Spektrum signal issue with Losi 1/8th

[Brooks]

Hi people

Have been running my Losi 8ight E today over my local grass park and have been having Spektrum signal issue. The car is ok till it gets to about 70 foot, if i try and go further away, the car just cuts out. I dont have steering or throttle. If i walk closer towards the buggy, it gets the signal again and i have control. I have tryed the spektrum capacitor and it didnt help. Have also tyred to bind the reciever and module again but no difference.
I did get my dad to walk away from the car whilst doing the steering, when he got about 80 foot the receiver light flashes on then off when it regains signal but no steering. Again if my dad comes back to me, the light stays on? The ariel length hasnt been shortened and my handset batterys are ok. Could it be down to the speedo BEC?
I am using the Spektrum Pro Series 2.4ghz with my Ko Vantage Esprit 2 handset.

Any help will be great as i cant understand why it is doing this as its fine with all my other cars.

Cheers
Chris B

[Gnarly Old Dog]

Sounds like a range issue or an install specific issue (since you say it's OK in other cars)

I'd check to ensure that there is no damage to the Rx aerial - even small nicks on the insulation may be detrimental.

Is the Rx aerial routed to extend vertically or have you got it wrapped around anything in the Rx box? If it is wrapped around something, I'd re-route it to go vertically up as far as possible.

If it were a low-voltage issue, then I'd expect it to happen regardless of range.

I'd check the Rx install first - if necessary, swap out the Rx to see if it does the same on a different receiver or even check the Rx range in a different car to see if you can isolate the cause.

What else is different in this install that you could possibly change to see if that does affect it?

Intermittent problems are always the worst type but try to isolate the cause by changing different things. Don't eliminate anything by assumption - but try to go through things methodically.

[spud31]

Chris are you using the tiny spekky rx, as these dosnt seem to like 1/8th cars wither electric or nitro.

[Brooks]

Thanks for the replys. I cant understand this. I swaped the receiver with another one of my cars and took the 1/8th out again tonight and it did it at about 50 foot and also when i turned the car on its roof, i again loose signal, somtimes get steering as it picks the signal up again.
Right, the aerial is vertically out on the 1/8th and there are no cuts in the wire. There is no difference in the way i have installed the receiver to my other cars. I am using the SR3001 DSM 3-Channel Pro Series Receiver.

I did also find that when i point the handset above my head, the signal is fine so this has made me thinking that its the handset. I opened it too check the aerial and that was fine. I am unsure now as to wheather all my other cars have the same problem as i have only raced on small carpet tracks and places like Stockfold, Bister and eden Park etc which arent big compared to places like Nene valley where i will be racing the 1/8th and i cant have this problem there. I will borrow someone else handset and see if its ok.

cheers
chris B

[Beanie]

Is your handset a DX3R by any chance? If so, maybe it's affected by this?

http://www.spektrumrc.com/Products/S...ProdID=SPM3100

Either way I'd get it checked out by the importer, perhaps try another TX first with your car and RX to see if that is fine, that would narrow it down to the TX for sure?

[RICHARD OXLEY]

i had same problem with spektrum pro and ko universe sent it back to horizon. came back and still same, cured it by fiting micro reciever.no range problems since and raced on some pretty big tracks.

[Brooks]

My transmitter is a Ko Vantage Esprit 2 handset converted to Spektrum. I tryed the 1/8th yesterday on a field and it did the same thing? All i can think it can be is that when i run the 1/8th, i am at ground level, same as the 1/8th but i never have any problems when racing as you are at a height and looking down at the car so the signal is better? I have not tryed using a micro Spektrum reciever yet but will give it a go.

Cheers

[jameswilkinson7]

In the back of my spektrum tx module there are two places the aerial can plug into the board.. I plugged it in to the wrong one once and it worked fine indoors at small tracks but as soon as we went out doors I relised there was no range... Swapped the aerial into the other plug and had no problems since.
My module is'nt the pro but it is for the KO 3... I would imagine they would be simliar on the inside, may be worth a try.

[dave g]

ive ran the tiny micro receiver for 3 yrs so nothing wrong with them in rallycross.

as said above it could be because your at ground level..what i would check is unplug the PT and try again,i once had my pt interfere in a similar way and had to move it,thats if you have a pt in of course.

[spud31]

Silly question have you tried using seperate rx pack, instead of esc`s bec?

we may not have an issue using the micro rx because with use seperate rx packs ?

[Brooks]

Thanks for the replys. I havent tryed using a seperate rx pack but again i have had a look in the Losi esc instructions and you can adjust the Bec too 5.2V 5.6V 6.0V 6.5V. The Bec is at 6.0V standard so would it be worth changing it to 6.5V, would that make a difference?