RC transmitting?

Projects General Guidance
1

Hey guys! I'm pretty new to the microcontroller scene. Been programming for a little while though.
I found this old RC helicopter recently and I was trying to see if I could interface it with arduino. Not by directly connecting the arduino to the helicopter, but to the remote. I opened it up, and found the antenna. I tried to get a read from it using the pulsein technique, but the voltage seemed too low (an analog read was bellow 200 usually). So I fiddled around and still have not found a way to "figure out" the remote.

So how could I get my arduino to use the remotes antenna to transmit the same frequencies, but based on when I hit keyboard buttons? (I already got the whole keyboard --> arduino part down with processing though.)

Thanks!

2

I tried to get a read from it using the pulsein technique

The signal at the antenna has been modulated - the Arduino cannot work at these sort of frequencies, and cannot demodulate to PPM.
You need to find the signal from the encoder before it enters the transmitter section.

3

AWOL:
The signal at the antenna has been modulated - the Arduino cannot work at these sort of frequencies, and cannot demodulate to PPM.
You need to find the signal from the encoder before it enters the transmitter section.

Okay. This helps a lot, but I might still need some more help here. I could wire my arduino directly to the buttons, but that would require more wires and soldering and whatnot. What does the encoder or transmitter section look like?

Here is a picture of what the board looks like. It has four buttons that control direction, a and the three wires on the right control the throttle. The black thing in the center is just the switch. The things that I don't know are the two cubish things on the close-left side, and the shiny-er one to the right of them.

It says TIC 13,5975MF on it. But I couldn't find any datasheet for it.

At what point to I want to 'intercept' the frequency?
http://img864.imageshack.us/i/sany0398a.jpg/

4

I managed to do it by connecting the arduino to each button individually, but I would prefer to do it with just one wire. Anyone have any ideas?

5

Check out this link:

Hope this helps

6

Thanks! That actually helps me with another project, but by one wire- I mean right to the spot before encoding the signal, not to the buttons.