I think AT is/was the NZ Hitec agent -- hence his depth of knowledge.

well his knowledge is very very very useful on this thread, I think HiTec should give him a raise or at least a brand new Optima 9rx

Yes, thank you for all the hard work you put in A.T.!!!

you know guys he even works after hours and on SUNDAYS.

Originally Posted by 2.4ghz

YA KNOW WHAT GUYS, PLEASE READ AND RESPOND TO YOUR LIKING

A.T. IS GOT TO BE THE HITEC GOD, WHEN ANYONE HAS A PROBLEM HE IS RIGHT THERE WITH THE ANSWERS IF NOT HE WILL GET THEM,

LETS ALL GIVE ALAN T. (A.T.) A BIG THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT HE DOES
AND THE BEST PART IS HE DOES IT ALL FROM NEW ZEALAND


SO HERE YA GO ALAN 1 BIG THANK YOU FROM ME, YOU HAVE SAVED MY ASS A COUPLE OF TIMES BY CHIMING IN WITH THE RIGHT ANSWERS

Yes, I agree, DOUBLE Kudos (aka Dito)

A.T. - THANKS!

Yes I have to agree that this anzac has gone beyond the call of duty . And to think that up untill recently i thought they just tended their sheep and played average cricket . From an aussie admirer cheers from the brain .

Can I go back to using Optical Ignition cutoff ??

Smart-Fly Optical Ignition Cut-off & PowerExpander Sport Plus usage
with A9 & Optima 9 channel Rx
vs.
Interference ???

Since the Radio issues last spring and summer, where the first thoughts were the Optical ignition cutoff.... Some said no & some yea??? but i stopped following the thread since the fall....

As some of you know, last May I was one of those who lost comminication, good thing on the ground several times and never in the air, thank God :-)

So, was it just the firmware and NOT the optical cutoffs ?????
Can i go back to the Optical ignition cutoff?????
As noted earlier, i updated ALL my firmware this past weekend (A9, 2.4, Rx optima 9 & Hpp-22). Then after the update flew my gasser 4 or 5 flights, no issues, range check low power out 300+ feet and still working so gave up on going to 400 feet on low power :-)
flew it last July and this past sunday with optical ignition cutoff disconnected since last May :-(


I have the:
Smart-Fly PowerExpander Sport Plus
with Optical Integrated Ignition Cutoff
with built in BatShare (I have the exact same setup as last spring, no changes)
http://www.smart-fly.com/Products/Expander/expander.htm

Thank you

Originally Posted by GizmoMadMax

Can I go back to using Optical Ignition cutoff ??

Originally Posted by GizmoMadMax

Smart-Fly Optical Ignition Cut-off & PowerExpander Sport Plus usage
with A9 & Optima 9 channel Rx vs. Interference ???

Since the Radio issues last spring and summer, where the first thoughts were the Optical ignition cutoff.... Some said no & some yea??? but i stopped following the thread since the fall....
As some of you know, last May I was one of those who lost comminication, good thing on the ground several times and never in the air, thank God
So, was it just the firmware and NOT the optical cutoffs ?????
Can i go back to the Optical ignition cutoff?????
As noted earlier, i updated ALL my firmware this past weekend (A9, 2.4, Rx optima 9 & Hpp-22). Then after the update flew my gasser 4 or 5 flights, no issues, range check low power out 300+ feet and still working so gave up on going to 400 feet on low power
flew it last July and this past sunday with optical ignition cutoff disconnected since last May
I have the:
Smart-Fly PowerExpander Sport Plus
with Optical Integrated Ignition Cutoff
with built in BatShare (I have the exact same setup as last spring, no changes)
http://www.smart-fly.com/Products/Expander/expander.htm Thank you

Firstly, thank you to those for the kind comment in preceding 6+ posts.
My webpage, the A9 and other similar FAQ pages have always been maintained in my own time at my own expense. A small way of repaying the debt owed to those who taught me over the past 50+ years and passing on knowledge before it is to late.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With regard to Optical Ignition cut off, history is recorded under:
After Market Accessories - Ignition Systems, Leads, Modules & Switches - Cautions.

extract:
"22 July 2011: Update:
"After testing to determine what was causing the reports of lockouts for some people we strongly believe now that the Optical devices did NOT play a factor and that it was ignition noise.
We will release a new RX firmware update very shortly that will offer better rejection against this and a re-boot feature that it is does get locked out by this it can recover without having to cycle power.
We apologize for this situation but feel that this update should eliminate the potential for the problem by a very significant amount. Mike"
Later.... "it turned out to be noise from the ignition that the V2.02 firmware resolved.- Mike. "
27 July 2011: Update
"FYI: The RX firmware update V3.01 should be up in the next couple of days. There has been speculation (as there always is) as to the validity of this update and the causes of some of the problems we have seen; All I can say it this is a GOOD THING as it improves the noise rejection capability of the RX as well as includes a re-boot feature if is it affected so at least it has a chance to recover. If other factors are involved then they will be addressed as well as needed.- Mike. "

[A further comment not on that page but worth repeating: 05 Aug 2011:
What is being referred to is the lock out situation that we feel is caused by RF interference from ignitions. Let's look at this like it is a blip (certain RPM) and not a blast (across a wider range of RPM) and that the blip caused the lockout and was gone but the RX would not recover. The new update provides better filtering against this RF interference but if it were realized the RX would recover. I don't know if I would call this a feature but a function that greatly improves the robustness and recoverability of the system.
I honestly don't know of a system on the market that has zero faults nor has ever locked out. While it's easy to say test your system thoroughly before releasing it so that there will be no problems, there is only so much testing that can be done... for us it was 2.5 years. We flew the system in gas models, electric, glow, rubber powered, etc... with zero issues, and to date, I have never personally experienced a lock out or even seen one that was not power related in any model as have thousands of others. However, I have watched other systems destroy planes including some of very high profile pilots at large events. The Hitec technology is easily as good if not better than any out there and has proven itself over the last couple of years on the market. While there has been some reported lockouts that we have now addressed, the % vs. the systems out there is incredibly small... it's just problems get amplified on the forums as if the sky is falling.
Hitec stands behind our products and takes action when need be. How many other radio companies admitted to an issue prior to having a solution? Mike. "

Todate, have seen no further reports of similar to earlier events, but please re-read the notes regarding various systems e.g. Sparkswitch:
03 May 2011 Update
Problem With The Sparkswitch (Opti-Kill) 22 Mar 2011
"So I figured out the problem with the sparkswitch.
I did contact Duralite and Powerbox Systems and they were very helpful in getting some additional troubleshooting.
It seems there is a programming issue when the servo is in the Normal, not reversed, setting. I have it working now."
Problem With The Sparkswitch Confirmed 01 May 2011. <snip>

. Do Not Use RCEXL & Others which have a Common Ground (Negative) line as an Optical Kill Switch! - refer pictures of circuit and How To Correct where possible.

Current firmware for optimum performance:
. Aurora 9 V1.08(1) 10 July 2011
. Optic 6 Sport V1.04(1)
. Spectra 2.4Ghz Module firmware V3.01 18 April 2011
(How to update Hitec TX with fixed "modules" such as Eclipse 7 Pro, Optic 6 Sport & Optic 5)
. Optima 6, 7 & 9 Ch Transceiver Firmware V2.02(0) 07 Oct 2011
. HPP-22 Software Version V1.12(0) - 05 March 2012 (Details and pictorial "How to" install)

Alan T.
Alan's Hobby, Model & RC FAQ Web Links

I have been using the Smart-Fly Power Expander Sport Plus systems in 2 50cc models since I got my A9. I did not have any issues with signal loss at any time. I never quit using my Optical Cut-off and had no issue. I have updated all firmware on the TX, Module and RXs to the latest versions.

Wanting to see what my Life battery pack is doing, I power the SPC port from the servo buss allowing me to see the max and min full voltages from the Life pack. I never could tell anything when the receiver was powered by the servo buss method as 4.9v. is all I ever saw.

Yes, check your installation and enjoy.

Originally Posted by GizmoMadMax

Can I go back to using Optical Ignition cutoff ??

Smart-Fly Optical Ignition Cut-off & PowerExpander Sport Plus usage
with A9 & Optima 9 channel Rx
vs.
Interference ???

Since the Radio issues last spring and summer, where the first thoughts were the Optical ignition cutoff.... Some said no & some yea??? but i stopped following the thread since the fall....

As some of you know, last May I was one of those who lost comminication, good thing on the ground several times and never in the air, thank God :-)

So, was it just the firmware and NOT the optical cutoffs ?????
Can i go back to the Optical ignition cutoff?????
As noted earlier, i updated ALL my firmware this past weekend (A9, 2.4, Rx optima 9 & Hpp-22). Then after the update flew my gasser 4 or 5 flights, no issues, range check low power out 300+ feet and still working so gave up on going to 400 feet on low power :-)
flew it last July and this past sunday with optical ignition cutoff disconnected since last May :-(


I have the:
Smart-Fly PowerExpander Sport Plus
with Optical Integrated Ignition Cutoff
with built in BatShare (I have the exact same setup as last spring, no changes)
http://www.smart-fly.com/Products/Expander/expander.htm

Thank you

I updated my A9, Spectra and O7 today with all the latest versions (had downloaded the 1.12 hpp-22 y'day). Everything went fine. After Sprectra and A9 update I noticed that all my earlier models settings were preserved. Good thing!.

However I faced problem while upgrading O9. I tried the upgrade per instructions many times but O9 was never got recognized. The LEDs never flashed- only solid RED LED. I tried below instructions as posted by A.T (thank you for all the great info A.T.!)

From - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...postcount=3222
"
Optima 7ch & 9ch Transceiver Firmware Update
1. Open HPP-22 Program
2. Connect HPP-22 - wait
3. Select Receiver > Optima 7/9
(Screen will display sequential pictures of Optima 7 & 9 showing connections)
4. Connect Optima "Data" port to "P1" of HPP-22.
5. Connect a fully charged battery pack to battery port of Optima RX and turn on.
. SPC blanking plug must be inserted unless a second power source is connected to SPC port.
6. Screen will display/describe activity. (if no link with 9ch, retry connecting battery to ch6)
7. Do Not turn off / disconnect Optima RX`until transfer bar is complete and instruction received to confirm upgrade is to be finalised.
8. After confirming upgrade is to be finalised, and confirmation is received, turn off battery. Disconnect lead from Optima and only then either close program or select new process: Upgrade another Optima from step 3, a Spectra Pro Module or Aurora or Transfer files from an Aurora
NB: Connection must be peformed in above order,
(If Optima turned on to soon. it may not be recognised.)

NB: If the data port can be accessed, built in transceivers do not need to be removed from a model,
see information regarding use of extensions:
Optima Transceiver - Update Firmware in situ

"
Between O7 upgrade and O9 upgrade nothing really changed (same USB cable - not longer than 3'; supplied hpp22-O9 extenstion cable. hpp-22 upgrade screen always showed 33% and did not go ahead. O9 was not connected to any servos etc while upgrade. Any help here? what am I missing? I've been so far flying this O9.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by bss_flyinggiants

I updated my A9, Spectra and O7 today with all the latest versions (had downloaded the 1.12 hpp-22 y'day). Everything went fine. After Sprectra and A9 update I noticed that all my earlier models settings were preserved. Good thing!.
However I faced problem while upgrading O9. <<snip>"
Between O7 upgrade and O9 upgrade nothing really changed (same USB cable - not longer than 3'; supplied hpp22-O9 extenstion cable. hpp-22 upgrade screen always showed 33% and did not go ahead. O9 was not connected to any servos etc while upgrade. Any help here? what am I missing? I've been so far flying this O9. Thanks.

A small amount of the 9's won't update for whatever reason.
1. Check SPC plug had been inserted during initial attempts.
2. Remove SPC plug and power 09 via the SPC port in lieu of servo buss.
3. For USA service - Hitec Warranty & Service.
Non US/ South America and Canada customers, refer to your place of purchase or your area distributor.
Note - expanding Mike's post..The receiver is still safe to use. The software update for the receiver relates solely to the add on telemetry sensor station. If an HTS-SS is not being used, then there is no need to update any of the Optima transceivers. (battery status software remains unchanged).

Alan T.
Alan's Hobby, Model & RC FAQ Web Links

Thanks A.T. I'll give it another try to upgrade. Meanwhile I'm planning to get another O7 for my 50cc. Will use two Y connectors to plug in dual power leads. I have servoes 2 on aileron, 2 on elev, 1 on rudder, 1 on throttle and 1 port for IBEC.That way I'd use all 7 ports. I'm guessing O7 is as good on 50cc as is O9.

Thanks.

Once3 again, thanks AT !!!
Kudos

Originally Posted by A.T.

Firstly, thank you to those for the kind comment in preceding 6+ posts.
My webpage, the A9 and other similar FAQ pages have always been maintained in my own time at my own expense. A small way of repaying the debt owed to those who taught me over the past 50+ years and passing on knowledge before it is to late.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With regard to Optical Ignition cut off, history is recorded under:
After Market Accessories - Ignition Systems, Leads, Modules & Switches - Cautions.
.......
Todate, have seen no further reports of similar to earlier events, but please re-read the notes regarding various systems e.g. Sparkswitch:
03 May 2011 Update
....
. Do Not Use RCEXL & Others which have a Common Ground (Negative) line as an Optical Kill Switch! - refer pictures of circuit and How To Correct where possible.
.....

Alan T.
Alan's Hobby, Model & RC FAQ Web Links

G'day Allan. Quick question for you as to where to send my Aurora 9 & Optima 9 radio gear to check for problems.
Lost my 3m C-arf 260 on the weekend due to two bouts of non response in approx 20 secs. Nothing was changed & have been flying with powerbox gear for over 6 months which all still worked after the wreck. Love the radio but need to find a cause for loss of control before fitting hitec gear into another airframe. Live in Brisbane Australia. Thanks in advance, Eddie.