Fixing Hitec Receiver?

[Shogun]

I bought the Feather receiver at a swap meet (I know "You Get What You Pay For"). It is a 4ch AM receiver. I hook all the connections up and the problem is that the left stick controls do not respond. Rudder and elevator channels are fine but no response on the throttle and ailerons.
Does anyone know or have this problem and how it can be fixed. I paid about $10 so money is not the issue but I would like to try and use it and not have to throw it away. If it is a simple enough I would like to fix it and feel good rather than feeling like I have been ripped off. I have dabbled in small electronic circuits but I am no expert.
Thanks for the help in troubleshooting or any tips. :)

[Mr.RC-CAM]

If two of the four channels don't work, and the connector pins are clean, then the problem is most likely in the decoder IC; The Feather probably uses a CD4015 or CD4017. Just read the part number printed on your decoder IC and then hunt down a replacement (hint: mouser.com or digikey.com).

The fine print: The part is cheap (<$1) but the shipping will probably kill the deal. And, it is a fine pitch SMT part, so good soldering tools and skills are required. And most importantly, a working Feather is perhaps best used as a paper weight. Reports of glitching are common (search rcgroups).

BTW, are you sure it is a AM Rx? Assuming it is the typical FM Feather, how about putting it to very good use in a different way. You won't have to repair it either: http://www.rc-cam.com/monitor.htm

RC-CAM

[Shogun]

Mr.RC-CAM,
Thanks for your reply. I am not sure if it is an AM. It does not say FM or AM on the RX but the guy who sold it to me said it was an AM. The tag on the RX says Single Conversion 72MHz and looks exactly like the one in this link
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=408899

Would it show symptoms like I described above if I tried to use an FM system with AM crystals & AM TX?

[Mr.RC-CAM]

I believe that all Hitec Feather Rxs are FM, but anything is possible. In case it helps, here is the manual: http://www.hitecrcd.com/Support/Manuals/Receivers/Feather%20inst.pdf

If your Tx is AM, then it is odd it would work at all with an FM Rx, even marginally. So your situation full of surprises. To help sort through this, hunt down a buddy with a FM Tx and see if the Feather works with it.

[Shogun]

Just spoke to the Tech in Hitec and he confirmed that all the Hitec Feathers were FM. He told me not to use any other crystal other than the Hitec green seal single conv. crystal. Is that true or a sales pitch? He was also surprised that it worked with the AM TX at all. Seems like it always happens to me and just when I am getting into the hobby....