Model Boat Mayhem

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length.
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: out of control  (Read 3539 times)

regiment

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,782
  • Location: perranporth cornwall
out of control
« on: October 31, 2015, 01:36:15 pm »

went to the lake today with my mate last week yacht would not respond to tx on the water..  on the bench all working . mine was perfect he took  his boat home and put all new gear in it batteries tx rx etc  today he put it in the water do you know what lost control of boat  mine ok   so any brainy person who knows the answer  please let us know  this is urgent before he packs sailing in
Logged

Capt Podge

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4,443
Re: out of control
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2015, 01:51:45 pm »

Here's a stab in the dark - if your mate is using 2.4ghz set up, is the rx sighted ABOVE the waterline ?
 
Regards,
 
Ray.
 
Logged

Tug Fanatic

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2,480
  • Location: England
Re: out of control
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2015, 02:16:07 pm »

Good one Capt Podge.
 
When on the bench was the model exactly as it is when on the water - all hatches fitted & sealed etc?
Did you try a range test before putting the model in the water?
Are the batteries - transmitter & receiver both fully charged?
 
Logged

regiment

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,782
  • Location: perranporth cornwall
Re: out of control
« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2015, 03:21:43 pm »

hi all tx rx are 27 MHz he just has to put it in the lake 2 foot away and trouble   gordon
Logged

malcolmfrary

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6,027
  • Location: Blackpool, Lancs, UK
Re: out of control
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2015, 03:41:34 pm »

A broken receiver aerial wire will do exactly that.  The plastic outer might be OK, but the wire up the middle might not.  This assumes that his wire is above the waterline.
Logged
"With the right tool, you can break anything" - Garfield

Crossie

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 234
  • Model Boat Mayhem is Great!
  • Location: Norfolk UK
Re: out of control
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2015, 03:56:39 pm »

 Hi Gordon, assuming that the Rx aerial is the correct length, it should be somewhere between 27 and 33 inches I believe, and has a good soldered joint, then it should be laid up the front of the mast  using an elastic band or tywrap at the end to keep it reasonably taut , though if the mast is metal do not let any uninsulated end of the aerial touch it. Alternatively tape it to the underside of the deck laid out as straight as possible. If the hull is carbon fibre you really need to have the aerial outside of it.  Don't have it scrunched up into a bundle- you'll reduce your range, good luck!
                                                          Trevor
Logged

tigertiger

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7,748
  • Location: Kunming, city of eternal springtime, SW China.
Re: out of control
« Reply #6 on: October 31, 2015, 04:23:52 pm »

Sorry if this question seems dumb.


Was the yacht an AMRTR or RTR model? If so the radios are often a 27MHz kinda system (toy grade TxRx) and are easily swamped by dedicated channel hobby grade TxRx.


It probably isn't so, but it is good to eliminate the low level issues first.
Logged
The only stupid question is the one I didn't ask

Leaky Bottom

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 170
Re: out of control
« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2015, 04:26:45 pm »

Try checking if the transmitter aerial has not become detatched inside the case
Logged
"Leave me alone I know what I'm doing"

unbuiltnautilus

  • Portsmouth Model Boat Display Team
  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,154
  • Location: Portsmouth, England, third rock from the Sun....
Re: out of control
« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2015, 05:31:10 pm »

Worth checking that the transmitter had a crystal marked with a 'T' and the receiver had one marked with an 'R'. You can often run a model up close with the crystals the wrong way round, or possibly with two Tx or two rx crystals in the model and handset, and it will still function. All is good until you get a few feet apart, then it all stops.
Logged
Listen politely, nod approvingly, then do what you want, works for me!

Jonty

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 894
  • Location: Hoselaw - facing The Cheviot (Scottish Borders)
Re: out of control
« Reply #9 on: October 31, 2015, 09:35:53 pm »

  I had a similar problem with a 27mHz outfit . The boat would respond as long as the transmitter was no more than a couple of feet away. Same problem with a different Rx, so assumed something had gone wrong in the Tx, degraded joint or something like that.

  Time to upgrade, I decided.
Logged
I eat my peas with honey,
I've done it all my life;
It makes the peas taste funny,
But it keeps 'em on the knife.

regiment

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,782
  • Location: perranporth cornwall
Re: out of control
« Reply #10 on: November 01, 2015, 10:23:39 am »

thanks for all of your answers my mate is spending all next week trying to fix problem   ( I have hidden the hammer ) gordon
Logged

sparkey

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,211
  • I think I am as mad as I think I am then I am mad
  • Location: wandsworth
Re: out of control
« Reply #11 on: November 01, 2015, 10:57:58 am »

 O0 Hi,regiment,it might help us to help you if you told us what system he is using and the make and model of Tx Rx involved,usually find that someone on here has had the same problem and have managed to sort it out but we do need some clues to get us started......Ray. O0 O0 
Logged
My boats are all wood like my head fluctuat nec mergitur

roycv

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,389
  • Location: S.W. Herts
Re: out of control
« Reply #12 on: November 01, 2015, 11:07:12 am »

Hi someone mentioned earlier, is it when there is another Tx in use that you have the problem?  That is 2 boats on the water together?
regards Roy
Logged

Unsinkable 2

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 515
  • Location: France ( near Guerande)
Re: out of control
« Reply #13 on: November 01, 2015, 11:51:57 am »

The rocking motion of the boat maybe causing a poor wire to disconnect?


What equipment is he using?
How old are the battery packs? (Black wire syndrome)
Do they charge enough to give a signal at at anything other than close range?
Is any water shorting out connections?
Bleed over from other transmitters (already mentioned  :embarrassed: )


Failing these things and the things already mentioned I would (and did recently) replace each item in the circuit one at a time (with items from a known working model, even if they are borrowed) don't be tempted to change more than one item at once.


Also, make sure your transmitter is not in low power check mode (futaba have this and I'm sure the others will also)
Try also taking your transmitter crystals and putting them in a known good transmitter to rule out a faulty transmitter.


Finally, let us know when you find it please. Good luck.   U2



Logged
It'll look better when it's finished!

regiment

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,782
  • Location: perranporth cornwall
Re: out of control
« Reply #14 on: November 01, 2015, 06:49:23 pm »

 hi  l will ring my mate tomorrow  will find out what rx rx he is using I know the batteries were ok he used my tx with his crystals in it the hull is all wood scratch built  only boat on the lake  the rx is a new one thanks gordon
Logged

Howard Q

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 145
  • Location: Isle of Man
Re: out of control
« Reply #15 on: November 02, 2015, 11:16:28 pm »

I know it seems obvious but!!! is the aerial on the radio fully extended, I have been sailing for more years than I care to remember and took my grandson to the lake with an old model on 27mhz, cursing the fact that a few yards from the side it would stop working, until,    oops, ho ho I had forgotten to extend the aerial, 2.4 ghz spoils you, I am now reminded each time by a 3 year old, put the aerial up granddad when we sail.
Howard Q
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.097 seconds with 21 queries.