JR "Unplugged"

[george kennie]

I feel compelled to interject at this point that my experience with the
JR 10X  programming has not been the piece of cake that others seem to
find it to be. As you can probably guess, I don't consider myself to be
all that dim-witted, but by the same token, I am not to be categorized
with the likes of Albert E. either!  My previous experience at
programming R/C computer radios was with the major competitive
brand,i.e. Futaba.  I'm the first to admit that all the systems out
there require the owner to invest some considerable time devoted to
digesting the material contained in the instruction manual, however,
there does, in my opinion, exist a major difference in reasonable
understandability between the two systems.
The #64 rudder coupling mix is the exception to all the other deep dark
secrets hidden away within the bowels of an otherwise beautifully
performing system.
Example:  If you own a Futaba system and you want to set up an Airbrake
function, you look up "Airbrake" in the manual and the page no. is
listed, whereupon you turn to the page and follow the directions and
"voilla" Airbrake now functions! Sure, you have to remember to include
the flap channel, but there isn't even any reference to the airbrake
function in the JR manual. Can you set up the airbrake function with the
JR radio? Sure you can, but is it easy? No way! I just got through
setting it up yesterday on my new plane, but if you ask me how I did it
I would have to tell you that I have no idea.On top of that it probably
took me a couple of hours. I'm just starting to get a grasp of code 17
Function Select to set up a flight mode which I successfully implemented
after a coule of days of reading it over and over, but I had done the
same thing a couple of days before on my Futaba in about 10 minutes. The
mix functions on the Futaba require less programming steps while the JR
confuses you with "normal, include, origin" choices you must select if
you can understand what they do.
On the Futaba you can assign any function to any switch while the JR
limits flight modes to only the three D/R switches. JR claims that you
can customize the radio to your own personal preferances, but in truth
you really can't,   at least in my opinion.
Maybe I've got this all wrong, or maybe somebody can enlighten me, but I
fail to be able to share the enthusiastic endorsement of programming
simplicity proclaimed by some others.
Maybe it's a failure on the part of the authors of the manual to do a
straight forward presentation of the material.
Don't get me wrong. I do all my serious pattern flying with the JR radio
and it does what it's supposed to do and it does it extremely well and
yes I like the radio, but I just can't endorse statements I've seen by
others to the effect that it's easier to program than Futaba because in
my experience just the opposite is true.The problem could be just
me,....who knows.
Georgie













don szczur wrote:

> Yes, I just helped set up a Troy Built Extra 260, from an ex- pattern
> flyer locally.  (BTW, he was drooling over the Focus, and I encouraged
> him to get back into pattern, he is contemplating)  the Focus is a
> pre- FOCUS 2 (thicker stab which really puts the snaps on heading and
> elevators go all the way to the tip (I've got over 30% expo on low
> rates and 60% expo on high rates to get the same feel as the FOCUS ARF
> at half that expo).  Also BTW, I am moving closer to putting the 3D
> stab and wings, to try them out in the next month or so. Anyhow he has
> just switched to JR and found a couple of learning curve issues. The
> code 17 function for flapperons- putting the aux 1 into "inhibit"
> mode.  (disabling the slider on the left side of the tx) Screen
> contrast- after we took off the protective plastic of the screen,
> found on the main screen in the lower right hand corner contrast
> adjustment.  After that I could see the screen while we were flying
> and set up the Rudder-Aileron/Elevator mix, and did a Function 51, low
> throttle to down elevator.  Polished these in the air. Function modes-
> I explained the dual rate/expo function code. Ailerons, Elevator and
> Rudder all on one code and set up for him.  Basically he did not
> realize the three basic flight modes (he set up FM 1 rather than FM 0
> to start).  Got him squarred away.  Remembering he just picked up the
> radio and started using it without the manual. He also had cannisters
> (big mufflers) on his engine so the low end was very sluggish.  On his
> first flight he kept thinking the engine was lean or ready to dead
> stick when in reality it was just sluggish. Just before the next
> flight, in real time I showed him the code 18, used the procedure and
> he adjusted the curve to his liking. So in 2 flights he went from
> getting ready to toss the plane (it was way out of trim and was not
> locking in at all) to perfectly mixed aircraft and a very excited
> pilot.
>
>      -----Original Message-----
>      From: Henderson,Eric <Eric.Henderson at gartner.com>
>      To: discussion at nsrca.org <discussion at nsrca.org>
>      Date: Monday, May 26, 2003 2:14 PM
>      Subject: JR "Unplugged"
>        Don Ref. "Actually, a plug for the 10X.  I just got my new
>      plane flying and after two flights its 90% dialed in.  I
>      attribute the speed of setup to the simplicity of the
>      radio.  " I did a first class "dumb thumb" this weekend at
>      the the BARKs contest.  Earl Vincent is flying a Temptation
>      with an OS 1.40 and recently purchased JR 10X. I wanted him
>      to fly my OS1.60 powered Temptation to let him see the
>      difference. He reluctantly let me copy my mode-1 program
>      into his mode -2 TX. UNFORTUNATELY I copied my program into
>      his model memory location.... It was a disaster - I looked
>      for a place to hide....Earl was good about it and was
>      prepared to let me re-program his radio. After I had set the
>      wing for flaperons Earl stepped in and took over and did the
>      rest. We had it completely re-set-up in about 15 minutes. He
>      needed a test flight to re-calibrate which aileron rate he
>      used and he was done. this might not seem like a big deal,
>      (Except for some for so good Tease-Eric-material), but Earl
>      only switched to JR this spring and was able to code the
>      settings very quickly. This included a bit of rudder mix, a
>      throttle kill and some rates for spins.I can't tell you how
>      embarrassed I was and then then how pleased I was at the
>      reprogramming taking so little time. I am sure that the
>      recovery time was greatly influenced by the ease of
>      programming.Now all Earl wants to do is copy his program
>      into MY RADIO :-))))) Regards,
>
>      Eric.
>
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