FINALLY !! The DX18 Manuel is released...
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http://www.spektrumrc.com/Products/Support.aspx?ProdId=SPM18000

Hi guys.
Would the consensus be that the 18 is easier, harder, or about the same as the 11X to program?
Bear in mind, transmitters pretty much baffle me. I have printed out the step by step programming directions given me by 1BWANA1 some time back, and guard them with my life. I never was able to figure out how to use the 11x to match the 2 servos on each aileron on my larger planes, so I continue to use Matchboxes. A painful admission, but so be it. How does the 18 fare in this area?

So for those of you that have the DX-18 and have, or had, an 11x or 12x, what are the advantages/disadvantages? I like my 12x, but would like a lighter option as I don't use a neck strap.

I've had and DX-18 for about a month now. So far I'm very impressed. I've been a 12X flyer ever since they came out and am just about ready to put it up for sale. As for the programming, its pretty straight forward. If you can work with an 11or 12X you'll have no problems. A few comments I would have as far the programming goes. It is missing the ability to have multiple switches turn on a mix, You are limited to two. Also, it claims to have 5 flight modes in airplane mode, It does have 5 flight modes but only offers 4 curves to work with and also has limited switch assignment for flight modes. I have been able to work around these few issues. One thing I was never expecting to gain from this radio is a much stronger RX link. As we have learned in the past it was normal on a DSM2 system to have 50 to 100 misses on any given antenna during a normal flight. I'm finding 10 to be on the high side. I think that due in part to the duel antennas the radio has. This alone makes me want to ditch my 12X sooner than I was planning. I also love the telemetry. Easy to set up and great info to have. The radio is much lighter than my 12X, that's also a plus,
I've seen a few questions about how the 18 channels work. You can use this radio with all your old receives, even the 12 channel. The first 10 channels are used for flight surfaces and throttle. The reason is the channels above 10 only have 512 resolution and are recommended only for non flight surface functions. ie gear,choke, ignition kill etc They are full function channels only with lower resolution.
I have at this point learned the radio very well, let me know if you have any questions, I'll help if I can

Originally Posted by edbaker

I've had and DX-18 for about a month now.
<snip>
I've seen a few questions about how the 18 channels work. You can use this radio with all your old receives, even the 12 channel. The first 10 channels are used for flight surfaces and throttle. The reason is the channels above 10 only have 512 resolution and are recommended only for non flight surface functions. ie gear,choke, ignition kill etc They are full function channels only with lower resolution.
I have at this point learned the radio very well, let me know if you have any questions, I'll help if I can

According to Andy Kunz, one of Horizon's programmers who answers questions here, RCU and mostly on RCGroups, the programming on the DX18 was changed to allow the full use of all 12 channels as primary on 12 channel rx's.

Lots of us squawked about that little deal with all the 12 channel rx's around and 10 channel's not really being enough for say a 35% size aerobat. In any event, the change was made. Now whether or not it'll work with a 10 channel rx and the X module is another question altogether.

My suspicion is no but I don't have a definitive answer and the way the expansion module is fed power, I'd be leary of feeding a couple of big primary control surface servo plus whatever else is there, through those wires coming from the main rx for the module.

Originally Posted by Zeeb

According to Andy Kunz, one of Horizon's programmers who answers questions here, RCU and mostly on RCGroups, the programming on the DX18 was changed to allow the full use of all 12 channels as primary on 12 channel rx's.

Lots of us squawked about that little deal with all the 12 channel rx's around and 10 channel's not really being enough for say a 35% size aerobat. In any event, the change was made. Now whether or not it'll work with a 10 channel rx and the X module is another question altogether.

My suspicion is no but I don't have a definitive answer and the way the expansion module is fed power, I'd be leary of feeding a couple of big primary control surface servo plus whatever else is there, through those wires coming from the main rx for the module.

Two comments: I tried the new AR12020 with my DX-18 and it works just as Andy indicated. Channels 11 & 12 are there and function as you have set them up but, they are invisible once you inhibit 'XPlus'. Additionally, a fellow DX-18 user indicated that the new AR9020 RX (comes with the DX18) is actually a 10 channel RX and that the "Batt" receptacle is also Aux5. I checked it out and sure enough it works just fine. You do not need to use XPlus to gain access to the Aux5 channel -- just program it like any other of the nine channels on the AR9020 RX and use a Y harness to plug into the Batt receptacle.

Howard

question, just hooked up my telemetry spektrum ar1000 to my powerbox, and cannot see readings on the telemetry face of my DX 18 Tx.
i have gone into menu and turned on what i want to see, but still , nada.
i have also rebind, and still zip

anyone can help me?

got it working now. never mind.

Originally Posted by orthobird

question, just hooked up my telemetry spektrum ar1000 to my powerbox, and cannot see readings on the telemetry face of my DX 18 Tx.
i have gone into menu and turned on what i want to see, but still , nada.
i have also rebind, and still zip

anyone can help me?

Which PowerBox are you using? I have a champion SRS and am not sure how to connect and bind. I've got the x-bus plugged into the TELE port on the PowerBox. Do I also plug the tm1000 data lead into an open slot on the PowerBox?

How did you do the binding? Thanks.