I’m on a steep learning curve with a new Jeti DS-12 radio (from Spektrum before) trying to convert my helis to get the options I want. I also have – for some time – not really understood how to ‘best’ use Flight Modes / Banks / Stabi and Rescue with the Spirit units. I have flying setups, but there’s always deficiencies with what I’d like to have. With time, I’m sure I’ll figure it out but right now I’m stuck!

I’m trying to setup a small Align TREX300 as a test-bed for bigger helis later. The stuff that works well:
REX3 ex receiver and micro-spirit connected in ‘single wire’ mode.
Geolink module connected to Spirit ‘SAT’ port.
Jeti MUI 30 module to give battery-use telemetry to transmitter.
Channel assignments as per Spirit Manual: Jeti Integration.

Here’s what I want to achieve on the DX-12:
SA (3-position) switch:
1: NORMAL (HH gyro, set rpm via ESC gov, set pitch curve, no STABI)
2: IDLE 1 (HH Gyro, set rpm, set pitch curve, STABI:COAXIAL)
3: IDLE 2(HH Gyro, set rpm, set pitch curve, STABI: NORMAL)

SC (Button) RESCUE: Normal (as a flight mode?)
SB (2-position) Return to Home (Chan.9) This seems to work!
SF (2-position) HOLD (Flight Mode – low throttle. 0-100% pitch)

Now, how do I use the BANK channel (7) to achieve the above, please? The Flight Mode switch takes care of throttle/pitch curves and Gyro sens., but how do I incorporate the STABI functions? How do I incorporate the (SC) button to give RESCUE across Idle1 and 2?

I’ve loaded the DS-14 control set (from Jeti-Integration page) as a start but it uses different switches and I can’t figure-out what it is trying to achieve. I have the JETI-Integration loaded but as I’m using Spirit 2.8.1 I get an ‘update firmware’ message – not sure how significant this is!

I’d like to understand this before my Spirit RS units come for 2 other helis. Tomas has hinted that the new Jeti-badged DS-12 transmitter will be pre-loaded with setups so I’m really hoping that these will be available for existing JETI users!

Any guidance for the above questions will be gratefully received!
Cheers, Andy
UK

Hi Andy, I’m not able to offer any help but wanted to let you know that I’m in the exact same boat as you. I’m a current Spektrum user with a DS-12 arriving within the week, and I’ll be going through this setup / learning curve as well for the first time. Perhaps we can exchange notes as we go.
-Paul

Hi,

here is settings for DS-12.
All features are available and assigned there.

In the unit it is enough to set: F: Stabi mode at Channel 7.

https://spirit-system.com/media/0002Spir.zip

Please extract the file and put it inside the Model directory.

_________________
Spirit System developer

I have not looked at the fine Thomas posted but have to ask: did you set up the flight modes and assigned the three position switch you want to use to them? This is one way you can control the banks but you can of course just assign that switch to the function and make sure it operated correctly in the “Diagnostics” tab.

Ver 3.1 is due tomorrow so I will be making setup video on the weekend....I know too little too late as you would like to get out and fly:)

Many thanks, Tomas! I have put the model file in my DS-12 and will check it out, but could you tell me how you have physical switches configured, please? I can of course change mine to suit your configuration but it may be possible to just modify my setup to suit.

My switches are standard DS-12 EXCEPT:

SC is a button which I would like to use for Rescue
SE is a locking 2-position switch which I would like to use as a Throttle-cut.

Also, you say all is needed is to allocate Ch7 to F: Stabi. What about Bank Switching? Is this unassigned? I was using Ch7 for Banks.....

Again, Tomas, your helpful response is very welcome, particularly at a time when I am sure you are extremely busy with other product launches etc.

Cheers, Andy

Hi Yufasa,

Thanks for your response, I find your posts informative and of great benefit - keep it up!

I admit that most of my issue is "what is the right configuration for me?" rather than a specific programming issue. I've recently returned to flying RC helis after a 7 year break. Back then, flight modes with separate tail gyro gains were about the limit - if you were lucky! Now with better radios, FBL systems, stability control, Rescue, flight modes, bank switching etc. etc. it seems there's so many options its tricky to know where to start, and if there's not a 'better' configuration to copy and use, to avoid trial-and-error.

Yes, I'm using the same 3-position switch for both flight modes and bank switching, so I can (e.g.) have stabilisation with a selected flight mode. I want to use a push-button for Rescue but I'm still working on that. I'm hoping that Tomas' DS-12 model file will get me to a good starting configuration as presumably it's been in use successfully by someone who knows what he's doing!

To illustrate the point, how do I know whether keeping flight modes and banks on the same 3-position switch is a good idea? Is a separate switch for banks or stabi better? What are the advantages? Of course it depends on what level of flyer you are; settings for F3C will be different than for scale, or for £d, no doubt. My current level is fairly basic with perfecting hovering / orientation and some bigger manoevers, but no 3D or fancy stuff - yet. Right now I'll be happy with 3 flight modes, the ability to experiment with stabilisation and to have both Rescue and (separate) Return to Home (RTH) using the Geolink. As I have 16-channels to use, it seems preferable to use separate channels for Banks/Stabi and RTH, rather than negative gyro gain but again, that's only my choice based on limited knowledge.

Cheers, Andy

You did better than me with those flybar heli’s...I still have two on a rack that got only two hovers on them before I gave up back then.

I find the flybarless stuff more to my liking for some reason or maybe I have just grown more patience over the years...

Anyway, I would advise keeping the banks on one switch for now while you are not into heavy 3D. It keeps things simple.

Since a lot of the work is done in the FBL unit the radio needs very little tuning so here is my take:

1) Set the basic controls up in the radio -

No expo - this is taken care of in FBL (Flight Style)
Throttle hold - because you need that!
Normal mode - so you can do basic testing initially - can be removed later or just ignored..
Idle Up1 - for easy flying slow 3D - set the pitch curve from -80 to 80 or somewhere that you like, throttle curve flat at a lower RPM - like 70% depending on your motor and gear ratio and what your governor would be happy with
Idle Up2 - Full pitch curve (-100 to 100), Higher throttle curve but not higher than 95% as governor need room to work.

Going to FBL keep this in mind:
1) General/Flight Style = expo and rates - well its a bit more than that but for simplicity...
2) Advanced/Cyclic Feed Forward = more response on pitch and roll with higher numbers so take it easy
3) Rudder Sensor/Rotation Rate = faster rotation but should be kept between 8-11 with 11 being fast!
4) Stabilization can be controlled by negative gyro value or a switch - in your case go to Stabi tab and set it to switch. Note this need to be done for each bank!!!
5) Advanced/Stick Deadband = tweak this if you feel the response around center is not right for you. I drop this value below 5 on my OpenTx radio and 2 on my Graupner...have not tried it on my DS-14 as I am waiting on ver3.1 before setting a heli up with it...crazy? Maybe

Now you set up your banks and you can couple them on the same switch as modes above:

Bank0/Normal mode: Flight Style set to default (4), Rudder and Cyclic Sensor/Rotation Rate at default, Stabi = Stabilization Normal and assigned to button switch
Bank1/Idle Up1: Crank Flight Style up a bit(5or6) , up cyclic rates a bit, Stabi = Rescue Normal
Bank2/Idle Up2: Crank Flight Style up yet again, more cyclic rates, Stabi = off (Hey might as well put it in with gusto..or use Rescue Acro )

Hi Yufasa,

Thanks for this - really helpful! The basic settings are pretty-much what I have and your recommendations for the FBL settings are very helpful. I have F Modes and Banks on the same switch (as before) but am still a bit confused.....Banks are set up using a separate channel (7), and Bank1 outputs -100%, Bank2 0% and Bank3 100%. Switching them I can select the 'stabi' function needed the Stabi tab. I have channel 8 allocated to 'F: Stabi' in the General/Channels tab, and assigned to the button, so pressing it goes from -100% to 100%.

I'm trying to achieve this in terms of Stabi and Rescue (throttle and pitch curves, gyro sens is all working):

Bank1 / Normal Sw/Back: No Stabilisation
Bank2 / Idle1 Sw/Middle: Stabi=Coaxial
Bank3 / Idle2 Sw?Front: Stabi = Normal

Now, I'm trying to get 'Rescue' to operate on the separate button for ALL 3 switch positions, so it's available for every mode. Can this be done, do you think? In the Diagnostic tab each 'Stabi' mode in the 'features' box has 'Configured (Channel)' in red, but only activates to 'Engaged' (blue) when the button is pressed, i.e. in Bank2, Stabi=Coaxial is triggered only with the button. Likewise, in Bank2, Stabi=Normal only indicates when button is pressed. If I set Bank1 for 'Rescue', it works with the button but of course not across all 3 banks.

I'm wondering if I have to get-into 'logical switches' in the DS-12 to make this work, but if there's a simpler way I'm all ears!!

Again, thanks for your help on this - it's fun for an hour or so then brain gets fried!

Cheers, Andy

You can only have one Stabi Function for each Bank. If you assign Rescue to the Stabi Function on one Bank, then you must switch to that Bank everytime you hit the Rescue switch. When you let off the Rescue switch, then you would switch back to the selected Bank, which could be the same Bank that has Rescue. Also, when you hit the Rescue switch which switches to the Bank that has Rescue, the Rescue switch must also control the fuction that activates the Stabi Function, for example a channel assigned to the Stabi Function. Yes, you must use Logical Switches to do this.

It is best if you do not mix Flight Modes with Banks. Flight Modes map to Jeti features like Throttle and Pitch curves, and Dual Rates and Expo. Banks map to Spirit features. You can use Banks to change Spirit features, like gains, when you change Flight Modes, but you need to understand more about how this affects other Spirit features, like the Stabi Function.

Thanks, FrankFuss, that's very helpful and narrows-down my focus on 'whats-possible'. I'll assign Bank1 to Rescue and Banks 2 and 3 to stability functions, and try a combination of logical switches to achieve the following:

Bank1, hit rescue and it puts channel 8 to 'on' (simple)
Bank2, Coaxial mode, hit Rescue and it switches (while pressed) to Bank1, AND puts channel 8 to 'on'
Bank3, Stabi (normal) mode, hit Rescue and it switches (while pressed) to Bank1 AND puts channel 8 to 'on'.

Does that look achievable or would you suggest a simpler approach? Ultimately, I'd like to have the option of selecting at least one stability mode (from 'Normal') and have the Rescue button work without pre-setting other switches.

Cheers, Andy