FBL Gyro Dx7 To Ikon2

[Darrell Tardy]

Does anyone know if a 10 year old DX7 will work with an IKON2? Following the setup program with the IKON 2 doesn't seem to work. It's a TREX 500 electric with an Aline FBL head. I'm trying to set it up using the twin satellite receivers. If you know anyone in the Biloxi, MS area and would be willing to give me some pointers, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tony]

Yes you can. Try doing it with one satellite plugged into the #2 port first. If that doesn't work, then try the other satellite in the $2 port. If that doesn't work, repeat the process with Port 1. If one of those works, find out what is the odd man out.

 

[Admiral]

I've had this issue a few times and it can be frustrating, the things I've done to get it bound.
1. As Tony said try the Sats individually.
2. Make sure the TX is not too close to the Sats, point the aerial away from the Sats and about 3' away.
3. If binding with software try using a bind plug and visa versa.
4. Bind a Sat to another normal Rx using the Tx channel that you want to use with the iKon2 when bound plug that Sat into the iKon2.

I've found that once you get it to bind once you can set it up the way you want and re-bind it without issues.

 

[Darrell Tardy]

I sorry I wasn't clear. I am able to bind both receivers to the dx7. My main problem is that the mode switch doesn't work correctly and all of the servos appear to be sluggish. They take stick commands correctly but return to mid stick slowly. The tail servo is the only digital servo, the other three are analog. However they all are listed in the Ikon2 servo tables. Mode switch normally stays in setup mode 2. I have set it up for all three modes, but after turning off the dx7 and removing power to the helicopter it seems to reset back to setup 2 when I turn it on again.

 

[Tony]

Mode will be on channel 7 which is Aux2. In your Tx, you should have a monitor menu and you need to find out what switch is bound to that channel. I'm not sure if you can change the switch on that Tx to another channel.

 

[Matt]

I set up my brain micro which is very similar to the Ikon2. I had to use a switch that had 3 positions. I tried using the bind switch but found it was always stuck in “setting 2” (there are 3 setups and you can choose bailout and flying style there). I had to use a 3 position switch and that solved my (similar) problem.

 

[Admiral]

I'm a bit confused here, when you talk about Mode Switch are you talking about flight mode (Normal,IU1 & IU2) or Bank switching (Normal, Auto Level & Rescue)
A DX7 defaults to channel 7 for Banks, assign a three position switch to channel 7 for bank switching, it is best to keep flight modes and banks separate.
Hope this helps I am not familiar with a seven channel setup.

 

[Matt]

There are 3 setup things in the Ikon2 software, where you can choose flying style and bailout. I tried using the bind switch with this and had a similar issue. One I set my Aux2 to a 3 position switch, it fixed it.

By flying style I mean beginner, sport, 3D and extreme 3D. I had to use a 3 position switch to get this to work with my brain.

 

[Smoggie]

Servos returning slowly to cente is perfectly normal on any FBL system. You will find that when in heading hold mode the tail servo doesn’t return to centre at all, again this is normal.

Your other issues are just about mapping the correct channel to the desired function in the FBL

 

[Darrell Tardy]

Servos returning slowly to cente is perfectly normal on any FBL system. You will find that when in heading hold mode the tail servo doesn’t return to centre at all, again this is normal.

Your other issues are just about mapping the correct channel to the desired function in the FBL

Thanks for your response. This helps me get past my concerns about the servos. I plan to reset everything and start fresh with the setup.

 

[Darrell Tardy]

Thanks for all of the support. On my TX, channel 7 is the flight mode sw. After looking at the advance menu I notice that the IKON2 uses channel 7 as the tail gain channel. I remapped the tail gain to channel 5 (GEAR) since I don't use the gear channel. I now have three flight settings, beginner, normal and "here hold my beer" ...lol. I haven't flown this bird for about 8 years, it was a flybar system. I crashed it and bent the main shaft and mainly messed up the flybar system. So I decided to rebuild it with a fbl system. Less moving parts seems like a benefit to me, also after reviewing the brains, they have gotten a lot smarter and easier to set up.

On the IKON2 if the heading hold mode doesn't keep the tail at zero, what does it do? In beginner setting, I would like the tail to always return to zero so that I can do some basic testing of the bird flying from point A to point B.

 

[D.O.G.]

That's awesome Darrell. Glad to here that you got it all worked out. Few individuals are, not my self, fond of the FB system. I do like the FBL but since I tried out the DCF system, that's the only way I like to go. Not many like DCF but that's why we have choices Lol. When you do get that bird in the air, how about a video, if you can .