So, you’ve bought your self a Radiomaster TX15? Nice alternative. Now let’s be sure to set it up appropriately and get essentially the most out of it. On this tutorial, I’ll information you step-by-step via the radio setup course of and present you tips on how to configure the vital settings in EdgeTX. I’ll additionally share some helpful ideas and methods alongside the way in which.
Nonetheless deciding whether or not the TX15 is best for you? Try my in-depth evaluate right here: https://oscarliang.com/radiomaster-tx15-max/
The radio I’ve right here is the TX15 Max Version. When you’ve got the Normal Version, that’s positive too—the setup course of is nearly equivalent. The radios are basically the identical, with just some beauty and gimbal variations.
Understanding the Controls and Switches
Right here’s a diagram of all of the obtainable controls, buttons, and switches. Familiarize your self with it so that you don’t get misplaced. 🙂
Battery Set up
To energy up your radio, you’ll want two 18650 Li-ion cells. The TX15 comes with a battery holder within the rear compartment that holds two 18650 Li-ion cells.
The batteries will not be included, however they’re extensively obtainable on-line. Listed below are my battery suggestions:
- RadioMaster 3200mah:
- Sanyo NCR18650GA:
- Molicel M35A:
- VTC6:
Potential Begin-up Warnings
To energy on, press and maintain the radio’s energy button for a few seconds.
Ideally, a model new radio ought to fireplace up with none fuss. Nevertheless, in case your display flashes a warning, don’t panic. Right here’s a breakdown of potential alerts and what they imply:
- Throttle Warning: This pops up in case your throttle stick (the left one for Mode 2 radios) isn’t at its lowest place when powered on. Pushing all of it the way in which down will do away with this warning.
- Change Warning (also called Management Warning): This indicators that some switches aren’t of their default positions. To clear this, guarantee all switches are of their HIGH place
- SD Card Warning: This means a model mismatch between the SD card content material and firmware. If you happen to get this warning, comply with this information to repair it.
You may get via a warning by merely urgent the Enter button (scroll wheel).
If the whole lot goes properly, try to be greeted by the radio’s default residence web page.
Radio Settings
The Radio Settings menu is the place you regulate show, audio, and different system-related parameters.
To get there, press the SYS button. This may take you to the Apps web page. Then press the PAGE> button twice to get to the Radio Settings web page.
You’ll be able to depart most radio settings at their default values, however listed below are a couple of I at all times change when organising a brand new radio:
1. Set Date & Time.
2. Sound
- Mode: Select All if you wish to hear beeps when navigating the menu. Alternatively, select Nokey in the event you choose it quieter.
- Quantity: Most. You’ll be able to regulate the quantity utilizing the knob, and I’ll present you tips on how to set that up later.
- Beep quantity/size: Minimal
3. Alarm
- Battery low (that is the edge for audio and haptic warnings):
- For Li-ion battery: 6.2V
- For LiPo battery: 7.2V
- If you happen to fly long-range, it’s possible you’ll wish to set this greater so you’ve sufficient battery left to make it again residence.
- Inactivity: 5 minutes (If the radio is left untouched for this lengthy, you’ll hear the inactivity alarm reminder).
4. Backlight
- Mode: Keys
- Inactivity timeout: 5s (The backlight turns off after this period of time if no buttons are pressed.)
- ON brightness: Most (You’ll be able to regulate display brightness utilizing a knob, and I’ll present you ways later on this information.)
- OFF brightness: Minimal
- Alarm: Enabled (While you get a warning, the backlight activates mechanically.)
Why use Keys mode?
By default, each the sticks and buttons can activate the backlight, which is a bit pointless. You aren’t actually wanting on the display whereas flying, so it simply wastes battery. By setting it to Keys, solely the menu buttons will activate the backlight, which helps save vitality.
5. Different settings:
- Splash display: 1s (This controls how lengthy the startup display stays on once you energy on the radio.)
- Startup Sound: OFF (I don’t wish to hear “Welcome to EdgeTX” daily.)
- Energy Off Delay: 0.5s or 1s (You’ll be able to shortly flip the radio off. It’s best to not set it to 0s, in case you unintentionally contact the facility button throughout flight.)
- USB mode: Ask
{Hardware} Settings
Go to the {Hardware} web page by urgent the PAGE> button 4 occasions.
1. Battery meter vary:
- For Li-ion battery: 5.8V – 8.2V
- For LiPo battery: 6.6V – 8.2V
Why these ranges?
This setting controls the on-screen battery indicator, particularly when it exhibits as full or empty. When the radio powers on, there’s some voltage sag, so you’ll realistically by no means see 8.4V even when the batteries are totally charged. That’s the reason utilizing 8.2V as the utmost voltage, as a substitute of 8.4V, makes extra sense.Observe that this isn’t the low-voltage alarm threshold. You set the low battery warning individually within the Alarm part below Radio Settings, as talked about earlier.
2. ADC Filter: OFF (Why? Learn this part. Solely allow it in the event you fly fixed-wing plane with out flight controllers.)
3. Inside RF
This part ought to already be configured appropriately by default, however it’s at all times good to double-check.
For radios with an inner ExpressLRS RF module, use:
- Sort: CRSF
- Baudrate: 5.25M
Sooner baudrate = quicker communication between the RF module and the radio. However that doesn’t imply each radio help greater baud charges, it relies on the RF module and radio functionality. Based on ExpressLRS Wiki, Radiomaster Inside ELRS module can deal with 5.25M baudrate. If you happen to’re experiencing fixed Telemetry Misplaced/Recovered even with the receiver close by and/or if the Lua Script fails to load correctly after rising baudrate, then it’s an indication your radio and/or module can’t work on the chosen Baud Charge. Decrease it down a notch and take a look at once more.
Battery Voltage Calibration
To verify your radio exhibits an correct battery studying, take a second to verify and calibrate the battery voltage.
Utilizing a digital multimeter, measure the voltage of the Li-ion batteries inside your radio.
Essential: Measure it whereas the radio is powered on.
For the reason that cells are linked in collection, you need to count on a studying someplace between 6V and eight.4V. The purpose is to verify the voltage proven in your multimeter matches the voltage displayed on the radio.
If the studying is off by greater than 0.05V, you need to calibrate it.
To calibrate the voltage, go to the {Hardware} web page, discover Battery Calibration, and enter the voltage proven in your multimeter.
Show Battery Voltage On House Display
To see the precise battery voltage of your radio at a look, add the voltage studying to the house display.
To do that:
- Go to UI Setup by urgent the TELE button
- Click on the primary icon on the highest bar, subsequent to 1
- Click on Setup widgets subsequent to Prime bar
- Click on on a sq. within the prime bar so as to add a widget
- Choose Worth, then select Batt
Gimbal Pressure Changes
To customise how stiff the sticks really feel, you possibly can regulate the gimbal spring rigidity from the surface of the radio with out taking it aside. For these changes, you’ll need a 1.5mm hex screwdriver or Allen key.
Here’s a breakdown diagram of the AG02 gimbals, displaying the strain adjustment screws for roll, pitch, yaw, and throttle, in addition to the stick journey adjustment factors.
When you’ve got the usual Corridor gimbals, discuss with the official information for directions.
Gimbal Calibration
Earlier than flying together with your brand-new radio, you need to at all times calibrate the gimbals, particularly after adjusting spring rigidity. You might also wish to recalibrate them after updating EdgeTX firmware.
Go to the Radio Setup web page, then press PAGE> a couple of occasions till you attain the {Hardware} web page. Scroll down and discover the Calibration choice. This may begin the calibration course of for the sticks and sliders (knobs).
The on-screen directions are clear, so simply comply with them fastidiously.
Ensure you solely transfer the sticks as proven on display. For the most effective outcomes, keep away from shifting the sticks in circles. Be as light as attainable when pushing the sticks to the tip factors, so the radio can learn them precisely.
And don’t overlook to calibrate the knobs too.
Creating Fashions
I’ve a separate information that explains tips on how to create a mannequin profile on your quads step-by-step: https://oscarliang.com/create-new-model-profile-edgetx/
Personally, I choose creating one profile for every radio hyperlink, after which binding that profile to all of my quads utilizing that hyperlink. It’s simply simpler that means when you’ve 10 or extra quads that you just fly recurrently.
How you can Entry ExpressLRS LUA Script
Within the ExpressLRS Lua script, you possibly can configure your radio hyperlink parameters.
To entry it:
- Press the SYS key
- Go to Apps
- Choose ExpressLRS
You normally don’t want to alter these settings fairly often. For most individuals, it’s a set-it-and-forget-it type of factor. Nonetheless, it’s helpful to know the important thing settings:
- Packet charge: Increased charges imply decrease latency however much less vary. Decrease charges imply extra vary however greater latency. I like to recommend 150Hz or 250Hz as a superb steadiness.
- TX Energy: This relies on how far you intend to fly. 100mW to 250mW is sufficient for most individuals and is able to greater than a number of miles.
- WiFi Connectivity: Enables you to activate the module’s WiFi so you possibly can entry its WebUI out of your telephone or laptop computer.
- Bind: Places the module into bind mode.
In order for you a deeper dive into each setting, take a look at my ExpressLRS tutorial: https://oscarliang.com/setup-expresslrs-2-4ghz/
Brightness & Quantity Adjustment Utilizing Knobs
In Particular Capabilities, create a brand new operate for backlight management:
- Set off: ON
- Perform: Backlight
- Supply: S1
- Allow: checked
Then create one other operate for quantity management:
- Set off: ON
- Perform: Quantity
- Supply: S2
- Allow: checked
RGB LED (Gimbal Rings and Customizable Switches)
You’ll be able to customise the RGB LED rings across the gimbals with totally different lighting patterns and strong colours, or flip it off.
To do this, go to World Capabilities. It’s also possible to use Particular Capabilities if you would like it to use solely to a specific mannequin profile.
- Create a brand new operate
- Set off: ON
- Perform: RGB leds
- Worth: [any lighting effect you want]
- Repeat: On
- Allow: checked.
That’s it.
If you happen to don’t need any LED in any respect, simply don’t add this international operate.
If you don’t use the flight mode buttons — the 6 buttons above the display — you possibly can disable them and have them show the identical lighting impact because the gimbal LED rings.
To do this, go to Mannequin Settings → Customizable Switches, and set the Sort of every change to None.
Backup/Restore Settings and Fashions
Information: https://oscarliang.com/backup-restore-models-radio-settings-edgetx/
EdgeTX Firmware Replace
Information: https://oscarliang.com/flash-edgetx/
Conclusion
I hope this information has been useful for organising your Radiomaster TX15 radio. I’ll maintain updating it if I uncover extra helpful mods, settings, or upgrades for the TX15.
