[Mike Tuite]

Hi,

This is my first post on the site, and I'm the newest of newbies. I have almost no knowledge or experience so, if you're kind enough to reply, please use plain language to the extent possible.

I've built the quad from the directions in the book "DIY Drones For The Evil Genius" which recommends and provides instructions for using LibrePilot. After a lot of trouble with LP (see below,)I've gotten the quad in the air one time for a quick test flight. Per the instructions in the book, I've gone back into the program it set up Easy Tune. Here are my problems:

1. On the "RC Input" screen that asks me to move the controls one at a time to duplicate the movements on         the screen it works fine for one or two of the four inputs. Then for the rest of the inputs, the screen doesn't respond to my movement of each of the controls. The "Next" button is grayed out and there's nothing I can do. I'm stuck!

2. I just tried to give it another go, and the "Start Transmission Set-up Wizard" is grayed out so I can't start the         Wizard at all!

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

[TheOtherCliff]

There are many formats for the signal that comes from the RC Rx (receiver) and goes to the F(light) C(ontroller).

Be aware that you must have a F(light) M(ode) S(witch) configured or you run into a minor bug where G(round) C(ontrol) S(tation) wizard works, but it does not show the sticks moving when it should.  If you just do all the instructions and pretend they are moving, it will work.  I don't think this is your issue.

Another newbie issue when using GCS transmitter wizard is that you must move only one stick at a time.  If you accidentally move a stick in two directions at the same time, it may detect the wrong one, and later it asks you to wiggle the next stick and you wiggle a stick that it has already seen and is waiting for you to wiggle a different stick.

About the wires...
PWM is the standard old way where there was one servo per channel in your airplane.  You must have a Rx->FC cable for every channel (transmitter stick) you use.  That means at least 5 cables from Rx to FC.  If you have more than one channel working, but not 4 or more, then you have a wiring problem.  Maybe one is plugged in upside down, etc.

SBus, PPM, etc. (everything else) uses a single cable to send all the channels.

Finally, after the part of setup you have already done, you can go to the Configuration->Input page with flight battery installed so the Rx is powered (USB alone does not power it), and with USB plugged in and with the transmitter on and wiggle sticks and see the Receiver Activity (upper right corner).  Make sure that it sees each channel (4 sticks and 1 switch).

[Mike Tuite]

Cliff,

Thank you for your very clear and detailed response. Here's what I can tell you.

I don't know whether the FMS is configured. I can go to that tab, but I have no idea whether the settings are correct.

I'm quite sure that I'm only moving one stick in one direction at a time.

I have 5 cables running from Rx to FC. Other than the red/black/white one, I don't know whether they are oriented correctly. I took my best guess and put the colored cables in line with the white one. If there's a wiring problem, I don't know what it would be.

As to Receiver Activity, roll and pitch both show activity on channel 6. Roll is set for channel 6 and pitch for channel 3. If that's the problem, how do I fix it?

Thanks,

Mike

[TheOtherCliff]

As to Receiver Activity, roll and pitch both show activity on channel 6. Roll is set for channel 6 and pitch for channel 3. If that's the problem, how do I fix it?

That sounds like the problem.  There may be a wiring/solder short...  I would unplug the pitch connector at the Rx and plug an unused connector in.  Rerun at least the transmitter wizard.

(The following may be causing the short) Also, if not careful, you can bend the tiny tiny pins inside the FC connector that connects to the Rx.  Unplug it and look at it with a magnifying glass to see if one of the pins is bent up against another.  It can be fixed with the right tools.  A #11 Xacto blade to move the bent pin away from the other one and extremely thin needlenose pliers (without teeth) to "clamp" the bent pin to straighten it.

[Mike Tuite]

Here's what I've done since your last message:

     1. Checked the pins in the FC and they are all straight.
     2. Got all four functions on separate channels, and all four are showing activity on the RC Input screen.
     3. Re-ran Tx Wizard and it recognized all four motions when I was asked to mimic the on-screen
         motions.
     4. Does not recognize any movement of the sticks requested on following screens.
     5. I re-ran the Vehicle Set-Up Wizard and the motors did not start when I moved the slider on the output
         calibration screen.

The only thing you mentioned earlier that I haven't done is to configure the Flight Mode Switch. I don't know how to do that.

What can I try next? Sorry if I'm being a pain.

Thanks,

Mike

[TheOtherCliff]

you must have a F(light) M(ode) S(witch) configured or you run into a minor bug where G(round) C(ontrol) S(tation) wizard works, but it does not show the sticks moving when it should.

Now this is your current problem.

You must:
Configure your Tx according to it's directions to activate a switch (a 3pos switch if it has one) as a 5th channel.  Read the instructions for it.
Connect a fifth cable from that Rx connector to an unused FC channel connector.  Not the one you just unplugged.
Re-run the transmitter wizard or the whole vehicle wizard.

It can run without a switch, but you really really want one if you can set one up.