My Skipjack is nuts

[boomerfunker]

Maybe someone has seen this happen and can help me. I powered up my first boat for the first time and suddenly all my servos started twitching continuously. I know they will "bump" at first power but this was constant and it made no difference if the xmtr was on or not and although my inputs worked correctly, at center stick the servos would still randomly twitch. BTW the WTC was flat on the bench all the time.
I freely admit to have more experience in the modeling than the R/C so if this is this sounds like a really stupid setup mistake on my part please let me know what you think it might be. Thank You

Tom

[nautilus]

SOUNDS LIKE WATER DAMAGE TO

SOUNDS LIKE WATER DAMAGE TO ME,BUT IF IT HAS NOT BEEN IN WATER,AND YOUR BENCH TESTING MABEY YOUR TRANSMITER IS TO CLOSE TO YOUR RECIVER,AND DO YOU HAVE ALL ANTENAS ALL THE WAY OUT?

[ramius-ii]

Hi Tom]http://www.subcommittee.com/forum/icon_cool.gif

Hi Tom]http://www.subcommittee.com/forum/icon_cool.gif[/img]

[feet wet]

I'll add on more thought

I'll add on more thought ,electric dog fences,Invisible Fence ect, will interfere with our radios if the transmitter is in close proximity to the receiver.

[boomerfunker]

Thanks guys, I believe the

Thanks guys, I believe the culprit was a low xmtr btty and the antenna not fully extended, what you might call operator error. I may have paniced but the last thing you expect to see is your electronic package dancing a jig

Thanks again, Tom

[c earnest]

Boomer-F., and all,

Low bby. voltage

Boomer-F., and all,

Low bby. voltage is the most likely suspect in your scenario. Your radio system does not need the antenna extended to function at any range up to approximately 90 to 100 feet. In fact, that is how you check out your r/c system operational capability in the r/c airplane world. The antenna is collapsed as far ai it will go, and with the engine running, the pilot walks off until the servos start twitching. Each radio make has a "minimum" distance that must be attained. In some earlier generation radios having the xmtr. antenna extended at close proximity to the rcvr. would "swamp" (appropriate term for subs, huh? the rcvr. and cause servo twitch.

One more possibility is having any "metal-to-metal" contact in your set-up. The r.f. causes microscopic electric arcs between these metal surfaces. This is known as r.f. interference and can cause servo "jitter". Check your system for this condition. Always use plastic to metal surfaces whenever possible. Conductive grease can also be used if you suspect this condition in a spot where grease is called for.

Hope this helps. C. Earnest SubCommittee #2662