Spektrum Telemetry System (nitro)
01-06-2006, 05:19 AM
#1
Spektrum Telemetry System (nitro)
When I first seen this, I thought..Hmmm.. Got to have it (like 90% of us).
It just got released this week and my local Hobby Shop got it in. I ran down and picked it up, It cost $150 with Tax. I bought the lap count trigger too, another $50. If anybody else has the Telemetry system on thier vehicle at the track, this trigger works for them, as only one is needed at the track.
I finnished dinner and my wife went to bed, I took the unit out of the box and looked everything over. I thought...Hmm not bad, easy. Well, I was wrong on the easy part. I started at 9:30pm. I took the time to do everything by the book.
My first hurdle was that the power jump wire didn't allow for you to run power into the unit, so I had to make a "Y" power wire to run both units. I took the power lead from the on-off switch and cut the wire and soldered two male connectors on. (this part is not in the instruction book) Also, the 3rd wire has to be ran between the two power plugs. This is for the transfer of information from the Telemetry unit to the receiver.
Now on to the Temp lead. This was the easiest part of the whole setup. It is a loop, same thing as one of those on-board temp sensors.
Having felt good about the progress, I went on to the RPM/speed sesnor. To install it on the MTX-4, the first problem was getting a place to install it. On an Associated, HPI or Ofna, I don't think this would be an issue, but I tried the way the book showed, on the top of the engine mount tab, but the brake disk is in the way. So, I used the other side, After modding the supports for the car and cutting down the aluminum mount bar to fit, I couldn't get a read on the flywheel, the MTX-4 flywheel is shapped so that there isn't a flat spot to put the RPM relfector on. I had spent an hour fitting the sensor, just to find that the flywheel on the MTX-4 wasn't compatable with the sensor, and I couldn't get the sensor close enough. It was now about midnight and determined to find a way to make this work, I ended up grinding a small flat spot on the flywheel edge and placing the reflector on the newly created flat spot. Then I took the sensor off the aluminum mount ,(which I cut down to fit into the car) and remounted the sensor with Shoe-Goo on the middle bulk-head, lined up to read the edge of the flywheel. I had to play around with the sensor to get it positioned to read properly, but this only took a couple tries.
Now it was about 1am. Hmmm, after all this, I had to test it, right? So, out to the street, 1am and fired it up (my neighbors are used to me running engines at night, and they are up all night and sleep all day, they only get upset when I run them in the morning when they are sleeping).
As I tested:
I got readings on the battery voltage, signal strength, Temp, and RPM. I had a reading of 43500rpm then after figuing 2nd speed roll-out, I porgramed that into the unit and tested again with MPH being displayed. 50+mph.
The only thing left was to find a home for the Tiny Telemetry unit, I had it rubber banded to the receiver, it is a small box, smaller than the Personal transponder. This was a challenge! As there is no place on the MTX-4, everything is so tight on the car. After scratching my head for 20 min or so, the only place to mount it was over the personal transponder, holding it in place again with some shoe-goo.
The unit and sensors are VERY LIGHT, less than 10 grams withought the lap counting LED, and 13 grams with.
As for the information that can be gained, I like the idea of getting what is being fed back from the car. Speed/RPM...this will be good in choosing gearing, and engine temps, i was always curiouse about what actual running temps were.
I'll be running it at Superior this weekend to test it, and I will give more feedback Sunday night.
It just got released this week and my local Hobby Shop got it in. I ran down and picked it up, It cost $150 with Tax. I bought the lap count trigger too, another $50. If anybody else has the Telemetry system on thier vehicle at the track, this trigger works for them, as only one is needed at the track.
I finnished dinner and my wife went to bed, I took the unit out of the box and looked everything over. I thought...Hmm not bad, easy. Well, I was wrong on the easy part. I started at 9:30pm. I took the time to do everything by the book.
My first hurdle was that the power jump wire didn't allow for you to run power into the unit, so I had to make a "Y" power wire to run both units. I took the power lead from the on-off switch and cut the wire and soldered two male connectors on. (this part is not in the instruction book) Also, the 3rd wire has to be ran between the two power plugs. This is for the transfer of information from the Telemetry unit to the receiver.
Now on to the Temp lead. This was the easiest part of the whole setup. It is a loop, same thing as one of those on-board temp sensors.
Having felt good about the progress, I went on to the RPM/speed sesnor. To install it on the MTX-4, the first problem was getting a place to install it. On an Associated, HPI or Ofna, I don't think this would be an issue, but I tried the way the book showed, on the top of the engine mount tab, but the brake disk is in the way. So, I used the other side, After modding the supports for the car and cutting down the aluminum mount bar to fit, I couldn't get a read on the flywheel, the MTX-4 flywheel is shapped so that there isn't a flat spot to put the RPM relfector on. I had spent an hour fitting the sensor, just to find that the flywheel on the MTX-4 wasn't compatable with the sensor, and I couldn't get the sensor close enough. It was now about midnight and determined to find a way to make this work, I ended up grinding a small flat spot on the flywheel edge and placing the reflector on the newly created flat spot. Then I took the sensor off the aluminum mount ,(which I cut down to fit into the car) and remounted the sensor with Shoe-Goo on the middle bulk-head, lined up to read the edge of the flywheel. I had to play around with the sensor to get it positioned to read properly, but this only took a couple tries.
Now it was about 1am. Hmmm, after all this, I had to test it, right? So, out to the street, 1am and fired it up (my neighbors are used to me running engines at night, and they are up all night and sleep all day, they only get upset when I run them in the morning when they are sleeping).
As I tested:
I got readings on the battery voltage, signal strength, Temp, and RPM. I had a reading of 43500rpm then after figuing 2nd speed roll-out, I porgramed that into the unit and tested again with MPH being displayed. 50+mph.
The only thing left was to find a home for the Tiny Telemetry unit, I had it rubber banded to the receiver, it is a small box, smaller than the Personal transponder. This was a challenge! As there is no place on the MTX-4, everything is so tight on the car. After scratching my head for 20 min or so, the only place to mount it was over the personal transponder, holding it in place again with some shoe-goo.
The unit and sensors are VERY LIGHT, less than 10 grams withought the lap counting LED, and 13 grams with.
As for the information that can be gained, I like the idea of getting what is being fed back from the car. Speed/RPM...this will be good in choosing gearing, and engine temps, i was always curiouse about what actual running temps were.
I'll be running it at Superior this weekend to test it, and I will give more feedback Sunday night.
Last edited by rcfoolz; 01-06-2006 at 07:18 AM.
01-06-2006, 06:17 AM
#2
pics
here are the pics of the installed unit on the MTX-4
01-06-2006, 06:33 AM
#3
Originally Posted by rcfoolz
here are the pics of the installed unit on the MTX-4
hope someone will show on a 710 and RRR so I don't have to figure it out for hours....
01-06-2006, 06:59 AM
#4
almost forgot. The feedback is very quick, according to the MFG, it is about 16 times each second.
Last edited by rcfoolz; 01-06-2006 at 07:19 AM.
01-06-2006, 07:45 AM
#7
The $50 box, transmits a signal accross the track, as the car passes the signal, it is picked up by the sensor in the car and then it feeds back to the hand-held unit. I don't have it on the car yet, that is what I am going to test this weekend. I am going to compair it to the ambrc system for lap times.
Pure speculation, I would say that in the future, the Spektrum people will have a lap counting systems that runs off this.
Pure speculation, I would say that in the future, the Spektrum people will have a lap counting systems that runs off this.
01-06-2006, 07:56 AM
#8
Tech Regular
iTrader: (2)
for the rpm pick up you can mount it on the front side of the motor mount
not the brake disc side , use only one of the of the small screws
and angle it down to get it to pick up a signel from the back of the flywheel
if you have a colored wheel ( mugen purple) take a dremel or file and
remove a 3mm line of the purple anodize , if silver fly wheel paint a
flat black line
not the brake disc side , use only one of the of the small screws
and angle it down to get it to pick up a signel from the back of the flywheel
if you have a colored wheel ( mugen purple) take a dremel or file and
remove a 3mm line of the purple anodize , if silver fly wheel paint a
flat black line
01-06-2006, 12:55 PM
#9
I tried that the second time. The problem is that the wires were rubbing against the engine block one way, and the other way, it didn't pick up consistantly. After about 20,000 rpm, it would go blank. also the screws that they give you strip out way too easy. Also if you mount it on the motor mounts, if you change engines, you have to set up all over again. The way that I did it, I can change engines without a having to remove the egine mounts and reset the sensor. This way, all I have to do it change the egine and each flywheel make a flat area.
also, I didn't like the idea of the two screws holding the unit. I am sure they are fine, but the first one stripped so easily and the second one backed out. I didn't want to take a chance of the sensor coming off in a race and have it possibly wedge between the flywheel and the chassis shutting the engine off.
also, I didn't like the idea of the two screws holding the unit. I am sure they are fine, but the first one stripped so easily and the second one backed out. I didn't want to take a chance of the sensor coming off in a race and have it possibly wedge between the flywheel and the chassis shutting the engine off.
01-06-2006, 04:08 PM
#11
Tech Apprentice
Thanks so much for the info and the pictures. I should have mine next tuesday and begin the install. If you had a servo Y cable would it keep you from having to fabricate one? I have seen them at my lhs. I am going to install mine on a 960, and then maybe later on my 710.
01-06-2006, 04:15 PM
#12
You could use a "Y" servo cable.
Update: after playing today with the system, I decided to remove the RPM sensor. I spent more time seeing how many RPM's I was running and after I thought about it for about 10 SECONDS, I pulled it. The most important information to me is the lap times, laps, voltage, signal strengh(to see how far I can go) and Temp.
Update: after playing today with the system, I decided to remove the RPM sensor. I spent more time seeing how many RPM's I was running and after I thought about it for about 10 SECONDS, I pulled it. The most important information to me is the lap times, laps, voltage, signal strengh(to see how far I can go) and Temp.
01-06-2006, 05:13 PM
#13
Tech Regular
hi. is the module able to clip onto the thick spectrum antenna? reason i ask is coz i have removed the original antenna and now only have the spectrum antenna.
01-06-2006, 08:42 PM
#14
it goes in the hole that the original antenna was in.
01-06-2006, 10:33 PM
#15
No it has no clip on it. I just don't get that because how do they expect to mount it to their own radio?? Also my kit cane with 1 bracket for the 12 engine only and no holes tapped in the end of it?? It was unopened and sealed in plastic. 
I figure my pit guy will be holding it anyway so he knows whats going on. I also figure if one guy has a IR box on the track it will work for evryone. If you have an orion system I figure you could build a bracket to hold the transponder and power it with a small battery and not have to buy their box. The orion transponder emits IR light not the orion box
I figure my pit guy will be holding it anyway so he knows whats going on. I also figure if one guy has a IR box on the track it will work for evryone. If you have an orion system I figure you could build a bracket to hold the transponder and power it with a small battery and not have to buy their box. The orion transponder emits IR light not the orion box