How to adjust the servo throws from a Deltang Rx102 receiver

I have recently had a few requests asking how to adjust the servo outputs from the Deltang Rx102 receiver. The instructions for this on the Deltang website can, on first sight, appear to be daunting but, hopefully, the video shown below and the instructions which follow will make the processes involved a lot easier to understand.

I would strongly urge you to watch the video first as it puts the written information into context.

Contents

• Binding the receiver to a transmitter
• Stage 1 - Selecting the output pin you want to adjust
• Pin 1
• Pin 2
• Pin 3
• Stage 2 - Adjusting the servo outputs from the chosen Pin
• Reversing the servo
• Moving the neutral (mid-point)
• Lengthening and shortening the high side throws
• Lengthening and shortening the low side throws
• Adjusting the outputs from other channels 

Binding the receiver to a transmitter

To check the results of your adjustments as you make them, you need to make sure the receiver is bound to a transmitter.

1. Turn off the transmitter and the receiver
2. Place the large black bind plug on signal pins 5 and 7 (see photo)
   
3. Turn on the receiver
4. The LED on the receiver should flash rapidly
5. Hold down the Bind Button on the transmitter
6. With the Bind Button held down, turn on the transmitter
7. Release the Bind Button
8. The LEDs on the transmitter and receiver should flash in unison
9. When the LEDs stop flashing and remain on steadily, the receiver has been bound to the transmitter and can be controlled by it
10. If the LEDs do not flash in unison, turn the receiver and the transmitter off, change the position of the receiver and transmitter and return to step 3 above

Stage 1 - Selecting which output pin you want to adjust

Before you can make changes to the servo outputs, you need to tell the receiver which output pin you want to adjust. You can make changes to Pins 1, 2 and 3. If you want to make changes to the outputs on other pins see below.

1. Turn off the receiver and the transmitter
2a. To adjust the servo output from Pin1:
      Connect the small red bin plug to signal pins 4 and 5 (see photo)

2b. To adjust the servo output from Pin 2:
      Connect the small red bind plug to signal pins 5 and 6 (see photo)

2c. To adjust the servo output from Pin 3:
      Connect the small red bind plug to signal pins 6 and 7 (see photo)

3. Turn on the receiver
4. The LED on the receiver should flash once every half second
5. Remove the bind plug
6. Turn on the transmitter to which the receiver has been bound (see above)
7. Attach a servo to the Pin you have selected for adjustment
8. The servo and any changes you make to its operation can now be tested using the transmitter 

Stage 2 - Adjusting the outputs

Once you have selected the output pin you want to adjust (as in Stage 1 above) you can now start making adjustments to that output.

Reversing the direction of turn

To reverse the direction in which the servo moves

1. Connect the large black bind plug so that Signal Pin 4 (on the top row) is linked to Negative Pin 4 (on the bottom row) - see photo on the right
2. Remove the bind plug
3. The servo should now turn in the opposite direction when being controlled by the transmitter

To restore the direction in which the servo revolves

1. Connect the small red bind plug so that Signal Pin 4 (on the top row) is linked to Positive Pin 4 (on the middle row) - see photo on the right
2. Remove the bind plug
3. The servo should now turn in the normal direction when being controlled by the transmitter

Moving the neutral mid point

The neutral position of the servo (ie the mid-point) can be adjusted by up to 32 steps each way.

To move the neutral position Up:

1. Use the transmitter to move the servo arm so that it is in the neutral (mid point) position
2. Connect the large black bind plug to Signal Pin 6 and Negative Pin 6 (see photo)
3. The arm of the servo should now start moving in small steps (the direction will depend on which direction the receiver has been set to move the servo (see above)
4. When the servo arm reaches what you would like the neutral (mid point) position to be, remove the bind plug
5. If the servo arm move in the wrong direction, remove the bind plug and see the instructions below for moving the neutral position Down

 To move the neutral (mid point) position Down:

1. Use the transmitter to move the servo arm so that it is in the neutral (mid point) position
2. Connect the small red bind plug to Signal Pin 6 and Positive Pin 6 (see photo)
3. The arm of the servo should now start moving in small steps (the direction will depend on which direction the receiver has been set to move the servo (see above)
4. When the servo arm reaches what you would like the neutral (mid point) position to be, remove the bind plug
5. If the servo arm moves in the wrong direction, remove the bind plug and see the instructions above for moving the neutral position Up

Adjusting the high side throw

The direction of the high side throws will be dependent on whether or not you have reversed the rotation of the servo. The best way to find out whether you need to adjust the high or low side throws is to experiment. High (and low) side throws can be adjusted by 16 steps either way. The LED will flash once a second for each step changed. It remains on for 3 seconds when it reaches the middle position and stays on solidly when it reaches the end of the adjustment range.

To increase the high side throws:

1. Set up which pin you are intending to change as in Stage 1 above
2. Connect the large black bind plug to Signal Pin 7 and Negative Pin 7 (as in the photo)
   
3. The LED will flash once per second to show each step increased (3 seconds when it reaches the mid position and on solidly when it reaches the end of the range)
4. Remove the bind plug when you decide the adjustment is sufficient
5. Test the effect of the change by using the transmitter to move a servo attached to the relevant output pin
6. If necessary repeat step 2 above (or decrease the throw as below)

To decrease the high side throw:

1. Set up which pin you are intending to change as in Stage 1 above
2. Connect the small red bind plug to Signal Pin 7 and Positive Pin 7 (as in the photo)
   
3. The LED will flash once per second to show each step decreased (3 seconds when it reaches the mid position and on solidly when it reaches the end of the range)
4. Remove the bind plug when you decide the adjustment is sufficient
5. Test the effect of the change by using the transmitter to move a servo attached to the relevant output pin
6. If necessary repeat step 2 above (or increase the throw as above)

Adjusting the low side throw

To increase the low side throw:

1. Set up which pin you are intending to change as in Stage 1 above
2. Connect the large black bind plug to Signal Pin 5 and Negative Pin 5 (as in the photo)
   
3. The LED will flash once per second to show each step increased (3 seconds when it reaches the mid position and on solidly when it reaches the end of the range)
4. Remove the bind plug when you decide the adjustment is sufficient
5. Test the effect of the change by using the transmitter to move a servo attached to the relevant output pin
6. If necessary repeat step 2 above (or decrease the throw as below)

To decrease the low side throw:

1. Set up which pin you are intending to change as in Stage 1 above
2. Connect the small red bind plug to Signal Pin 5 and Positive Pin 5 (as in the photo)
   
3. The LED will flash once per second to show each step decreased (3 seconds when it reaches the mid position and on solidly when it reaches the end of the range)
4. Remove the bind plug when you decide the adjustment is sufficient
5. Test the effect of the change by using the transmitter to move a servo attached to the relevant output pin
6. If necessary repeat step 2 above (or increase the throw as above)

 When you have made all the required adjustments, turn off the receiver. When it is turned on again, it will remember all the newly adjusted settings.

Adjusting the throws for other Channels

The procedures above can only be used to adjust the outputs on Pins 1, 2 and 3 (Channels 1, 4 and 3) but you might want to adjust the throws for channels outputted from pins 4, 5, 6 and 7. This can be done, but you need to reprogram the receiver using a Prog3 or Prog4 Programma module (available from Deltang stockists).

To make changes to the throw from other output channels:

1. Use a Prog3 or Prog4 module to re-assign the channel which you want to change to Pin 1, 2 or 3 (see How to program Deltang receivers)
2. Make the adjustments to the throws as shown above
3. When you are happy with the adjustments, turn off the receiver
4. Use a Prog 3 or Prog 4 module to assign the adjusted channel to the required Pin
5. The adjustments made to the required Channel will be remembered when it is assigned to another Pin

How I made a sluice gate for the mill stream

After having complete the mill (see How I made a mill from foamboard) and giving it a test run ......

..... I felt that, in real life, the mill stream would have had some sort of sluice gate to control the flow of water on to the wheel.

After sketching a very basic design, I decided to use some offcuts of foamboard for its construction. I did consider using wood (too prone to rotting) and plasticard (too flimsy) but decided the 5mm thickness of the foamboard would give the gate a fairly substantial, chunky appearance.

The first task was to make the lower guides for the sliding gate. Four pieces of 5mm x 60mm and two 18mm x 60mm lengths of foamboard were cut out.

Two of the narrow pieces were glued on to each of the wider pieces, 5.5mm apart to act as guides for the sluice gate

A 30mm x 150mm piece of foamboard was cut out to act as the platform. A 45mm x 5.5 mm slot was cut into the centre of the platform to allow the sluice gate to rise through it.

The sluice guides were glued .....

...... either side of the slot in the platform.

A 85mm x 40mm piece of foamboard was cut out for the sluice gate.

The gate was then slotted into the guides to check it was the right size. A small amount was shaved off the edges to ensure it slid smoothly.

The upper guides for the gate were mades from four 65mm x 5mm and two 70mm x 25mm pieces of foamboard.

These were then glued above the platform and a 25mm x 52mm piece of foamboard glued across the top.

The semi completed sluice gate was then test-fitted into its location to make sure it fitted and also to determine the size and shape of the blanking pieces which were required either side of the gate.

These were cut from offcuts of foamboard and glued either side of the sluice gate guides.

A couple of sets of plastic spur gears and racks were ordered from Technobots.

The rack was detached from the sprue .......

..... and the moulding reduced in depth with a craft knife.

A slot was cut into the platform to accommodate the rack......

...... and the rack was glued to the centre of the sluice gate.

Once the glued had dried, the sluice gate was fitted back into the guides.

A figure of eight link was drilled and filed from a piece of 1mm thick brass shim, 13mm x 5mm with 2mm diameter holes near each end.

2mm diameter brass rod was soldered into the holes.

..... and the excess solder filed smooth.

A couple of 3mm diameter holes were drilled in the upper sluice guide and the crank handle assembly was inserted. A small spur gear was positioned midway along the longer shaft on the crank to engage with the rack.

A small spur gear was positioned behind the crank handle and a pawl fashioned from an offcut of 1mm thick plasticard.

A 5mm diameter brass washer was then soldered on to the other end of the shaft to retain it.

Two 75mm long posts were cut from 4mm diameter brass rod. The lower 20mm of each post was bent through 90 degrees. Three 2mm diameter holes were drilled through the longer section .......

..... and three 75mm lengths of 2mm diameter brass rod soldered into the holes. The posts were then glued into 4mm diameter holes dtilled into the edges of the platform.

The whole assembly was then given a couple of coats of Halfords red oxide primer.

Once the primer had set, the sluice gate assembly was then touched up with various shades of brown acrylics and then sealed with a couple of coats of matt varnish.

A layer of concrete, into which had been mixed some black cement dye, was then smeared over the mill stream area to even out some of the inconsistencies in its finish.

Slabs were scribed into the 'green' concrete on top of the wall dividing the main stream from the mill stream..

Once the concrete had set, the sluice gate was tested.

The height of the gate was adjusted using the rack and pinion until the wheel was rotating at what seemed like a reasonable speed.

There seemed to be a compromise between the ideal speed and a slower speed which meant friction would sometimes stop the wheel.

I am pleased with the outcome.  The mill seems to fit in well with its surroundings and the sluice gate does an effective job of restricting the flow of water over the wheel.

There is still a little more detailing to be done. I would like to add some general clutter around the mill and maybe a wooden footbridge linking the mill to the mainline trackbed on the opposite side of the stream. Otherwise, the stream and the mill are now more or less complete.

For more information about how I made the stream see - How I constructed the stream