Spektrum DX8 GEN 1

[Jbww1023]

I'm a novice to RC fixed-wing and I just purchased a used Generation 1 Spektrum DX8 transmitter. Can someone tell me what is a good receiver that also has safe mode to use with this transmitter? Also will an AS3X receiver work good with this transmitter as a safe mode receiver? Thanks for any help.

[OV10]

I'm a novice to RC fixed-wing and I just purchased a used Generation 1 Spektrum DX8 transmitter. Can someone tell me what is a good receiver that also has safe mode to use with this transmitter? Also will an AS3X receiver work good with this transmitter as a safe mode receiver? Thanks for any help.

The Gen1 is basically the same as the Gen2 but is without "Bitchin Betty"(voice alerts) and some other upgrades that don't affect it's ability to link with the AS3X or SAFE Rx's because it is a DSMX protocol Tx.
I prefer Lemon/Admiral Rx's which are totally compatible with Spektrum Tx's rather than the over priced Spektrum Rx's.
Welcome to the Squawk;)

[Jbww1023]

Thank you very much Warbird Charlie. I love the heck out of fixed-wing aircraft! Right now I'm learning on a DHC-2 A600 Beaver but I have a F-15 jet that a friend gave me that I want to finish building and learn to fly with the DX8. I'm also going to put a new receiver in the Beaver so I can run it from the DX8.

[Marcus1642ad]

The Gen1 is basically the same as the Gen2 but is without "Bitchin Betty"(voice alerts) and some other upgrades that don't affect it's ability to link with the AS3X or SAFE Rx's because it is a DSMX protocol Tx.
I prefer Lemon/Admiral Rx's which are totally compatible with Spektrum Tx's rather than the over priced Spektrum Rx's.
Welcome to the Squawk;)

Hi guys

I am also having trouble finding a video showing this process, hooking up a gen 1 DX8 with safe/ AS3X using a AR637T. Any vids you can recomend ?

thanks

[xviper]

You can easily go to YouTube and search for "Spektrum forward programming on DX8". This one came up immediately. It's quite rudimentary but there are other videos that come up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqo0MWzVHms

[NewbieBob]

That was a great video XV. Not having flown for 25 yrs , so much has changed. Going electric was the least of my worries. Understanding how it all fits together is a challenge. It puts me back to square one in learning again.
Thanks again. You and google have become my teachers lol 😆
Cheers
Bob

[xviper]

Another wonderful invention for today's RC flyer are stand alone gyros like what HobbyEagle and Freewing makes. They start under $30.00 and can stabilize any plane in wind gusts and help save it when the pilot gets a bit of "dumb thumbs". Need a little more? Then there are Return to Home (RTH) devices. They are relatively cheap to buy (~$70.00 US). These will not only act like "Safe" but also bring the plane back to you if you don't know where it went to. However, critical to any of these devices, an understanding of how they work and how to program and test them are extremely critical. A 30 buck stabilizer can "save your bacon" or "fry your eggs". The very least is they can make flying a plane so much more enjoyable and lend to peace of mind, especially these days when a foamie can run you over a thousand bucks.

[NewbieBob]

XV I havent heard of the RTH devices except on my DJI mini pro 3 drone. Can you steer me in the right direction for them.
the only other thing I have heard about is the geo fence.
Cheers
Bob

[xviper]

XV I havent heard of the RTH devices except on my DJI mini pro 3 drone. Can you steer me in the right direction for them.
the only other thing I have heard about is the geo fence.
Cheers
Bob

I have a DJI Mini 2 and the electronics on it is very sophisticated, certainly much too complex and expensive to be putting something like it into multiple planes.
I have one of these in my sailplanes since they are more likely to get quite far away and high:

https://www.rc-castle.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=277&product_id=4922

As soon as I lose sight of the plane, I set the throttle and throw the switch for it to come home. Once I see it again, I turn off the RTH and fly it manually. For full autonomous RTH, you must also have a failsafe RX that is set to throw the switch and set the throttle once radio signal is lost. I also find that for sailplanes, a telemetry unit for altitude is very helpful. I believe you may be able to find a seller in the US that carries this product. For me in Canada, getting it from RC Castle is just as easy.
I used one years ago in a twin engine plane that I flew FPV. It was difficult for me to figure out where the plane was through the goggles, so when I got lost, hitting RTH was very helpful. I didn't do FPV for long as it made me quite nauseous.
Geo fencing, in principle, is nice but the ones available so far (mostly from Horizon Hobby products) have been inconsistent in function and can play havoc with the rest of the electronics. Most people I know who bought planes with them, have removed them.

[NewbieBob]

Thanks for that XV. I could use one right now as Fed Ex has my latest order over a week late and has hit both coasts. I always worry when this happens.
How have you found the delivery times from RC Castle.
Cheers
Bob

[kallend]

You can easily go to YouTube and search for "Spektrum forward programming on DX8". This one came up immediately. It's quite rudimentary but there are other videos that come up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqo0MWzVHms

That video is for a Gen2 DX8. Marcus's original question was for a Gen 1, which I believe can't do forward programming.

[kallend]

Hi guys

I am also having trouble finding a video showing this process, hooking up a gen 1 DX8 with safe/ AS3X using a AR637T. Any vids you can recomend ?

thanks

I'm pretty sure you can't forward program an AR637T with a Gen 1 transmitter.

What you can do is find a friend with a Gen 2 transmitter, set up the plane with that, and then re-bind the receiver to your Gen 1 TX using the exact same settings for wing type, rates, etc. The receiver will remember the AS3X and SAFE settings from the original setup. Of course, if you need to change any of the AS3X or SAFE stuff, you will need to go back to a Gen2 transmitter to do it.

[xviper]

That video is for a Gen2 DX8. Marcus's original question was for a Gen 1, which I believe can't do forward programming.

I went by what OV10 said. I guess he needs a new TX. The other option is to find someone with a G2 TX and do the programming of the smart RX, then bind it back to the G1.

The Gen1 is basically the same as the Gen2 but is without "Bitchin Betty"(voice alerts) and some other upgrades that don't affect it's ability to link with the AS3X or SAFE Rx's because it is a DSMX protocol Tx.
I prefer Lemon/Admiral Rx's which are totally compatible with Spektrum Tx's rather than the over priced Spektrum Rx's.
Welcome to the Squawk;)