FMA Direct WARLOCK Owner'S Manual Download Page 2

PACKAGE CONTENTS: 

1. 

FMA Direct / RCLine WARLOCK FM, 4 channel, Universal 

FAIL-SAFE

 receiver 

2. Owner's 

Manual 

3. 

Programming Quick Reference 

 
PREPARATION: 

 

COMPATIBILITY - POWER, SERVO, AND SPEED CONTROLLER CONNECTION 

WARLOCK receivers support Futaba, JR, Hitec batteries, servos and speed controllers,  
Airtronics products equipped with the new “Z TYPE” connectors, as well as other brands that 
use  standard  polarity  (NEGATIVE,  PLUS,  SIGNAL).   WARLOCK  receivers  

are  not

 

compatible with “OLD STYLE” Airtronics connectors that use reverse power polarity (PLUS, 
NEGATIVE, SIGNAL). 

WARNING:  IF YOU INTEND TO 
INTERFACE

 AIRTRONICS 

BATTERIES / SERVOS / SPEED 
CONTROLLERS  THAT  USE 
“OLD  STYLE”  (PRE-“Z  TYPE”) 
AIRTRONICS CONNECTORS TO 
THE  WARLOCK,  YOU  MUST 
UPDATE THE CONNECTORS TO 
THE  CURRENT  INDUSTRY 
STANDARD  POLARITY  (SEE 
FIGURE  1)  AND  PROPER 
INDUSTRY  STANDARD  SHELL 
THICKNESS. YOU MAY READILY 
CONVERT  YOUR  EXISTING 
“OLD  STYLE”  AIRTRONICS 
CONNECTORS  TO  CURRENT 
STANDARDS 1) BY INSTALLING 
APPROPRIATE  ADAPTERS  OR 
2)  BY  REMOVING  THE  OLD 
CONNECTORS  AND  PINS  AND 
REPLACING  THEM  WITH  FMA 
PART  NUMBER  SEASSYJ. 

 

EACH SEASSYJ CONTAINS ONE 
JR COMPATIBLE MALE SHELL 
AND 3 FEMALE PINS.  YOU WILL 
NEED TO CRIMP THE PINS AND 
SOLDER THEM TO THE WIRES 
OF YOUR EXISTING EQUIPMENT 
AND  PLUG  THEM   INTO  THE 
SHELL  PROVIDED.   MAKE 
CERTAIN THAT THE RED WIRE (+V) GOES TO THE CENTER PIN AS ILLUSTRATED IN 
FIGURE 1.  FMA WILL NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ATTEMPT TO USE 
“OLD STYLE” AIRTRONICS CONNECTORS WITH WARLOCK RECEIVERS THAT DO 
NOT HAVE THE POLARITY CHANGED TO INDUSTRY STANDARDS. 

 

TRANSMITTER COMPATIBILITY 

All WARLOCK receivers support full crystal interchangability using any standard, single 
conversion, factory crystal from Futaba, JR or Airtronics.  Make certain the installed receiver 
crystal and the transmitter are the same brand so that the FM frequency shift of the 
transmitter will match the receiver. 

• 

INSTALLATION 

Care should be taken when installing your receiver to isolate the electronics from vibration 
and shock.  If possible, wrap the receiver in 3/8” thick foam rubber.  Restrain the foam-
packed receiver using double-sided tape, Velcro or a rubber band if necessary.  Extend the 
antenna to its full length.  Do not coil the antenna up or range will be shortened.  When 
hooking up servos and speed controllers to your receiver,  use TABLE 1 and FIGURE 1 to 
check proper plug wire color orientation. 

• 

RANGE TEST 

To assure proper performance, the WARLOCK series receiver should be range tested with 

TABLE 1 SERVO / SPEED CONTROLLER PLUG 
ORIENTATION 

EQUIPMENT BRAND 

FUTABA 

BLK 

RED 

WHT 

JR 

BRN 

RED 

ORG 

HITEC 

BLK 

RED 

YLW 

3

2

1

Figure 1 - Model 201FM Shown 

the "host" transmitter.  The major reason for this important test is that over time, all R/C 
transmitters are susceptible to de-tuning and frequency “drift”.  To ensure the utmost in 
secure RF reception, current technologies for narrow-banding used in FMA designs can 
actually place a higher demand on transmitters.  Power level and frequency accuracy of your 
transmitter are more important than ever before.  Therefore, for the initial range check and in 
rare cases when you suspect degradation of performance from your R/C system, FMA would 
like to suggest the following guidelines:  Begin by placing the receiver on a cardboard box or 
another non-metallic surface to elevate it about 2 feet off the ground.  Connect only one 
servo and the battery direct.  Do not install a switch harness for the initial range test because 
switch harnesses are often the cause of poor range.  Perform the range test with the receiver 
antenna fully extended VERTICALLY into the air on a dowel rod or the like, and the 
transmitter antenna collapsed.  Apply power and walk away from the receiver moving one 
control on the transmitter.  You should obtain at least 200 feet of line-of-sight ground range if 
everything is operating properly.  If any loss of servo control occurs, the system must be 
calibrated by an FMA service station.  CALL (301) 831-8980 for FMA Direct technical 
assistance.  In certain cases, the FMA service station may ask you to send in your 
transmitter along with your receiver. 

FAIL-SAFE FEATURE 

• 

OVERVIEW  

The  

FAIL-SAFE

 feature  of  the  WARLOCK  is  fully  programmable  and  can  be  setup 

independantly on any one or all four receiver channel servo outputs, one at a time.  Out of 
the box, the WARLOCK is factory setup with 

FAIL-SAFE

 turned off on all channels.  With 

FAIL-SAFE

 turned off, the WARLOCK will maintain the last valid servo positions should the 

receiver lose radio contact with the transmitter.  With 

FAIL-SAFE

 activated on any one or all 

four  of  the  servo  outputs,  the  WARLOCK  will  position  the  servos  to  your  user  pre-
programmed positions in the event of radio failure or heavy interference.  Following are the 
steps required for programming individual 

FAIL-SAFE

 servo settings on any of the four servo 

outputs. 

• 

FAIL-SAFE PROGRAMMING PREPARATION 

1. 

Make certain battery power, all servos, and speed controllers are connected to the 
unit as per Table 1 and Figure 1. 

2. 

Make sure your transmitter and power pack / receiver battery packs are fully charged. 

3. 

CAUTION:  If the WARLOCK is installed in a car, before you attempt FAIL-SAFE 
programming of the WARLOCK, elevate the vehicle’s wheels above the bench so that 
it cannot go anywhere when the wheels spin. 

4. 

Turn both transmitter and receiver battery power on. 

5. 

Verify that you have control on all channels. 

• 

FAIL-SAFE PROGRAMMING 

1. 

Press and hold the 

FAIL-SAFE

 “SET” button located on the top of the WARLOCK for 

approximately one second until the RED LED indicator begins flashing rapidly.  
Release the button.  You are now in 

FAIL-SAFE

 programming mode.  NOTE:  If you 

continue to hold the 

FAIL-SAFE

 “SET” button for approximately five seconds, the 

RED LED indicator will flash rapidly for a short time, and then begin to flash slowly.  
This will automatically RESET the 

FAIL-SAFE

 feature to factory settings whereby 

FAIL-SAFE

 is turned off on all channels. 

2. While 

in 

FAIL-SAFE

 programming mode, press the “SET” button as many times as 

the channel number you wish to program.  For example, if you wish to program a 

FAIL-SAFE

 servo setting on throttle, and throttle is channel three on the WARLOCK, 

press the “SET” button three times. 

3. 

The throttle servo will now move left and right for three seconds indicating that 
channel three is ready to accept a new 

FAIL-SAFE

 setting. 

4. 

When the servo stops moving, the RED LED indicator will flash quickly for five 
seconds.  During this five seconds, position and hold the transmitter throttle to the 
point where you want the servo positioned in the event of radio failure or heavy 
interfernce.  

Important:  As you hold the throttle in the correct position, press the 

“SET” button again.

  

FAIL-SAFE

 programming for this channel is now complete.  You 

may test your new 

FAIL-SAFE

 setting by switching the transmitter off.  The servo will 

automatically travel to the position you saved.  

Note:  If you do not press the “SET” 

button within the five second interval, FAIL-SAFE for that channel will be set to OFF.

 

5. 

You may repeat steps 1 through 4 as many times as you require and for any channel 

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