Radio Setup How-to

	Radio Setup How-to <Last updated 12-1-2006>
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The following radio setups are for a mechanical mCCPM setup as the Raptor 30/50 v1/v2 and the Raptor 60 have. I will cover electrical eCCPM setup later when I get some more time to write the pages.

This page will link to several other pages that detail an individual step. So after each step you should return back here to get to the next item. Also it will help to know ahead of time what the controls on your radio do. Go to this page <here>.
Tips to use during the following setups: <click here> for a tip on securing two servo connectors. When mounting the link ball, make sure the shouldered side is opposite the head of the screw. When installing a link on a ball make sure the link goes on the correct direction. Most links will have a label on one side, the label side needs to go out.

1. Set radio to helicopter mode
2. Remove the 'clicks' from the throttle stick (if this is an airplane version of the radio)
3. Set stick height
4. Set radio to standard swash mix
5. Set model name
6. battery/receiver/antenna
7. Aileron*
8. Elevator*
9. Throttle
10. Collective
11. Rudder/gyro
12. Align built-in pitch gauge
13. Pitch curve
14. Throttle curve
15. Expo for thumb pilots
16. Dual Rates
17. Setup failsafe (available on PCM receivers)

Tip: As a backup you can copy your current model to one of the spare models in the radio.

*Note: In the setup I use full travel in setting the end points. A question I get sometimes is about the swashplate binding if you go either full positive collective or full negative collective while at the same time you have full elevator and full aileron. It is correct that it will bind however if you are doing some maneuver where the sticks are in this situation then you have other problems to worry about. Again honestly no trick would ever put you in this situation but a way to avoid it would be to use a cyclic ring. The purpose of the rings are to help you keep a true circle with the cyclic when performing pirouetting flip/chaos/loop. Not setting full travel would prevent the above mentioned problem of binding, however that would limit the roll rate.

Collective - *recommend reading 3/4-hover-stick

Expo	Expo is short for exponential. The effect you see by using this function is that the sensitivity is soft around the middle but still has full servo travel at the ends. On all radios except Futaba, the more you increase this value the larger the area around center will be soft feeling. For Futaba you have to go negative. So -20 on a Futaba would be the same as +20 on all other radios. Zero would be no expo. When I setup a radio for someone that uses their thumbs to control the sticks I may put as much as 30% expo on the aileron and elevator. For more info on the pinch method versus the thumbs go <here>. The amount of expo you set will depend on what feels best to you. I would not recommend more then 30%. If you are just starting out and have trouble overcorrecting then lower the dual rate. Rudder expo - I always set 20% expo on the rudder. ==================== Airtronics RD6000/8000 - go to 'El' then down to 'EXP'. If the display has 1:,2:,or 3: then use the f.mode button to switch to N: and set the normal flight mode expo value you want. Press the right arrow once to get to 'Ai' 'EXP' and set it to the same value. Go right again to get the 'Ru' and set it to 20%. JR 9303 - go to [D/R & EXP] and under this title select 'AILE'. Next go to POS-0 D/R to 100 and EXP to LIN. Next scroll past POS-2 and you will get to the AUTO menu. For NORM, ST-1, ST-2, and HOLD set them each to POS-0. Go back to 'AILE' and change it to 'ELE' and do the same. For 'RUDD' set the D/R to 100 but the EXP to +20. JR 8103 - go to [D/R & EXP] and use the ch. button to get to 'AILE', 'ELE', and 'RUDD'. Set the Aileron and elevator expo to the value you want (0-pinch method, 30-thumbs). And set rudder expo to 20%. JR 6102 - go to [D/R & EXP] and use the select button to get to 'AILE', 'ELE', and 'RUDD'. Set the Aileron and elevator expo to the value you want (0-pinch method, 30-thumbs). And set rudder expo to 20%. JR 662 - go to 'EXP' then to 'AI0' and set to 20%. Use the D/R switch and do the same for 'AI1', this sets both sides to 20%. Next press the channel button and set 'EL0' and 'EL1' to 20%. JR 10X - enter code 13 and press 'PAGE' to get to 'AILE' channel then set the EXP to +20. Do the same for 'ELEV'. Futaba 6X - go to 'EXP' then to channel 1 and set to -20% and do the same for channel 2. Futaba 8U - go to 'EXP-AI' and 'EXP-EL' and set both values to -20%. Futaba 7C/9C - go to [D/R, EXP] then to 'CH1:AILE' and set it to -20%. Do the same 'CH2:ELEV'.
Dual rates	The dual rate will decrease the total travel of the servo. If you set the value at 50% then the servo only moves half the distance when you push the stick on the radio all the way to the side. Decreasing the total throw is good for the novice pilots because it makes the controls less sensitive and also less interaction between the controls. Expo would also make the controls less sensitive, but only around center. If you get scared and jerk the control all the way to the side, then with expo instead of dual rate, the heli will be at its full roll rate and might get you in more trouble then you were. If your past the hover stage, then expo might be a better choice. For Dual Rate, a good starting point is around 75%. Now you may notice that the elevator is more sensative then the aileron. For people just learning to hover I equalize the feel by setting the aileron to 80% and the elevator to 75%. Later as you become more comfortable start increasing the rates up to 100%. If you don't have a heading hold gyro, then also set the rudder to 75%, otherwise with a heading hold gyro the end points (ATV/EPA) for the rudder channel will determine the sensitivity. ==================== Airtronics RD6000/8000 - go to 'El' then down to 'D/R' and set it to 100%. If the display has 1:,2:,or 3: then use the f.mode button to switch to N: and set the normal flight mode dual rate to 100%. Press the right arrow to go 'AI' and set the 'D/R' also to 100% JR 9303 - go to [D/R & EXP] and under this title select 'AILE'. Next go to POS-0 D/R to 100 and EXP to LIN. Next scroll past POS-2 and you will get to the AUTO menu. For NORM, ST-1, ST-2, and HOLD set them each to POS-0. Go back to 'AILE' and change it to 'ELE' and do the same. For 'RUDD' set the D/R to 100 but the EXP to +20. JR 8103 - go to [D/R & EXP] and use the ch. button to get to 'AILE' then set 'D/R' to 100%. Do the same for 'ELEV'. JR 6102 - go to [D/R & EXP] and select 'AILE' and set 'D/R' to 100%. Do the same for the elevator. JR 662 - go to 'D/R' then to 'AI0' and set to 100%. Use the D/R switch and do the same for 'AI1', this sets both sides to 100%. JR 10X - enter code 13 and press 'PAGE' to get to 'AILE' channel then set the D/R to 100. Do the same for 'ELEV'. Futaba 6X - go to 'D/R' then to channel 1 and set to 100%. Do the same for channel 2. Futaba 8U - go to 'D/R-AI' and 'D/R-EL' and set both values to 100%. Futaba 7C/9C - go to [D/R, EXP] then to 'CH1:AILE' then set to 100%. Do the same for 'CH2:ELEV'.
Disable functions	For novices, you need to disable flight mode 1 and 2. Refer to your radio manual as to how. If they can't be turned off, then set the throttle/pitch curves exactly the same as normal flight mode. That way, if you accidently flip the switch while flying then you won't crash. Crashing is a very frustrating thing for someone just starting out. Many people give up completely, so anything that can help prevent this, should be done.