Spektrum RX Issue

[Monkey Wrench]

I think I have a bum Spektrum RX and am curious if anyone else has experienced a similar issue.

I have a total of five RX's, but the one I have in my Hyper can't seem to get more than 50-60 feet and then it acts as if it's out of range. I've had it do this before, but chalked up to a low RX pack, but today, I had the pack fully charged and it did it. Also put a new pack in and the same thing. Even rebound it a few times and the same result.

Got it home, pulled the RX of the RC18T, put it in the Hyper and now I can get almost to the end of my street and still have signal. Granted, the engine was not running, but even when I had the original one in, it didn't act as if it were glitching due to radio noise. Controlled the servos just fine and no servo chatter, just gets 50-60' and it just stops. Funny (or scary) part is, the failsafe wasn't kicking in either. If it was at partial throttle when it went out of range, it stayed there until I got it in range.

I've never had a RX just flake out on me. If one went bad, it was as a result of my doing, be it crashing, running in water or whatever. I haven't even had a chance to race this thing yet, and other than an occasional romp in the yard and street, it's basically sat (I know, sad).

I'm going to contact Spektrum (Horizon Hobby) and ask them what my options are, but I'm curious if anyone else has experienced a Spektrum RX just up and wigging out on them?

 

[joey]

I've had that happen to me the other day when i was running .. i dunno if it was just the area i was running in causing it to do that.. but i would lose control of my steering.

 

[jetmechG550]

Hey Monkey, remember my truggy at CRCRC. I found the antenna wire was broken. I still had my receipt and sent it to them and it was covered under warranty. They also flashed it with some new software.

 

[olds97_lss]

I don't know if you saw the article in rcx or not, but spectrum had a bad batch of receivers go out a while back. The antenna lead inside the receiver was running accross the top of a circuit board. Over time, it wore at the wire and it would short out causing it to reset itself or just get really glitchy.

They were fixing it for free or replacing it if any damage had occured. You might want to pop it apart and see if the antenna wire is going over the top of a board instead of to the side or underneath it.

Found the info at spectrums site:

Simple Fix for Module "Shut Down" Issue
11/02/05

A few of our customers are experiencing a “shut down” condition with their Spektrum module systems. A “shut down” can occur in a hard crash, or while running in a specific area of the track. It is characterized by a loss of power to the servos. To reactivate the system, it is necessary to turn the receiver off, and then back on again to resume normal operation. Shut downs are most prevalent when racing on carpet due to static electricity, however they can also occur on any surface during a hard crash.

This issue is not a related to DSM technology, but is a result of an improperly routed antenna inside the transmitter, which causes a compromised link quality. If you’ve experienced a “shut down”, please return your transmitter module to Spektrum’s service center for quick repair, which involves installing a new, longer internal antenna wire with the correct routing. While this issue affects relatively few modules, you can easily check your transmitter module to determine if your system has the proper routing - refer to the instructions below.

We apologize for this inconvenience. We are committed to achieving perfect reliability and your total satisfaction with Spektrum products.

HOW TO CHECK YOUR TRANSMITTER MODULE

Using a Phillips screwdriver carefully remove the case from your module and examine the antenna connection to the board:
Correct

Note the antenna coax is routed under the main radio board.

Incorrect

The antenna coax is routed over the board in close proximity to power capacitors and IC’s compromising signal integrity. Please return to Spektrum for service. In the case of Futaba Hitec modules, a longer antenna wire will be needed.

 

[Monkey Wrench]

Thanks a bunch, fellas! No, I must have missed that article and the blip on their web site! D'oh!

 

[jetmechG550]

Nice catch Olds, I forgot about that one.

 

[Monkey Wrench]

Thanks Horizon Hobby! Well, a few days after I posted this I called Horizon, explained my predicament and they suggested I go ahead and send it in. Sent it out on the 23rd, received it back this past Wednesday, all fixed up at NO CHARGE and operating great! I didn't figure on seeing it back for a month or more, but am very impressed with their quick turnaround and customer service. I was half expecting another Integy tragedy, but am very happy with the way they handled this issue!