FlySky FS-ST8 Radio System

[Solo5533]

I have just purchased a FlySky FS-ST8 Radio System and am trying to set up dual rates on both the sail winch ( 3 position switch on channel 3 ) and the rudder (2 position switch on channel 1) and failed miserably.
Has anyone successfully managed to do this? If so please let me know how to do it, the manual is less than helpful.

 

[John949]

Not familiar with this particular radio but a quick squint at the manual shows that it uses non-dedicated switches like Edge TX based radios.  Whilst these are far more flexible than radios with dedicated controls (like Spectrum & Futaba), they are a bit more tricky to set up.  The step you may be missing is that you have to assign a switch to be the 'rate switch' for the channel you want it to act on - see 6.1.6 in the manual.

Can I ask what you are trying to achieve?  If you are trying to set up High, Normal and Low modes on the sheeting position then there is more than one way to do this.  For the rudder, exponential (to make it less sensitive around the mid-point) is quite common but limiting the total travel via a rate function would be unusual.

[Tony Merritt]

+1 for exponential on rudder - I also have a 'curve' on my sail (section 6.3.3). A curve allows for the sail to go out and in a little at close hauled and then progressively more to fully out - I think that's right. I haven't tried it but it could be possible to have an 'S' shaped curve so full in and full out are smaller movements in relation to stick movement with the 'middle' faster.

Is anything in this YouTube video review of the FS-ST8? 

This YouTube video also goes in to radio settings, whole video worth watching but here's the radio part (doesn't matter the yacht class ) 

I usually find someone has done what I'm trying to achieve on YouTube, hope one of these might help.

[Geof]

G'day SOLO5533,

I have setup my FS-ST8 using a combination of Switch C (3 Way) and setting Conditions

1. Ensure SWC has been enabled and set to 3 Way in Switch Settings in the TX SET menu.

2. Set Condition2 in Conditions in the MDL SET menu to SWC: Middle

3. Set Condition3 in Conditions in the MDL SET menu to SWC: Down

4. Set the Throttle Curve in the MDL SET menu with switch SWC into the Up position, settings A:-50, B:-45, C:-40, D:-35, E:20, F:65, G:100

5. Set the Throttle Curve in the MDL SET menu with switch SWC into the Middle position, settings A:-65, B:-60, C:-55, D:-50, E:20, F:65, G:100

6. Set the Throttle Curve in the MDL SET menu with switch SWC into the Down position, settings A:-80, B:-75, C:-70, D:-65, E:20, F:65, G:100

7. Set the Rate/Curve in the MDL SET menu with switch SWC into the Up position, Rate: 100, Exp: -50

Explanation:

When the breeze is up and you need to take a little power out of the sails, switch SWC into the up position, the sails will be set to dump mode, this will also soften the rudder input so as the boat becomes less twitchy when changing direction.

When switch SWC is in the middle position, the sails are in the neutral position.

When switch SWC is in the down position, the sails are in the pinch position.

 

Please note that my settings for the curves & expo are only to be used as a guide, as they may not suit your sailing style.

 

Hope this might be of some help

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23 by Geof

[GBR29]

Thanks for the settings, ONE thing to lookout for are the throttle curve settings as they effectively set the end points and will override any winch settings. I've damaged my DF which I can repair relatively easily. Fortunately had not tried them on my IOM where the consequences could have been far more serious.