Which FSS to get?

[byter182]

Originally Posted by pril250

You are right about that and it has to be all done one in conjunction with the other while going over it several times. A little bit like a balancing act.All you can do is get it as close as possible. I have mine perfect with no trim but I spent a long time on the naturals.

Well Pril,

I think I got the swashplate and servo horns at a perfect 90 degrees by playing w/the FM neutral sliders for almost an hour. It gets easier once you get used to how the sliders move the servos. The bird is hovering pretty decent now and I can definitely feel the affects of FM keeping the heli horizontal. But not as profound as I expected. It took a lot of trimming and tweaking and it'll stay in one spot for maybe 2-3 seconds. I thought this thing would lock it in mid air like an eFlite mSR. The bird still tends to drift and I have yet to see it go into a full position mode where the LED is a solid green. I guess I'm not hovering over an area w/enough contrast?

[byter182]

Originally Posted by Ivor Hill

If you were adjusting aileron neutral both aileron and pitch servos would move elevator would not.
If you were adjusting elevator neutral then all 3 servos would move, aileron and pitch would move one way and elevator the other.
If you were adjusting pitch then all 3 servos would move in the same direction.
The action of the servos is the same as moving the stick or transmitter trims and they will move in the same way if you adjust transmitter subtrims,this is the reason for setting subtrims to zero before setting up FM or HC.
The servos cannot be adjusted independently. Helicommand works the same way I had always hoped that they would change this with a software upgradebut they never did.
Its an annoying compromise im afraid but the heli should have been set up as close to perfect as possible mechanically before fitting FM. If you are trying to set the heli up 100% as per Finless Bob you cannot but you can minimise the problem by reseting the swash useing transmiter endpoints ( travel adjust ) at min and max pitch. I do this useing a flybar lock and spirit level on the flybar. The servo actions will be the same useing endpoint as it was useing the software neutrals.
I would think that the only way to set the heli up 100% would be to use programmible servos. Hope this helps. Ivor

Yes! That was quite helpful Ivor. Thank you. I thought I had my bird setup pretty perfect mechanically. But then I started taking a closer look at the rotorhead and found that the mixing arms were not perfectly horizontal or parallel to the flybar cage. So I went ahead and made the ajustments and it is as horizontal and symmetrical as it's ever been. I mentioned to Pril that the heli is hovering pretty good now. Getting a 2-3 second hover hands-free hover, but I really thought this FM3D gadget would lock the bird in a lot more solidly. Maybe I don't have enough gain. I've been using the recommended 70 but maybe I need to incease that? I'm wondering if the orientation in which I mounted the CCD and FM gyro may have an affect on the systems performance. I have them mounted so the arrows are pointing to the helis left side. Do you think if I remount the CCD and FM gyro so that they're pointing to the front as most people do, will the FM3D perform better?

I would like to use my DX6i and 6ch rx to control sensitivity on the FM. Can the FM sensitivity be changed from Position to Balance mode and OFF using a 6CH Tx w/o having to remove my GP780 gryo?

[jauguston]

182,

It sounds like you have reached a point where you are going to have to face the fact that to setup like you want you are going to need a 7 channel or more system. You probably already know that.

It didn't take me long at all to realize that with all the goodies I wanted on my helis I would need at least seven channels. I chose the Hitec Aurora 9 and absolutely love it.

I have my gyro, a Quark, set at 20% on HH and rate on a two way switch and my FM on a slider. I never use gyro rate except when I am carrying the heli powered up so the servo doesn't go to lock. I stay in FM position mode all the time setting the sensitivity low for take off and landing to avoid the "jitters" then to 100%. Position works well but to expect the heli to set in exactly the same spot indefinitely even if there is wind is I believe unrealistic.

Jim

[Ivor Hill]

Originally Posted by byter182

Yes! That was quite helpful Ivor. Thank you. I thought I had my bird setup pretty perfect mechanically. But then I started taking a closer look at the rotorhead and found that the mixing arms were not perfectly horizontal or parallel to the flybar cage. So I went ahead and made the ajustments and it is as horizontal and symmetrical as it's ever been. I mentioned to Pril that the heli is hovering pretty good now. Getting a 2-3 second hover hands-free hover, but I really thought this FM3D gadget would lock the bird in a lot more solidly. Maybe I don't have enough gain. I've been using the recommended 70 but maybe I need to incease that? I'm wondering if the orientation in which I mounted the CCD and FM gyro may have an affect on the systems performance. I have them mounted so the arrows are pointing to the helis left side. Do you think if I remount the CCD and FM gyro so that they're pointing to the front as most people do, will the FM3D perform better?

I would like to use my DX6i and 6ch rx to control sensitivity on the FM. Can the FM sensitivity be changed from Position to Balance mode and OFF using a 6CH Tx w/o having to remove my GP780 gryo?

Cant help with the DX6i,I expect Pril will answer that one later, but I would not think so.
I have not tried having the arrows pointing sideways but have had them pointing backwards with no ill effects provided you tell the software.
If the heli and FM is set up well the provided there is zero wind then positional mode will hold the heli in one place for a long time but if there is any wind you will need to help it with the sticks. If you are a beginner expo helps a lot.
To get the best out of it the positional gain needs to be set as high as possible, you need to set it like you would a tail gyro. Increase the gain untill the heli starts to get unstable ( rock side to side and nod ) when hovering close to the ground then reduce untill it just stops. Hope this helps. Ivor

[pril250]

182

Hi, regretfully six channels is not sufficient to do what you are looking for. Using an external gyro requires the seventh channel+mixes (in conjunction with another switch) to cover all three FM modes. I guess the slider option is interesting but not an option on DX6i or DX7.

Hope that helps.

[byter182]

Originally Posted by jauguston

182,

It sounds like you have reached a point where you are going to have to face the fact that to setup like you want you are going to need a 7 channel or more system. You probably already know that.

It didn't take me long at all to realize that with all the goodies I wanted on my helis I would need at least seven channels. I chose the Hitec Aurora 9 and absolutely love it.

I have my gyro, a Quark, set at 20% on HH and rate on a two way switch and my FM on a slider. I never use gyro rate except when I am carrying the heli powered up so the servo doesn't go to lock. I stay in FM position mode all the time setting the sensitivity low for take off and landing to avoid the "jitters" then to 100%. Position works well but to expect the heli to set in exactly the same spot indefinitely even if there is wind is I believe unrealistic.

Jim

Ya know! I shoulda listened to those guys who said that when picking up a computer radio for the first time to pick one w/more channels than you think you will need. But I didn't. I got the DX6i which is a great radio but YES... It can limit your options as I'm quickly learning. Perhaps someday in the distant future if I ever decide to go w/a 600 or 700 size heli and/or nitro, I may go ahead and invest the extra $$$$$ for another computer radio. But as long as I got a perfectly working computer radio that enables me to do 3D on my 500 (when I learn to do 3D), I'm gonna beat it 'till she screams.

"to expect the heli to set in exactly the same spot indefinitely even if there is wind is I believe unrealistic." Yea.... Maybe that is expecting much of this gadget.

[byter182]

Originally Posted by Ivor Hill

Cant help with the DX6i,I expect Pril will answer that one later, but I would not think so.
I have not tried having the arrows pointing sideways but have had them pointing backwards with no ill effects provided you tell the software.
If the heli and FM is set up well the provided there is zero wind then positional mode will hold the heli in one place for a long time but if there is any wind you will need to help it with the sticks. If you are a beginner expo helps a lot.
To get the best out of it the positional gain needs to be set as high as possible, you need to set it like you would a tail gyro. Increase the gain untill the heli starts to get unstable ( rock side to side and nod ) when hovering close to the ground then reduce untill it just stops. Hope this helps. Ivor

I got it to go into full position mode (solid green light). Not bad at all. I think the surfaces I was using weren't contrasty enough. So yesterday I picked a spot with alternating patches of green grass and dirt. The wind was relatively calm and my heli was fine tuned to the max. I put the sensor gain up to 85 and lifted the bird up to about 4 feet and it held in position pretty well handsfree w/the exception of an occasional throttle tap, for a minute or so. Not a bad deal. Success finally. But just like both Jaug and Pril said, for what I want the FM3D to do I'm gonna need a radio w/7 or 8 channels. I think I'll just use to learn nose-in hovering.

[jauguston]

182,

I am probably close to where you are in the learning curve. I started sneaking up on the nose in hover after I got FM dialed in and to my suprise it came pretty easy. I am not yet 100% comfortable with it yet but if I keep it about 20' away I can fly a battery out flying in a circle nose in all the time now. Also doing figure 8's out 50' or so each way and that is starting to feel better. I still screw up but instead of getting on the phone to order parts I now just center the right stick-heli goes into stable hover-take a deep breath and start forward again. I LOVE my FM's.

Jim

[JonnyKango]

Originally Posted by nightflyr

I wouldn't believe everything you hear....

dude please tell me where did you get that landing gear and will it fit my belt cp2??