Tiger 1 ran amok..

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43rdRecceReg
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Tiger 1 ran amok..

Post by 43rdRecceReg »

Normally, I leave my tanks on wooden blocks when not in use. When testing motors etc., I also mount them on wooden blocks...except..for..yesterday. :shifty: Having installed an IBU2 Pro in my 16 pound metallic beast of a Tiger 1, I was just calibrating the sticks for the first time, when the Tank took off and ran amok in my living room... :O In ever decreasing circles (and not responding to any controls) it careered into my freshly painted skirting boards, accompanied by an ear splitting weird assortment of sound effects, and then the metal tracks began grinding away contentedly, manically, like some teething pitbull... in a cloud of white paint particles and splintered wood:O . This could have been the barrel:
Careful with the beans...
Careful with the beans...
Burst tank barrel.jpg (35.52 KiB) Viewed 2957 times
..but luckily it was pointing away from the wall.
I thought in jumper '8' mode the tank couldn't misbehave; but maybe the wee switch wasn't all the way across...and thus the mostly metal beast suddenly became very animated. Chasing it, to get my finger on to the power switch (kill switch here) inside the front hatch was also quite tricky..especially with my gammy right leg; but eventually I stopped its wrecking spree... :/
I use a Spektrum DX6i for my Clark TK22 equipped King Tiger, and I have a spare Orange rx that's meant to be compatible with it. However, having laboured to get all the settings right on that model, I really didn't want to risk binding it to another one..as the SpeKtrum has quite a tricky menu, and a massive indigestible manual to go with it. For this reason, I used the FlySky FS-T6 I bought last year instead.
Looking at the IBU2 receiver layout:
1-Ch 1 Throttle
2-Ch 2 Steering (Aileron in airplane speak)
3-Ch 3 Barrel Elevation (Elevator in " ")
4- ch 4 Turret rotation (Rudder).
In the FS-T6 menu (much easier to use than the Spektrum, by the way), under: 'system/sticks mode. I saw that Mode 2 has channels 1 and 2 on the right stick, and channels 3 and 4 on the left stick. Perfect for IBU2, I thought. This would give the traditional; Heng Long arrangement, and the one I have on the Spektrum. You can see the consequences.
A question, then. From my limited knowledge of rc systems, I thought that 'Ch 3' was almost always the throttle. Isn't it? I was quite surprised to see it listed as 'Ch 1' in the IBU2 manual. Then again, perhaps the translation lacks a little something, and assumes a lot of prior knowledge..but I went along with it anyway, and put connected the IBU2 to the rx in strict numerical order (1-1;2-2;3-3;4-4). But I read here:
http://scaledtanksworld.com/stw/index.php?topic=1716.0 Ian suggesting that IBU2 'assumes Mode 1'. Well, that 'mode 1' is not the same as the 'mode 1' in my FS-T6. In the FS-T6, ch 3 (Barrel elevation/ gun shoot etc) is to be found on the right stick. All very confusing. To save me time, and more gnashing of furnishings, does anyone here use the FS-T6 with the IBU2 pro. If so, what mode is it in, and how have you got the channels wired from the IBU2 to the rx? I'd be very grateful for an account of working setup.
As for prior knowledge, although I had a good acquaintance with electronics (hi- fi and computers), I had absolutely no knowledge of RC model systems...and I can't be the only one arriving here as a newbie, a tank fresher,
with zero familiarity with the terminology, jargon and pitfalls to be encountered in the hobby. Any knuckle dragger can get a (standard) Heng long tank to work, in spite of the baffling, and often laughable language the instructions are written in :lolno: :lolno: ...but more sophisticated systems are another matter, and probably put some novices off (notwithstanding the large, and sometimes potentially relationship- breaking outlay of the family finances :lolno: :lolno: But in the IBU2 manual, for example, "Reverse', 'Dual Rate' and the like are meaningless..and never enlarged upon. Also, (and many thanks, Ian) though there is a mention
of how to connect the Taigen/Imex Airsoft Barrel recoil system to the IBU2, there's no indication that (with the revised harness mentioned -for plug and play) the system should be connected to the Xenon connector on the board.
All in all, it's a steep learning curve. Just make sure it's not in the direction of kitchen crockery, or collection of succulents! :D 'Trial and error' can be scientific, but 'hit and miss'..can be expensive!
Last edited by 43rdRecceReg on Sun Oct 02, 2016 4:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
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Ad Lav
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Re: Tiger 1 ran amok..

Post by Ad Lav »

I run a spectrum dx6i with my Tamiya tanks and a Planet T5 for my Tamiua battle tanks.

Takes a bit of getting used to with the spectrum but it's easy once you've done it once.

If you need a hand setting it up let me know.
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43rdRecceReg
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Re: Tiger 1 ran amok..

Post by 43rdRecceReg »

Thanks for the offer, Adam, I may take you up on that at a later date. For the meantime, I'm determined to get the FlySky TX/RX combo working properly..out of curiosity, and sheer dogged determination!
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
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Raminator
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Re: Tiger 1 ran amok..

Post by Raminator »

I'm using an FS-CT6A with an IBU2 Base, I think it's a fairly similar transmitter. I wanted throttle on the left stick, but rather than changing the radio to mode 2 I just changed the channel assignments between the receiver and IBU. I've got mine hooked up like this:

Code: Select all

IBU Channel 1     >     Rx Channel 3
IBU Channel 2     >     Rx Channel 4
IBU Channel 3     >     Rx Channel 2
IBU Channel 4     >     Rx Channel 1
Channel 1 and 3 are inverted in the IBU2.ini file.

Might not be the most elegant way to do it, but it works the way I want it to: throttle and steering left stick, rotation and elevation right stick.
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43rdRecceReg
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Re: Tiger 1 ran amok..

Post by 43rdRecceReg »

Thanks, Ram. Steering a (RHD) car with the right hand is the norm for me, and the left is reserved for Texting, Dropping CDs, the Crack Pipe, and surreptitious slurps from the hip flask... (NOT!! :haha: :haha: :D )..
For this reason I prefer steering/driving controls on the right. Yep, I know you antipodeans also drive RHD on the right side..but.. it's whatever suits. I expect if you hold the wheel in the left hand, and the window's open, or top down, you can fend the Roos off with the right!
Finally, after pacing about, head scratching, and unprintable expletives a spot of logic and experimentation (moving connectors around) I had a eureka moment. :O :D Apart from some fine adjustment in all directions, and all axes I now how full movement on the right stick, and all turret functions on the left, also including lights on/off and (Tarr mk 2) smoker on/off as well :thumbup: :thumbup: Best of all, the Taigen/Imex Airsoft Barrel Recoil unit is working, and the timing is- for the moment- spot on!. That's after numerous attempts at calibration and lead substitution. At the outset, I'd connected all six channels up and set the jumper for '6 channels'. But it all began to work properly when I went back to four channels and built up to five. One oddity, though. The drive train doesn't seem to have enough puff without switch 'A' on, and with a half turn of the potentiometer next to it. Hmm..later.
The FlySky FS-T6 also appears on the rctank.de website as the 'Monstertronic MTT6', so I imagine Dominique thinks it's OK. I believe it also appears in the guise of a Turnigy something or other.
My final settings- for anyone thinking of using this unit were:
Mode 1: Ch 3/Ch1 on right stick, with Ch4/Ch2 on left. Something's on switch 'A' ; but it's a mystery drive booster of some sort for now...a sort of tank steroid.
IBU2 to FS T6
Ch1...Ch1
Ch2.. Ch 3
Ch 3..Ch 2
Ch 4..Ch 4
Part of the problem is that on the FS-T6 Throttle (default) is Ch3..but can be CH5, but in the IBU2 it's CH1(Default). Anyway, all good for the moment. I think I'll not push my luck, :wtf: and I'll go and play with the bog standard
Taigen PZ for a wee wind down.. :think:
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
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PainlessWolf
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Re: Tiger 1 ran amok..

Post by PainlessWolf »

Good morning,
At least the air cannon was not loaded and going off. ;o)
regards,
Painless
...Here for the Dawn...
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43rdRecceReg
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Re: Tiger 1 ran amok..

Post by 43rdRecceReg »

PainlessWolf wrote:Good morning,
At least the air cannon was not loaded and going off. ;o)
regards,
Painless
And a very good Evening to you, Painless! :D No, the only thing going off was my enthusiasm for rc systems. >:< It's back now. :P No worries, being a moderately experienced firearm user, I apply the same rules on unloading weapons to the airsoft cannon as well. It was bad enough having the metal tracks gnawing contentedly on the furnishings, without random rounds in the room too :haha:
I'm thinking of trying a Beier system next. I've often thought that there's nothing wrong with the stock Taigen/Heng Long 2.4 systems in the 'authentic' movement department. OK, they're not that proportional; but with the classy sound effects that the Beier system offers, you can get an impressive performance from a tank- in sound and vision- without binning the stock electronics. That could spare a newbie lots of grief, money, and (most precious of all to us oldies)....time too. :shh: The only prerequisite appears to be the ability to solder three wires carefully, and to possess one of these (many of us will have rooms full of them! :think: )
But not the latest (3rd generation units):
These, but not 1st gen Heng Long without V and S
These, but not 1st gen Heng Long without V and S
Beier supported radios.tiff (329.03 KiB) Viewed 2817 times
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jeman
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Re: Tiger 1 ran amok..

Post by jeman »

Sounds fun though ! cant beat a rogue tank.......as long as your not a skirting board lol Joking aside I hope you get it sorted as the Tiger is one of my favs :D

Cheers
Mark
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43rdRecceReg
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Re: Tiger 1 ran amok..

Post by 43rdRecceReg »

jeman wrote:Sounds fun though ! cant beat a rogue tank.......as long as your not a skirting board lol Joking aside I hope you get it sorted as the Tiger is one of my favs :D

Cheers
Mark
This was the first tank I built Mark, and I've given it all the bangs and whistles..but now it's giving me the bangs and whistles back! :haha: :haha:
The IBU2 installation is now about 98% working properly, bar a bit of fine tuning. Mind you, can you imagine the damage your monster Challenger would cause if it went rogue? :problem: :lolno:
Last edited by 43rdRecceReg on Thu Sep 29, 2016 5:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
jeman
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Re: Tiger 1 ran amok..

Post by jeman »

43rdRecceReg wrote:
jeman wrote:Sounds fun though ! cant beat a rogue tank.......as long as your not a skirting board lol Joking aside I hope you get it sorted as the Tiger is one of my favs :D

Cheers
Mark
This was the first tank I built Mark, and I've given it all the bangs and whistles..but now it's giving me the bangs and whistles back! :haha: :haha:
The IBU2 installation is now about 98% woking properly, bar a bit of fine tuning. Mind you, can you imagine the damage your monster Challenger would cause if it went rogue? :problem: :lolno:
LOL Your Tiger Sounds a great bit of kit and fitting a IBU2 is something I've always wanted to do as I've got a 1/16 Taigen Tiger and luv it. Like yourself I added more bits and metal to it and its a great Tank. I sold all my others to help fund the Chally, but the Tiger I just cant bring myself to sell....so its staying :) You saying about the Chally going Rogue and what damage it would do.......well let me tell you my friend, it wouldn't do half as much damage as my WIFE would when she got hold of me ! :haha: Dam we are lucky to have such a great and crazy hobbie as TANKING Cheers buddy
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