We were quite excited when we received the Taranis Q X7 transmitter. It is affordable and fortunately, in this case, low cost doesn’t mean low quality. It is a very comfortable radio to hold and use.
Some other positives
- 60 models can be programmed out of the box, expandable with SD card.
- You can save and transfer files between the Q X7 and the X9D radios—they’re cross compatible.
- They come with quad ball bearing gimbals, but they can be upgraded with hall sensor gimbals from FrSky in the future.
- SD card allows you to add voice files so the radio can talk to you when programmed.
- The battery tray can be removed to use a 2-3s battery.
- The rubberized grips help with quality feel.
- 4x3 position switches. One two position and one spring switch—All are assignable.
- There are no range issues for the radio link.
Less positive (not negative!)
- The USB port is on the bottom of the radio making simulator use uncomfortable.
- It does not come with a receiver or batteries. You need to purchase separately on the store.
Other info
- The menu system is better navigated by using the wheel.
- The menu system is intimidating but has a lot of features that with time become easy.
- The module bay is on the back for expansions. If you are using Spektrum, long range systems, increase channels from 16 to 32.
- It is possible to upgrade receiver firmware using the radio.
- Both sticks are centered, at FT we are disabling the throttle spring for you to make the radio a mode 2 when purchased. TJ does the modification.
Taranis Q X7 Set-Up
[Note: Reference the video for removing the throttle spring depending on mode 1 or mode 2 at 7:58 and the rest of the setup.]
Taranis Q X7 menu functions:
- Main radio menus Hold menu button
- Model menus tap menu button
- Scroll forward through menus tap page
- Go back in menus hold page
- Enter is pushing on the wheel
- Scroll within the menu use wheel
Calibrate radio page 9/9 on main radio menu, hold menu then hold page to go back to page 9.
Install receiver to plane, TAER (throttle, aileron, elevator, rudder). On the D4R-II receiver we used install the servo pins to the corresponding channels. Channel 1 is throttle, channel 2 is aileron, channel 3 is elevator and channel 4 is rudder.
Menu button, #2, enter and create model.
Exit to main menu. Click menu to go to first page and change the model name using the wheel.
Scroll down to internal RX. Choose mode D8 for the D4R-ii receiver then click “bind.”
Hold the FS Button on your receiver when plugging in the battery to enter bind mode.
Once the RX is on, hit exit on the Taranis, unplug the battery on the plane and plug it back in to test if bound.
Reference video to setup dual rates.
[1:47]
Click menu and page until you get to “outputs” menu. To change direction on your outputs click the wheel, scroll over to the arrow and click the wheel to change direction.
Get your own Taranis Q X7 here!
Who else is excited about the Taranis Q X7? Share some of your favorite features in the comments below!
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The purpose of Inputs is for preconditioning controls specifically for things like Rates and Expo. The setup is similar to shown in the video but with Inputs the lines used is the first active line and you must make sure that there is always a valid line. Leaving the last Input line with no switch setting is a good way to do that.
A typical setup for, say, the Ail Input is.
[I]Ail 60 Ail SA^
80 Ail SA-
100 Ail
You then use the [I]Ail Input as the Source for the primary Ail mixer line on the Mixer page. This keeps the extraneous logic if the Rates and Expo out of the Mixes simplifying them and also allowing the same rate/expo calculation to be consumed by multiple channels - something you need as soon as you use separate servos to control each aileron.
Personally I probably would not choose to use FlightModes and GVARs to set up Rates. Having them in Inputs allows you to see how you have your rate and expo set up configured on one page. You don't gain a lot by adding the complications of FlightModes and GVARs. I might use Flight Modes to select the Rate but I would probably only use a GVAR if I wanted to be able to vary the Weight in flight using a Pot...less convenient to do on the Q-X7 since it lacks the side sliders.
A few other points...
To control a channel you must have at least one line for it on the Mixer page. The Mixer channels corresponds to Outputs channels which correspond to the Receiver's channels. However the Inputs are just resources that can be defined in any order and consumed by any channel or channels. This means you are not limited to the TAER channel order but can use AETR or RETA order or whatever order you like. Using the order you are used to as a default is probably a good idea. You can set the default in the Radio Settings and new Model should create the basic 4 Inputs and Mixers in that order...you may need to upgrade the firmware to a recent OpenTX release candidate.
FrSky launched the Q-X7 before the OpenTX team were done with it and it comes witha fairly buggy version which is also missing features. The version of OpenTX, FrSky chose to ship with the Q-X7 does not have GVARS. They are in the latest Open TX 2.2 release candidates... see the news here...http://www.open-tx.org/ for the latest release. OpenTX 2.2 should be released fairly soon but RC11 is stable and has no obvious bugs. What you download is actually a program called Companion which runs on a PC or MAC and allows you to download and flash the OpenTX firmware and also to set up models.
GVARs are really Flight Mode variables. They can be shared across Flight Modes to make them Global in the model. They are NOT global across models.
According to the best information I have...someone asked them and that's what they said (or preferred )...it's "free sky" not "F R sky"
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Also, always leave your last item on dual rates and expo with no switch so it will default to it if none of the above are active. With the way you set it up, if SA is in the middle position, you have no control (the input will be center no matter what you do with the sticks). Better to have a default so you cannot accidentally get into the dangerous position of no control.
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