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Hi All

This was a real head scratcher for me, so hopefully this will help others. I have had this radio for 4 years now but never used it as it was so complicated. I decided to RTFM which honestly just confused me the futaba manuals have never been to my liking. I read manuals for a living and compared to some of the rubbish ones this is definitely worse.

I tried all of the other methods listed for Futaba and couldn’t get them to work mostly because there is no "Switch off" offset that I could find. So I couldn't get the P-Mix methods to work correctly.

First a few caveats:
1) I am doing this for the AC2 so I don't know how well it translates to APM.
2) Even the same make and model radio differs from the next so don't just follow the numbers I've input blindly, your values will be a little different.
3) I've included the button push sequence. Those who have a 9z will know that the buttons are labelled A through R. this takes you through those. They all start form the home screen.

4) Finally my 9ZHP has the WC II software which changes a few things so you might not be able to follow the button pushes.

Ok let’s start.

1) First set up a new model and set the type as aeroplane. Go to the servo display (SRV) under the system menu and check that there is no mixing and that all the channels move in the correct directions.

2) Reverse the Throttle Channel: All the Futaba radios I have used over the years have need the throttle channel reversed and this one is no different. Go to the model menu (MDL) then on to the Reversing section (REV) and change the throttle.

Button Push sequence: Home>P>B>J>G>P>N>R

3) Next set up channel 5 (GEAR) with a 2 position switch I chose Switch F (SWF). Go to the Model menu (MDL) then choose Function (FNC) and select your chosen switch.

Button Push Sequence: Home>P>B>K>I>P>M>J>N>R

4) Set up two flight conditions in addition to the default condition and assign switch A to change between the three of them. Go to the Model Menu (MDL) then on to the condition select menu (CSL) you will see that the first condition is D and can’t be changed select the second one and then change the switch to a three position switch I used switch A.Adjust so that it is ON in the middle position. Then do the same with condition 3 assigning switch A and this time make it ON in the lowest position.

Button Push Sequence: Home>P>B>F>B>P>A>Q>N>N>F>C>P>P>N>N>R

5) Set up your ACM/APM and receiver and connect it to the computer using your USB Lead. From the mission planner open the terminal window. Once it is all up and connected type "test" you will see it go into the test menu type “pwm” and you will see the values for the PWM on each channel come streaming in. We are interested in CH5.

6) Now we are going to set the CH5 (GEAR) Adjustable function rate (AFR)...... (Don’t ask me who came up with these names???). Each AFR is tied to a flight condition so each time you change Switch A you get a new high and Low AFR this means we can have 2 positions per flight condition and with 3 conditions we have 6 positions in total.
OK go to the Flight Condition menu (CND) then open the AFR screen. Change the channel to Gear (GEA). Now check that switch A is in the top most position and that switch f is in its rearmost position. Now while watching the pulse width on your screen change RATE A until the pulse width is 1165 (Mode 0) give or take 5. My radio needed 64% then change RATE B to give you 1815 (Mode 5). Note you will have to change SWF to forward position to see RATE B have an effect. My value was 54%. Now move switch A to the middle position and do the same for Flight condition 2 but this time adjust RATE A to 1295 (Mode 1) and RATE B to 1685 (Mode 4). My values were 40% and 30% respectively. Now move switch A to the lowest position and do the same for Flight condition 3 but this time adjust RATE A to 1425 (Mode 2) and RATE B to 1555 (Mode 3). My values were 17% and 7% respectively.

Now you should have all 6 modes. Starting with switch F in the rearward position and switch A in the topmost position, you are in mode 0 then moving switch A downward you should get 1 then 2. Then flip switch F forwards this should give you mode 3. Move switch A back to the mid position and you should get mode 4 and finally move A to the topmost position you get mode 5

Button Push Sequence: Home>O>B>G>B>I>(CHECK THAT SWA IS IN UP POSITION AND THAT SWF IS IN THE REAR POSITION)>C>(CHANGE VALUE USING F&G)>(CHANGE SWF TO FORWARD POSITION)>D>(CHANGE VALUE USING F&G)>(CHECK THAT SWA IS IN MIDDLE POSITION AND THAT SWF IS IN THE REAR POSITION)>C>(CHANGE VALUE USING F&G)>(CHANGE SWF TO FORWARD POSITION)>D>(CHANGE VALUE USING F&G)>(CHECK THAT SWA IS IN DOWN POSITION AND THAT SWF IS IN THE REAR POSITION)>C>(CHANGE VALUE USING F&G)>(CHANGE SWF TO FORWARD POSITION)>D>(CHANGE VALUE USING F&G)>N>R

Below is a table of my settings:

I hope this helps any questions let me know.

Alastair