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[Yamaha1]

We use these sets for live steam locos - and our track disappears behind a "grassy Knoll", and under a bridge - causing the Planet to loose signal,
and the loco to stop.

We spend half the day marching up to the other end of the track, to re-establish radio contact, before the loco will move off again - a PITA !!!

The manual SAYS the failsafe is programmable - but fails to say how you disable it - anybody know, please?

Mike

[cuppa]

Hi Mike

To the best of my knowledge you cannot disable the failsafe on the planet receivers.

Cheers
          Jon

[funtimefrankie]

Should it be loosing the signal? perhaps the aerial could be repositioned

[Yamaha1]

Yeh - all the 2.4gig sets seem to loose signal - not just the Planet ones!!

It isn't line of sight, but if we could disable this dratted failsafe, the locos would just continue to trundle round, signal or no signal.

My other set - a Eurgle with cheap Hobby King receiver that doesn't have failsafe - and that performs perfectly!!

Thanks for the help, guys.

Mike

[andrewh]

Mike

I have read reviews in one of the boat mags about the failsafe. My fallible memory tells me that  it works (as a throttle failsafe) on the designated throttle channel which varies depending on mode 1 or 2 is bought.  I seem to remember that the throttle fails-safe to "closed"  - for an aircraft which is bottom stick (ie full reverse for some boats)

Try it on the bench - try swapping the throttle control to the vertical on the other stick - it should/might do the aero-failsafe which is hold last position (or go to preset safe posistion)

The locos can't be fast enough to worry which stick is the throttle - can they?
If that works and you like it swap over the ratchet/centreing spring
andrew

[dodgy geezer]

We use these sets for live steam locos - and our track disappears behind a "grassy Knoll", and under a bridge - causing the Planet to loose signal,
and the loco to stop.

Can you tell me a bit more about the conditions under which the signal is lost? I am interested in testing ranges of 2.4Ghz kit, and have found that having a hill in the way did not immediately stop the signal. The RadioLink, at least, will run perfectly happily out of line-of-sight, so I can't see why others should not.

1 - How far away is the 'failure point'?
2 - what sort of 'under a bridge' have you got? Is it a tunnel? Or a cutting? Or is there a load of wire mesh there?
3 - If you walk nearer, or to a direct line-of-sight to the point where the signal is lost, do you regain signal again?

[Yamaha1]

Andrew - thanks - I think you may have the answer there - will give it a go ASAP.

Dodgy - the track is a figure of eight, and on an incline - so it goes below ground level about 50 ft, then around below the little bridge, just a pedestrian plank, behind the knoll,
then reappears, also about 50ft away.

We loose the signal just before the bridge - out of sight, and about 60ft away, Then have to go up the hill till about 20 ft away, and practically in sight of the loco,
before signal is regained, and she moves off again!!

If Andrews theory is correct, then it won't matter if the signal is lost - it will just potter around on the same throttle setting, without the failsafe affecting it.

Mike

[triumphjon]

arent the planet sets mode switchable , via a small switch inside the rear case of the transmitter , either mode 1 or mode 2 ?

[dodgy geezer]

Dodgy - the track is a figure of eight, and on an incline - so it goes below ground level about 50 ft, then around below the little bridge, just a pedestrian plank, behind the knoll,
then reappears, also about 50ft away.

That's a very short distance away, and only going under a plank bridge (I assume you don't mean that it goes 50 ft deep under the ground?!). I don't think the transmission should be that poor. Where have you got the aerial sited? I suspect that your problem may be aerial shielding by part of the loco rather than ground clearance....

There might also be reflection problems. Have you got a metal-sided building in the vicinity? Interestingly, with a fixed installation like this, a radio engineer would think about putting a repeater in - I can imagine a passive one simply comprising 2 Pringles aerials connected together...

[Yamaha1]

I can imagine a passive one simply comprising 2 Pringles aerials connected together...

Funnily enough, I have 2 Pringle tubes right here awaiting transition into 2.4gig antennas - when I get roundtuit!!

Mike

[andrewh]

Mike

Been checking my old imperfect memory about the failsafe.

Found this manual  - well written in english English with words about the failsafe (apparently programmable) and mode changing

Taking the words as being true as written, then Ch1 has a programmable failsafe - it will go to a preset condition on signal loss and the 3 other channels will hold at the last commanded position.

SO, it seems you could preset the channel 1 faillsafe position to "keep chugging on" so that it would do this when it loses signal, or try the swap I suggested and put the throttle on Ch3.

I have no way of knowing if the channel designations change when you switch mode  - somehow I doubt it

all these are relatively easy to test on the bench

andrew

[Captain Flack]

I'm fairly sure that the failsafe works on the position of the sticks on binding.  So if you bind at full throttle, for example, it will fail to full throttle position.  Not recommended obviously, but just used to illustrate the point.

[john44]

arent the planet sets mode switchable , via a small switch inside the rear case of the transmitter , either mode 1 or mode 2 ?

yes there is a switch which has L & R for left or right stick throttle.

john