JR 2610 FrSky 2.4G Hack

[peril]

The converted JR2610.

Function LED and bind micro switch access is through two small holes drilled in the original plastic crystal mount. All FrSky components mounted to a plastic board the same size/position as the original 36mhz RF board. These are held in place on the plastic mounting board with zip ties and double sided tape. The antenna is removable and is mounted to a washer glued to the 2610 case internally.

Just completed a 40min glider test flight, is a big improvement on the previous 36mhz Corona Rx, much better servo speed and smoothness. Very happy I spent the money on a second hand 2610 for this project and consider it is a viable option to buying a more expensive Spectrum.

[labuscj1]

Hi is Johan Im new to this 2.4ghz thing I hafe a 26cc yak55 and want to fly it but only have a normal JR2610, if I convert it to 2.4 will it be good as I'f lost a plane this week on normal 35mhz. and as told can only use PCM RX on gas plans but the gys at my local flying fild told me 2.4ghz the way to go. but is bit to prizie fore me and will to fit the diy frsky module in the jr2610.

[TG72]

You might try Bruce's Corona 2.4 DIY video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRQ0vAHxYDA. He converts a JR X-378 which looks similar to your JR-2610, but I don't really know for sure. Good Luck.

[peril]

Your choice and your risk.

I have used it in a $125-00 glider and a $150-00 electric. I am trialing it myself and gaining confidence, as I test and prove the reliability I may place it my $500-00 one of a kind Extra 300, time will tell. Lots of things to be tested to limits before fitting in bigger planes, the drain of 4x large chunky JR servos on the V8R8 Rx for example.

If you want my thoughts in comparison with my standard 36mhz 2610, it's lots better to date, no glitches at all yet. Very good electrical interference rejection re placing a V8R7 receiver antenna right under leads and close to a 3c LIPO battery pushing 250w (not recommended BTW). I would not trust any of my 36mhz gear to be glitch free in that situation. In fact I've always had some mild glitching in all my 36mhz electric planes no matter how good the install until I fitted the FrSky 2.4G.

But I'm not recommending you use it in your big beasty, that you will have to decide.

[labuscj1]

ok thanks but I will als test it in smaler planes and slowly go bigger and als will do a proper ground range check.
can you maybe help me with the PPM signal wire as I don't have a scope to test I see you als fit the FRSkY module in the JR2610 But I think any thing is beter than FM radio's as we had lots of glitches befor.
A the club there is time and agane som one losing a plane on 36mhz so I'm going to give is a try. as the modul is so ceap and will not loos any thing by trying. I also game a cross a vormum whare they were using the FRSKY systim to do FPV flying up to 2.5mils and that is good range.

[pushinoldrc]

JR radios are fairly simple to hack to the 2.4 DIY module. When you open the back of the transmitter, you will see a board that is the very top of the sandwich of boards. This is the FM modulation board. It takes the PPM signal from the processor (3 wire connector at the top of the board) and transposes it upon the carrier wave (35.xxx frequency). You can cut the 3 wires just short of the connector. Leave enough wire out of the connector in case you want to modify it back to the FM band. Remove this board, the antenna and the spacer board under the antenna.
Splice these 3 wires into the DIY connection wires where the black connects to the black (battery NEG), the red to the red (switch POS), and the white wire to the yellow wire (PPM signal from the processor). Determine where you want the LED and switch board from the DIY module to reside and mount it making the two holes through the case.
You may use the supplied screws to secure this board, or find another way to mount it. I mounted the module with double sided foam tape to the next board directly on top of the processor chip.
I just finished modifying a JR SX600, and took Bruce's idea to mount the LED board where I can see it from the front, eliminating the possibility of flying while in range test mode.
I mounted my antenna as described earlier in this section by affixing it to a washer and gluing it inside the unit.
I think this setup looks very professional, and I like the aesthetics of it.
Bryan

[peril]

To elaborate on the 2610 specifically a few differences from above.

1. It doesn't have an spacer board for the antenna.
2. The three wires are all white, I think the negative has a black stripe on it though, do you have a digital multimeter?

Place the neg lead of your meter on the neg of the battery then test the three wires for voltage with the meters red test lead.

No voltage is the 'negative' PPM wire. (to Black wire on the module)
Small volts of ~0.5 is the PPM signal wire (to Yellow on the module)
Voltage of ~10v is the power 'positive' wire for PPM. (to Red on the module)

Hope that helps.

[pushinoldrc]

Thanks peril, I did not know that. I have modded some Futaba radios and had to find the signal with an o'scope. The JR radios are EASY compared to the others.

[peril]

I think you will find the same procedure could be applied to all PPM signal trace. It's not accurate in the sense of PPM signal strength, but it is good enough to 'identify' the wires.

If you think about it, identify the power and the earth and the other should be the signal (this is if you only have three wires) but the small voltage confirms it

PS I didn't think of it first, but I will take some kudos for reposting it, hehe.

[nikolai]

Just wanted to post a quick thank-you to this forums and Bruce for his video's on the diy conversions. I converted my x2610 last night and despite my amateur-at-best electronics skills, it went perfectly. One issue I had was finding many pics of the internals of the x2610 - 2.4ghz conversion, so I thought I'd post a couple of mine in-case it can help somebody.

1. Removing the old radio & antenna.

img1.jpg (80.91 KiB) Viewed 21266 times

2. Soldering in the FrSky V8HT 2.4Ghz DIY Module

img2.jpg (246.63 KiB) Viewed 21266 times

3. Testing it out with the FrSky V8R7 2.4Ghz 7CH Receiver

img3.jpg (230.03 KiB) Viewed 21266 times

Thanks again!
Nik