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EXT voltage problem

Discussion in 'ALTA' started by alex ryan, Oct 20, 2015.

  1. alex ryan

    alex ryan Member

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    Hi,

    So I just got my ALTA back and set up my receivers and remapped the radio.

    But now I do not have any EXT voltage readings beaming back to my Tx. I am using a futaba 14sg Tx and r7008sb receivers

    This wasn't happening before I sent my ALTA back for repair, but at that stage I was only using one Rx. Now that I'm using two receivers something seems to have changed.

    Both receivers have a green LEDs and both respond correctly to the Tx inputs in the radio configuration section of the App (I checked them individually and with them both turned on)

    When I unplug the secondary Rx I am not getting any voltage info (no Rx voltage or EXT voltage). Everything is plugged in correctly.

    Any clue as to why this would be happening?

    Thank you,

    Alex
     
  2. alex ryan

    alex ryan Member

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    And on further inspection I have noticed another disturbing problem. The voltage telemetry is intermittent. I am still not receiving any EXT voltage, but there seems to be a problem with the Rx voltage as well. It keeps reading voltage and then giving 0v for a few seconds before displaying the correct voltage again. There doesn't seem to be any LOS between the Tx and RX so makes me think something is wrong with my ALTA. I really hope it is some little thing that I can solve with a bit of help and I dont have to send it back again.
     
  3. alex ryan

    alex ryan Member

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    This, combined with the fact that I can't get the OSD working, not matter what I do, means I have no indication of what my flight battery's voltages are except for the low voltage warning on my status light. Very disconcerting!
    I'm a bit annoyed because freefly said they would check to see why the OSD wasn't working while it was back for repair, but they didn't.
    I'm in Australia, so if it has to go back again, I'm without my ALTA for another 2 weeks... at least :(
    There are also some nasty looking scratches on the inside of my case that weren't there when I sent it back.
     
  4. Gary Haynes

    Gary Haynes Administrator
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    Alex see this thread for setting up the dual RX. Might help. Do it step by step. Also for the OSD if you can't see the OSD try this. The sequence and links within the RX screen on the 14SG are important. Also make sure that the RX type is set to FASSTest and you are using the s.BUS 2 port on the RX.

    Power everything up. Check the OSD. In the GUI turn the OSD off and wait 3 seconds for the setting to 'write'. Depower the copter. Re-power the copter. OSD should still be off. In the GUI turn it ON. Wait 3 seconds for the settings to 'write'. Depower and then start up again. OSD should now show up.

    If neither of these help then time for a support ticket.
     
  5. alex ryan

    alex ryan Member

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    Thanks Gary,
    Yeah I got the voltage telemetry going. Just a couple of steps out of order.
    No luck with the OSD however. I tried that sequence with no luck. I have contacted support about it and hopefully they can trouble shoot it with me, however they were at a loss last I heard from them.
     
  6. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Alex: I had the same "intermittent" reporting of the voltage -- it would report the real voltage and then (more often than not) 0.0 volts. It seems to be something wrong with the way that the Futaba dual Rx are bound -- it was almost as though *both* were bound as the primary radio and sometimes the telemetry got the voltage from the real primary Rx and sometimes from the secondary (which, of course, doesn't even have the flight battery voltage connected to it.

    It appears that you cannot (for a given model) make the Futuba Tx "forget" the current Rx bindings, but I did manage to repeat the binding procedure for the two radios (it's described in the ALTA manual) and that seems to have fixed the problem.

    I've not had the OSD problem though so haven't had the need to use Gary's technique.

    Andy.
     
  7. alex ryan

    alex ryan Member

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    Just to let you know I got to the bottom of the OSD problem (I think). I unplugged the FPV camera and the OSD works now.
    apparently the signal from the camera is not compatible with the OSD, which is strange because it seems to be compatible with the Synapse (considering I was getting a video link when the camera was plugged in).
    FYI the camera I have been using that is incompatible is the RMRC 420N
     
  8. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    That's interesting Ryan. I believe a few folks (myself included) are using the RMRC 700XV -- I wonder whether, therefore, the different camera resolutions are causing issues?

    Andy
     
  9. James Adkins

    James Adkins Member

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    I notice that when I am hovering at eye level, the Alta frame blocks the battery telemetry unless I yaw or climb until the Rx antenna is visible. Anyone else notice this? I am thinking if moving the antennas.
     
  10. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Can you post an image that shows how you have the Rx antennae oriented, James?
    Certainly carbon fiber is an excellent attenuator for RF (as you've discovered!)

    Andy.
     
  11. James Adkins

    James Adkins Member

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    They are oriented exactly as shown on pg. 15 of the Alta user guide.
     
  12. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Ah well, there's your problem! You read the manual! :)

    Thus, I confess, (sobs uncontrollably), I ignored what the manual says. :oops:

    The antennae, as far as I understand, are emitting a linearly polarized signal normal to the tips (think of a the antenna tip just inserted into the hole of a bagel -- the bagel is the radiation pattern. I found that I got better results if I had the antenna on one radio forming a V (the primary radio pointing straight up), and the secondary radio forming a < (the secondary radio pointing horizontally).

    See http://forum.freeflysystems.com/ind...mitter-with-two-r7008sb-receivers.6889/page-2
    See message #3 for how I have my radios set up -- and observe my early experiments with structural hot glue. The tips of the antennae are the places where the signal is emitted from and with my arrangement they are more easily visible when the ALTA is close to the ground.

    In my defense, I am not alone. See Message 21 of that same thread.

    Andy.
     
  13. James Adkins

    James Adkins Member

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    Thanks Andy. I will give this a try. I find my propensity to read the instructions is directly proportional to the items value. A learned behavior similar to shock therapy!
     
  14. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    I use 3M Dual Lock "Velcro for grown-ups" to attached the Rx, so it's really quick to detach the receivers and rotate them. If you know you're going to be doing lots of low altitude work, you could position so that both Rx present a V shape (bunny-ears) so that the Tx has "line of sight" to the Rx antennae.

    Let us know how this works for you. My advice comes with the usual disclaimer: If it works, it was my idea. If it doesn't, then it was your idea. :)

    Andy.
     
  15. James Adkins

    James Adkins Member

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    Looks like our warmest winter on record will allow me lots of time to test this out.

    I find everything works, It's just a question of how well!
     

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