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Hi all,

I use my Honey Bee King 2 with Spektrum DX7 transmitter and AR-6100 receiver. It makes controls and adjustments much more flexible then using stock transmitter and I really like it.
But I had to spend some time before I managed to set HBK2 and Spektrum together, especially in the area of providing control for all three servos so that they move in the correct directions for all purposes - left, right, front, back control and proper collective pitch control at the same time.
The Spektrum manual is not so bad, but also it's pretty far from perfect. Unfortunately, it doesn't explain a lot of information there in details necessary for using it, and omits some necessary information, such as correspondence between channels' numbers (those are used in the menu options in the transmitter to adjust each channel) and the controls they are really providing (on the receiver there are not any channel numbers marked, only the channels' names - such as "AILE", "THR", etc.).
So, I decided that my experience might help somebody to save some time for flying instead of trying different settings and connections in the system. Please note that the setup I finally chose to use is not the only possible with DX7. For example, instead of using Gear control channel for Gyro gain control the AUX2 channel can be used (with 7 channel receiver).

OK, let's begin.
First, the channels distribution in Spektrum and their connections to HBK2 control instruments are shown in the following table. Also I noted there which of the channels should be reversed (we'll come to this action later). Please note that right and left servos are swapped if you compare it with the connections with stock radio.

Channel 1 - Throttle - Not reversed - ESC
Channel 2 - Aileron - Not reversed - Right Pitch Servo
Channe 3 - Elevator - Reversed - Front Pitch Servo
Channem 4 - Rudder - Reversed - Gyro (rudder control)
Channel 5 - Gear - Reversed - Gyro (gain control)
Channel 6 - Aux - reversed - Left Pitch Servo

Now, let's begin with the transmitter. Switch the transmitter OFF, Push both "DOWN" and "SELECT" buttons, and keeping them pushed turn the transmitter ON. You are in the System Setup Mode.
When following the next steps please keep in mind that some of the menu screens will be not mentioned because we don't select or change anything there. Also we suppose that you didn't have any model sitting in the transmitter's memory under the number you are going to use for HBK2 - otherwise, go to the MODEL RESET option and reset the memory.

1. Now, using "UP" and "DOWN" buttons, find the MODEL SELECT screen. Select the model number you want to assign to your HBK2. Then use "UP" button to follow next steps.
2. Switch to "MODEL NAME" screen, and name your model as you want
3. Switch to "MODEL TYPE" screen, and select "HELI"
4. Switch to "INPUT SELECT" screen, and select the option "INH" for AUX2 and "GEAR" for GEAR. This way the gyro gain control will be provided by GEAR channel and by GEAR switch on the transmitter
5. Switch to "SWASH TYPE" screen, and select "3 SERVOS 120˚"
6. Switch the transmitter OFF.


Well, now, let's go to the Function Mode of the transmitter. Please note that some of the menu screens we will omit in the next steps - you will have to return to some of them later, when adjusting the SUB TRIM and TRAVEL on different channels with measuring the pitch and monitoring the servo travels versus sticks positions and movements.

1. To go to the Function mode, turn the transmitter ON, and then push both "DOWN" and "SELECT" buttons at the same time.
2. Now, using "UP" and "DOWN" buttons, find the TIMER screen. I'd suggest you to set it as "DOWN-T" and 10 min. With stock 1000 mAh battery it's quite safe time to be in the air if you are not doing something extreme in the air. But you can select different options here. Then use "UP" button to switch to following screens.
3. Switch to "REVERSING SW" screen. Make the selections according to the table above (channels 1 and 2 normal, channels 3, 4, 5, and 6 reversed)
4. Switch to "SWASH MIX" screen. Set the mixing for AILE to -60%, for ELEV to +60%, and for PIT to -60%. This step is the most important, because in conjunction with the channels' reverse control (which you have already selected in the step 3) it guarantees the correct directions of the servo movement in all modes and for all functions servos are responsible for in HBK2. Later you might want to change a bit some numbers you've just selected, but not the signs before these numbers.
5. Switch to "THRO HOLD" screen and select HOLD POS to -5%, and SW to RUD D/R. With this selection the throttle hold options will be controlled by RUD D/R switch.
6. Switch to "THRO CURVE" screens, and set the throttle curves for normal and two stunt flying modes. I made it linear from 0 to 100% according to the throttle stick movement for NORMAL mode. For both Stunt modes I made them going linearly from 100% at Low stick position to 50% at Center stick position and to 100% again at High stick position.
7. Switch to "PITCH CURVE" screens, and set the pitch curves for normal mode, two stunt flying modes, and throttle HOLD mode. I made the curve for NORMAL mode linear, from 50% at the low throttle stick position to 100% at the High stick position. For both Stunt modes and for HOLD mode I made them linear from 0% at Low throttle stick position to 100% at High throttle stick position. The pitch curve for HOLD mode you will use when adjusting the pitch angles and servo movements while the motor is on hold.
8. Switch the transmitter OFF.

At this step I would highly recommend you to go to the System Setup mode again, find the "MODEL SELECT" screen, and using the "SELECT" button make the copy of the model you've just created under some other model number in your transmitter - just for back up purposes. Then return to the first model memory number and continue adjustments.

That's basically it. Now you can bind transmitter and receiver (if you didn't do it before) and try how everything works.

All you have left to do is to adjustments servo central positions, movements, and pitch angles at different throttle stick positions. The best way to do it is in the Throttle Hold mode, using as reference the heights of the centers of the swash plate balls above the top surface of the main gear, measured with the caliper with stock radio (with motor disconnected from ESC), and the corresponding pitch angles.

All the best to everybody!

Last edited by starik on Thu Apr 03, 2008 6:00 pm; edited 5 times in total