Topic: (2.4ghz) M-Link in gliders

Hi Guys,

I decided to go down the 2.4ghz route due to a few incidents I've seen lately and a feeling that it would generally make life easier. I thought I would start a thread for any other mpx users who might be considering it and relay my experice. I'm using a profi 4000 btw.

I bought:

TX module (inch 1 7ch rx)
35 meg converter thingie
4 no 6ch d/r light receivers.

In terms of the pricing of the kit it's not bad. The 6ch rx are actually pretty much the same price as the old rx-7 ipds were. The module was pretty cheap considering you get a 7ch d/r light with it too. I decide to convert over my best models rather than everything at this stage.  Where i feel mpx has made a mistake is in pricing it's 5ch rx which is 46 quid, which is a bit OTT for cheap foamies and the like. The RXs with telemetry seem a bit pricey too, time will tell if prices change.

I will put on a few pics of installs in the models and see how it goes. Hopefully it will be rock steady.

Model to be converted are:
Ascot
Extreme
Tragi
Typhoon
Skorpion



i will add some pics of the TX conversion as well.

trusty Sage beating Tragi up first. I forgot to take a pic of the size of the RX compared to the size of the old RX-7. basically it's the same but somewhat thinner.

The aerial lengths are fixed so you have to work with what you have got, which is why I have looped one through the keel and back to the same side it started on.  There are two aerials as the D/R rxs are dual receivers.

It's important to note that it's only the end bit of the aerial that receives a signal from the TX. the black bit is shielded. On this install the exposed part is inside the yellow plastic tubes (golden rods out of a shooting star).





the other is 90 degrees to it at the other side of the keel.  The instructions indicate this is the best aerial placement.






The hotmelt gun wasn't working properly so the glue didn't come out well. in fact the nose keels needs a bit of a tidy up as it's all be jigged around, but that's for another day.

The problem is that I didn't plane for 2.4 aerial length when i did the install. It will be easier on future models where you can take the 2.4 requirements more in to consideration.  

For those of us not well versed in all those models, which ones have carbon fuselages?

(Not a semblance of a fishy shape yet!  )

For those of us not well versed in all those models, which ones have carbon fuselages?

(Not a semblance of a fishy shape yet!  )

The Ascot is carbon except in the nose area, ditto the typhoon.  The extreme is a carbon/kevlar mix, so will probably need external whiskers. the skorpion and the tragi are both glass fuses with carbon reinforcement (both all glass nose cones).  All wings are are carbon.  

The tragi has a tube for the 35 meg aerial (it is a tragi!) as does the skorp. Previous the skorp, the ascot and the extreme had aerials extended in to the tails. not flown the typhoon yet.

Great idea, I'm switching my 4000 to 2.4 and keeping my 3030 for 35mg. Have ordered the module and the 9 pro rx, its going in a Teakle 22 for the test and then if every thing is o k  it will be put in a large Duo Discus as yet unflown, hopefully May/June. The 7rx looks a nifty bit of kit and not a bad price. Look forward to your future posts. . Ant.

Thanks I will add one some photos of the TX conversion and the RXs and stuff. As a glider guider I opted for the 6channel rX as my models only have 6 channels and it's 17 quid cheaper.

I kind of regret buying the 35 meg converter thing as it seems a bit of a faff to convert it over to be honest. Might buy a cheap tx for other models. 

For those of us not well versed in all those models, which ones have carbon fuselages?

(Not a semblance of a fishy shape yet!  )

Tom thinks the Tragi fuse is really fat!  That's about as fishy as he gets!

I'm going the same route Tom. Luckily as a relative newcomer I have few planes to convert. I'll be keeping the SX on 35 and will start with an add on switched 2.4 module but will be keen to garner any info from youse.

wicked. I amsolutely love M-Link and the hassle free err ness of 2.4. Not had a single range or glitch issue. although I don't think there is much carbon in my tragi.

Stu

Tom
Don't know if you have seen this HFM-X M-Link Module  Rx-7DR Light Receiver
It's external  and plugs into the charge socket , it as a switch to go from 35 mg or 2.4 simple 

I'm going the same route Tom. Luckily as a relative newcomer I have few planes to convert. I'll be keeping the SX on 35 and will start with an add on switched 2.4 module but will be keen to garner any info from youse.

Don't do that Ed.  Go the whole hog with the 2.4 conversion, it's cleaner and less risk.

But then what will you do with that Becker.....

wicked. I amsolutely love M-Link and the hassle free err ness of 2.4. Not had a single range or glitch issue. although I don't think there is much carbon in my tragi.

Stu

Stu, if you hold the fuse up to a strong light you can see carbon strips running through the boom.

Tom
Don't know if you have seen this HFM-X M-Link Module  Rx-7DR Light Receiver
It's external  and plugs into the charge socket , it as a switch to go from 35 mg or 2.4 simple  

I've already bought the TX module I'm afraid. That might have been a better idea on reflection though.

The TX module and 7ch rx:


I'm still waiting for a t6 torx bit to arrive to make the conversion with the thingie below. Kind of gone off that idea though.......... (will explain later)

The thing for swapping between 35 meg and 2.4ghz


RX in a large box........


You get stickers........

here is the 7channel and 6 channel RXs next to a 35 meg RX-7. the 6 and 7 ch receiver are identically sized.



You might notice that the RX aerials on the 2.4ghz RXs are not the same length. Apparently this is deliberate for better receiver diversity (say if you just ran them parallel).  one is about 133mm and one is about 126mm. Hope that helps give you an idea on the antennae length. the aerials are probably longer than they need to be for gliders, but I am looping them. I hope that works okay! Due to the shielding the aerials are not as flexible as the 35 meg ones (but not problematic).

yeah i have seen those strips. and yes the boxes that the RX's come in are rediculously big hehe.

 

Next model up was the skorpion.  Not very edifying, as it's essentially the same as the tragi. one aerial is extented down the length of the fuse and one is at 90 degrees (looped round).

I will get to the real meat of the issue when I decide which way to convert the TX and get on to more tricky models like the extreme which has a carbon fuse. but even at my lazy speed it is pretty quick and easy to change the RXs over. Of course the main thing is when it comes to range checking then actual use..........

Although I did have to do some reprogramming on my TX as I previously used channels 1,2,3,5,6&7 which doesn't work on a 6ch RX. but it's more logical to just use 1-6 anyway.

Good move Tom.

I have gone the 2.4 way as well.
Just waiting for my rx's to turn up from inwoods.
Of course I'm using the futaba systems, but the install is the same.

My only concern is my carbon fuzzes in my Lift and extreme.

I may have to get new 2.4 friendly versions.
The ascot and the ceres f3b (Albeit a wee bit more tatty then the last time I flew it.) have already got 2.4 friendly fuzz's.

If the 2.4 turn up in time I will be 2.4 for r1 at the bwlch 

 hi tom i have just bought a 4000 but when i switch on a warning comes up
 saying ram page 6 error in german any ideas? also i have the 7ch m link
 module now i know your models have carbon reinforcement in them but
 have you or anybody else tried it in an erwin dss which is solid carbon
 all over.

Ah - you bought a GERMAN one.........................

Vee haf vays off tellink................

it sounds like the internal battery has run out. But you really need to send it to Mike Ridley for a service.

I haven't tried a full carbon model yet but my extreme is as good is full carbon. Will post my results in due course.

Beaten to it by Tom. Find Mike Ridley here - a very helpful chap indeed.
Home - Model Radio Workshop
Cheers
Graham

hi tom i have just bought a 4000 but when i switch on a warning comes up
 saying ram page 6 error in german any ideas? also i have the 7ch m link
 module now i know your models have carbon reinforcement in them but
 have you or anybody else tried it in an erwin dss which is solid carbon
 all over.

Full carbon mmmmh !
Clats had trouble on sat with his elito and 2.4 with a carbonish nose.

Tom your fuzz on your extreme is full carbon and you reckon 2.4 is ok ?

myself i'm not sure ?

as far as I can tell it's laid up with a cloth that is a carbon/kevlar hybrid (a cloth weaved with both fabrics) Not very 2.4 friendly, but I think doable with whiskers.

are so you poked it out side the fuzz in a V at the top just above the back of the canopy or the front of the canopy ?

I haven't done that one yet. Might do it tomorrow night.

I have done the whiskers job with my Crossfire Evo (sorry if I seem to be repeating myself).  This has a solid carbon nose with carbon canopy.  It's been given a good seeing to at Moel Famau and the Orme without any problems.

I have done the whiskers job with my Crossfire Evo (sorry if I seem to be repeating myself).  This has a solid carbon nose with carbon canopy.  It's been given a good seeing to at Moel Famau and the Orme without any problems.

Have you got a picture of that install? Would be interesting to see.

Away from home right now but I'll do that this evening.

I used a 7DR rx, which unfortunately is wider than the "lights" and needed some adjustment to the servo plate to be able to shoehorn it in.

hi tom i have just bought a 4000 but when i switch on a warning comes up
 saying ram page 6 error in german any ideas? also i have the 7ch m link
 module now i know your models have carbon reinforcement in them but
 have you or anybody else tried it in an erwin dss which is solid carbon
 all over.

Had this happen twice on mine, motherboard problem, first time went back to Germany (before Mike Ridley) they replaced motherboard FOC second time I had connected to PC and an error came up and back to the RAM 6 screen this time it went to Mike who said that Multiplex recommend you replace the motherboard but he has found that by reloading the the operating software this cures it. Has been ok ever since.

Either way it has to go to Mike Ridley and all is not terminal!

Nige. 

Can I add a very strange and what would seem a one off happening:
I have a 3030 with the 2.4 module I have had no problems at all and love it
BUT
you may know that I had a brio lock out and before that a prob with my Prodij ( both on 35meg)

at the weekend I took the kids up the hill with the wild thing was using the Cockpit Sx as the teacher and the Profi as the pupil (coz the model was set up on the SX)
but the kids were struggling with the profi, it is a bit big for a 7 and 9 year old lol

so I decided to set it up on the profi there in the pitts as it is only a delta mix

but the 35 meg module in the profi, nothing not a sausage, tried resetting the synth RX and it could not find it 
cockpit sx has a channel check so I checked and my channel was in use 

got home and tried in on other models, nothing.

Put the 2.4 module back in and all worked fine

35meg module now in the post on it's way to mike, even he is confused 

cant be the TX as 2.4 works find
must be the module but it seems to be transmitting something as the channel check picks it up and the Servos on the plane stop twitching when it's turned on
most odd
but maybe it has had a problem for a while that has now developed to DEAD!!
can wait to find out what was wrong, just hope I dont need to send the Profi too, then it hurts the wallet

which module is it?

Is there lots ?
the standard one with crystals
or which 2.4
HFM3 M-LINK 2.4 GHz RF module

Is there lots ?
the standard one with crystals
or which 2.4
HFM3 M-LINK 2.4 GHz RF module

if the channel check was finding it sounds like an issue with finding the channel with the RX.  if it's a multiplex IPD you would have to retune when you changed TXs.

I tryed it on two differant planes with RX7 Synths and then one with a JR synth and one with a fixed crystal RX
all which were set up to work on the profi when they last flew

Nothing

maybe start a new thread. dunno mate. you have to snip the wire to the aerial ball joint if you install the 2.4ghz permanently don't you.

maybe start a new thread. dunno mate. you have to snip the wire to the aerial ball joint if you install the 2.4ghz permanently don't you.

I have the adaptor lead and you don't remove the copper plate or snip the leads

I will make a new thread when I know more
but I wondered weather the 2.4 might have had something to do with it (why I posted it in here)

Tom asked me to include some pics of my install in a Crossfire Evo.  It's an all carbon nose, so the antennae have been routed externally as cats whiskers.  The model had previously been fitted with 35MHz rx, so this is a retrofit.

First up is a picture of the nose area with canopy fitted.  Can you tell what it is yet?  You have to get in close for the whiskers to be obvious (second picture).

Third picture is with the canopy off and shows tie wraps that are used to hold the screened cable lengths in the correct orientation.  The antenna are held from slipping out by a smidgeon of cyano.

Fourth picture shows the entire canopy area and how the rx had to be shoehorned into place.  The 7DR rx's are quite wide and share the same case as the 9ch DR.  I had to remove some of the servo tray to fit it in and it will have created possible stress points in the canopy area.  Another alternative is to leave the model at home unflown, unloved, unwanted.....  The battery checker is now redundant cos the 7DR includes voltage telemetry - it gives an audible warning at the Profi tx if voltage falls below a safe threshold.  Battery checker does give additional confidence at switch on (or plug-in).

Here are a couple of other installs that I have done using the "light" rxs.  In both cases the nose cone area is mostly glass, so I have not been as fussy about the quality of install.  I'm not advocating or recommending these methods, but they both work and so illustrate that M-Link is quite resilient and idiot resistant.

First picture is a Vector III with 7ch DR Light rx.  This had previously been fitted with 35MHz and then Spekky 2.4 before M-Link.  The change from Spekky to M-Link was done at the Orme between flights.  The antenna are held in place with Diamond tape (one on the side of the fus and one across the ballast tube.

Second picture is a New Sting.  One antenna is held in place vertically through a hole in the inner nose moulding.  It does not snag when the noce cone is fitted.  The other antenna is routed across the ply servo plate.