Support/FAQ for RC-Soar templates
This page is for support of the RC-Soar templates. Please scan through the page before configuring your template.
Supported operating systems
All templates support EdgeTX and most also work with OpenTX.
EdgeTX
- Compatible with all modern hardware
- Recommended version: 2.12 or greater
- For more info visit EdgeTX
OpenTX
- Mature and stable, but no longer supported
- Not compatible with recent transmitters
- Recommended version: 2.3.15
- For more info visit OpenTX
Current issues affecting RC-Soar templates
| Date | Problem description |
|---|---|
| 2026-08-25 | Crow-aware trim script error at startup |
| 2025-12-17 | EdgeTX hangs or stutters during startup, when using E-Soar Plus |
| 2024-10-06 | DLG templates sound 'telemetry connected' when pressing Launch button |
| 2024-10-06 | Custom sounds not playing in EdgeTX 2.10 |
Firmware and Companion versions
Companion software is used to transfer model files to/from your transmitter.Note that the version of Companion must match your transmitter firmware. So, for example if you're using EdgeTX v2.12.4 in your tx, use Companion v2.12.4. Otherwise, your setup may be not work properly after uploading to your transmitter. Symptoms of a mismatch include GVs not working as expected, and/or missing mixers.
Use the latest templates
Most of the templates have been updated for easier configuration:
- Both .OTX (OpenTX) and .ETX (EdgeTX) files are included
- Can be configured for any transmitter
Please use the latest version for your next install!
Loading a template to your transmitter
Below is the recommended method to load an RC-Soar template into your transmitter. Using this method, all your radio settings are preserved.
Before starting, please check the following:
- Minimum version of EdgeTX or OpenTX is installed in your tx (see template page for minimum version)
- The versions of Companion and EdgeTX are identical.
Okay, so let's get going...
- Start Companion
- Select (or create) a settings profile for your transmitter.
- From the File menu, open the template file. A list of errors may appear, and/or the model will be marked in red. If so, see next section on how to fix these issues.
- Connect your transmitter via USB and choose "Read models and settings from radio". This will open a second window.
- Drag one or more models from the template window to the transmitter window.
- Close the template window. There should now be a single window open showing the modified list.
- Choose 'Write models and settings'. Companion will update the transmitter with the modified model data.
- Copy all template-specific sound files to the target's SD card
- Disconnect the target transmitter.
Once the file is installed in the target transmitter, go to the Special Functions menu and check that all the SF's have their Enabled flags checked (Companion may disable them during conversion).
How to deal with conversion warnings
When you open a model file, Companion will check and if necessary convert the model data for your particular transmitter. Any conversion errors will be flagged up and must be fixed. The procedure will depend on the operating system and version:
- EdgeTX Companion 2.11 and later . If there are errors then the model will be marked in red, and the '"Write Models and Settings" menu will be greyed out. The errors must be fixed before the model file can be transferred to the transmitter. To review the errors, right click on the model and choose 'Show model errors'.
- EdgeTX Companion 2.10. After opening the file, Companion will display various conversion warnings. Fix these after uploading to the tx.
- OpenTX Companion. Companion will display a list of warnings. Fix these in Companion before transfer to the tx.
Note 1: errors are much easier to fix with the latest versions of the templates (any changes will be confined to the Inputs menu).
Note 2: some warnings, for example RF configuration, do not require action.
Copy trims to subtrims - not!
EdgeTX and OpenTX both offer a Copy Trims to Subtrims feature. Please do not use this with any RC-Soar template or any setup which has multiple flight modes. Not only will it confuse your trims, it will also trash your CAL settings.
Configuring ELRS
The RC-Soar templates work well with ELRS.
Recommended RF configuration
The following RF configuration is recommended for sailplanes/electric. This provides 10-bit output on 8 channels with excellent range, while minimising current draw. Configuration is done in System>Tools>ExpressLRS script:
- Packet rate: 100 Hz
- Dynamic RF: enabled
- Max RF power: 100 mW
- Model match: On
- Switch mode: 8CH/Full-res (this is the packet switch mode, not related to arming mode)
- Telemetry Ratio (TLM): affects telemetry data rate - use the default value. Exception: for DLG setups with launch height callout, a lower ratio like 1:8 or 1:4 is needed to capture launch height with sufficient precision.
ELRS arming flag
ELRS maintains a so-called 'arming' flag, and this must be managed in order for Dynamic Power to work correctly. The easiest approach is to enable the armed flag permanently - this makes ELRS essentially fit and forget. How you program this depends on your version of ELRS and EdgeTX:
- ETX 2.11+ and ELRS 4.0+: Go to Model Setup>RF. Set Arm using = 'Switch'. Set Switch = 'ON'. ('ON' is a system-supplied virtual switch, you'll see this in the dropdown).
- All other combos : the arming flag is transmitted via CH5. If CH5 is already used, it must be swapped with an unused channel (use ChannelChanger to swap). Then, create a single mix for CH5, set source = MAX and weight = 100%.
Note that max power should be limited to 100 mW if permanently armed as described above. 100 mW is perfectly sufficient for LoS flight (and is the legal limit for EU/UK).
More ELRS tips
For a deeper dive into ELRS, see my blog post Introduction to ELRS.
Converting OpenTX model files to EdgeTX
Recent versions of EdgeTX do not support model files in OpenTX format (.OTX). However you can convert OpenTX model files into EdgeTX files (.ETX). To do this, you'll need EdgeTX Companion v2.10 or earlier. Here's the procedure:
- Install EdgeTX Companion 2.10.
- Open the OTX file
- Save as .ETX file.
- Close Companion
- Install the version of EdgeTX Companion to match your transmitter firmware. (There is no need to uninstall Companion 2.10, as multiple versions of Companion can all co-exist.)
- Start the new version of Companion.
- Open the .ETX file, then save. The saved file is your working .ETX file, which you can load into your transmitter.
If there's also a change of transmitter, expect to see conversion errors - see section above on how to deal with these.
FAQ
Your common queries answered
- Write Models and Settings is greyed out
- Starting with EdgeTX 2.11, 'Write Models and Settings' is greyed out if the setup contains conversion errors. See above how to identify and fix these.
- How do I re-order the servo channels?
- Servo channels in your EdgeTX/OpenTX setup can be re-ordered using Channel Changer script.
- Alt sensor is not resetting in DLG templates
- The ALT sensor should reset to zero on launch. If it doesn't, go into the Telemetry menu, locate the ALT sensor and set AutoOffset to 'enabled'.
- Sounds not playing in EdgeTX
- First, make sure that the sound (.wav) files are in the correct location. If that doesn't fix it, then go to the Special Functions menu, and make sure that Enabled is ticked on each line.
- Special functions not triggering
- Go to the Special Functions menu, and make sure that Enabled is ticked on each line.
- A switch is missing from the dropdown list
- Sometimes, a switch may be missing in the drop-down menus of the radio and/or Companion. To fix this, go to the System>Hardware menu. The chances are that the switch has not been defined. Once corrected, the switch should appear in the dropdown menus.
- A switch is not behaving as expected.
- Go to the System>Hardware menu, and check that the switch is correctly defined (2 or 3-pos, toggle etc.).
- Where's the GVARs menu?!
- There's no dedicated GVARS menu on tx's with small mono screens like Q X7, X-Lite, and X-Lite Pro. For these transmitters, the GVARS are set in the Flight Modes menu.
For all other transmitters, the most likely cause is incorrect settings when downloading the OpenTX firmware. Re-flash OpenTx ensuring that the NOGVARS option is unchecked in Companion Settings -> Build options.
- My global functions have disappeared.
- Go to the Model Setup menu and make sure that 'Global functions' is ticked.
- Motor control (CH7) is not working on G-RX8 receiver
- Make sure that CH7 is configured for PWM output (and not S.BUS out). See receiver instructions.
- I think I've pressed the wrong key - help!
- If you suspect you made a data entry error, then there's no need to start again. In Companion, open a known working version of the template in a second window, and use Companion's 'Compare models' tool to identify any differences.
Historical issues
Queries/feedback
Comments and queries are always welcome, I can be contacted by email.
If you've found an issue with one of the templates, please include following info:
- Template name and version
- Transmitter type
- Operating system and version
- Enough info to reproduce the problem
If there's insufficient info to reproduce the problem, I'll just pass it back, so please take the time to document the steps carefully.