what's causing this problem??

[CharliesTheMan]

I'm having a problem when running my Baja 5B. I have a Futaba 3PK system with Futaba R133F fm receiver. I'm only able to run about 40 yards at the most before I start getting major glitches and the receiver starts going crazy. I'm wondering if the ignition system and coil wire could be causing RF interference, because the guy that had the radio before me was getting major reach with his nitro and electric vehicles. I'm going to get a PCM receiver and pretty soon I will have a FASST system, but I don't want to spend all that money on FASST and then still have this problem. Anyone heard of this with a gasser before, and would a PCM receiver fix the problem?

 

[NCNitro]

While I am not at all familiar with gassers, send it to me and I will gladly see what I can do with it

 

[CharliesTheMan]

ha I would but who knows when I might see it again ouch that was a low blow

lmao just messin with ya, that's all that needs to be said. NC I'd love to send this thing to ya, but I don't know what I would do without it, she's like my soul mate.

 

[hamz9561]

I had heard something about things like this happening with the digital radios somewhere. That's why I've been using the FM radio that came with the RTR rather than buying a new Spektrum RX module for it. I think it has something to do with the proximity to a spark plug.

 

[itsalifeworthliving]

I'm having the same problem right now as well.. but I'm running the stock hpi fm radio.. its over 2 yrs old and have never had this problem before.. trying to trouble shoot it, i had somebody sit by my 5b as i walked acrossed the field with the motor off and radio on. i was further then ever before. i could not see the 5b and had toi use a cell phone to comunicate. the radio worked fine.. start running it and at about 250 ft or so(not good with judging distance) it would go alittle crazy.. the stearing and throttle servo jumps back and forth. its kinda scary. i have no idea what it is. but it was never like that before now. i cleaned the dust out of the receiver but have yet to try it out.. i will tomarrow.. but i can't figure it out!

 

[NCNitro]

ha I would but who knows when I might see it again

Just don't ask me to paint it and we will be fine

 

[Rolex]

Send the radio and receiver to NCNitro and send the 5B to me. I'll put in my M11 electronics, check it out thoroughly for you and send it back by October. I promise.

Other than that, I would suggest temporarily relocating the antenna elsewhere and see if anything changes. It's tough to pinpoint something like that after all the basic checks.
Certain frequencies are interrupted by different things. I once had a TV whose remote control would NOT work at all if there was a 40W light on in the room. All other lights were no problem.

You might also temporarily swap it with your Savage gear to see if that is a better behaved frequency around the spark plug or magneto.

 

[CharliesTheMan]

Yeah I was wondering if it would hurt to swap in an AM radio system because I have some extra receivers, and maybe see what happened then.

 

[olds97_lss]

Sounds like it may be worth a try at least.

You sure your receiver pack is peaked? With the big daddy servo in that thing, a weak pack would get hammered hard by 1/5 scale servos.

 

[itsalifeworthliving]

you can try it. but i think you will get evan more gliching problems with the am set-up.. let me know what happens..

 

[CharliesTheMan]

Sounds like it may be worth a try at least.

You sure your receiver pack is peaked? With the big daddy servo in that thing, a weak pack would get hammered hard by 1/5 scale servos.

Yeap I'm sure. I thought of that first, but it's happened with several peaked 100 packs, and today when it happened with my peaked 4500 pack (moster from DDM, very nice) I knew that the problem was somewhere else. I think I may have isolated the problem though. When I would screw in the antenna all the way on the transmitter, it was still kinda loose, and through trial and error it doesn't seem to happen when I'm holing the antenna tight in my hand, so I did some research. Apparently if you install and remove the antenna a lot, the screw that it mounts on can become loose inside the transmitter. I didn't know this because the guy that I got it from always took the antenna off when he put it in the case, and that's what I've been doing. But Futaba says you're not supposed to take the antenna off if you can help it, and they say to use a pair of long hemostats to reach in the whole and tighten the screw, so I'm leaving now to find a really long set of needle nose pliars. The information posted on their website makes me think it must be a fairly common thing.

 

[Rolex]

Since it's been unscrewed and re threaded so many times, I would also recommend stopping by a Radio Shack for some electrical contact grease to insure a solid signal through it.

 

[HeartBreak]

You might have better luck just opening the case (CAREFULLY!!) and re-tightening the screw that way. I've had several Futaba's through the years, and had the same exact issue. The best way is just to open the case, and tighten the screw down. Don't worry about putting threadlocker on it. Once it's tight, it should stay tight.

Don't over-tighten it, either. Just enough to make sure it won't come loose again. Re-assemble, and see if you have the same problem.

I've also kept my antenna screwed on permanent. It does several things; keeps the screw/nut assembly still tight, prevents loss of antenna, and keeps dirt/dust from entering the case.

'Sides, if you manage to break the antenna, you can order a new one. They run about $8 or so.

 

[CharliesTheMan]

PROBLEM SOLVED!! Well I didn't read your statement until right now heartbreak, but that's what I ended up doing. There wasn't a lot of information on the subject because aparently a lot of people are scared to tear up trasmitters in that price range, but I figured worse case scenario was I would tear it up beyond repair, and have to buy the 4PK, and with that being the worse case scenario I took a chance. Well I took that sucker apart and got er done! I was a lil nervous after having it that far apart but everything is working great. Wow, that's a lot of wires! I took some pics so that people that are scared to tear into the transmitter could see that it was possible. I wasn't fixing to pay shipping both ways and pay Futaba Lord knows what to tighten a screw. Here's the pics when I had it apart.

 

[Lessen]

Wow, so that's what my baby looks like inside.. cool! The most I've seen is from taking the wheel off.

 

[CharliesTheMan]

Lessen, believe it or not, I was thinking about you when I started taking this thing apart. You're always one of the guys that I think about when I think of the people on here that when given the choice between taking something apart yourself or sending it to be fixed, like me, you'd be the one to take it apart.

 

[HeartBreak]

The last time I sent a radio in for a repair (it was a re-tune), was about 12 years ago, and the cost was up there. It was about $45 or so. I wouldn't doubt the repair for the screw would be in the neck of the woods of about $35 or so, including shipping and what-not.

Look at it this way; you saved some money, so that gives you a reason to get a part for one of your kits!

 

[CharliesTheMan]

The sad thing is... I don't need a reason. haha parts on the way like crazy. I showed the mailman my baja the other day just so he could see what all those packages he brings every day are for. I know I pay more in shipping but for some reason I can justify spend 100 or 200 a day a lot better than 700 at the end of the week.

 

[HeartBreak]

Trust me, I know where you're comin from. Altho lately, I have no choice. I'm stuck with a bit of downtime, and all I do (between gaming and the occasional chit-chat session) is browse ebay. So far, I've rebuilt my carbs, scratch-built an ipod, and added stuff to my pc. My next project, once funds come-about, is to mod my AxeCP to heading-hold, and build up my 18B.

My mail carriers never ask. Altho, they have seen me run my Savage and fly my heli around before, so they know I'm not up to no-good.

 

[NitroNewb]

Piece of cake Charlie. Your a computer tech. Your used to all those pcb's and wiring. Jump right in I say. It's the best way to learn.
GHM