Taranis with Linker - diagnosing an issue

[sande005]

Have been a happy user of the original Linker in my X9D+SE, using the older X9D as the buddy box. Linker is using an X4R receiver. Trained many beginners over the last few years.
Today, though, I had an issue: No link! Hold the trainer switch, and no control from the buddy box.
In playing, I opened the linker, to view the lights on the RX. It indicated that it was still bound. Reinstalled, and had buddy box control again. Took students up for 2 flights.
On the 3rd and 4th flights, the previously great student started to have lots of problems flying.
After landing I noticed that when holding the switch, the master still had control. Is this normal if there is no trainer port signal?
The Master display indicates that the switch is being turned on, so it doesn't seem to be a bad SH.
Is there a definitive way to tell on the Master when it is getting input from the trainer port, and not from its own sources?
Any suggestions on troubleshooting? Need to figure out how to isolate the bad actor - is the buddy box not transmitting? Is it the X4R? Is it the Linker? Or is it something in the Master?

( I will note that nothing has changed in the Model settings - have used them as they are in both the master and the slave for over two years...)

 

[sande005]

Spent time on this today. Silly me, of course one can use the Channels monitor to see which box is providing the input that results in the output displayed on the monitor.
It appears to be likely poor contact either with the RX to the Linker, or from the Linker to the module bay pins. I cleaned things, and made sure it was all well plugged together. A small piece of electrical tape may dissuade it from misbehaving. At the field, we tried a cord that was no go - but of course I forgot to change the Master program from Master/SBUS to Master/Jack, which sent me off worrying about all the possibilities. So for now, I'll try out the Linker again, and am confident that if it gets flakey again, I can easily switch over to a cord....

 

[Kilrah]

After landing I noticed that when holding the switch, the master still had control. Is this normal if there is no trainer port signal?

Of course. And if you have the proper sound files you'll get a "trainer signal lost" warning to make you aware that you have control again.

 

[sande005]

Hmm. I have the files, and they play (tested via SF). Never a peep. Is it only played when a) and input (jack/SBUS/etc.) is initially active and b) when a Trainer SF is "true" - and then the signal drops/returns?
Not getting it when testing just the master here on the bench. But will try it tomorrow by pulling the cord while the buddy box is active....

 

[Kilrah]

No, any time.
But you never mentioned the OpenTX version, maybe it's too old to have that or the sound pack doesn't match the firmware version.

 

[sande005]

2.3.9 X9D+SE Using the stock system sound files for that version. And the two trainer files do play if I use a Special Function on a switch to play them.
No go when using the buddy box (X9D also 2.3.9) either with sbus or jack, in real life.

Interesting is that I can't get it to play when simulating in Companion, either, whether configured for master/jack or master/sbus.

I get other voice warnings - RSSI, Telemetry lost, etc. Over to github for a bug report?

 

[Kilrah]

The files are supposed to be in the SYSTEM folder so you can't select them to play with a special function.... Maybe clarify that everything is correct.

 

[sande005]

Sorry for not explaining in detail. To verify that they were useable, I did copy them over to the general folder, from System. Even replaced the system ones with the copies, just to make sure.
I am using a clone of the SD files on the PC, for Companion, so if that's where the problem is - then I've got it wrong in both places.

Hmm - just did a test, creating a very basic 4 ch trainer in Companion. Turning on/off the trainer simulator, I do get the files playing. Curiouser and curiouser...
Guess I'll have a go at creating a new model on the radio, duplicating the current one, and see if that resolves.....

 

[Kilrah]

Also note that if you've set audio mode to quiet in the radio settings the files will not play.

 

[sande005]

So odd, but while I was hanging out at the field, waiting for my student to show up, I built a new model using all the same settings as the original. Yep, it worked - got the announcement when trainer signal was lost. So just deleted the original, and used the replacement. Just glad I had the mini-laptop along with, which made it easy. Never seen one model go "bad" like that before.

 

[Kilrah]

If you have a saved copy of the "bad" model it might be worth posting it to investigate.

 

[sande005]

Sorry, no backup....
But, a special thanks for taking the time to help diagnose the issues. Your help here and on other forums is much appreciated.