Winching with a VG400 radio

[BlueMonster]

I am running a 4 channel Airtronics VG400 radio with my 350, and need to know about modding it.

I am using the left stick left and right movement to steer, and the right stick up and down for throttle.

My winch is on channel 3, it is operating via the up/down on the left stick. It isn't mounted and functional yet because I know I would be activating it all the time while steering.

Is there a way to add a switch to the radio that would disconnect the winch movement on the left stick until I want to use it?

I haven't opened up the radio yet...

[scruff007]

Maybe you could wire a 3 pos. in place of the L and R on the left stick. Should be able to mount it somewhere on the Tx. Disconnect wires from the stick.

[Mechanicalbob]

Yes you can modify your radio. Here some ideas on what you need to do. I took apart my Futaba radio to see what needed to be done. This should work on any of the stick controls on the radio.

In the first picture it shows the back of the "stick" up/down, left/right.



The second shows the up/down part of the stick.



Here the "stick" is removed from the chassis of the radio. As in the picture there are two potentiometers (in the pic they are left and right). they are wired together. the one on the right is your trim adjustment, leave this one in place. The left one de-solder the wires (or cut them), add some extention wires to the existing wires. One thing to remember when wiring in a switch is to keep the wires in the right place. One thing I do when I am modifing things is that I take a picture of where stuff was before I started so I have a referance.


run the extended wiring up to the top of the radio and solder it to a 2 way toggle switch. The one in the picture is a single through swithch.



One thing I found out while looking into this is how to switch a radio to ground use from air use.

In the first picture it shows the radio electric board. On the left side is the "radio" side of things.


Here is the "radio" side disconected. On the radio board there is a 72 printed there. That is the frequency it runs on. I did some looking and a new board cost about 40 bucks plus a new reciever.



Hope this helps.

Steve

[BlueMonster]

Wow, thanks for the pics!

Where did you find the new board to convert to ground? I wonder if there is a way to add channels?

[Big Mike]

That's what I've been wondering - how to add more channels to an existing setup...

[Mechanicalbob]

I will see what I can find for adding more channels.

Steve

[BlueMonster]

Well, I desoldered the center wire on the pot I want to manage, spliced in a 2-way on/off switch in. Now NOTHING works, even after I put it back to original. I don't know what could have gone wrong, but I think I must have screwed up the radio somehow...

[Mechanicalbob]

Originally Posted by BlueMonster

Well, I desoldered the center wire on the pot I want to manage, spliced in a 2-way on/off switch in. Now NOTHING works, even after I put it back to original. I don't know what could have gone wrong, but I think I must have screwed up the radio somehow...

On the POT you have to undo all three wires to make it work right. You might have shorted out the part of the radio. If you can not get it to work let me know. You could send it to me and I could work on it for you FREE Just pay the shipping.

Steve

[BlueMonster]

I may just take you up on that. So do I replace the pot I am messing with with a 3pos switch? Is that what you are doing there?

I was hoping to do was disable output from that pot until I wanted it, I thought I could splice in a switch that I could flip to allow the normal use of the gimbal for the winch, giving me linear control.

[Mechanicalbob]

Originally Posted by BlueMonster

I may just take you up on that. So do I replace the pot I am messing with with a 3pos switch? Is that what you are doing there?

I was hoping to do was disable output from that pot until I wanted it, I thought I could splice in a switch that I could flip to allow the normal use of the gimbal for the winch, giving me linear control.

Hmmmm If you want to disconnect that channel temp. you would need a single throw switch (on/off). As for what wire to do that with I will have to do some reading and looking.

Steve

[BlueMonster]

That's exactly what I want to do, l already have the ON/OFF switch.

[Mechanicalbob]

In the picture of the stick removed. The Purple wire should be the one to isolate that channel.

Steve

[BlueMonster]

Yeah, mine was black, but you mean the center wire, right? That's the one I tried, made sense to me at the time...lol