out my 450 (using the same tx - different 'model' on the tx of course) - and flip that into rate mode then do full left rudder the tail goes to 1 extreme...if I then let go of the stick (so the stick springs back to centre) the tail blades also move back to the centre. If I switch to HH mode and do the same the tail blades stay at full deflection (which I think is right...at least I know my 450 flies OK!).

anyway - if I do the same on the 500 with the Align RCE 600 gyro / Futaba 6106 rx, flip to 'rate' mode on the tx...do a full rudder input...then let go of the stick...it DOES NOT centre the tail blades back as it does on the 450 (which is a Futaba GY401 / 9257).

I've googled around and haven't really found much...although I've seen people talk about setting it up in rate mode 1st etc.

I wonder if there might be a fault with the rx? That is brand new from last weekend....maybe it has some weird fault?

unless any bright spark on here can think of something I'm missing I might try swapping the rx from the 450 into the 500 to see how that behaves!

cheers,

Jonathan

[airtime0007]

Well, I've had another look. I still think something isn't right. It really seems like it isn't going into 'rate' mode...even though flipping the tx switch does move the tail blades a little...so it does 'something'!.

If I dig out my 450 (using the same tx - different 'model' on the tx of course) - and flip that into rate mode then do full left rudder the tail goes to 1 extreme...if I then let go of the stick (so the stick springs back to centre) the tail blades also move back to the centre. If I switch to HH mode and do the same the tail blades stay at full deflection (which I think is right...at least I know my 450 flies OK!).

anyway - if I do the same on the 500 with the Align RCE 600 gyro / Futaba 6106 rx, flip to 'rate' mode on the tx...do a full rudder input...then let go of the stick...it DOES NOT centre the tail blades back as it does on the 450 (which is a Futaba GY401 / 9257).

I've googled around and haven't really found much...although I've seen people talk about setting it up in rate mode 1st etc.

I wonder if there might be a fault with the rx? That is brand new from last weekend....maybe it has some weird fault?

unless any bright spark on here can think of something I'm missing I might try swapping the rx from the 450 into the 500 to see how that behaves!

cheers,

Jonathan

Check the gain settings in the tx. As stated above, it sounds like its stuck in heading hold

[airtime0007]

On my dx6i in the gyro swith menu any setting above 50% is heading hold and anything below 50% is rate mode. if i set both switch positions to 60% for example, then toggled the switch i would be switching between heading hold and heading hold. See what i mean?

[GtD]

On my dx6i in the gyro swith menu any setting above 50% is heading hold and anything below 50% is rate mode. if i set both switch positions to 60% for example, then toggled the switch i would be switching between heading hold and heading hold. See what i mean?

thanks for the reply...my tx is futaba, and I've tried setting it to about 37% as per the align rce 600 blurb...as futaba has 0% to 100% for both HH & Rate mode.

I'll try setting one < 50 and the other > 50 just in case and report back

cheers

J

[Nick B]

These little glitches are here to test us,my speccy gain values were 69% in HH and 25% for rate.The tail was set up bang on,it was in rate mode from 49% and below,remember taking off in rate....tail held well with minimal swaying

Have you flown it at all yet bud?

[GtD]

not yet - I was out most of Sunday, and I by the time I'm back from work it is almost dark...(not to mention raining today!)...so earliest will be this weekend. I think that's why I'm a slow learner...what with everything else I *should* be doing at the weekends I don't get much chance to fly

I don't use rate mode - but I wanted to flip in to that to make sure the limit/end points from my tx were OK and not trying to bind. It currently seems to shoot the tail pitch over with very little input on the stick...certainly moving in a *far* more sensitive way than my 450....i get full deflection very quickly even if I just move the stick a really small amount...which does worry me a bit!

I'm sure I'll suss it out eventually. If I can't figure it out by tweaking things on the tx I will swap over the rx from the 450 and see what that does....might narrow it down.

cheers

J

[GtD]

ok - think I've sussed it out...I was clearly being a muppet on the futaba 6exh it appears the 'rate' mode gyro has to go negative for rate mode...so I've plonked that around -60% - and I've set HH mode to about 38% (as the Align RCE 600 manual says between 37% & 40% for futaba tx with 0% to 100% gain).

I wasn't too happy with the way I had to bring my end points waaay down as well as the limit on the gyro down to minimum to stop it binding too early in rate mode, and I also spotted the servo arm wasn't very close to 90% at centre....so I just popped the servo arm off and tried it the other way up and that was pretty much spot on!

However...I decided to try moving into the inner hole - which is about 8mm out from centre. Having done that I can keep my EPA to 100% and raise the limit on the gyro to probably about the mid point.

Anyway...assuming the weather is kind this weekend ... (at the right time as I've got some other things on this w/e!) then I hope to at least get it hovering so I can start setting up to my taste/ability level (which isn't very high...hehe)

thanks all for the suggestions...I'll let you know how it goes Nick

[stevieb337]

im having the same problems with my rce 600 and dx6i lol