I got the Spektrum Dx6 system around Xmas (2005). When I started programming the TX, and then flew my Heli with it, I felt I missed some features I had on the Eclipse 7:

1. The user friendly interface while programming.
2. Easy to read model name and programming menus.
3. The smoothness of CCPM mixing which doesn't seem to be very accurate on the Spektrum. I couldn't hover at one spot and the Heli seemed to jerk around a lot compared to when I fly my Heli with the Eclipse 7.
4. And one of the features that people seem to miss a lot on other TX: the 5 point curves. I don't need it, but it's worth mentioning.

When I adjust the spring on the collective stick, I think it's pretty simple to put the DX6 RX module to many TX'es on the market.

So here is what I've gotten so far:



Basically what I did was taking away the DX6 2.4Ghz frequency module from the Spektrum Dx6 radio. Then connect it to the Eclipse 7 (the big black piece in the picture). The DX6 RF module is the green piece in the picture. The white wire & the black stick next to it is the antenna of the Dx6.

A servo wire which has brown/red/orange is used to connect the DX6 RF module to the pins on the back of the Eclipse 7. This way, if you want to fly in FM frequency, it's still there. You can just unplug the wire from Spektrum module and install back the Spektra to the Eclipse 7. See how simple it is?

This is how the servo wires are supposed to solder to the DX6 board:


Then the other side of the servo wire, which has three sockets, is connected three pins on the Eclipse 7 Tx. The ground is the brown wire. The Red wire is the battery voltage (measure around 10 - 11 volts depending on your TX battery). The orange wire is indeed the PPM signal wire.



 Make sure you connect the Brown & Red correctly!

 After that work is done, the order of channels on the RX is different. It will be similar to if you use JR receiver in Hitec / Futaba TX. The channel mapping from JR to the real channel meaning is:

 Spektrum channel wire up --> channel meaning

 Throttle = aileron (CH1)
 Aileron = elevator(CH2)
 Elevator = throttle(CH3)
 Rud = rudder (CH4)
 Ger = gear (CH5)
 Aux = collective (CH 6)

I have to say that I've not had time to finish this project yet. It works, but I still need to really test out the failed safe mode to see what it does with the TX being different (I don't think it makes any difference though). Currently I have to make a case of some sort to cover the Spektrum board and stick it on to the back of the eclipse 7. It looks ugly, I know, but I really like the peace of mind when flying with the Spektrum.

While it works, please don't blame me for anything potential damage or problem occurred if you duplicate this modification. I don't know if it illegalizes your TX or not either. I like to tinker and change things, and I know many of us also do. It may not benefit someone because the cost of conversion is quite high: you need a Spektrum TX and a FM TX. But if you want to have both Spektrum and the fancy feature of your FM radio, you can now.

I trim the DX6 board a little to fit the plastic box that comes with GY401 gyro, then put it into the box. Then I mount the box on the back of the Eclipse 7. I'm really happy with the result. The new Eclipse 7 Spektrum combo have more precise control of the Heli than the original Spektrum and has Shotdown free & glitch free of the Spektrum. Currently I fly a Trex and a Swift 16 Heli with this combo. I have some pictures:

I mount the whole box on 4 plastic pins, then the whole box is velcro'ed to the back of the Eclipse 7. I only need to pull the DX6 box out, then put the Spektra back and I'm back to full range 72Mhz. I still have a Plane & Heli that use 72Mhz RX.

This should work on many TX'es that support negative shift. It doesn't work with positive shift.

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