Vintage Futaba gear and receiver range problems
 

I recently bought a Madrat and have installed the following

mtroniks sniper rv12 esc
17t schumacher brushed motor
3700nimh battery

The transmitter and receiver are vintage (20yrs old) but Im sure they are working perfectly.

The receiver is a Futaba fp-r102je
Transmitter fp-t3egx 27mhz
Dontknow what servo but seems to work fine.

The problem I hve is when the car runs more than 40m away or so the throttle stutters. Everything seems fine when in close proximity.
I have swapped crystals, swappd the reciever and tried anothr transmitter but still havethe same problem.

It was actually worse when i tried another futaba transmitter, All the batteries were fully charged and ariel fully extended.

This problem only occurs when it goes furthr out of range.

I thought it was enclosed space built up area that was causing it but on Sunday it stuttered at Torch race track which was dam annoying.

Any ideas what is causing this?

Pic of car incase my set up is causing it???

Resized to 44% (was 778 x 584) - Click image to enlargehttp://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...x/DSCF1059.jpg




transmitter


Resized to 44% (was 778 x 584) - Click image to enlargehttp://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...x/DSCF1060.jpg

Someone mentioned about 'trimming the attena down'? The problem is I am not sure what all the trim settings do or what levels to set it at. Could this be the problem?

Ideally has anyone got any experience of this futaba set and how everything functions..

regards

James

Does the ESC have a small hole in it for a screw driver to turn a plastic bolt inside?

And is there a little light that turns on and off, maybe red and green when you accelerate to full and back?

My old Futaba kit has and I found instructions on how to fine tune it for each radio. I'm trying to find it for you, but let me know if you have that adjustment / set up hole anyway!

There's a little button in the bottom left hand corner of the esc (as viewed in his picture) which you use to calibrate the esc to the transmitter - but I'm assuming that jpmatrix has already done that as he says it's ok up close??

Nice transmitter. I still have my one and use it with some of my vintage cars. The problem you are describing sounds like motor interference (27MHz is quite prone to this) do you have the 3 capacitors soldered to the motor? It's surprising how much difference this makes!

Sparky.

Are you still having problems?

It might help to tidy the wiring up. turn your receiver through 180 degrees so the aerial goes straight up the tube, if the Mad Rat allows you to run the wires from the speed controller UNDER the battery to the receiver then do that too. Cable tie the wires from your servo to the receiver so it is nice and neat. The capacitor advice is very good advice.

If you are still having problems then ask someone if you can swap parts with them until the problem goes away.

N

Jitters !
 

May be the lack of capacitors on the motor but most motors usually come with caps fitted as standard.
As you are using 'vintage' gear - very nice tx by the way ( not jealous ) sometimes the receivers antenna break inside the insulation as they get old and hard. usually where they come out of the case or where they turn a corner. Re-wire the rx antenna with the correct length of wire for that receiver.
Also, if you are using 'vintage' crystals consider changing the rx crystal for a NEW one as they do get a battering fitted in cars.

always change them as a pair to be safer.

Thank you for all the advice.

I shall solder on a new antenna wire and see if that makes a difference.

I have also rotated the receiver 180 deg and the attenna wire goes
straight up.

I shall let you all know if these adjustments have solved the stuttereng.


regards

James