Links+radio

Alex did you get the RX secondhand?
Seems to me that somone might have chopped the wire at sometime and attached the end to an external arial.

I found this list on the web giving RX arial lengths.

KO297FZ 40MHz FM 33cm
KO301F 40MHz FM 33cm
Futaba FP-R103F 40MHz FM 36cm
Futaba FP-R122JE 40MHz AM 40cm
Futaba FP-R122JE 27mhzAM 38cm
Novak XXL 40MHz FM 45.5cm
Hitec HFS-03MM 40Mhz FM 43cm
Jamara XT2 40Mhz FM 45 cm
LRP phaser comp 87400 40Mhz FM 34.5cm
Acoms AR-2/27 mini RX 27Mhz AM 48cm

The following examples are measured to the OUTSIDE of the box:
Futaba R142JE - 40Mhz AM - 49cm
Futaba FP R102JE - 27Mhz AM - 47cm
HPI RX1 - 27Mhz AM - 49cm
Futaba R142JE - 40Mhz AM - 49.2cm
Futaba FP R102JE - 27Mhz AM - 47cm
HPI RX1 - 27Mhz AM - 49cm
Futaba R114F 40Mhz - from outside of case - 69.cm
Futaba R133F 40Mhz - from outside of case - 53.2cm
Futaba FP-R113F 40MHz FM (the non PCM version) 49.5cm

no dont think so jonno got it for me when i first started, mines a hitec ranger III its the hitec in the first list im pretty sure it was never that length but i admit i have shortened it but would only total of a few cms lost

Never mind the theory. Try a range test.

i have tried the range test and it works all the way up my garden 10metres or so, but i will change the aerial anyway

i have measured the aerial and its 38cm i may have cut 5cms off over the yrs but in stages

thanks for the help, if the problem doesnt get better ill re-post

alex

Ten metres is not a lot - you should get at least 30. Is your aerial right outside the robot? Try extending your aerial to 90 cms and see what you get.

well its not like it stopped i couldnt go any further, ill try and do a longer test

If you use just the rcv and a servo you can do the text anywhere. Ive even done it on the pavement outside my house with the whole robot (and someone watching it) while I backed away with the tx.