DIY Wireless Trainer

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RocketManRC
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DIY Wireless Trainer

Unread post by RocketManRC » Sat Mar 09, 2013 6:35 pm

This morning at the indoor flying session I had great success with a homemade wireless trainer system for my DX8. I've been using a similar system by Futaba for a number of years to teach people on the Supercub outdoors but for indoor flying I wanted to use my Vapor as the trainer airplane so a no go for that. After a couple of sessions using a trainer cord I couldn't stand it anymore and so I made my own solution :-)

Here's how it works. The student radio is bound to a receiver in the wireless trainer box (just an OrangeRX, 6 channel receiver). The outputs of the receiver go to an Arduino Pro Mini processor board that converts them back into the signal required (PPM) for the trainer port of the master radio and this plugs into the DX8. The whole thing just replaces the trainer cord and nothing more. But look ma, no wires!

Here are some pics of it:

https://picasaweb.google.com/1161221507 ... redirect=1

I'm thinking of posting the details to build one on RC Groups in the DIY Electronics section.

By the way, some other possibilities for this system are to connect it to a radio module instead of the trainer port. Then you have a protocol converter -> any type of radio in and any type out. Easily done but I probably won't experiment with that until next winter...
Rick MacDonald
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astroflyer
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Re: DIY Wireless Trainer

Unread post by astroflyer » Sat Mar 09, 2013 6:58 pm

That's the neatest thing I've seen in a long time rick. Please do post something on how to build it before you're cornered at the field and pressed into building several. lol

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karlpenney
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Re: DIY Wireless Trainer

Unread post by karlpenney » Fri Mar 15, 2013 10:25 am

I might need to get something like this for my trainer system. Where did you get the power for the Rx?

From a bit of research I did, there might be a DSM2 receiver that could output a compatible PPM signal without a separate encoder board.

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RocketManRC
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Re: DIY Wireless Trainer

Unread post by RocketManRC » Fri Mar 15, 2013 1:57 pm

I will search for that receiver Karl as it would be great to eliminate the microcontroller if possible.

I use a homemade receiver pack for a battery. It's 4 AAA NiMH cells connected in series.
Rick MacDonald
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MarkL
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Re: DIY Wireless Trainer

Unread post by MarkL » Fri Mar 15, 2013 2:40 pm

karlpenney wrote:I might need to get something like this for my trainer system. Where did you get the power for the Rx?

From a bit of research I did, there might be a DSM2 receiver that could output a compatible PPM signal without a separate encoder board.
The LemonRX perhaps you mean?

http://www.lemon-rx.com/shop/index.php? ... duct_id=66

Not used one so can't speak to if and how it works. I've read the PPM channel order is odd however.

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waxman
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Re: DIY Wireless Trainer

Unread post by waxman » Fri Mar 15, 2013 3:25 pm

RocketManRC wrote:This morning at the indoor flying session I had great success with a homemade wireless trainer system for my DX8. Here are some pics of it:

https://picasaweb.google.com/1161221507 ... redirect=1

...
The more that I look at this thing the more I think you would not want to try to include this in your carry on at the airport ;)

John
John Liddard

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RocketManRC
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Re: DIY Wireless Trainer

Unread post by RocketManRC » Fri Mar 15, 2013 6:14 pm

Thanks for the link Mark. It is probably worth getting one to try it but the description of the output that they give doesn't look very standard. Also I have found that the DX8 is very picky about the input it receives and I had to experiment with the timing of the PPM pulses to get it to work right. So it would take a receiver that gives exactly what the DX8 wants. I haven't tried with any other radios so not sure if it is just the DX8 that is fussy.

As for getting the wireless trainer though airport security, it would be really bad if the display counted down... :lol:
Rick MacDonald
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karlpenney
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Re: DIY Wireless Trainer

Unread post by karlpenney » Fri Mar 15, 2013 10:51 pm

I did look into the LemonRx. They told me the spacing between their PPM signals was not standard on the 6ch, but the master Tx might be able to handle it. The other Rx in contention is from http://www.deltang.co.uk.

I'm going to try zelscope to have a look at the output from a DX6i trainer port.

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RocketManRC
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Re: DIY Wireless Trainer

Unread post by RocketManRC » Sat Mar 16, 2013 6:46 am

That receiver from the UK looks like it would work but it seems a bit pricy.

The DX6i can supply power at it's charging jack so a 5V regulator could be used instead of a battery in that case.
Rick MacDonald
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MarkL
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Re: DIY Wireless Trainer

Unread post by MarkL » Sat Mar 16, 2013 8:28 am

There is this as well that may be worth a look:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... ller_.html

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