ACM/APM Futaba T8FG (Super) Mode configuration for all 6 modes

The APM WIKI has a good page to describe the setup of the Radio for switching the Mode with the RC toggle switches.

However, there was no help on how to setup the T8FG. It's not rocket science, but took a bit of try and error to set it up.

I thought I document this here so it can be linked into the WIKI along with the other Radio guides for the benefit of my own short term memory deficiencies as well as to make this easier for anybody else with the same radio.

Here a quick guide for that Radio to save yourself the time to play around with something more exciting:

We will use two toggle switches. In my case I used "SE" as the main switch which also controls the radio channel 5.

This switch has three positions. To be able to select 6 positions we need a second switch. I used "SF", which is a two position toggle. so 3 x 2 will allow you to set all 6 modes.

To get the right min/max PWM output we first need to set the Endpoint of channel 5 "SE":
Linkage Menu (LNK) > END POINT > Move to Channel 5 and adjust to have a low of 67 and 72 for your channel.
Your display will show: "5 AUX1 135 67 72 135"
To be able to add in the second switch "SF" we need to add a Program Mix which will influence the first channel "SE".
Model menu (MDL) > PROG. MIX > Choose any, I choose 1 as it was empty.
On the first page change the x and y Offsets (OFFS) to +25 each.
Continue scrolling to the second page and set ACT to ON. In the next field, set your second switch. "SF" in my case.
Set the "MASTER" to SF and the "SLAVE" to "AUX1" or whatever your Channel 5 is called (Default of the radio would be "GEAR"). You can ignore the LINK setting which should not be selectable anyway.
So the whole page reads:
#1 ACT OFF SF
MASTER SF
SLAVE AUX OFF

That's it!You now can control all 6 modes with your T8FG.

You can test the settings in the ACM/APM setup and test menu:

In CLI Mode: setup > modes

Flight modes
----------------------------------------
Pos 0: LOITER
Pos 1: RTL
Pos 2: ALT_HOLD
Pos 3: AUTO
Pos 4: STABILIZE
Pos 5: SIMPLE

Enjoy,

Ollie.

I wasn't able to replicate the six modes using exactly these values, but took the excellent idea and ran with it.

Arunabha, if I understood correctly, the basic idea is to use your three-position switch SE to select modes 2, 4, and 6. In my case, switch SF then 'mixes in' a subtractive offset, engaging modes 1, 3, and 5. So you set up the programmable mix to add an offset/bias in when the P.Mix mode is ON. To accomplish this, I also had to change the endpoint mapping to push the top/bottom end around, just as described.

You want to watch the Channel5 PWM value carefully as you do this, and ensure that you are hitting all six modes, and also that the PWM value for each falls comfortably in the range shown in Mission planner.. you don't want one switch setting to be on the edge, or ambiguous. I can tell you my values, but maybe yours too need to be different:

END POINT for AUX5 135 67 54 135

Leave the 135 values alone, and adjust the other two for the high/low flight mode to be comfortably in the range.

For PROG. MIX

I'm using -50 for both X and Y Linear offsets.

With these settings, I can easily place the PWM value in all six modes, and then configure them as needed. I'm not clear on the problems with the Failsafe interaction, which other posts indicate might be something to do with a specific (non-Futaba) receiver. In my case, the Throttle failsafe seems to work fine, and the flight mode is not changed.

My thanks to Oliver for the excellent idea -- I really like having all six modes available from switches.

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Comments

Denis July 18, 2016 at 6:39am

@Rick
Thank you for your instruction
Rick July 4, 2016 at 3:22pm

Here are my single mix settings for a Futaba T8FG Super with the current version 5.0 firmware.

I am using it with a Fr-Sky TFR4SB receiver sending the sbus output signal to my Pixhawk.

The target values are those on the Arducopter wiki page:
http://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/common-rc-transmitter-flight-mode-...
"If you want to support 6 modes then the transmitter will need to emit PWM widths of around 1165, 1295, 1425, 1555, 1685, and 1815 milliseconds."

Set everything up as the images below.
Adjust the end points to 1165 for Flight Mode 1 and to 1815 for Flight Mode 6 first by watching the Current PWM values change on the Flight Modes page in Mission Planner. Then, change to Flight Mode 4, and adjust the Sub-Trim until the PWM is 1555. When finished, go back and run the Radio Calibration again.

BTW, the Program Mix shows ON or OFF depending on which way the SF switch is flipped.

Hope this helps as the previous 4 pages didn't work for me but did provide enough information to finally get it all together.

Rick

RC Transmitter Flight Mode Configuration — Copter documentation
James tate June 27, 2015 at 5:30pm

In Prog.Mix you show the

#1   ACT OFF   SF
MASTER SF
SLAVE     AUX OFF

And the Photo shows #1   ACT ON SF

As shown below which one is correct ?

Continue scrolling to the second page and set ACT to ON. In the next field, set your second switch. "SF" in my case.
Set the "MASTER" to SF and the "SLAVE" to "AUX1" or whatever your Channel 5 is called (Default of the radio would be "GEAR"). You can ignore the LINK setting which should not be selectable anyway.
So the whole page reads:
#1   ACT OFF   SF
MASTER SF
SLAVE     AUX OFF
Mo Zargari January 31, 2015 at 1:44pm

Thanks to all for helping newbi.
Wilson Frias November 25, 2014 at 5:45pm

Thank you!!!!
Søren Møller Dath September 30, 2014 at 2:12am

Thank you so much for this description! It helped me a lot setting up the combination 6 modes by the two switches, and saved me a lot of time. I can confirm that the setup procedure is the same for a T14SG
Bob August 25, 2014 at 8:56pm

I found a simpler solution by using the RD dial. Go to the Function menu and assign RD dial to Ch 8. Then go to MP I and set the desired modes using the drop down dialog boxes. The dial knob will go through the entire PWM range from 1000-2200 depending on endpoint settings. I find this much easier than trying to remember two switch buttonology. Also, this free's up the switched for other functions link camera trigger, etc.
Michael J. Buckley April 18, 2014 at 3:47pm

Would anyone happen to have a step by step setup for the T8J Tx. I am so lost. I build a S800 and slapped a pixhawk on it. I have no clue how to program the TX with correct settings. I'm having problems wrapping my head around the programming.
Frenchguy February 22, 2014 at 3:44pm

It seems most of the recipes here use an old version of the Futaba T8J firmware? Most of the screens I have don't work like this. Can someone with a recent T8J set up with APM with modes show screenshots?

As I understand it AUX Channels, PMixes & Endpoints are the only ones that change? I am looking to use Switch C (3 positions) and D (2 positions).
Ground Loop September 2, 2013 at 9:55pm

I wasn't able to replicate the six modes using exactly these values, but took the excellent idea and ran with it.

Arunabha, if I understood correctly, the basic idea is to use your three-position switch SE to select modes 2, 4, and 6. In my case, switch SF then 'mixes in' a subtractive offset, engaging modes 1, 3, and 5. So you set up the programmable mix to add an offset/bias in when the P.Mix mode is ON. To accomplish this, I also had to change the endpoint mapping to push the top/bottom end around, just as described.

You want to watch the Channel5 PWM value carefully as you do this, and ensure that you are hitting all six modes, and also that the PWM value for each falls comfortably in the range shown in Mission planner.. you don't want one switch setting to be on the edge, or ambiguous. I can tell you my values, but maybe yours too need to be different:

END POINT for AUX5 135 67 54 135

Leave the 135 values alone, and adjust the other two for the high/low flight mode to be comfortably in the range.

For PROG. MIX

I'm using -50 for both X and Y Linear offsets.

With these settings, I can easily place the PWM value in all six modes, and then configure them as needed. I'm not clear on the problems with the Failsafe interaction, which other posts indicate might be something to do with a specific (non-Futaba) receiver. In my case, the Throttle failsafe seems to work fine, and the flight mode is not changed.

My thanks to Oliver for the excellent idea -- I really like having all six modes available from switches.

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