It pays to ask.

batjac Sat Dec 28, 2013 1:58 pm

Well, when I was at the local hobby shop yesterday afternoon picking up the two electric C/L timers I had ordered, I was standing around listening to one of the employees talking quads to another customer. My gaze wandered over to the counter, and I noticed an old radio sitting there next to all the display E-Flight helis and quads. Knowing that there is little chance that the radio had anything to do with the E-Flight stuff, I asked another employee what's up with the old FG radio on the counter. He said some guy had brought it in an left it because the guy didn't want it anymore. Then he asked me if I wanted it.

Oh PLEASE Br'er Fox! PLEASE don't make me take that transmitter!

It pays to ask. DSCN0962_zps319f9360

Yes, it's only 4 channel. No, it doesn't have dual rates. No, it doesn't have any mixing. No, it doesn't have any bells and whistles. But in the day, I wanted an FG so bad, but couldn't afford one. For this I'll just replace the battery and upgrade it to 2.4 like I did with my old Cox Cadet III. This one should be much easier to convert. Then it'll get new life for another 25 years. After all, I never really use more than 4 channels when I'm flying anyway. And, if I feel the need for more channels, a little soldering will add a couple more channels if I need them.

Br'er Mark

Kim Sat Dec 28, 2013 4:00 pm

Looks to have been well cared-for. Good Score !

gcb Sun Jan 05, 2014 4:52 pm

I paid over $300.00 for the six channel when they were new. GREAT FIND!

George

pkrankow Sun Jan 05, 2014 5:04 pm

When you convert it can you add switches for the extra channels?

Phil

batjac Sun Jan 05, 2014 7:16 pm

Thanks, Guys. Phil, adding the 2.4GHz module doesn't allow me to add channels. It just takes the existing PPM signal and converts it to 2.4GHz. If it outputs a 4 channel signal at 72MHz, it outputs a 4 channel signal at 2.4GHz. I think I'm going to take the easy route and just get a FrSky Futaba module when the free cash allows. It's a $25 module that just plugs into the back where the existing AM module is. Only hiccup is that I'll have to make up some spacers, as the module is a little smaller than the AM module on the radio now.

The thing is, a great many of the older radios used the same pc board for the 4/5/6 channel radios. Sometimes even 7 or 8 channel. But I'm thinking this one probably has the same board/encoder as the 6 channel FG radio. The boards just have the encoder pins jumpered. If you know which pins to use, you cut the jumpered traces and solder in wires to the appropriate pins, and hook them to a switch or pot. So I might just add an adjustable pot and a toggle switch to this one if I get ambitious.

When I did the Cadet, I found that the encoder in the Cadet III could handle up to 6 channels. There's just this big blob of solder bridging 4 pins of the encoder. If I really wanted to, I could add extra channels, but I like it the way it is. There are lots of websites that show how guys have added extra channels to their transmitters. I just have to open it up and find out what encoder is used. When I was researching the Cox Cadet conversion, I found one website that listed many of the popular encoder chips used in the 70's and 80's. I'll have to go back and see if it lists the encoder in this radio. I have a few pots from old, broken transmitters that I can use.

The Spaced Out Mark

happydad Sun Jan 05, 2014 7:50 pm

Mark: I just ordered one of the 2.4GHz Futaba DSM2 modules from Hobbyking for my older FP-T5UA series transmitter. It does have servo reversing and end point adjustment. I also have one of the FG series transmitters?, but can't remember how many channels. I'll send pics of the main PCB if it is more than 4 channels, (and I find it reasonably soon). I'll also update the thread when I install the module into the Futaba transmitter. I chose DSM2 modulation because I have several other receivers and at least one other DSM2 transmitter.

happydad

RC Plane