Just a thought?
 

Good observation about the Spektrum's. I doubt it's a contractual thing, though I can't say for sure. Isn't Team Losi a division of Horizon Hobbies? I think the pros are just waiting to begin testing them again. I imagine that alot of revenue rides in this industry on who is winning, an what they are winning with. How's that old saying go. "Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday"

Travis Amezcua was just at our track the other weekend and was using his Spektrum system as well as the rest of us. So I doubt it had anything to do with sponser contracts.

cap install photos.

http://www.fwslotcars.com/mtveten/spektrum/PICT0001.JPG
http://www.fwslotcars.com/mtveten/spektrum/PICT0002.JPG

BTW I have one of the newer units and still experienced some glitch type issues when running a worn motor.


Mark

When you say "newer", what do you mean? Just because it might have been purchased recently does not gurantee the software version. My 3PK system came with a rx that had the old software and needed to be updated. If your system is glitching, I would bet that the software needs the update.

When they say to cut the antenna down to 3.6 inches, does it have to be exactly that or can it be anywhere in between?

Any length but not shorter than 3.6 inches.:D

I am hoping to get into the reedy race and have some concerns on the lag and the glitching. I upgraded to am m8 due to the previous radio I had being slow I hate to go backwards and have a slow response time!

Glitching
 

I had glitching issues with my MX3-S while running at So-Cal, and at Tamiya. I haven't used it on a spektrum, but it should work. Get a Yokomo Noise Killer kit, available at SpeedTech. The Ferrite Magnet is kindof big, so I also bought a smaller one they sell seperately that's made by TDK. It solved all of my glitching issues.

Got my 2300mah battery pack built and charged. The power draw from the Spektrum transmitter module has been reduced dramatically over the stock 700mah pack that came with it. There is still flickering with the number to the right of the decimal in the voltage read-out but the draw has been reduced to a snail's crawl. For 3PK users: if you are having this problem, go with 2000mah batteries or higher.:nod:

NO - must be exactly 3.6 inches.

It has to do with harmonic resonances of the 2.4GHz frequencies used.

If you change the length away from one of those harmonics, you'll lose a LOT of range/stability.

The instructions say exactly 3.6 inches and they mean it.

this is a very very well established principle used in any radio application. In ham (amateur) radio, you tune your (dipole) antennae to specific frequency ranges by making it a very specific length.

Hey Boomer,

The DSM instructions don't say to cut it to 3.6 inches. They say it's optional to cut it to that, but not shorter.

I understand this might be a principle in radio wave technology, but don't you think it's a bit of overkill? I mean, at the theoretical range limit you wouldn't even be able to see your car! :) We only need about 5% of the actual range to operate our cars.

Mike

I am not a radio/ham guy, but I would think that the harmonics at 2.4G is very small. so even mm off would make a drastic change.

I reread my instructions... it says you CAN shorten the antenna wire to 3.6 but no shorter... nowhere does it say you have to shorten it. If it had to be 3.6 inches why wouldn't they come 3.6 inches long?
I don't know the science of this... all I know my system works great with the longer antenna.

Hello everubody,

I need to send back my spektrum system, it comes from the first batch and I'm experiencing some issues.
I'm from france and I would like to contact a member of horizon hobbies for some details. Actually I want them to send me back my system with Express mail service and a tracking number, I imagine I'll have to pay for this, it's normal. So I want to know the way to follow.
Can you give me the mail address of a person who is in charge for Spektrum service.

Hugo

It's IF you cut it.

Yes, there is like a mm leeway - but you shouldn't cut it to 4.5" and expect it to behave properly