(Diagram ©EdgeTX)
Before programming the transmitter, it’s useful to have a little context as to how it all works.
Starting at the Receiver end, the boat receives “Packets” of data that contain instructions for Channel 1 (Winch) and Channel 2 (Rudder) – note Spektrum has different Channel Assignments to other brands – that set your rudder and winch in the way you want. The packets are sent, and hopefully received, hundreds of times per second.
The packets have serial numbers, so the receiver knows if any packets go missing. If a lot of packets go missing, and there is enough battery left, the receiver will go into failsafe mode.
How does all this get sent from the transmitter?
Like with most of the transmitters you can buy, Spektrum has a “tables driven” operating system. “Tables” are where you set your personal preferences for how you want the boat to behave.
The transmitter simply executes a simple loop hundreds of times per second. (see diagram above). The “Loop” is as follows:-
1/ It reads the physical position of your joysticks, switches and dials at that moment.
2/ Then the software modifies those readings with any dual rate or expo settings that you have specified.
3/ Spektrum then looks at what you have set in the mixers (curves, channel mixing etc) and in the output channels (end limits) and applies those modifications to your joystick and switch readings.
4/ It maps these readings on to our two channels – 2 for rudder and 1 for winch
5/ It sends these signals to the receiver in the boat, then simply goes and starts this “loop” again.
So mainly “programming the receiver” is about loading your preferred settlings into the Transmitter Tables.
Preparation
Preparation
As discussed elsewhere on this website, before embarking on this it is helpful, but not essential, to make sure that your mainsheet and rudder centres are absolutely true when your joysticks are centred. Get it all “neat and tidy” before you begin. Do this by precisely centring your joysticks, then pop off the rudder servo arms and winch drum and get them rotated on their splines to ‘dead centre’ positions. On the mainsheet, look for dead centre of the full mainsheet travel for your swing rig (if you have one), which will be the longest.
I place a 50cm ruler along the deck under the mainsheet to do this and I leave it in place for the whole set of advanced processes that follow. You need to check that the mm shifts in the advanced features match your view of how to tune the boat.
As an example on my F6 Marblehead, from the mainsheet turning block on the transom (gizmo ‘on’ position) to the fully sheeted out position is about 410mm. I rotate my drum on the splines until the hook sits at about 205mm. It won’t be precisely spot on. Then you are looking to check that your end limits are roughly the same number at each end – on mine it is around -80 and +75 which is close enough. This is to help prevent you reaching the 100/150 maximum at either end of the mainsheet travel as you instal the advanced features.
How to Edit Control Screens
It is important you feel confident about the menu structure and how house the scroll bar.
It is worth sitting down quietly with your new transmitter, watch a few Youtube videos about setting up a Spektrum and get used to its scroll wheel/roller bar. You will use it a LOT.
You might find the link to the excellent Spektrum Beginners Guide (from USA) also useful. See the “other manuals” list on this website.
©Datchet Radio Sailing
Datchet Radio Sailing Transmitter Manuals - Spektrum 