I do my range check by taxiing to the end of the runway and stopping my plane with the tail toward me. You’re more likely to lose control as your plane is flying away from you. This also lets me see all of the control surfaces. Once I verify everything is working, I make a 180 and take off. Of course, I do this when no one else is flying. Also, I never install my receiver antennas where the ends are pointing at the nose or tail..
It's amazing how many members of my club never do a range check. Personally I range check each aircraft I intend to fly at the field before I fly them for the first time that day. Even if I've flown a plane dozens of times things can get damaged between sessions. Three minutes is all it takes to be fairly confident in the radio system.
Very Good point to make James. Alot, I should say Most of the pilots I fly with seldom seem to do this simple procedure. I myself have forgotten to do that and had a receiver issue, resulting in a bad crash. Battery was in the way. Smashed a Brand New Freewing P-51 Iron Ass. Thanks Again and a Great Tip. Skip
One thing to add, do it with the motor running, even at idle power, to make it easier, Ill taxi it far away and slowly drive the bird in a circle and range check it, way faster than walking. :)
MOTION RC EU HAS GREAT PLANES, BATTERIES,FUTABA RADIOS, AND ON FAIRLY PRICES! ! BUT THOSE TX PRICES ARE HORIBLE THE VERY LEAST. F10J 440EU-I BOUGHT THIS RADIO FROM A BIG H.SHOP IN ATHENS(BRAND NEW) 4 YEARS AGO 310EU! LAST YEAR I BOUGHT F12K 390EU(BRAND NEW) M.RC EU F12K 500EU!!!! WITHOUT SHIPING AND TAXES! MY 1ST TX WAS F 14SG 2ND HAND(PERFECT CONDITION) WITH 14CH RX AND 2 MG DG SERVOS FOR AILERONS(7 YEARS AGO) 480EU!! M.RC(BRAND NEW)F 14SG 550EU 7 YEARS LATER!! PUT SOME GOOD AND NEW PRICES AND BRING THEM IN STOCK AND YOU HAVE A WIN,WIN! THUMBS UP FOR THIS VID,INFORMATIVE FOR NEW PILOTS!NICE DAY! !
I range check both outside my hangar and at the field. Also make sure to do it with the motor running and not running weather its Electric, gas, or a turbine. As someone mentioned get a helper so they change the planes orientation for you.
thx for your video, is there any official distance to do the range check, because this will not help if you are staying too close, but how to define too close...........
Range check mode, in layman's terms, can make the transmitter presume it is a lot farther away than it really is. SO if you don't lose signal in that mode, you will be good to go in normal conditions.
i did range test on extra 200 bnf with edge tx 16s and spektrum ar631 and it fails after 25 feet. why could that be? i click on internal rf then go into range test is the only way to get to that menu.
Well for one thing I wouldn't use her admiral receiver no more cause me to lose an airplane caused a friend of mine to lose an airplane their junk both of us tested in range checked our airplanes at the same field and had the same and we just lost signal when we were their junk and did the same range check you did I know how to range check I've been flying for 30 years spektrum receiver so much better especially the ar620
Sorry to hear this, but I have Admirals in 90% of my aircraft and they work beautifully. The protocol is solid, but everyone everywhere has an issue with something in RC. Just nature of the beast.
