REAL BAD DAY!! Tactic 2.4ghz Radio Contact Loss!!

[Shooter]

Boatman,

Thanks for the confirmation. I have noticed range loss and issues when in the aluminum boat as well. That's why I mentioned it above. I'm glad that someone else was able to confirm this. I agree completely.....when on the dock/land, my range is much further. I think the aluminum somehow interferes with the signal.

[Shooter]

It took some patience, but I was able to hog out the old stuffing tube and install a new one. If anyone else has to do it someday, a dremel with a cut-off wheel works well to carve around the old tube. Before I knew it, the tube pulled right out. I layed a new pc of glass, epoxy, and the rest is history.... Hopefully have her back on the water by the end of the week.

[FE Wannabe]

From what I have heard, the lower the frequency, the better and deeper it will work underwater.

[exotica]

...im under the same impression that if signal is lost the boat should power down therefore not run and stop dead on the water.

[Salty]

it should. but is it the RX or the ESC that is responsible for this?

[tsenecal]

the 2.4ghz receivers may be "smart" and continue to feed a known viable signal to the ESC/servo during failsafe conditions...

according to the owners manual for the 4 channel, it has a programmable failsafe.

http://manuals.hobbico.com/tac/tacj2404-manual.pdf

bottom of page 12:

"To set the failsafe:
1. Turn on the Tx power switch.
2. Move the throttle stick to the desired throttle position for when the Rx goes
to failsafe.
3. Press the “BIND” button on the Tactic receiver.
4. When the Rx binds successfully, the Rx will remember the throttle channel’s
failsafe position. "

so basically, the receiver will set the failsafe values to whatever position the sticks are in when you bind the receiver to the transmitter.

the 2 channel pistol also has a failsafe, but it according to its manual, it is not programmable, that system sets the servos/ESC to neutral (center) on loss of signal. This would explain why the ESC acts as expected with the original radio.

HOWEVER, based on what others have had happen with the Tactic Pistol on signal loss, i will be rebinding my receivers with the throttle in neutral on all my FE boats.

[tsenecal]

From what I have heard, the lower the frequency, the better and deeper it will work underwater.

FE Wannabe, FE boats are my diversion for my real hobby... R/C submarines.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1278752

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=946045

Your statement is basically correct. 27mhz SHOULD penetrate further than 50mhz, which should penetrate further than 75mhz, but in my testing they all penetrate to about the same depth (6 feet in a swimming pool). there might be a couple inches difference between 27mhz and 75mhz. In my submarines i use PCM 75mhz systems, with programmed failsafe configurations.

2.4ghz has at best a couple inches of penetration, and at worst, zero penetration. the 2.4ghz carrier signal is supposedly a harmonic frequency with water, and if that is true, it would have zero penetration. I have witnessed a gentleman with a 2.4ghz setup in a sub, but it is configured so the antenna goes up the periscope, and it is never run deeper than periscope depth.

[longballlumber]

Hey Shooter...

I have experienced your same scenario on regular FM 27mHz a few years ago. Boat went under and kept going for what seemed like forever. It finally popped back up and was dry on the inside, but the motor was hot!!! I also noticed some mud on the hull. I think my situation had something to do with the boat being under water much like yours.

Another point of interest is your comment on using two different radios and getting two different results turning off the radio. MAKE SURE your getting the same series of beeps with the same tone when arming both radios. We have witnessed in the club that a UL-1 controller can arm and seem to be ok, but if you shut off the radio it will go full throttle. We ended up making some trim changed in the radio and finally got it to arm correctly. Turn off the radio and nothing! This was all done with the same controller and radio (DX3 spectrum).

Getting out your stuffing tube; keep in mind this is the method I have used for wood and fiberglass boats. I have never tried it on ABS/Polystyrene. Cut the excess brass of the stuffing tube usind a Dremel leaving an .5 to 1 inch left on each side of the hull (inside and out). I then use a solder GUN (not iron) and heat up the stuffing tube. As the tube heats up it will release the epoxy and pull using some needle nose pliers. You will probably need to rework the area of the plastic that melts and the epoxy that is left using some filler and such… I think you get the Idea.

Later
Mike

[longballlumber]

Oops... day late and a dollar short... I an not sure how I missed all of the other posts.

[Salty]

Hey Shooter (and anyone else having a similar issue) I found a solution for mine.
Posted here http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/...ad.php?t=17141 - hope it helps!!!!

[Shooter]

Mike - better late than never! Actually, that was a good tip to heat the stuffing tube. I'll do that next time.

Just to clear things up....the 2 channel tactic is PERFECT. As soon as the signal is lost, it goes to neutral. It's the 4 channel tactic that had the problem.

tsenecal - GREAT info! I'll try re-binding/programming the 4ch TX. I love that radio, but gave up on it after this.

Not sure how this old thread started up again, but I'm glad it did! I think tsenecal may have solved my prob.

[BHChieftain]

Since the thread started back up...

I'm using a DX3S with an MR3000 reciever, ESC is CC Hydra 240.

Yesterday I sub'ed my mono further than I've ever done it before-- the water was pretty clear so I saw it go under-- straight down 6+ feet. She rose back up, but connection was lost. I've lost connection before when the boat has gone under, but when that's happened the connection relinked on its own in about 10 seconds. This time, nothing... I was about to take out the rescue boat, when I thought to try turning the receiver off then back on-- sure enough, that worked!


Chief

[britscoot]

you mean tx?

[Steven Vaccaro]

Since the thread started back up...

I'm using a DX3S with an MR3000 reciever, ESC is CC Hydra 240.

Yesterday I sub'ed my mono further than I've ever done it before-- the water was pretty clear so I saw it go under-- straight down 6+ feet. She rose back up, but connection was lost. I've lost connection before when the boat has gone under, but when that's happened the connection relinked on its own in about 10 seconds. This time, nothing... I was about to take out the rescue boat, when I thought to try turning the receiver off then back on-- sure enough, that worked!


Chief

I've recently noticed it takes various times to reconnect after being submerged. Sometimes a second or two, sometimes upto 15 seconds. Maybe Andy K can comment on this.

[AndyKunz]

I didn't read this thread until today (when asked to) because it said Tactic in the title. Now that people are talking about Spektrum, I'm answering.

When the link is lost for a long period of time, the Spektrum receivers will start looking for the transmitter on the whole spectrum. They are assuming that the tx was turned off and back on - (when the happens, the tx will always acquire new frequencies). Depending on many factors, that time might be rather long, as it has 80 channels to scan. It's a bit of a needle-in-a-haystack search, but it will eventually re-acquire. If it takes more than 10 seconds (which feels like a lot more than 10 seconds when it happens to you!), power cycling the tx will often help.

ALWAYS SET YOUR FAILSAFE AFTER YOU SET UP YOUR MODEL BY RE-BINDING IT.

Andy