Spectrum DX6 Stick to Pistol Grip Style Build

[toy4crawlin]

Time has come to Convert my DX6 Transmitter to a 6ch Pistol :idea: Been wanting to this since last year when I bought it

I will do my best to list details in radios and anything that may help others do the same.

This is totally do able wheather you have an old pistol style radio or not. I'm fairly detailed minded so it should come out pretty nice. Some of you may know me from my Scale Super Rock buggy with the MP3 stereo in it then I moved on the the 1/5 scale AWD rally car build.
I figured the best next Project is a 6 channel Pistol radio.

I was all gung ho until I found the Differences in radio's:
The DX6i has smaller electronics boards than the older DX6 and just uses 4 AA batteries, the Dx6 uses a rechargeable pack.
This puts this build into a tough challenge because the LCD PCB board is 4" tall and cannot fit into a standard Pistol style Radio. So if you already have a DX6i you should not need additional project box's to fit the components

My options:
1- My first idea is to Use a Game flight controller and use the base for the battery and all the electronics PCB boards and then add a Plastic box on top of the Flight stick to house the Steering wheel and other controls, maybe do some mold making.
2- Heavily modify A standard Pistol and add a big electronics "project" box on the back side for the electronics and LCD.
3- Sell the Dx6 and buy a DX6i and proceed to use a standard pistol like a Futaba, Airtronics or old Ko mars-->like Clockworks did in his thread .

Any idea's or thoughts on this guy's ?


Here's pics of the DX6, game flight controller,
Futaba Junior and a Airtronics

Inside DX6

Futaba and Airtronics XL2P-my favorite radio)

Here is the DX6i
Also notice the pots are separate from the scroll adjustments

 

[hairba11]

I guess it would come down to thinking about your ergonomics and parts at hand.

a traditional pistol grip radio is easy enough to find. I like the futaba (hpi) better than the traxxas style because I can hold the futaba radio in my left hand, run throttle with my index finger, and steer with my thumb leaving my right hand free to hold a camera, or BEvERage.

seeing as how you will have other chanels to run, being able to multitask with one or both hands could be, um, handy.

I haven't opened up a dx6, but I have opened up other 4/6 ch. radios before, and mostly they have been the same.
I figure two of the chanel inputs can be connected to the potentiometers (pots) on the trigger and steering wheel.
if the pots are mounted in the dx6 joystics, then it should be easy enough to remove an entire joystick saddle from the case and scab it onto the face of the pistol radio for easy right hand use.
a radio shack style project box could sit on top with the digital trims and programing buttons mounted in the lid, oriented forward so the dx6 antenna sticks out the right side or back of the radio (depending on what the circuit board looks like)
toggles or the pot of the flaps could be mounted on the face side of the box and could be reached by the right hand.

seems like it could be doable, keep us posted.
H

 

[toy4crawlin]

Yep you got it , I like being able to steer with the thumb too and if the DIG switch is close like located like the TQ3 that would be perfect.

The 3rd channel Elevator left side POT will be turned into a 3 way Switch for DIG and the adjustment buttons
The 4th Ch for rear steer will be just behind the Front wheel

I have sourced a few sites for cool Project box's

http://www.tekoenclosures.com/enclosures/enclosures.html
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=219552&&source=14&doy=5m8

something like this for the top for Steering wheels and LCD, scroll buttons

 

[toy4crawlin]

Here's the plan: Just a mock up, not the real thing
use my late best friend Jake(RIF)buddy, old Futaba radio case and add a box on top, this case will probably be a lot smaller if I use a DX6i radio instead of the DX6

 

[Aussie Nerd]

Looks good keep us updated"thumbsup" You will probably nearly fit every thing in without the box if you had a 6i

Kieren

 

[toy4crawlin]

Looks good keep us updated"thumbsup" You will probably nearly fit every thing in without the box if you had a 6i

Kieren

Thanks Kieren,
Yea I really want a 6 i instead.

I dont like the big box ontop, I could mount on back and have the screen on top, but looks better in front

the D6 would all fit in the game flight controller if I have a box on top but it needs a nicely sculpted, the base is real nice and it would stand up and not fall over.
Still thinking of ways to do it.
I lost my job last year, need to be smart with my money or I would just get a 6i and worry about selling the 6 later

 

[clockworks]

Looking good.

I assume that the "rear steer" dial is an independent steering pot for the rear servo? Does the original Tx have the parts for this, or will you have to make them?
It might be a good idea to add a dual rate switch for the rear steering channel. This will effectively disable the rear steer pot (if you set the rate to 0%). Disabling the pot will prevent you moving the rear steering accidentally, but the mixes will still work.
It'll also centre the rear steering for you after you've used the pot - centreing might be tricky if the pot isn't spring-loaded.

 

[toy4crawlin]

Looking good.

I assume that the "rear steer" dial is an independent steering pot for the rear servo? Does the original Tx have the parts for this, or will you have to make them?
It might be a good idea to add a dual rate switch for the rear steering channel. This will effectively disable the rear steer pot (if you set the rate to 0%). Disabling the pot will prevent you moving the rear steering accidentally, but the mixes will still work.
It'll also centre the rear steering for you after you've used the pot - centreing might be tricky if the pot isn't spring-loaded.

Hey Clock, how's it going ?

Yes, the dial is for Rear steer,
old radio has this pot, it was originally the steering drive amount of angle.
I can put a groove in it so the spring plate will fall in it to tell me the exact center.

how do you add dual rate switch?
I wont have to worry about accidental rear steer but the dial is not spring loaded so I do need it to return to center.
Thanks man

 

[clockworks]

The DX6i has dual rate switches for ailerons, elevator and rudder. I think that the rudder D/R was an addition when the DX6i came out, so you've probably only got rate switches for aileron and elevator channels?

The original intention of dual rates is for aircraft. You set your control surfaces (ail, elev, rudder) for the full movement specified for that particular model. This allows you fly "aerobatically", throwing the model around the sky.
To make landing easier, for relaxing flights, or for beginners, you can set the dual rates for, say, 50% of normal full travel. Less control surface deflection = softer/slower response to stick inputs.

Some Txs use individual switches for each channel, some have a "master" switch which controls all the channels from one switch. DX6i has both - not sure about the DX6.

What I'm planning is to have a switch that effectively disables the rear servo pot by switching the rate to zero. It just disables the main control pot. The servo will still respond to inputs from the main steering wheel when you press the crab or 4ws pushbuttons.
A side effect of flicking the rate switch is that the "stick" (thumbwheel) input disappears, so the rear servo will return to neutral. Of course, the wheel itself won't return to neutral, so when you turn the rate switch off, the servo will move back to the position dictated by the pot.

I guess it's not strictly necessary to have a D/R for the rear steering, but it could help in cases of "brain fade".

A mechanical detent (spring and groove) for the thumbwheel is a great idea - I'll try and do something similar for my rear steering pot!

I've ripped my Dx6i apart - pics are currently uploading, and will be posted on my thread shortly.

 

[toy4crawlin]

Awesome I'm liking that !

looks like I have lots of programming to do.

With the rear steer dial not spring loaded I'll be able to leave rear steer where I left it and use my thumb to activate DIG or the mix buttons .

Yea the D6 only has Elevator D/R 0 1 Aileron D/R 0 1
Throttle cut button Trainer button
ch5 gear mix ch6 flap mix throttle hold.

I hoping I can sell the Dx6 and just buy a 6i but getting mixed answers on compatible receivers DSM and DSM2 was told both ways that DSM ar6000 will work with DX6i ? ? ? do you know

 

[clockworks]

Although I've no experience of either the DX6 or the AR6000, there are posts from people who's advice and answers I trust (on "Wattflyer" RC electric flight forum) saying that the AR6000 works perfectly with the DX6i.
Apparently the DX6i is backwards compatible with earlier Spektrum DSM receivers. In some cases, it can take a bit longer to initially bind, but works fine once binding is complete. The delay seems to be caused by the DX6i having to "fall back" from it's normal DSM2 to the DSM protocol used by the AR6000.

There are also posts on other forums (from people I don't know) saying that the DX6i has problems binding with the AR6000 if the Tx is too close to the model. Holding the Tx at arm's length away from the model apparently fixes it.