Futaba 14SG Programming

[waveydavey]

Well, I had a little bout of lost confidence in my DX9 following a failsafe and a wrecked heli. I wasn't sure whether it was the radio or the Vortex, both by the way have been given a clean bill of health. So, I was left with that nagging doubt that anyone would have not being able to find a fault anywhere. So Mark_T a clubmate, loaned me a 14Sg, now I have to say I'd read the stories on here and elsewhere that the programming was a PITA.

But, after going through from scratch with little more than a quick intro by Mark I have setup a Vortex on my e700(n) with nothing more than a little "it's not in that menu, so try another one". As always no manual, I wouldn't be a bloke otherwise and I have to say I really like the interface. The display could do with being a bit more refined and it's not as intuitive as Spectrum but it's not the pig I was lead to believe, quite the opposite in fact.

I'm looking forward to another maiden at the weekend or next depending on work and I'll let you know how it goes

[Planehazza]

It's funny because I've always used Futaba, but whenever I look at Spektrum menus they seem all over the place. You like what you're used to I guess.

[stargazer]

Futaba radios have always had a reputation as being hard to program and as I had always used Jr radios before getting my 14sg, I did struggle with the programming to start with,but once I figured the programming out I think it's dead easy to use now.Give someone a Jr or Spectrum transmitter and a Futaba transmitter without a manual though,I am sure they would find Jr and Spectrum easier to figure out.

[waveydavey]

I would say the same Dave, the speccy is very easy to use and intuitive. But, I'm on it with the 14 I think so not too difficult if I can fathom it

[Planehazza]

I've never sat down and spent a good amount of time using/programming a DX7 for example, but I've never had a problem with Futaba stuff - dead easy IMO

[electricsceadu]

welcome to the correct make of radio
you'll be buying a hirobo next

[waveydavey]

Well, it went well apart from my timing being all to **** now. The speed of the connection to the model is so different that piro manoeuvres are at a completely different pace than my DX9. It was like when I changed from 35meg to 2.4 the difference is that marked. The problem I have now is I know how the Vortex feels on my 700n with DX9 so to try and replicate that feeling is going to take some time. Because the cyclic throw is shorter IE the same degree of flip or roll happens in a different place on the stick my piro flips were an odd shape, anyone else notice this if they've done the same thing and changed from Spectrum to Futaba and what did you do to soften the feeling.

[Planehazza]

By default futaba sticks are shorter than spectrum. Can you lengthen them to add in a sort of mechanical expo?

[waveydavey]

I really like the mechanical feel Harry so don't want to change that too much. It's a where the heli is to stick position that will take me getting used to mate and I think thats down to where the swash is if you know what I mean for a given stick position

[Granpappy]

Well, it went well apart from my timing being all to **** now. The speed of the connection to the model is so different that piro manoeuvres are at a completely different pace than my DX9. It was like when I changed from 35meg to 2.4 the difference is that marked. The problem I have now is I know how the Vortex feels on my 700n with DX9 so to try and replicate that feeling is going to take some time. Because the cyclic throw is shorter IE the same degree of flip or roll happens in a different place on the stick my piro flips were an odd shape, anyone else notice this if they've done the same thing and changed from Spectrum to Futaba and what did you do to soften the feeling.

Now that is interesting. When you talk of the speed of the connection to the model, are you saying that one system had more lag then the other?

[Mark_T]

Now that is interesting. When you talk of the speed of the connection to the model, are you saying that one system had more lag then the other?

Yes, but it is important not to get too hung up on it as it as our brains adjust to the latency of the radio which is what Dave is experiencing right now.

His brain is used to anticipating the required stick movements on his very slightly slower Spektrum radio so with the Futaba his commands are reaching the model very slightly faster than he needs them to so the timing is off.

Another couple of sessions and he won't notice the difference nearly as much, but if he switches back to the Spektrum everything will feel wrong again until he adjusts.

[Granpappy]

Yes, but it is important not to get too hung up on it as it as our brains adjust to the latency of the radio which is what Dave is experiencing right now.

His brain is used to anticipating the required stick movements on his very slightly slower Spektrum radio so with the Futaba his commands are reaching the model very slightly faster than he needs them to so the timing is off.

Another couple of sessions and he won't notice the difference nearly as much, but if he switches back to the Spektrum everything will feel wrong again until he adjusts.

Sure, I understand that. My interest is purely technology driven.

[waveydavey]

When I changed over from 35meg for instance I couldn't tick tock an it took me a while to get them back its the same with Speccy to Futaba, we're talking a few milliseconds but I noticed it straight away. Coupled with the cyclic feeling it's going to take a while to work out where to go with it. The better thing after giving it some thought would be to setup the 14sg on my old 700 which I have setup and know what I like. I installed the Futaba on my e700 conversion with a new FBL unit so I e changed the whole world I you know what I mean.

[Granpappy]

Well, it went well apart from my timing being all to **** now. The speed of the connection to the model is so different that piro manoeuvres are at a completely different pace than my DX9. It was like when I changed from 35meg to 2.4 the difference is that marked. The problem I have now is I know how the Vortex feels on my 700n with DX9 so to try and replicate that feeling is going to take some time. Because the cyclic throw is shorter IE the same degree of flip or roll happens in a different place on the stick my piro flips were an odd shape, anyone else notice this if they've done the same thing and changed from Spectrum to Futaba and what did you do to soften the feeling.

Just to revive an old thread, but I now have a 14SG.

It appears that you can alter the transmission speed that gives command to your Heli's receiver by enabling telemetry and adjusting the telemetry's refresh rate. I know it all sounds a bit bizarre but if you set telemetry from 1 second update to say 100 ms update, then it slows the speed of command signal output. So if you move from a Spektrum to the 14SG and your 3D timing is up the creek because of different transmission rates, then you can enable the 14SG telemetry and adjust the update frequency to say 100 milliseconds and that will slow your command transmission rate down. Trial and error I guess but it makes sense. Everything happens on a clock cycle and if more processor time is taken up with telemetry communication then command communication suffers as a result.

[madgooner99]

This says it all for me pmsl but soooo true lol

Ray