Radio lockout

[Knife-Edge]

Today I lost my EF 104 extra due to what I think was a radio lockout I was using a JR XG14 with two RG731 BX receivers running xbus, Powerbox competition SRS, two 3300mAh lipos with the receivers and a 2100mAh lipo on ignition. It was my second flight of the day and I was doing knife edge across the runway and had just pulled out of it when I realized none of the controls was responding. I assume it went into failsafe mode but was headed towards a busy road about a mile or so away. I switched off and then immediately switched on the radio and after a couple of seconds got the controls to respond and managed to turn the extra around. Unfortunately it was quite low by then and clipped some trees on the edge of our field. In all my years of flying I've never had this happen to me. This was with a radio which has had hundreds of trouble free flights on it. I was planning on doing the maiden of my other EF 104 extra this weekend but now I'm reluctant to use this radio! The guys at my field use mostly futaba radios and have suggested I change to futaba. I'm a long time JR user and would prefer to stay that way but am not too keen to risk my other extra. What do you guys suggest?

 

[oh58skid]

I'm curious of why using the power box with the x-bus system ?

 

[Knife-Edge]

Got this setup from a club member, just had to bind my radio to use it. Will ask him though about the xbus and powerbox.

 

[rcpilotacro]

I use JR XG 14E (also), it's telemetry radio and does give a warning when you loose signal, (Reduced / Loss of RX batt Voltage etc) I wonder, was it was radio lock out really, ? it could have been all of enumerated later and not limited to, could be locked rudder servo or just plain fin stall or could be anything (Including a radio lock out) but DMSS and lock out ? unheard of IMHO

 

[Bunky.F.Knuckle]

When you got it back and opened up the airplane, was any lights blinking? That would be an indicator of an issue.

Have you load checked the lipo rx packs?

I do realize that you vote this from a fellow club member, who I think went a little over kill on the PBX and dual Rx. But it was his, you got it bind n fly, and something isn't working right. I'd rather see these issues on the ground, but......... we can't reproduce the exact flight loads on an airplane and battery loads.

If this were my airplane, I would have pulled the PBX out as well as the X BUS system, and placed an 11ch powersafe Rx and fresh extensions. But again your airplane, you are entitled to keep it the way you bought it or not.

I hate these types of issues........ Ones you trace down and cant put your finger on it.

 

[Knife-Edge]

When I got to the plane the PBX was on as were the receivers. When I got home I checked all the servos which were all ok. The only damage was a cracked satellite receiver. The lipos were showing the normal capacity on the PBX screen as well as with a lipo checker. I'm totally in the dark as to the cause Bunky, rcpilotacro what do you guys suggest about the radio? Should I change it? If I do then I 'll have to go with futaba, in particular the 14SG.

 

[Patroller]

sorry to hear of the 104's demise, hope you figure it out and get a replacement up this winter.

 

[Knife-Edge]

Thank you Patroller. Just on the fence regarding the change to futaba. Really like my XG14 but just feel nervous when I think of flying another plane with it!

 

[santiago3d92095]

do you have any pictures of the installation inside the plane before the crash happened ? the way dmss works it only takes up to 2 seconds for the whole system to re-boot with out having to cycle the radio.

 

[Knife-Edge]

do you have any pictures of the installation inside the plane before the crash happened ? the way dmss works it only takes up to 2 seconds for the whole system to re-boot with out having to cycle the radio.

Nope unfortunately I don't. But we did the range check before the maiden and checked with the powerbox readings as well. After that I had a number of flights with this setup.