Puzzling issue with Freewing MiG 29 initialization

[Falcondriver]

Hello everyone,

New to the forum. I have a Spektrum radio DX8 gen 2 with a 9CH AR9350 receiver In the aircraft. This isn’t my first Freewing product, and I am not new to Spektrum products, however, I am new to the AR9350 which is basically a 9 Channel receiver with the AS3X gyro built in. My issue is this: I cannot for the life of me, get the MiG’s electronics to respond to ANY inputs from my transmitter. I know how to initialize the ESC, but I can’t even get the servos to respond. Here’s what I’ve tried so far:

1. Re-binding the model (several times). Bind goes like it should, solid light.
2. Ports are all assigned correctly and I’ve verified the leads going into the blue power center in the aircraft - meaning I’ve check them. By the way, is there supposed to be any status light that comes on? It’s completely dark, with the batteries plugged in, so I was just wondering.
3. Throttle trim set to - 100 and also experimented with setting throttle sub-trim to lowest setting (-225). Doing this makes no difference.
4. Upon boot up, I see the red led from the UBEC, solid light on receiver.
5. After this, I get a the three tone musical note (dee-dee-dee), then a steady beep at ~3 second intervals (beep...... beep...... beep). That’s it. No servos, nothing. No response to transmitter commands.

I have followed the Motion RC ESC initialization stuff to the letter, but regardless of what I do, I never even get to the place where I get the two beeps after full throttle (transmitter on, then plug in the plane).

I am thoroughly lost as to what the issue could be. Does anyone out there have any ideas?

Thanks!

Steven

[Eolithic]

I sent you a PM

[Falcondriver]

Responded. Thanks!

[Falcondriver]

Do I have this wired correctly? Again I’m new to this particular receiver, but I just want to make absolutely sure I’m reading the symbology on the top of the receiver correctly. To me, it looks like the signal wire (orange) goes on the bottom and the ground (brown) on the top.

Thanks again.

[Mizer67]

Do I have this wired correctly? Again I’m new to this particular receiver, but I just want to make absolutely sure I’m reading the symbology on the top of the receiver correctly. To me, it looks like the signal wire (orange) goes on the bottom and the ground (brown) on the top.

Thanks again.

I don't have this specific receiver, but the typical Spektrum receiver, the connections from the servos look like they're upside down to me. Yellow wire should go "up" towards the decal. What you've got here is reverse polarity and they won't respond.

[Evan D]

They are correct...

Sorry I'm not more help. I don't run many Spek receivers, none that are AS3X except one in an Apprentice I use for training.

[Falcondriver]

Okay...I looked at another Spektrum receiver and the symbology orientation on the casing (circled in yellow). After looking at the symbology orientation and the orientation of the ground and signal wires, tell me if you still think I have these backwards. The first (top) photo is of a factory installed Spektrum AR636A, so that’s my reference. One thing I have found out about Spektrum is their manuals SUCK.

[Falcondriver]

They are correct...

Sorry I'm not more help. I don't run many Spek receivers, none that are AS3X except one in an Apprentice I use for training.

No worries. I’ve called tech support for Motion RC but they can only do so much over the phone. I’m getting a new transmitter today (upgraded from my DX8) so we’ll see if that makes a difference. Motion seems to think that the aircraft is seeing thrust applied to the model and that’s causing the issue, but the issue is that I”m getting no response from the servos. I like Motion’s models, but they give me fits with Spektrum compatibility. I’d use a different receiver, but after my last experience with their “top of the line” Admiral DSMX 10 channel, no thanks. I buried an expensive model because of signal interruptions.

Appreciate the help fellas...

[mshagg]

If the rx is getting power from the BEC you can be confident the polarity of the connectors is correct.

Do you have any spare servos lying around? I would power the RX up and see if you can get a servo that's plugged directly into the Rx to respond.

Are the lights on the wingtips coming on?

Do you have a 4xAA caddy for a servo tester you can try powering things with?

If you bought it from Motion I would drop them a line. They probably have a fairly methodical approach to troubleshooting.

I'm not sure a spek receiver will initialise any servo outputs until it sees zero throttle. Do you have a throttle cut switch set?

You dont have the throttle plugged in to the programming port do you?

[Falcondriver]

If the rx is getting power from the BEC you can be confident the polarity of the connectors is correct.

Do you have any spare servos lying around? I would power the RX up and see if you can get a servo that's plugged directly into the Rx to respond.

Are the lights on the wingtips coming on?

Do you have a 4xAA caddy for a servo tester you can try powering things with?

If you bought it from Motion I would drop them a line. They probably have a fairly methodical approach to troubleshooting.

Hello Mshagg,

I can run some spare servos and test the RX using that method - I was just going to move to a different RX (another Spektrum that I know works) but I like your idea too. On power up I get the lights and everything, just no initialization. I don’t have a servo tester, but that’s another thing I’ll be getting. Been out of this hobby for 20 years and I’m learning the new tech as fast as I can. I miss JR, but I like the direction Spektrum is going.

Thanks for the post.

[mshagg]

Sorry I edited the post above, but the throttle isn't plugged in to the programming port is it?

If the lights are on you can be confident the plane is getting power, so that's progress :)

[Mizer67]

I'm sorry, my mistake on the polarity. I see the reversed symbols now for polarity.

[Falcondriver]

Sorry I edited the post above, but the throttle isn't plugged in to the programming port is it?

If the lights are on you can be confident the plane is getting power, so that's progress :)

Not sure I understand your question completely, but the throttle is plugged into Port 1 - not the binding port, if that’s what you’re asking. Fortunately, the Battery and Binding ports are clearly labeled on the receiver. Is that what you are wondering?

[Falcondriver]

I'm sorry, my mistake on the polarity. I see the reversed symbols now for polarity.

No problem - I appreciate you guys trying to help me out!

[Evan D]

My go to guy is Andy in the radio forum here on RCG. He works for Spek and knows EVERYTHING... He also gives good answers and responds quickly.


PM him.


E

No worries. I’ve called tech support for Motion RC but they can only do so much over the phone. I’m getting a new transmitter today (upgraded from my DX8) so we’ll see if that makes a difference. Motion seems to think that the aircraft is seeing thrust applied to the model and that’s causing the issue, but the issue is that I”m getting no response from the servos. I like Motion’s models, but they give me fits with Spektrum compatibility. I’d use a different receiver, but after my last experience with their “top of the line” Admiral DSMX 10 channel, no thanks. I buried an expensive model because of signal interruptions.

Appreciate the help fellas...

[Falcondriver]

Sorry I edited the post above, but the throttle isn't plugged in to the programming port is it?

If the lights are on you can be confident the plane is getting power, so that's progress :)

Oh I see where you are looking. No - the layout of the ports is weird. You have 6 ports that are horizontal and 3 ports that are vertical. What you are looking at in the photo is one of the vertical ports where it says “PROG”. Nothing plugged in there.

[RudyD54]

Do you have the receiver installed or at least completely still and in its upright position while initializing? I had an issue when i first started using the AS3X receivers (specifically the AR637T) where I couldn't get the ESC in my F-22 to initialize because I had the receiver just hanging out of the plane by the wires while setting up the control surfaces. I was about to call motion thinking it was an ESC issue until I shut off the fan in the garage (which happened to be blowing across the receiver and moving it ever so slightly back and forth) and placed the receiver into the fuse. It then almost instantly initialized.

[Falcondriver]

Do you have the receiver installed or at least completely still and in its upright position while initializing? I had an issue when i first started using the AS3X receivers (specifically the AR637T) where I couldn't get the ESC in my F-22 to initialize because I had the receiver just hanging out of the plane by the wires while setting up the control surfaces. I was about to call motion thinking it was an ESC issue until I shut off the fan in the garage (which happened to be blowing across the receiver and moving it ever so slightly back and forth) and placed the receiver into the fuse. It then almost instantly initialized.

Wow - this is great information! That's exactly my situation (receiver hanging out over side of the fuselage), I'll give that a shot and let you know!

Thanks for the intel!

[Wrthog]

In my eyes they are plugged in wrong and signal should be up.

[Falcondriver]

My go to guy is Andy in the radio forum here on RCG. He works for Spek and knows EVERYTHING... He also gives good answers and responds quickly.


PM him.


E

Will do Evan - thanks!