Robotwars101.org

peterwaller · Joined: 15 Feb 2002 Posts: 1720 Location: Aylesbury Bucks

I dont know if anyone has seen these radio's but they sound OK according to the site and their reveiws.
The most interesting thing is that you get a transmitter and receiver for £25.48 and spare receivers at £10.07 at:
http://www.giantcod.co.uk/gianitcod-24ghz-4channel-mode2-transmitter-p-403779.html
I have ordered one so I can check it out and will let you know how it looks.

BeligerAnt · Joined: 15 May 2002 Posts: 1576 Location: Brighton

Sounds OK, although that CE mark looks far from compliant!
_________________
Gary, Team BeligerAnt

peterwaller · Joined: 15 Feb 2002 Posts: 1720 Location: Aylesbury Bucks

I know what you mean it is not correctly marked but for what it is worth the manual says:
5) Totally comply with FCC and CE standards.
Our product has obtained FCC & CE certificates, and they can beyond the testing requirements for big volume order totally and completely.
I have been looking around the internet but can't find anywhere that lists compliant equipment.

thebeardedone · Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 166 Location: Kent, England

Looks good for the price.

You'll have to give us another review similar to your planet 5 one, Peter. That helped me choose which Tx I was going to use.

Regards,
Sam

peterwaller · Joined: 15 Feb 2002 Posts: 1720 Location: Aylesbury Bucks

Initial thoughts.
Came quickly ordered Saturday arrived Tuesday.
Minimal packageing small rectangle of foam to protect the sticks and double bubble wrap having said that it arrived undamaged.
Tansmitter looks OK apart from a partial cutout in the main lable which is left in but looks a little gash.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n66/PeterW_2006/CIMG0919.jpg
The reversing switches are accesible from the front panel but recessed 17mm behind it.
Elevon mixing switch is inside but accessible through a hole once the battery cover is removed.
Sticks feel good and centre and there is a switch inside to change from Mode2 to Mode1 and the ratchet can be move as well.
All in the Transmitter is exceedingly good for £15.
The receiver is a little on the large size being 14 x 30 x 44mm and weighing 12.5 grams although the case accounts for 6 gms.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n66/PeterW_2006/CIMG0921.jpg
The receiver arial is 90mm long strangely the first 60mm is screened.
The RF part of the receiver is on a tiny daughter board 23 x 15mm which is plug in if it was possible to get the interface to that it could be very useful. (Must get the scope out)
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n66/PeterW_2006/CIMG0922.jpg
The channels come out 1.Ail, 2.Ele, 2.Thr, 4.Rud
Initial thoughts are good value for money but need to check it out with other 2.4 Ghz gear.

thebeardedone · Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 166 Location: Kent, England

Looks good, Peter.

It looks a little cheap in build quality but it helps to lower cost of getting into antweight building for new comers.

Reading back on some of the reviews from the site though, it seems to mention that the compliance may not be in place. True, they are dated a few months but this could be something to watch out for.

Regards,
Sam

olivers · Joined: 14 Feb 2002 Posts: 1149 Location: Reading

Got a few questions:

What batteries does it take?

Tried binding it to a Spektrum Rx yet?

Can the Rx take 2*LiPo 7.4V?

Thanks

peterwaller · Joined: 15 Feb 2002 Posts: 1720 Location: Aylesbury Bucks

The transmitter takes 8 AA cells I am usein non rechargeable but it does have a charging socket.
I havent tried binding it to a Spektrum receiver but I have tried binding the Radio Link rx to a DX6i and a Planet T5 with no success which to be honest I expected.
The manual says 4.8 to 6V for the receiver so I wouldn't try it.

peterwaller · Joined: 15 Feb 2002 Posts: 1720 Location: Aylesbury Bucks

I have done some more testing and found no major problems. One slight problem I found was that if another operational 2.4Ghz transmitter was within about a 300 mm of the receiver when the system was switched on the receiver never locked on to the transmitter. As soon as the other transmitter was switched off or moved further away the receiver locked onto the transmitter and worked fine. Bringing the other transmitter close to the receiver once it was up and running had no effect. This is normal operation I am talking about not the Binding or synchronisation, as they call it, process. The last thing I tested are the failsafe. It appears all four channels stop ouputting pulses when the signal is lost so you are reliant on the speed controller failsafe. Interestingly although the throttle channel just stops outputting pulses when the signal returns it outputs the minimum 1ms pulse until the throttle control is moved to that position then the throttle pulse again follows the stick. I am looking at the possibility of making a controller on a second daughter board so it fits within the size of the existing receiver case.

peterwaller · Joined: 15 Feb 2002 Posts: 1720 Location: Aylesbury Bucks

Here is the receiver insides as it comes.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n66/PeterW_2006/CIMG0922.jpg
I have managed to replace the two large capacitors with small surface mount devices and removed all but 5 of the pins and turn the arial and it still works.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n66/PeterW_2006/CIMG0937.jpg
Here is the bare board of the new controller mounted within the existing outline.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n66/PeterW_2006/CIMG0934.jpg
All I need do now is build and test it.

olivers · Joined: 14 Feb 2002 Posts: 1149 Location: Reading

I can't wait till retirement. Lots of time to make robots by the looks of it

thebeardedone · Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 166 Location: Kent, England

Pete, slightly off-topic but what do you use to etch your boards? Ferric Chloride?

peterwaller · Joined: 15 Feb 2002 Posts: 1720 Location: Aylesbury Bucks

Oliver it is not the only thing I have to spend my time on. What with a new Grandaughter last week and decorating the bedroom and child minding duties still it beats working.
Sam yes I use ferric chloride to etch the boards in a bubble tank.
The board is built and appears to function as expected but I need to look at the regulated supply with the Park HPX F connected to make sure all is OK.
The built up board looks like this:
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n66/PeterW_2006/CIMG0939.jpg
Fully finished it looks like this with a standard receiver next to it:
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n66/PeterW_2006/CIMG0942.jpg
Original Receiver....... 44 x 30 x 17mm and 12.7 gms
Controller Module...... 42 x 27 x 11mm and 11.5 gms

razerdave · Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 7:29 pm Post subject:

Hey Pete

Looks good, making an antweight just became a little bit easier

I do have 1 query: where do the pins come out for the mixing ? Will it come out on 1 stick or 2 ?
_________________
David Weston - Team Hell

http://thedavidleague.tripod.com/teamhell/

peterwaller · Joined: 15 Feb 2002 Posts: 1720 Location: Aylesbury Bucks

The mixing is elevator aileron which on these systems which are mode2 is on the right stick. You can convert these transmitters to Mode1 in which case you end up with backwards/forwards on the left stick and steering on the right.