tedsander

I assume you mean copying an existing model to an open spot on the model list, to use as a base for the new model? If so, on the transmitter:
1. Short press MENU to get to the model list.
2. Scroll to the model that you want to copy.
3. Short press ENT. If it is the currently active model, you will get a short menu with "Backup", "Copy", or "Move". If it is not the currently active model, you'll get "Select" and "Delete" as options in addition.
4. Select "Copy".
5. Hit the "-" key, and it will jump to the first open slot at the bottom of the list. You can then use the + or - keys to move it up or down the list, even up into the main body of the list, if you want to insert it between two existing models.
6. When happy with where it is, do a short press of the "ENT" button, and it will copy it to that spot.

Now you can select it, and edit anything there you want - name, tweak the configuration, etc.
It MIGHT even control the receiver in the original model correctly...(but I haven't tested that!). Obviously, you should assign a new receiver number and bind to the new receiver for the new model....

It works pretty much the same way in Companion - upload the entire model list, copy/paste a model to a blank spot, modify it as needed, and download the entire list back to the radio. But I know you and Companion haven't always seen eye-to-eye!

Ted

Jim.Thompson

Thanks for the quick reply Ted.

Yes.
Sorry if I did not make that absolutely clear; I thought I did. (But, it is good practice to make sure of the question before attempting to answer!)

I had been trying to copy a model as you describe up to this step, but when the original model name disappeared it began to look like I might lose the original that I was trying to copy.

I have just copied one model to a new space, to use for a second plane. In your words: " copying an existing model to an open spot on the model list, to use as a base for the new model".
It worked fine.


I fully accept that the problem was a simple "operator error".
However, I am capable of making another one.............any day soon!

Thanks again.

Jim.

Jim.Thompson

How seriously should I take the receiver number allocation?
I have not bothered to date.

egldriver

recently bought a new Taranis x9d SE with preloaded sd card. I've been using a X9D plus for 3 years which has model images available for assignment to each model. my new SE just displays 3 dashes, no images. any idea how to access the images. also been trying to figure out the S8R rx gyro function. it seems to resemble the Eagle Tree in function. does it dampen or just fight input from the pilot/ or wind

Hyjinx

Hey Ted
Quick question. Why assign model numbers to receivers.
Not being a jerk intentionally, I just don't see any reason for it in the real world.
Thanks for your thoughts. Am I missing something important here.

tedsander

You're actually assigning a seperate number to a receiver. So if the RX had a number of #2, and you had it in a model that is temporarily out of service (say in position #4 in the listings), and wanted to put it in a new model (say #16 on the list), just tell the new setup the receiver is #2, and you shouldn't have to rebind.
Newer versions of OpenTX will alert you if two models have the same receiver number, but it doesn't prevent you from using it. Just a safety warning, so you make sure you really have the correct model selected in the TX.

The one time I actually used this feature, we were doing club combat. My plane got hit pretty hard. I had a spare that had been fully set up in the TX as a separate model, but at the field had no receiver in it. I pulled the RX out of the damaged one, and put it in the new. Then in the TX just gave it the same RX number, and went back into the fight.
Later, after repairs, I put that RX back in the original plane, and put a new RX with a new number, in the replacement.

Hyjinx

Cool. Thanks Ted. Good thoughts on utility.
Aaron

tedsander

Give a long press to the Menu key. Page once to get to the SD Card screen. "-" down to "Images" Hit enter once. Are the files listed there? If not, they aren't on the SD Card.....
Go here: http://www.open-tx.org/
Find the version you are currently running, and from the bottom of that screen go to "SD Card Contents" to download a whole set of new files for your card. Unzip on your computer and add/replace from that Images folder to the one on your SD card.
SD Card contents do not seem to be available for versions before 2.3.0, but for images ONLY nothing has changed, so you can actually use any version. But don't replace other things on your SD card, unless you are using the same version as the software!

If the card is missing files, I'd just consider strongly upgrading everything to the latest and greatest.

egldriver

I see a pair of brackets,( what's that?) and "read me text". that's it. version 2.3.9 . most of the terms , zip , etc I have no idea . just wondering why my old x9d has the stock images and the new one I just bought from Aloft w preloaded sd card iask/ paid for does not. no clear answer from them regarding this. simply want to include a standard image to each model, like my previous x9d will

tedsander

Wow, very uncharacteristic from Aloft! But at least that it was from them, they'll be quick to send a new one, or refund.
The [..] is just a shortcut to go up one folder level, in this case back to the main directory of the card.
You might want to do what I noted above, but go to the "Sounds" folder. Go to the listing for English ([en]), and inside that you should see another folder for [System] and also a bunch of files ending in ".wav", which are all the sounds. If those aren't there, they really messed up in giving you a fully set up card.

".zip" that I assume you are seeing when downloading is just a compressed file - extra space removed to make it smaller, and able to download faster. In Windows 10 after downloading , just right click on the name, and pick "extract" from the pop-up menu. Then it will ask you where to put them..
I have a seperate "Taranis" folder on my desktop (but it can be in your Documents, or anywhere else you decide), and inside that a "SD Card" folder that I tell Windows to put the files from the "zip" in to.
I'll copy everything from there to the real SD Card. So now I have a backup on the computer that is a duplicate of the radio's files, if ever needed. Also useful to configure Companion to go there, so then you don't need to plug the radio in to set up new models on the computer, until you want to upload/download to it.
I'd suggest deleting everything on the SD Card first, then copying over from your backup. That way you are starting clean. (unless, of course, you decided to just get a new card from Aloft).

Here's a direct link to the "zip" of the files: https://downloads.open-tx.org/2.3/re...tx-x9d%2B2019/
Pick the bottom one on the list (most recent date). Don't worry if you do not have a "2019" version of the Taranis Plus SE - they both use the same files.

AussieWings

Good morning everyone, from NC.

I am a complete newcomer to RC flying, and have just completed two partial flights using a buddy box setup at our local club (only handling the club's training aircraft once it was at a safe altitude). I was pleased to find this specific thread!

Our club is very small, and I can already see that flying opportunities as a student will be much facilitated if I get set up with my own aircraft and electronics sooner rather than later.

A few things I am curious about :

One club member flies with a Taranis system. He is detail-oriented, and I overheard him discussing an issue that resonated with me - that the Taranis control inputs are unique in being faithful to what happens in a full-sized aircraft. Eg : once a steady rate turn is initiated, the pilot will begin to neutralize some of the inputs, to avoid accelerating/steepening, etc. Is it true that the Taranis system is distinguishable from others, in this regard? I am someone who would value having an RC flying experience that is more realistic.

If I were to adopt Taranis electronics for my first (trainer) aircraft, am I now precluded from being able to have an instructor train me with another brand of transmitter in a 'buddy box' environment? I see reference to Taranis modules (emulating other brands), but I don't know what if any value these provide specifically for the transmitter coupling between instructor and student. From my casual observations at the field so far, Spektrum appears to be the most popular system being used here.

With all this in mind, I can see that the most experienced flyers may advise me to buy a low tech RTF trainer with whatever electronics are suited to local training opportunities, get that learning out of the way, and then migrate to a system that I would plan to own for years to come. I look forward to seeing what ideas exist around all of this.

Cheers!

Jim.Thompson

Welcome to these forums! You will be pleased with the assistance that can be gained here.

As both a radio control model flyer and a full size aircraft flyer myself, I would say that is totally incorrect. All common transmitter systems do that to a certain degree, especially on mode 2.

No it would not. However, the answer to how this can be done is a long one with many alternate ways of achieving it.
Ted might be able to answer that, if you require details, more thoroughly than I could.

Jim.

AussieWings

Jim, thank you! (by the way, I'm originally from bayside Melbourne, but my wife and I are now settled on the Outer Banks, North Carolina).

Please do let me know how to connect with Ted. I am also waiting to hear back from Aloft Hobbies... assuming that they would help me configure a system with the look-ahead capability to do training with coupled 'off-brand' transmitters.

The first day of my flying was with Spektrum transmitters, and it was all seamless from my point of view. When the instructor felt the need to take over, he did so, and it was all accomplished without a data cable between the 2 units.

After reading thru several threads of this particular forum, and learning a little, I can see that the Taranis ecosystem also opens up the possibility of delving into some fairly technical aspects of the control systems. But it also appears that this (potentially fascinating) part of the system can be held in abeyance until needed (ie : flying on a 4 channel trainer should represent nowhere near the complexity of doing custom configurations). I will of course learn more as I go.

In appreciation, Grant.

tedsander

I'm here, just a bit behind in reading posts!

As Jim noted, there is nothing special about how a Taranis controls things vs any other radio brand. It is the pilot that increases/decreases the angle of bank (etc), not the radio.
(Well, there are add-on gyro systems that can help with it...but they are extra and lead one down a road of additional cost/complexity...)

Radios made by FRSKY only come with that manufacturers radio transmission protocol(s), so cannot by themselves be used with other brands. But for most models, you can buy a relatively inexpensive 3rd party module that plugs in the back that will control almost anything. Radiomaster brand radios come with it already installed. I'm unsure about whether the Jumper brand includes it, or not.. I have several friends that bought Radiomasters this spring, and fly all their Spektrum planes with them. All three (FRSKY, Jumper, Radiomaster) mentioned run the same operating system - OpenTX. You are pretty much only selecting the hardware between them.

For wireless training, the decision gets a bit complicated. There's Spektrum to Spektrum, of course. The Taranis line from FRSKY can be fitted with a separate module that essentially has a receiver in it, that then can receive from the student radio. I instruct with this every week. I have not tested mixing brands with this, though. The more expensive FRSKY radios can't do this. If you have two radios with the Multi Module noted above, the modules can then talk for wireless training. In some FRSKY radios, they have a bluetooth module that takes over wireless training. Both radios need this feature. Reviews are very mixed about how dependable this is, however. If you really want this feature, some careful homework is in order before just assuming and buying. In almost all cases, if you use a wire, then pretty much any of the above can mate up to any other (but I'm unsure about whether Spektrum can accept a student input from a non-Spektrum radio this way). Any OpenTX radio can be the instructor radio, though and accept any other brand student radio using the wire.

So, Spektrum or an OpenTX system? Well, you likely have a lot of local resources to talk to about Spektrum. Note that there can be differences between lower cost and higher cost of the Spektrum brand radios, meaning someone may not be able to do everything on your model radio, if they have a different one. But they will have a decent general knowledge of "how to do it".
Any OpenTX system is literally about 1/10th the cost of the top of the line Spektrum, and can do the same or much more. Someone familiar with one brand using OpenTX will pretty much know everything that it takes to help with another brand. BUT, rather than pay with money, you will pay in a learning curve AND in more time making sure all the software parts are playing nicely with each other. Setting up a beginner model is just as easy in either system, but they are different as to "how to". Learning how to do more complex setups, keeping the parts of the system upgraded, etc. will take more time with OpenTX, and involve a lot more searching out of information. It's there, but you have to have the willingness to spend time learning and tinkering. But if you are easily frustrated by "technology", it may not be the path.

Let me know if you have further questions!

Ted

AussieWings

Ted,

This is excellent, and thank you. With the little I know, it's a bit tricky moving forward with first system purchase. I do like the characteristics of the Taranis system by way of what I have read here.

I had a thought - what if I were to simply buy a 2nd (fully compatible) Taranis transmitter? It may not be any more expensive, and much simpler than attempting to interface with another TX brand, using additional components. With that decision in hand, the next question would be how to choose amongst the many apparent Taranis components available (the collection on the Aloft side is a bit overwhelming). I am interested in buying a setup that would keep me going for the first few years, so perhaps a minimum of 6 channels? On the cabled vs wireless interface, I doubt that is a significant issue.

I am driven to buy early in my first flying season, because our club is very small (around a dozen active members, only 2 instructors), and I am hoping that having a complete system in hand will reduce a barrier to some available training days where a trainer package is not available, but an instructor is.

In appreciation - Grant.

Hyjinx

[QUOTE=AussieWings;12678392]Ted,

This is excellent, and thank you. With the little I know, it's a bit tricky moving forward with first system purchase. I do like the characteristics of the Taranis system by way of what I have read here.

I had a thought - what if I were to simply buy a 2nd (fully compatible) Taranis transmitter? It may not be any more expensive, and much simpler than attempting to interface with another TX brand, using additional components. With that decision in hand, the next question would be how to choose amongst the many apparent Taranis components available (the collection on the Aloft side is a bit overwhelming). I am interested in buying a setup that would keep me going for the first few years, so perhaps a minimum of 6 channels? On the cabled vs wireless interface, I doubt that is a significant issue.

I am driven to buy early in my first flying season, because our club is very small (around a dozen active members, only 2 instructors), and I am hoping that having a complete system in hand will reduce a barrier to some available training days where a trainer package is not available, but an instructor is.
Hey Grant. Another 2 pennies. I came to Taranis by spectrum failure. Since the conversion, I have lost no planes under mysterious circumstances. I have also never paid more than 39 dollars for a reciever with built in telemetry. And I gave never had one fail to my knowledge, I own two radios and over 40 recievers.
My sniveling begins at and through programing and updating. I am an old boomer and computers suck imho.
Buy two. They are cheap, nice having a spare radio or one to buddy box to another.
Side note.
I fly big expensive engines on crappy old used planes.
Get some interesting looks from the big dollar spectrum devotes.
Just keep it fun homie, and welcome back!
Aaron-

tedsander

Go here, and download "OpenTX Companion" and install to your PC. It gives big screen access to the system, and includes a transmitter simulator that allows one to flip switches and sticks, to see what is going on.
http://www.open-tx.org/2021/01/08/opentx-2.3.11 (install links are at the bottom of the page).

Although dated, and no longer maintained, here are a couple of sites that help to explain what is going on. Dig in a little about setting up of Companion, so you can virtually try out the kind of radio you are thinking about:
https://doc.open-tx.org/opentx-taranis-manual/
http://rcdiy.ca/opentx-guide/
http://open-txu.org/

The above will at least give you an idea of what you might be getting into once you actually buy a system. RC Groups has a bazillion threads and pages about all of it. It's where Jim and I hang out most of the time. BUT it can be pretty intimidating for someone new. Many of the posters are super pros at it. All are willing to give lots of advice, but tend to forget that a real new beginner may not have the knowledge about some aspects that they take for granted.

Buying two is a good idea, if the budget will stand for it. Also consider buying a used Taranis for the second radio. While the hardware is progressively getting better as one gets more recent (or more expensive), the functions and what you can do remain the same - they all will run the latest versions of the software. New plus a 6 ch receiver will be about $225 USD. If you plan to buy used, buy one of the "ACCST" receivers, rather than the newer "ACCESS" ones - older versions are not usable with ACCESS. New can use either type.

AussieWings

Aaron, Ted, thank you both.

How does this look, in your opinion?

1st TX : Taranis FrSky X9D-SE
2nd TX : FrSky Taranis X9 Lite ACCESS 2.4G 24CH Radio Transmitter

The trainer I am interested in is the E-flite Apprentice 1.5 M basic trainer. As best as I understand, this cannot be bought without electronics pre-installed. In that case, do I buy Taranis/FrSky receiver and controller units? If you could point me to recommended components, that would be most helpful. Is it true that there won't be any need to disturb the servos installed with the aircraft at point of assembly?

Grant.

tedsander

It should be fine. If you are talking to Aloft Hobbies, find out if "The Linker" will work with the radios. It should, but things change. That is an extra cost option you can add on anytime to have full wireless buddy boxing between the two.

An Archer R6 would be a good base pick for a receiver.

For the Apprentice - you'll have to take out the receiver and the gyro control unit, and sub in the R6. Servos, esc, etc. can all remain exactly as they are.
Note with the R6 you will NOT have stabilization or any of the other flight controller functions of the Apprentice. It will just be a basic RC airplane. In our club, four out of the 6 instructors have Apprentices for teaching and love them. We never instruct with any of the stabilization turned on. It can actually slow down the development of the eye-hand coordination. If you will always have an instructor, you can easily do without. It is an excellent plane to learn on.
If you really must have stabilization, there is the SR6 receiver, that has it built in. But it is not an out of the box solution. One more thing to configure and adjust, usually with a number of test flights to get it all working as you want.

Alternatively, in concept, you could get a Multi Protocol Module which in should then let the Taranis control the built-in items directly, no second receiver needed. I have not researched this, to see if there are any "gotchas" in doing it. I think, again, this is an added layer of something-to-deal-with that as a new one to all this, you should reserve for another day.

If you will be swapping out equipment in the Apprentice, make sure the manual or sources on the internet, define for you how much each control surface should move up/down right/left. The OpenTX systems move the servos more than the typical Spektrum system by default. That is easily adjustable, but it helps to know what the optimal is, so you know how much to adjust.

Jim.Thompson

EDIT:

I have now found it; it is in the general "Model Set up" and not in the throttle mix line, where I figured it should be.
I will leave the question standing, just in case another beginner like me will try to find it in the logical place. (logical to my mind anyway!).

Hi ted,

My apologies for this question: I cannot find the box "idle trim only"!
Just to refresh, I am using the following:
1. Taranis X9D Plus.
2. Opentx 2.3.11
3. Companion 2.3.11

I am finally getting around to setting the throttle on my gas powered tug plane. It has been hanging in the shed for two years now unused due to covid etc.
I pulled it out, tied it down for a run and realised I should set the throttle up correctly.

Where exactly do I find the "idle trim only" box please? I have looked in the inputs and mixes in both transmitter and companion.

Jim.

Hyjinx

What does the trim only box do lol!
I have been using a Taranis plus for four years and still can't do mixes and other functions that are canned easy things on other radios .
Love the signal strength of Frsky and the easy voltage telemetry. But the open tx format has been a roadblock for me to the options it makes possible. Not a computer person, I am sort of stuck.
Can anyone provide screen shots of common mixes so I can mimic the screen set ups?
Aaron-
(Lost in cyberworld)

Jim.Thompson

Cut and pasted from this page: https://openrcforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10056

"The "Trim idle only" option .........................What is does, probably for fixed wing only, is to allow the trim to adjust the "bottom end" of the throttle, and reduce the effect of the trim linearly over the full throttle range. So if the throttle is at -100% the trim has full effect, if the throttle is at 0% (half open) the trim only has half the effect and at 100% throttle the trim has no effect.........."

What videos and websites have you watched and studied in the four years? This will provide the reader with a starting point with which to possibly assist.

Jim.

tedsander

As Jim asked - give a couple of examples of the kind of mix you would like to do. I'd be happy to then post examples with details as to "why" and "how it works" as a learning exercise about the process...

The first step: Define what you want. "When I move this stick/switch/slider I want that control surface to go right/left/up/down (plus any qualifiers - "a little", "a lot", "and be able to turn it on and off", etc.)

Ted

Hyjinx

Thanks JimYou tube has been the best source of help. I have achieved a few mixes but it is really difficult for me Once I get a mix I want I can transfer it to other models screen by screen. I have two radios so I can side by side my screens or email myself the set of screens attaching image sets of mixes for future use.
Sort of a crazy go around of the real trouble.
I am a brick when it comes to computers and the logic they operate in.Thanks for your thoughts.
Aaron.
​​

tedsander

Let's cover a few basics.
The strength, but also the weakness, of OpenTX is its flexibility. Because you can almost do anything, a lot is dependent on what you did before. So what you have to start with may be very different that what someone else used as a base, making it difficult to only take parts of what they did. Better to learn how the parts work together, so you can tune it to your particular setup.
So, some basics:
1. All sticks/switches/knobs/sliders on the radio are generically referred to as "Sources". They all send values ranging from -100 to +100 to the rest of the system. Switches only send two or three (-100,0,+100 or -100 and +100). The rest are variable for the whole range, depending on their position.
2, INPUTS is a list that allows you to create a new Source, based on one of the above.3. MIXING - very basic4. MIXING - true mixing (we'll assume you have the above all set and working for the basic channels)Of course there are many more options that allow you to highly modify things. But once you grasp the basic framework of how things effect each other, you can start to build from basic mixing, to very complex setups.