Hexacrafter
Manufacturer
Preface:
For the last couple years, I have been slowly moving from WKM to A2 on the HexaCrafter Demo aircraft. As I lived through the whole WKM experience from the beginning, I waited on A2 until the firmware craziness had settled down and know the A2 was proven.
Another BIG reservation on A2 was the loss of TX Telemetry when using Spektrum Satellite RX. I have way too much Spektrum stuff (and all set up and tuned) to start over with a new brand. Also, I have always had bulletproof results with my radios. Additionally, I am not a fan of adding a DJI sbus converter ($250.00) and a separate RX ($100.00) when A2 was designed to support Spektrum with (2) satellite RX....($35.00 ea.)
Step 1:
I contacted Horizon Hobby several times to ask about how to integrate the TM-1000 telemetry module with the A2.... I was told It cannot be used. It must be used with a Spektrum RX. It cannot be used separately. It requires data from the RX.
Step 2:
I took apart the TM1000 and a AR500 and began looking at what was inside..... the TM1000 seemed to have the TX components the AR500 used for bidirectional transmission with additional circuitry for data inputs for the RPM, VLT & TEMP sensors.
Step 3:
I decided to test to see if the TM1000 would bind without a RX..... I powered the TM1000 with a BEC at 5.7 v. through the DATA wires BROWN (-) and RED (+) and left the yellow signal wire disconnected. I conducted a standard BIND procedure for the TM1000. Press recessed bind button on the TM1000 while powering up and orange LED flashes on TM1000. Power the TX with the BIND button depressed & release when screen says binding DSM2 11ms. Yep.... It bound by itself as a telemetry. I plugged in a 6S battery to the VLT sensor and turn on the flight pack telemetry on the TX and YEP.... 25.1 volts.....
Step 4:
Can you bind BOTH the A2 with (2) DSMX satellites AND the TM1000 under BEC power at the same time?
I plugged the A2 into the PC with the USB and opened assistant (No Lipo power). I selected DSM2 as the RX type in assistant. I depressed the BIND button on the A2 and the orange LED on the two Spektrum DSMX satellite RX begin flashing. I the powered the TX1000 with 5.7 BEC power while depressing the BIND button on the module and it's orange LED began flashing. I then powered the DX9 TX with the BIND button while powering. The DX9 LED and voice indicated "Binding DSM2 11ms and telemetry". YEP.... all bound.. LED go solid. I plug in the Lipo to VLT and BAM.... 25.1 V...... TX on display.
I have now added the TM1000 Telemetry module to two A2 based aircraft with Spektrum TX (DX9 & DX8) in this way and they work perfectly. I have my Lipo Volt telemetry and alarms set and working as they did with a separate AR8000 RX, but without the RX or sbus converter....
Conclusion:
The TM-1000 Telemetry Module can be used separately when powered by a 5.7 volt source. Just bind it at the same time you are binding the aircraft RX or RX's (as some using Spektrum in giant scale will bind many RX to the same model). All firmware on the A2 is current as of today (07-30-2015) and I used a RioRand LM2596 DC-DC Buck Convertor from Amazon ($6.00) to power the TM1000. IT WORKS PERFECTLY!
For the last couple years, I have been slowly moving from WKM to A2 on the HexaCrafter Demo aircraft. As I lived through the whole WKM experience from the beginning, I waited on A2 until the firmware craziness had settled down and know the A2 was proven.
Another BIG reservation on A2 was the loss of TX Telemetry when using Spektrum Satellite RX. I have way too much Spektrum stuff (and all set up and tuned) to start over with a new brand. Also, I have always had bulletproof results with my radios. Additionally, I am not a fan of adding a DJI sbus converter ($250.00) and a separate RX ($100.00) when A2 was designed to support Spektrum with (2) satellite RX....($35.00 ea.)
Step 1:
I contacted Horizon Hobby several times to ask about how to integrate the TM-1000 telemetry module with the A2.... I was told It cannot be used. It must be used with a Spektrum RX. It cannot be used separately. It requires data from the RX.
Step 2:
I took apart the TM1000 and a AR500 and began looking at what was inside..... the TM1000 seemed to have the TX components the AR500 used for bidirectional transmission with additional circuitry for data inputs for the RPM, VLT & TEMP sensors.
Step 3:
I decided to test to see if the TM1000 would bind without a RX..... I powered the TM1000 with a BEC at 5.7 v. through the DATA wires BROWN (-) and RED (+) and left the yellow signal wire disconnected. I conducted a standard BIND procedure for the TM1000. Press recessed bind button on the TM1000 while powering up and orange LED flashes on TM1000. Power the TX with the BIND button depressed & release when screen says binding DSM2 11ms. Yep.... It bound by itself as a telemetry. I plugged in a 6S battery to the VLT sensor and turn on the flight pack telemetry on the TX and YEP.... 25.1 volts.....
Step 4:
Can you bind BOTH the A2 with (2) DSMX satellites AND the TM1000 under BEC power at the same time?
I plugged the A2 into the PC with the USB and opened assistant (No Lipo power). I selected DSM2 as the RX type in assistant. I depressed the BIND button on the A2 and the orange LED on the two Spektrum DSMX satellite RX begin flashing. I the powered the TX1000 with 5.7 BEC power while depressing the BIND button on the module and it's orange LED began flashing. I then powered the DX9 TX with the BIND button while powering. The DX9 LED and voice indicated "Binding DSM2 11ms and telemetry". YEP.... all bound.. LED go solid. I plug in the Lipo to VLT and BAM.... 25.1 V...... TX on display.
I have now added the TM1000 Telemetry module to two A2 based aircraft with Spektrum TX (DX9 & DX8) in this way and they work perfectly. I have my Lipo Volt telemetry and alarms set and working as they did with a separate AR8000 RX, but without the RX or sbus converter....
Conclusion:
The TM-1000 Telemetry Module can be used separately when powered by a 5.7 volt source. Just bind it at the same time you are binding the aircraft RX or RX's (as some using Spektrum in giant scale will bind many RX to the same model). All firmware on the A2 is current as of today (07-30-2015) and I used a RioRand LM2596 DC-DC Buck Convertor from Amazon ($6.00) to power the TM1000. IT WORKS PERFECTLY!
