Soko & AR7200

[numbermonkey]

I need some help - anyone have experience with the Soko tool and an AR7200BX?
I bought myself a Soko for Chrimbo along with the virtual main shaft app. Everything went swimmingly until I hit section 5 and specifically 5.5, 5.6 & 5.7. These steps call for you to activate the "cyclic pitch setup" and then give full forward elevator. I'm assuming that means menu J in the BX "Teaching the Cyclic Pitch Geometry" but this also seems to lock out any elevator input so I can't give it full forward. Um.

[Gyropilot]

numbermonkey,

EDIT: I just reread your post and see you're only stuck on setting the cyclic pitch limit in the Soko Heli app. That can be set in the AR7200's menu point "L" beginning in step 23 of my list below. Note that when setting cyclic pitch limits in the AR7200BX, the goal is to set maximum throw without binding and have a blue Status-LED... not set a specific tilt angle as indicated in the Soko Heli app.

Here are the specific steps I use to setup an AR7200BX using the Soko Heli app and VMS starting at the AR7200BX's menu point "G":

Begin with the rotor head and cyclic linkages removed.

1. Press and hold the AR7200BX setup button until LED (A) stops flashing and illuminates solid. Press the setup button repeatedly until LED (G) illuminates. The Status-LED will be Off. The servos will now be operating in their center (reference) unadjusted positions.

2. Install all servo arms so each arm (or wheel) forms an angle as close to 90° as possible to each linkage rod. Note you might not be able to achieve a perfect 90° due to servo horn spline alignment.

3. Install all lower swashplate linkage rods.

4. Move the Tx rudder stick once to the right to select the ELEVATOR servo. The Status-LED will illuminate PURPLE.

5. Move the Tx elevator stick forward and back to adjust the ELEVATOR servo arm to its exact center position in relation to its linkage rod.

6. Move the Tx rudder stick once more to the right to select the AILERON servo. The Status-LED will illuminate RED.

7. Move the Tx elevator stick forward and back to adjust the AILERON servo arm to its exact center position in relation to its linkage rod.

8. Move the Tx rudder stick once more to the right to select the PITCH servo. The Status-LED will illuminate BLUE.

9. Move the Tx elevator stick forward and back to adjust the PITCH servo arm to its exact center position in relation to its linkage rods.

10. Without changing the AR7200BX, use a swashplate leveling tool and a dial caliper to adjust the length of each swashplate linkage rod until the swashplate is exactly level in relation to the mast and the underside of the swashplate is the appropriate distance above the top of the frame.

11. Push the setup button on the AR7200BX Plus repeatedly to Setup menu point (N). When LED (N) is illuminated solid, quickly press the setup button to exit the menu.

12. Reinstall the rotor head and install the Soko-Heli kit in one of the blade grips.

13. Follow the instructions in the Soko-Heli app for a VMS (Virtual Main Shaft) setup. When it comes time to adjust the swashplate, press and hold the AR7200BX setup button until LED (A) stops flashing and illuminates solid. Press the setup button repeatedly until LED (G) illuminates. Move the Tx rudder stick either right or left to select one of the three cyclic servos. This will cause ALL cyclic servos to move to their previously adjusted (trimmed) positions. Note: This is NOT the servo's default reference position.

14. When prompted by the Soko-Heli app, mechanically adjust the length of the servo to swashplate linkage rods until no finer adjustment can be achieved. If needed, very fine adjustment can be made using Setup menu (G) in the AR7200BX similar to steps 4 through 9 above.

15. After adjusting the swashplate in the Soko-Heli app, but before proceeding to the Soko-Heli collective pitch adjustment, press the AR7200BX Plus setup button until LED (J) illuminates: "Teaching the Cyclic Pitch Geometry."

CAUTION: Do not touch any stick on Tx when entering menu point (J). This will cause unwanted flight behavior.

16. Move the rotor blade grips so that they are parallel to the tail boom (fore and aft in relation to the airframe).

17. Using the Soko-Heli pitch gauge for reference, move the Tx aileron stick left or right to tilt the blade grip exactly 6° either way. Be sure and take into consideration any tilt of the mast when calculating the target angle on the pitch gauge.

IMPORTANT: The Status-LED should still be Blue at 6° of cyclic pitch. If the Status-LED is Red, Purple or Off, you must mechanically adjust the helicopter. You can use:


A.) Shorter servo horns

B.) Shorter linkage balls on the inner swashplate ring or
C.) Longer blade grip linkage levers



If the pitch gauge has more than 6° of cyclic pitch, move the Tx aileron stick in the opposite direction until the pitch gauge is at 6°.

18. Release the Tx aileron stick and press the setup button once to enter setup menu point (K): Adjusting the Collective Pitch Range.

19. Follow the instructions in the Soko-Heli app for computing the blade grip tilt angle for setting maximum and minimum collective pitch. Move the Tx pitch stick all the way up (full positive pitch) and stay there.

CAUTION: Do not use any pitch curves in your transmitter while adjusting the Collective Pitch Range. Doing so will result in unwanted flight behavior.

20. Increase or decrease the maximum amount of positive pitch using the Tx rudder stick until the blade grip pitch specified in the Soko-Heli app is achieved.

21. Move the pitch stick all the way down (full negative pitch).

22. Increase or decrease the maximum amount of negative pitch using the rudder stick until the blade grip pitch specified in the Soko-Heli app is achieved.

23. Push the setup button once to save the selection and move to menu point (L): Adjusting the Cyclic Swashplate Limit.

24. Carefully move the Tx sticks for aileron, elevator and pitch to all maximum endpoints. Watch for binding or lack of movement in the swashplate, linkage rods, and servo arms. Move the rudder stick right or left to increase or decrease the aileron and elevator throw limiter in the AR7200BX to achieve the maximum possible cyclic throw without causing binding.

25. The Status-LED should be Blue when the swashplate is at the maximum limit. If the Status-LED is Purple or Off, you must mechanically adjust the helicopter to increase the available throw.

IMPORTANT: If you make any modifications to menu points (G), (J) or (K) in the future, you must repeat menu point (L) again.

26. Push the setup button repeatedly to Setup menu point (N). When LED (N) is solid, quickly press the setup button to exit the menu.

I hope that helps!

These steps are an excerpt from a lengthier (complete) list I made for myself when I was first getting started in RC helis so I could wrap my head around the entire Microbeast setup process. Having a setup list like this means I don't have to try and remember the process!

[numbermonkey]

That's incredible - thanks Gyropilot. I'll give that a run through later.

[Gyropilot]

Originally Posted by numbermonkey

That's incredible - thanks Gyropilot.

My pleasure!

Happy New Year to you!

[FLMIBrewer74]

I am not a newbie to the Soko I have been using it for a while but I am running into my first problem with a goblin 380 set up. I already set this helicopter up once with no problems and all I am trying to do now is increase pitch by 1.5° from 12 to 13.5 and also the same on cyclic pitch. I had to also move the balls in closer on the servo horn's in order to get my blue light on my 6° Of cyclic pitch geometry. My problem is now when I go to pull full back on the elevator to set cyclic pitch I do not have enough travel from servo (can not get to soko number). I only have a problem going backwards not forwards. Please help thank you .

[FLMIBrewer74]

Great post Gyropilot

[Gyropilot]

Originally Posted by FLMIBrewer74

My problem is now when I go to pull full back on the elevator to set cyclic pitch I do not have enough travel from servo (can not get to soko number). I only have a problem going backwards not forwards. Please help thank you .

FLMIBrewer74,

A few things that immediately come to mind to check out...

1. Are the arms (horns) truly centered on the servos when the servos are at their default (reference) unadjusted positions?

2. During the setup procedure, are you remembering NOT to use any pitch curves in your Tx? The pitch curves lines must be a straight line from 0% to 100%.

3. I'm not familiar with your heli, but is there anything about the servo or cyclic linkage geometry which is preventing equal collective travel? I doubt it, but just wanted to throw that out.

I'll update if I think of anything else.

[FLMIBrewer74]

I'm trying to run 13 1/2° of collective pitch both ways and also 13 1/2° of cyclic pitch is that my problem and I trying to program too much cyclic pitch? If so how much cyclic do I need to run I do mild to aggressive 3-D and some support flying.

[Gyropilot]

Originally Posted by FLMIBrewer74

...is that my problem and I trying to program too much cyclic pitch?

It's possible, but that question is probably best asked over in the SAB Goblin 380 forum HERE.

Good luck!

[FLMIBrewer74]

It's fixed, I was trying to put too much cyclic pitch into the programming for the heli's head geometry (Goblin 380, 10 degrees is the max it will take with my mechanical set up). Thanks again for all your advice.

P.S. I also think due to the angle the tail is at while sitting on a flat surface (skids geometry) might have played a part as well in the problem. I'm going to test this theory on another 380 I have to set up. I'll let you know

I LOVE THE SOKO!

[Gyropilot]

Originally Posted by FLMIBrewer74

It's fixed...

Good deal!

I LOVE THE SOKO!

Me too!

[matco1205]

I'm trying to set up my Blade 550x with the Soko and AR7200 and just cant seem to get past the point where it goes into the FBL servo settings. I've tried to follow the step by step posted here but just cant seem to understand the process. I've also watched the Soko videos but they avoid the specific process in the Ar7200. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
FYI...this is my first time setting up a FBL head.