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Permalink Reply by Chris on May 3, 2012 at 2:05pm

Are you following the guide here: http://code.google.com/p/arducopter/wiki/APM2RC

I'm new aswell but from all I've read you should be using female-female to connect your APM2 to your receiver.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Bourguignon on May 3, 2012 at 5:06pm

Is it the same female-female that goes to the "output" pins?  So, am I crazy or were none of the female-female cables included with APM2?  They were with my APM1, so I scrounged them from it for the motors, but I guess they're no longer being included with APM?  Thanks!

-joe

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Permalink Reply by Chris on May 3, 2012 at 6:05pm

Really, none come with the APM2?

That doesn't seem good.

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Permalink Reply by Greg Fletcher on May 3, 2012 at 6:19pm

They are in the store if you look. When you order the APM it shows a list of whats included and f-f cables are not there.

They are here.

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Permalink Reply by Chris on May 3, 2012 at 6:35pm

Oh dear..

Well, I put through an order for an APM2 several hours ago as it described it as a "APM 2.0 Purple Full Kit Assembled" (that's "Full Kit" there, which to me indicates 'everything needed') and in all my reading I can't see anywhere at all that it states with or without these cables.

I guess I'll have to find somewhere local to get these if I end up needing them, wish it was more clear because it's not the cheapest to get stuff sent half way around the world. :/

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DeveloperPermalink Reply by Andreas M. Antonopoulos on May 3, 2012 at 7:07pm

Normally, you would receive 4-5 of these with your RX and TX purchase, as they are needed to connect servos and motors to the RX in a plane/copter without APM. 

Basically: to fly without APM you need these cables, they come with your radio controller and receiver and that is why they do not ship.

Not justifying or excusing the decision not to include these cables: I was a bit surprised myself and had to scrounge, but in retrospect I now understand the logic of this.

What I have come to understand is that the VAST majority of people in this space have transitioned from more traditional forms of RC vehicles and have plenty of experience. This marriage of computers and RC vehicles has brought a lot of computer geeks and gadgets geeks into this hobby who have *no prior* RC experience. That causes all kinds of problems, as we lack the most basic experience, skills, tools and assumptions. 

Over time, we will probably need to change the documentation with fewer assumptions about the level of RC skill people have. Right?

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Permalink Reply by Chris on May 3, 2012 at 7:22pm

Right. Except I've bought three different Tx/Rx sets in the past and none have come with female-female type servo leads. One did have several servo extensions though. Nevermind though, I'm pretty sure I have some dead servos around, I should have enough spare bits and skill to knock something up.

Had I known earlier I would've included them in my order, just to make it easier.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Bourguignon on May 4, 2012 at 3:25pm

Ha!  I just double checked after reading Andreas' post and my Tx/Rx did come with a couple of the 3 wire f-f cables...  Guess the ones I just ordered from diydrones will sit on my desk....  Thanks!

-joe

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