Ok ...did I make a mistake here or what. This looks really complicated setting up the controller and trying to get it to mate with the Phoenix 4 simulator. Is there some type of training video that will walk you through this??? At this point thinking the 29.95 plug and play helicopters might have been the way to go.


Controller DX6i
Copter MSRX
Simulator Phoenix 4

A youtube search came up with a few videos.

Another option would be capt jacks phoenix flight school. Haven't tried it myself, but he does get good comments from people who have.

Originally Posted by karlik

A youtube search came up with a few videos.

Another option would be capt jacks phoenix flight school. Haven't tried it myself, but he does get good comments from people who have.

I sure there's going to be a captain jack lesson in my near future. I guess it's not something that will happen over night. It's not just learning how to fly a helicopter. It's learning the controls, set up etc. I'll just have to take my time

what will it not do

First I figured i would set up the simulator. Went through set up set it for a MSRX and the correct controller. Watch the control functions set etc. The screen shows a heli on the grass, but it will not do anything. So I went to training and tried hoovering. The trottle had lift and was able to work the Heli...went back to the single screen and that copter does nothing

Originally Posted by hollywoodgt

I sure there's going to be a captain jack lesson in my near future. I guess it's not something that will happen over night. It's not just learning how to fly a helicopter. It's learning the controls, set up etc. I'll just have to take my time

------------------------------------------------------Search & Rescue has you on the radar!

Setting up a programmable transmitter AND setting up Phoenix can be pretty daunting for the first time. LOTS of menus to setup and any of them wrong can ground you. Check your msg box (if you haven't already) and we can do a pre-flight and walk-around on Skype.

captJac

Originally Posted by CaptJac

------------------------------------------------------Search & Rescue has you on the radar!

Setting up a programmable transmitter AND setting up Phoenix can be pretty daunting for the first time. LOTS of menus to setup and any of them wrong can ground you. Check your msg box (if you haven't already) and we can do a pre-flight and walk-around on Skype.

captJac

If he can operate that camera in the avatar, he can figure out a DX6i

It isn't really that hard, but Jack has an established method of teaching it which seems to work. For your MSR though, you don't need to learn any programming, just set up a 'default' or 'blank' airplane model and bind to that - it will fly with those settings, but putting in some expo and dual rates is a good idea - Jack will show you how to do that, it isn't hard. Don't be intimidated - this isn't computer coding.

Thanks Jasmine...... it is a little intimidating though. Let harder than working my cameras in my opinion. Guess I just grasped that quicker. Look like I'll miss Captjack with the time change so I'll be trying to get the simulator figured out tonight ....maybe I can use youtube :-(

Originally Posted by hollywoodgt

Thanks Jasmine...... it is a little intimidating though. Let harder than working my cameras in my opinion. Guess I just grasped that quicker. Look like I'll miss Captjack with the time change so I'll be trying to get the simulator figured out tonight ....maybe I can use youtube :-(

It's really not that bad... the tricky thing is, the simulator needs different input from your real helicopters. The simulator is basically set up like a flybarless helicopter, which receives collective pitch, throttle, aileron, elevator, and tail/yaw on individual channels (no mixing). So, the basic "1-servo" swash plate option is what you use, and you can leave most everything else on defaults except the throttle curve for your idle-up mode. I know that might not make much sense right now but stick with me...

On your DX6i, and on all Spek radios, there are basically two menus - one where you can choose a model memory slot and set major settings like helicopter/airplane and the name, and another menu where you set all the aircraft settings - it needs to be this way because options in the 'major' menu affect what you see in the 'minor' menus (different options for planes and helis for example). One other thing - for your simulator you will use one model memory spot in the radio and fly airplanes and helicopters with it. Now the setup itself...

0. Play around with navigating through the menus and learn how the click and roll interface works - you can't hurt anything. Learn to adjust settings and how the highlighting and boxes work to indicate what you're doing - boxes around something usually means that scrolling will change that setting.

1. Go into your DX6i "Main" menu... it will say "Adjust List - Main" at the top - go to model select, and pick an empty model memory spot - pick number 10 or something, use the low numbers for your aircraft.
2. Go to "setup list" (bottom of 'main') and then to "Model Type" and pick "Heli"
3. Back in "setup list" go to "Model Name" and put "Sim" or something
4. Back in "setup list" again - go to "Swash Type" and pick "1SERVO90"
5. In "main" go to "Thro Cur" to set up throttle curves - leave the "NORM" the way it is - go to "STUNT" and set the curve so it reads 100-90-80-90-100 - this will be sufficient for most of the helicopters in Phoenix.

That is all you should need to do for the radio part. Let me explain what this does...
1. Three of your sticks - rudder, aileron, and elevator - are sent on separate channels with no modification - that is, the exact position of each of these sticks is sent to Phoenix un-modified.
2. The throttle stick sends two channels of output - one for throttle and one for collective pitch. For collective pitch, the stick position is sent un-modified, but for throttle, it uses the curves we programmed in step 5 above - when in "NORM" setting, it's sending the throttle stick position unmodified, but when in "STUNT" setting, it's sending the throttle values we programmed for each stick position in step 5 above. 100 percent throttle at zero stick, 90 percent throttle at 25% low stick, etc...

So now, all you need to do is calibrate and map the channels in your radio. Your Phoenix should have a DX6i setup available already - pick that one and do the calibration. Make sure all your switches are 'off' when calibrating. You should be good to go from there...

It is personal preference, but when I want exponential on a model, I do that adjustment in the simulator - I try to keep my radio setup as generic as possible. You should be able to manage airplanes and helicopters both with this setup. Let me know if there's anything you don't follow. Good luck!

If you see "Rocky Mountain Fly" in the online servers, that's me - or if you see Jasmine2501 flying around, say hi. Try the online multi-player, it's lots of fun! If you can't get hooked up with Jack I can help you but he's the expert

Originally Posted by jasmine2501

It's really not that bad... the tricky thing is, the simulator needs different input from your real helicopters.

All those new fangled switches and terminologies and menus -he had everything right except throttle-hold. When all else fails - switch on the ignition!!

Originally Posted by CaptJac

All those new fangled switches and terminologies and menus -he had everything right except throttle-hold. When all else fails - switch on the ignition!!

Yeah I remember my first radio manual... it's not string theory, but close