RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Hi folks,

I have recently bought a Spectrum DX6i to use with the El-mod installation in my Tiger and want to have both of the control sticks spring centring like the HL transmitter.

For those of you who have not yet bought a proportional radio control transmitter such as Spectrum or other make, one of the control sticks will be sprung to centre position, and the other stick will have a form of ratchet mechanism inside the case which allows the stick to be moved to a position where it will stay until moved back physically by the operator. Some transmitters are supplied with a small kit of parts which will allow you to remove the ratchet mechanism and replace it with a spring to make it self centre. In some cases you may wish to swap the ratchet from left stick to right......but should you wish to do this modification, it is best to check with the manufacturer that you will not negate the warranty.

The Spektrum does not come with a kit to modify the ratchet control stick.

Today I telephoned the UK distributor, Horizon Hobby at Harlow in Essex, and enquired about removing the ratchet. I was told that this was a simple modification that I could do myself, and that they would send me the spring and clip for FREE. There was no problem with the warranty providing that no damage was caused while I carried out the mod.

As soon as I get the kit I will post the obligatory fotos of the mod....and my triumphul grin

Mike

I guess that must be the difference between EU and FCC regs - here you must return the whole transmitter to Horizon for modification >:(

I suppose so....I first asked which shop or workshop I should take it to for the mod to be done, but the guy said that I didn't have to.
The reciever has a redundant signal system, with  twin reciever and aerial configuration so I automatically thought that I shouldn't touch the transmitter myself,  I was very surprised to find that I could open the transmitter.
His statement is reinforced by the fact that he is sending me the parts.....

I will keep you posted.........Mike

Hi folks,

In "the good old days" I can remember doing similar things with my Futaba 'M series' transmitter (which I still have). As an RC flyer we swapped over the throttle mechanism from one stick to the other if we had bought the 'wrong' mode for the club that we had joined.

In fact in those days, before TX servo reversers, we also used to reverse our servo 'handedness' by taking apart the servo and swapping the motor wires and those of the feedback potentiometer! For those who don't know what I'm talking about, in "the good old days" you had to buy clockwise or anticlockwise servos. If you had a mix, you had to try to mix and match them with their horns and positions to get the movement in the direction you required. As a last resort, you changed the handedness of the servo. In the late 70's a basic servo cost ~£14. In that a pint cost about 50p then, that would mean your standard servo of today would cost ~£60!!!! Blinkin' flip!

Ah, those were the days!

Nige

PS Does anyone have a small child I can borrow to send up my chimney....?

i got 2 small children nige, you can borrow either if you lend me youre bulldog

              Tony

I think you two ought to get out more often...........

            Tony

I just saw this recall notice on the Horizon Hobby website for Dx6i's: http://www.horizonhobby.com/Articles/Ar ... cleID=1901
Unless you also use your radio for flying, it sounds like more of a nuisance than a problem tho...
(unless it induces one of those gut wrenching kamakazi leaps off the kitchen table that you guys occasionally report?!)

I e-mailed Horizon Hobby earlier this week and they are sending me two stick-centering kits free of charge. Really great service.

Cheers
Chris 

Any chance that you guys could get me some? Its cheaper to mail them from europe than send back 4 Transmitters in their boxes