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Admiral RX700T 6/7-Channel DSMX Compatible Telemetry Reciever

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  • Admiral RX700T 6/7-Channel DSMX Compatible Telemetry Reciever

    Hello,

    I have just purchased and installed this in my FMS PA-18 Super Cub. I replaced a 6 channel Spektrum receiver (the new kind with no antenna wires that has a bind button) that was performing flawlessly. I really wanted to have telemetry so I went for the Admiral. I was a little confused as this receiver came with no manual but I was able to figure it out and get it installed and working. When I installed it in my plane, I made sure the the antennas were set up 90 degrees to each other to maximize the diversity. I am using the stock current sensor that came with it that employs the XT 60 connectors. My plane's maximum amp draw is 50 amps so I am within the spec of the current sensor. I even purchased the higher amp current sensor just in case but upon measuring the maximum amps on the ground, the stock sensor was adequate. After installing this receiver, I have some new behaviors that were not happening with the Spektrum. They are as follows:

    1) My plane will randomly have the throttle cut while I am flying. I don't have any warnings set up for Voltage, Amperage, or anything else. All I have set up is the status report every 20 seconds for current used. This throttle cut seems to be random and I can get throttle back again by lowering the throttle to minimum and waiting 5 seconds and then throttle up again. This will happen two to three times a flight. I pulled the Admiral out of the plane and put the Spektrum back in as a test. I did not have any throttle cuts at all in the 5 test flights that flew with the Spektrum. I am guessing that this has something to do with the current sensor? Again, this did not come with a manual so I am at a loss on this one. Again, I am within spec of the current max for the current sensor. I can handle the throttle cuts with my Cub just fine as it is floater and a good glider. I want to eventually use this receiver in my Freewing BAE Hawk so I can monitor the mah that I have used in my battery. Unplanned throttle cut offs with this plane will not do as well.

    2) I now get this funny sound out of my transmitter when I fly. It sounds almost like a stall horn on a real plane but it changes tone a lot as I fly. My logical guess is that this is an RSSI signal meter or telemetry strength meter? Again, there was no manual so all I can do is speculate. I am trying to make sense of the tones I get and try to note how far the plane is away from me compared to how the tone sounds (high or low) but I have been unable to make any meaningful correlation at this time.

    What I want to make absolutely clear is that when I go back to using the Spektrum, I no longer have these issues (well the only real issue is number 1 as number 2 may be a feature I am unaware of) and I was hoping to get some insight on what is going on with my plane and Admiral receiver. I really appreciate any help you guys could give regarding this.

    Sincerely,

    Patrick

  • #2
    Hi Patrick,

    The manual is on our website. You can download it directly from the product page (click the support tab). Here is a link to the support tab: https://www.motionrc.com/collections...06#support-tab
    Without hearing the noise form the radio, I suspect it is some sort of alarm. I'm not sure what kind of radio you are using. If it is a new Spektrum radio, you will want to go into the telemetry section and check each telemetry menu item to see if you have any alarms setup.
    You may also want to check our setup video on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzo3oWLNbAg

    The most concerning is the throttle cut. You'll want to make sure the battery or other wires are not close to the receiver antennas. I would do a range test on the ground and not fly it again until you do that. You may also want to open a ticket with Motion RC support. Throttle cuts are very worrying. Move the wires around on the XT60 connector and make sure there is not a lose solder joint.

    Comment


    • #3
      Tom,

      Thanks for getting back to me! I will check the current sensor's solder joints when I get home. I will also take a video of the radio when I am flying so you can hear the tones. Everyone at the field keeps looking at me like something is wrong so I assume that nobody has heard these before! Thanks again and I will report back soon.

      Comment


      • #4
        Hey Tom,

        We have any more of these coming any time soon?

        Admiral RX600SP 6-Channel DSMX™ Compatible Receiver with Stability Plus Gyro

        Woody

        Comment


        • #5
          More coming very soon. Any day in fact! These arrived at US Customs in Chicago this morning. Assuming they clear it quickly, it will arrive tomorrow or the next day.

          Comment


          • #6
            FYI,

            These have been steller! Every plane I got has one of these in it. As a matter of fact, I'm going to order (3) more so I can remove the Spektrum Receivers from my planes that have them, (I lied, I have 3 planes with Spektrum gyro receivers). I'm just sick of having to drag a note book computer out anytime I have to make a small adjustment in those AS3X. I'm not knocking the Spektrum receivers they work fine. I just don't have an I-phone.

            But the Admirals have never failed me, and I really like them, I like the simplicity.

            Thanks Tom
            Woody

            Comment


            • #7
              This RX includes "altitude" in the telemetry. The "funny sound" you hear is likely the variometer sound that tells you when the plane is gaining altitude (pitch going higher) or dropping (pitch lowering). When flying level, there is no sound. There is a delay from when the plane changes altitude to when the sound registers. If that's what it is, you can turn the sound off in the telemetry menu.
              As for the throttle cutting out, this is my guess............. This RX uses what looks like the same unit for sensing voltage, amps and current as what is used in the Lemon telemetry units. I don't mean to insult anyone, but the Lemon units are garbage. These sensors are poorly made and has very cheap components inside. We used to use them in every sailplane we flew and 4 out of 5 stopped working and displayed a variety of faults, one of which was throttle cutting out. In fact, they are so cheap, that RC Castle used to send free ones whenever you bought anything from them and they knew you've purchased these telemetry units in the past. I still have 2 of these units brand new and about 3 more that are "dead". A friend who is into electronics took one of our "dead" sensors apart and he reported back that several of the solders inside just fell apart when he took the wrapping off and that the components used to make these things are extremely cheap. We've stopped using those sensors now. It's better to not know that information than to have a mid-flight failure.
              If you really want to know some information about voltage, my advice is to ditch the XT-60 inline sensor and just use that single lead plug that comes with it. It plugs into the same port on the RX as the XT sensor and the end must be modified so that it will plug into one of the holes of your battery's balance lead. Depending on which hole you pick, you can get a reading of 1, 2, 3, etc. cells. This will not affect the juice going to your ESC like the XT-60 device can.

              Comment


              • #8
                xviper, the XT60 amperage sensor is the same as the Lemon unit. Thank you for your honest feedback - I truly appreciate it. If something needs improvement, I want to know about it. Patrick, try moving the XT60 voltage sensor around and try completely removing it. If it is faulty, please open a ticket or call and ask for Martin. I'd like to get the faulty XT60 unit back so I can make a video for the factory showing the fault and use that to have it improved. We'll certainly send you a replacement. Lemon makes fantastic stuff and uses the latest equipment such as SMT machines to make their stuff. Knowing the failure rate of everything we sell, I can say the Admiral receivers are one of the most reliable products we sell. However, the XT60 portion may be made elsewhere since that is a bit out of their wheelhouse. If that is the fault, and if it is indeed a common one, I'll talk to them and see what can be done to improve it. Seems like that should be an easy fix.

                Comment


                • #9
                  I love Lemon products and I started using them before Motion started to sell their own branded version of them. Their RXs, both gyro and non-gyro are on par or better than Spektrum, so I have no doubt that the Admiral brand is also exceptional. I won't hesitate to buy Lemon or Admiral brand RXs. The ONLY thing negative that I've witnessed in their line of products are those current sensors. The guys at our field just don't use them anymore. They really don't add much to the overall cost of the products they come with, so that doesn't stop us from buying them. You know the old saying about, "Having your cake and eating it, too"? We just eat less cake and we're fine with it.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    xviper and Tom,

                    Thank you for the added information. I was able to verify that the sound I was hearing was indeed the Vario. I have never used or heard a Vario before so I was understandably surprised by it. As for the current sensor I will do some extensive testing on it (moving it around, checking for bad solder joints) as soon as I can. Are there alternatives for the current sensor that will work with the Admiral? For instance can I plug the spectrum current sensor in there instead or perhaps another brand? Current sensing and battery usage were the main reasons that I bought the Admiral and it would be disappointing to say the least if I could not use those two features.

                    Thanks for all the help!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by ppumpuang View Post
                      xviper and Tom,

                      Thank you for the added information. I was able to verify that the sound I was hearing was indeed the Vario. I have never used or heard a Vario before so I was understandably surprised by it. As for the current sensor I will do some extensive testing on it (moving it around, checking for bad solder joints) as soon as I can. Are there alternatives for the current sensor that will work with the Admiral? For instance can I plug the spectrum current sensor in there instead or perhaps another brand? Current sensing and battery usage were the main reasons that I bought the Admiral and it would be disappointing to say the least if I could not use those two features.

                      Thanks for all the help!
                      I don't see anything from Spektrum that does what the current sensor of the Admiral/Lemon does. Spektrum does have a voltage sensor that looks like it will plug into the Admiral BUT, it appears it will do the exact same thing as the Admiral voltage sensor, so no need to even look there. I have never found anything on the market that will plug directly into the current sensor plug of the Admiral. The electronics within seems to be very proprietary. My only suggestion is to try another current sensor to see if it is more "solid". From personal experience, I have found that for every 3 to 5 units tested, 1 actually works but there's no guarantee how long it will continue to work and the deficiencies that pop up are not always the same, meaning that the next one you try may work in terms of not cutting out but it may just suddenly give a blank reading on your TX screen for that information, as many of ours have done. These things seem to be very sensitive to shock and vibration. Have a hard landing and the next time out, you may not get any data but it will still work to pass the power through.
                      Personally, after having seen the numbers on my TX screen during a flight, I get pretty bored with it all and stop looking at it. After a couple of flights, that information is no longer important. The information provided is far outweighed by the possibility of failure. You must ask yourself what exactly are you in need of monitoring and why? The information displayed while flying tends to go up and down like a yoyo anyway. Even the battery voltage drops to way below what one would call "safe" but that's only during high power maneuvers like taking off or doing a loop or high speed pass. As soon as you go back to cruising, the voltage recovers but never goes to where it would be once you've landed and put a tester on it. As such, that information is fairly useless. You are better off using your timer diligently and checking the voltage upon landing. Amp draw will rarely be as high in the air as it is when tested on the ground, so a ground test will show you all you need to know. RX voltage is done within the receiver itself. So, in actuality, that current sensor (for me at least) has very limited usefulness. If you are worried about flying too long and running out of juice, a simple 3 dollar battery beeper and your TX timer is the best option anyway.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        ;)Concur with everything you've said XV .
                        Also couple in the tangible orientation losses due to screen stares:Scared:(unless ya have "bitchin betty" barkin out all those readings LOL)
                        Warbird Charlie
                        HSD Skyraider FlightLine OV-10 FMS 1400: P-40B, P-51, F4U, F6F, T-28, P-40E, Pitts, 1700 F4U & F7F, FOX glider Freewing A-6, T-33, P-51 Dynam ME-262, Waco TF Giant P-47; ESM F7F-3 LX PBJ-1 EFL CZ T-28, C-150, 1500 P-51 & FW-190

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by OV10 View Post
                          ;)Concur with everything you've said XV .
                          Also couple in the tangible orientation losses due to screen stares:Scared:(unless ya have "bitchin betty" barkin out all those readings LOL)
                          So true. The time one wants that kind of information is at a time in one's RC career that looking down at the TX (for any reason*) is a recipe for losing sight of the plane. I've lost a couple of planes doing that. I look down for just a couple of seconds and when I look back up, "Where'd it go?" Then ................................. BAM!!! Dirt nap. As for "bitchin Betty", if I have her set to talk more than once every 30 seconds, I can't stand it and turn her off. For some information, at certain times, to be useful, you need to know it more often than every 30 seconds. And when one flies well enough to be able to look down at the TX, there's no longer any need to look there and any information there may be (one the screen) is no longer important.
                          * I've flown with people who actually need to look at the TX before moving a stick or throwing a switch. They look up and the plane is gone.

                          But I digress. Back to the topic................ Just try another (and maybe another) sensor unit.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Tom,

                            So I looked at the current sensor again. I did not want to take it apart just yet and there was no outward signs of anything wrong with it that I could see so I decided to keep flying with it to see what it would do. I was advised by you not to fly the plane and I acknowledge that. I put this receiver in my Cub and not in my BAE Hawk for that very reason. If something were to happen, I would rather it be the Cub than the Hawk. Well, something happened all right...I was flying over the weekend and was inverted and then the power to the motor cut causing me to loose enough altitude to clip the top of a tree and then fall to the ground. The plane is a total loss as it went straight in to the road below the tree nose first obliterating the front end :Crying:. On the Cub the cowl is not a piece by itself but rather molded as a part of the fuselage. Tom, would you like to take a look at the sensor? I can send it to you. I would really like to get this sensor issue resolved. I am happy with the performance of the receiver and see a lot of value in the current used aspect of the telemetry features. I don't know what is up with the sensor though. If the sensors are faulty as xviper and OV10 have pointed out I think Lemon/Admiral should address the issue. I am out a Super Cub (new one ordered already) but would feel better about it if this lead to resolution or improvement of the current sensor issue. I noticed that the higher current sensor that I ordered is not constructed in the same manner as the lower amperage one. It looks to have actual wires between the EC-5s rather than a circuit board like the lower amp one with the XT-60s. I am still reluctant to use it until we can figure out what was wrong with the other lower amperage current sensor. I am optimistic that we can determine what the issues is here.

                            Thank you for your help.
                            Attached Files

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Tom,

                              I had PM'd you but I can't pull up the message for some reason. I had sent my order number to you as you had requested. Am I waiting for an envelope to return the current sensor? Please let me know.

                              Thanks,

                              Patrick

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                I know this is an old post, but I'm experiencing similar problems with my eflite viper. Motor just cuts out occasionally. Luckily I've been able to land without a crash so far. Did you ever figure what your problem was?

                                I'm using the basic stability plus admiral receiver.

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Originally posted by tvoydan View Post
                                  I know this is an old post, but I'm experiencing similar problems with my eflite viper. Motor just cuts out occasionally. Luckily I've been able to land without a crash so far. Did you ever figure what your problem was?

                                  I'm using the basic stability plus admiral receiver.
                                  Are you using the current sensor as shown in post #14? That's primarily what the thread is about - those current sensors are known to be inconsistent. If you are not using one, then it's hard to say what the problem is with your plane.

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    Thanks, no, I'm running the rx600sp. I see another post more in line with my problem (motor cutting out), I'll move over to that post.

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