TBS TANGO 2 Radio Revision 2021-08-06 Compact all-in-one Remote Control Radio with TBS Crossfire System The TBS TANGO 2 remote control is an all-in-one system made for R/C enthusiasts. It features a built-in TBS Crossfire MicroTX radio module. Input controls are provided by full-size hall gimbals. A bright display shows the radio status and telemetry.
Table of contents Attention Getting ready FAQ Note How-To videos Updating Overview Detailed overview Start with your radio Power up USB Joystick SD card content Configuration controls Changing stick mode Changing channel mixing and end-points Flying Wings Radio configuration menu Tools Crossfire Menu is missing Memory card Radio setup Global functions Hardware Version Calibration Model selection/ configuration menu General overview Model select Manage models Create models 2
OpenTX configuration menu OpenTX setup Flight modes Inputs Mixer Outputs Curves Logical switches Special functions Custom scripts Telemetry Display Usage Neck-strap Bind Model ID Set failsafe Set up switch warning Crossfire functions Status indicator Stick trim Battery protection Alert prompts Inside the radio Removing the battery Changing the flight stick mode Adjusting throttle ratchet strength Adjusting stick tension Adjusting stick range Upgrading / changing the gimbals Changing gimbal springs Additiona
TBS CLOUD Menu Initiate the WiFi module Connection to a WiFi hotspot Firmware upgrade Backing-up the SD-card content Update FreedomTX Update the build in Crossfire Update the SD card content Update from FreedomTX 1.XX to 1.
Specifications Type: All-in-one (AIO) integrated radio RC system: Built-in TBS CROSSFIRE MicroTX Output power: 25mW to 1W Frequency Bands: 868MHz (EU, Russia), 915MHz (USA, Asia, Australia) Antenna: Standard full-size TX antenna Switchable antenna polarization - horizontal / vertical Holding style: Pinch, thumb, and hybrid friendly Default stick mode: Mode 2, throttle and yaw left (user-changeable) Display: High-resolution 1.2” OLED-panel, 128 x 96 pixels Models: Standard and Pro model.
Attention These Long Range Systems are capable of radio frequency transmissions and output power that may be not allowed in your country. Please always check your local RF legislation and output power according to the regulation. A general rule for RC aircrafts is that they must be controlled always under sight of view, check your RC regulation to keep up to date with regulations. Getting ready Getting set up and ready to fly is a quick and simple task. In most cases plug&play when using TBS equipment.
Overview The following diagrams indicate the essential input controls (green) and features (red) of the radio.
Detailed overview Power button, status LED, neck-strap hook and Left gimbal and configuration menu buttons OLED display Radio control buttons Rocker switch, power button, ports and speaker Left two-position (A/L1) and three-position (B/L2) Right two-position (D/R1) switch and three-position switch (C/R2) switch 8
Start with your radio Getting set up and ready to fly is a quick and simple task. In most cases plug&play when using TBS equipment. Power up Press and hold the Power-button for three seconds until the animation completes. The TBS TANGO II screen will welcome you and the power button lights up yellow. USB Joystick Plug-in a USB-C cable and a menu will appear where you can activate USB joystick mode. This mode will work with the most common simulators available.
Configuration controls To navigate and configure the radio, the left-side buttons and right-side selector wheel are used. These are the control inputs for the configuration menu system: ● ● ● Menu ○ Quick-press enters the model setup.
Setup The radio comes ready to go. Simply bind (push MENU, enter Crossfire TX menu, and select the BIND command) to your favorite model and you’re ready to fly. However, if you are not a Mode 2 (throttle left) pilot, you will need to make some changes. Changing stick mode When talking about stick modes we are referring to how the remote is configured to control the airplane i.e. which sticks operate which controls on the aircraft.
Changing channel mixing and end-points For detailed channel mixing, rates, and end-point settings, it is recommended to set up these on the flight controller side (CleanFlight, BetaFlight, RaceFlight, APM, PX4, Pixhawk, etc.), for anything else than flying wings. Flying Wings The TBS TANGO 2 supports channel mixing for flying wings . The mixing, end-point, and reverse settings can be configured in channel settings, after you have set up a new flying wing model. 1.
Radio configuration menu Changing settings on the TBS TANGO 2 is done using the OLED display and controlled using the Rocker-switch/Enter-button. Long-press the Menu-button to enter the radio configuration menu. Tools Browse your LUA tools ● Here you can quickly access your LUA tools scripts like BetaFlight or Kiss Lua. ● To be listed in this place they need to be located under SD card\SCRIPTS\TOOLS Crossfire Menu is missing With FredomTX 1.
Memory card Browse and look up the contents of the SD-card ● Use the Rocker-wheel and Enter-button to browse ● You can update the SD card contents by connecting the USB and selecting the SD card operation mode. The SD card will be recognized as a mass storage. For the latest SD card contents, visit the TBS Shop Page.
Continue of radio setup ● Alarms - Audible alarms ○ Battery low - Beep when battery reaches this threshold ○ Inactivity - Reminder if you have forgotten to turn the radio off ○ Memory low - Be notified when the SD-card runs low on memory ○ Sound off - If the alarms inadvertently have been turned off ○ RSSI shutdown - Warning is announced when the radio is being shutdown with a receiver on and connected ○ Backlight - When the Display should turn on.
telemetry values ● Play delay - Delays for playing any sound ● USB mode - Set which mode to use when USB-C cable is connected Continuation of radio setup ● Rx channel order - Determines the order in which the four primary controls (Rudder, Elevator, Aileron, and Throttle) are inserted on channels 1-4 when creating a new model ● Mode - Determines which sticks move which controls on the airplane ● Invert Rotary - inverter the way the rotary works when selecting stuff (not the general menu navigation)
Hardware Configure all the installed input sticks, switches and buttons ● Calibration - Starts the stick calibration ● Sticks - Perform the calibration of the hall-effect magnetic gimbals ● Switches - Sets the type of switches ● Battery calibration - Use a multimeter to measure and input the voltage ● RTC battery - shows the actual RTC battery voltage ● Check RTC - checks the voltage of the RTC battery Version Current build and version of the OpenTX firmware ● As the TANGO II is branch of the O
Calibration Re-perform the gimbal stick calibration ● The calibration can be entered on page 6 [CALIBRATION] ● If the initial calibration was incorrect, re-do it by pressing the Enter-button and follow the instructions ● IMPORTANT: on the final step, do NOT move the sticks to their combined extremes (e.g. top-left, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right).
Model selection/ configuration menu All the model specific settings are accessible by pushing the Menu-button. Here you configure the currently active model (name visible on the home screen). To change the active model, long-press Enter and choose the “Select Model” view.
● Rename category - Give the selected category a new name ● Delete category - deletes the category, only possible when there is no model in it Create models When creating a new model the wizard guides you through step-by-step.
OpenTX configuration menu Changing detailed OpenTX settings can be done in the main OpenTX configuration menu. Quick-pressing the Menu-button to enter the configuration menu and switch screens with the Page-button.
● Extended limits - Allows servo travel past 100% ● Extended trims - Allows trims to cover the full stick range ● Show trims - Display trims on main screen ● Trim step - Graduality of trims ● T-Reverse - Throttle direction reversed ● T-Source - Throttle input control source ● T-Trim - Throttle trim allowed ● Preflight - Trigger alert when the following checks fail ○ Checklist - Display contents of text file ○ T-Warning - Throttle high warning ○ S-Warning - Defined switch state warning ●
Flight modes Create flight presets that can activate a particular attitude or characteristics of the model ● FM0-FM8 - Flight mode slots ○ Each of the flight mode slots can be named, has a selectable activation switch (physical or logical), a trim selection array, and slow up/down parameters for smooth transitions between modes.
Mixer This is where the actions on the controls will be mapped to servos ● CH1-CH32 - Servo/output control channel, specific configuration screens ● Note: If no mixer is set up you will not see any stick movement on the receiver side Outputs On the output screen each channel can be adapted to the mechanical characteristics of the model ● CH1-CH32 - Servo/output control channel, specific configuration screens Curves Custom curves can be used either in input formatting or mixers ● CV1-CV16 - Curves, sp
Logical switches These are logic switches that are used to compare values and combine various conditions ● L01-L64 - Logical switch, specific configuration screens Special functions This is the place where switches can be used to trigger special functions such as soundtrack playback, speech output of variables etc.
Telemetry This groups all the basic telemetry-related settings.
Display The display screen is where the telemetry view screens are configured ● Screen 1-4 - Specific telemetry values or scripts ● Show them by long pressing the page button on the main screen Usage Neck-strap The optional neck-strap hooks into the center of the radio. It is made of metal, so it will last a life-time. You will need to purchase the neck-strap hook to attach to the radio, and then you can use a neck strap of your choice.
Bind Connecting to a new CROSSFIRE receiver is simple and done via the CROSSFIRE menu. 1. Press and hold the Menu-button and select TBS Agent Lite, then select TANGO II XF/ Bind 2. Connect power to the CROSSFIRE receiver and press the Bind-button on the unit 3. Select the Bind-menu item and wait for the binding process to complete If you have issues during the binding, check the Crossfire manual as well as the FAQ section for other problems.
Set failsafe Configuring the CROSSFIRE failsafe state settings is done via the Agent lite. Your model needs to be bound and running for the failsafe setting to work. This setting is only needed on models without FC. On all other models, navigate in the receiver settings to failsafe type and set it to CUT. 1. Press and hold the Menu-button and select TBS Agent Lite, then select TANGO II XF/ Set Failsafe 2. Arrange the switches and sticks into the desired failsafe state 3.
Crossfire functions For the detailed information on the functions of the in-build Crossfire model, please check out the Crossfire manual. In there you can find wiring examples, in-depth explanation on the telemetry sensors and many more. Status indicator When the remote is powered on, the LED behind the button will show the actual status of the remote. The built-in LiPo battery is charged every time a 5V power source is connected to the USB-C connector.
Stick trim Adjusting the stick trim while in use is easy. Double-press the Rocker-switch/Enter-button, an audible feedback will sound and the corresponding stick direction will highlight on the display. Just the rocker-switch to adjust the trim. Double-press to change to a different stick direction. Press Exit when finished. If you got a new airplane or wing, you can set up a special function to write the actual stick position to the trimms by the push of a button. Details can be found here.
Alert prompts The remote will raise an alert when one of the following events happen: 1. Battery low alert - described in the previous section 2. Telemetry data about the low RSSI 3. Telemetry lost alert 4. When a timer is expired 5. Inactivity alarm More alerts can be programmed by the OpenTX “Special Function” menu.
Inside the radio To change the battery, stick mode, travel range, throttle ratchet, or gimbals, you will need to open up the remote control. Warranty will still remain intact, of course. First remove the two rubber covers on the back-side by using a plastic spudger to lift the tabs out of the housing. Then remove the six (6) screws, as indicated in the following photo with a M1.5 hex driver. Now, the back housing lifts off.
Removing the battery The battery is attached to the radio using a special hook & loop pad - making it easily removable to service the internals. It has a temperature sensor to keep it safe while in use and charging. If your battery is broken, you can get a replacement from TBS (or make a custom one) and install it directly in place of the original pack. The stock battery provides 5000mAh for approx. 8 hours of runtime.
Adjusting throttle ratchet strength The radio comes with a smooth throttle from the factory. Adjusting how easy it moves can be adjusted by using a screwdriver and turning the left screw on the metal bracket, as shown in the following photo. Counter-clockwise to decrease the tension and clockwise to increase the tension. If you rather prefer a ratchet/clicking stick, loosen the left screw entirely and increase the tension of the right screw.
Adjusting stick range The range of motion of the elevator and throttle can be adjusted (on the standard model, the range screws need to be purchased separately.) The default is no limit. Adjust the screws shown in the following photo. Clockwise to increase the limit. There are 2x M1.4x6 machine thread screws included with every Tango 2 PRO.
Lift the mainboard along with the gimbals out of the housing. The gimbal support pegs are inserted on the mainboard holes and easily pulls out. Insert the new gimbal(s) and re-assemble the radio. There are no electrical connections between the gimbal and the remote. Recalibration will be required after this step! Changing gimbal springs The radio comes with a set of softer springs (pro only, on the standard they need to be sold separately) that provide less tension sticks.
Remove the gimbals from the radio and unscrew the spring tension holder, as shown in the following photo. Unhook the stock springs and re-attach the new ones. This can be a bit tedious and only recommended for experienced users. A special trick is to first attach the springs to the lever, keeping tension on it with a tweezer, and then installing back the plastic holster and looping in the spring.
Additional informations TBS CLOUD All TBS Crossfire transmitters and the Fusion video receivers include a built-in WiFi module which allows you to connect all your gear through the TBS Cloud. This allows to use features like VTX follow*, dynamic VTX power* and other upcoming features.
To use the Cloud functions, you need to initiate the WiFi module first: ● Download and unpack the firmware files for the WiFi module from TBS ● Connect the Crossfire TX to your radio and power it up ● On your PC or phone search for a new WiFi network like “TBS_XF_AP_xxxxxx” ● Connect your pc with this network. On Windows machines this can take up to one minute ● Open your browser and enter IP in the address bar: 192.168.4.
Agent X/ M/ L menu work as well: ● Connect the Crossfire TX to your radio and power it up ● Navigate in the Crossfire menu to WiFI/ General ● Hit Scan to search for available networks ● Under SSID you can select the found network ● Enter password for the selected WiFI hotspot/ network in Password option ● Select Connect to start the manual connection to the selected WiFI hotspot/ network ● Done Firmware upgrade Download the Agent X installer from team-blacksheep.
Update FreedomTX 1. Power up your Tango 2 and connect it by USB-C 2. open the Agent X 3. In the prompt, select USB Agent (HID) 4. Wait for the Tango II to show up (green/ orange dot 5. Click on Manage 6. Navigate to the Firmware tab 7. Select a firmware version an click on Upgrade/ refresh/ downgrade 8. Hit Update and wait for the Agent to finish it Update the build in Crossfire 1. Power up your Tango 2 and connect it by USB-C 2. In the prompt, select USB Agent (HID) 3.
Update the SD card content You can download the content manually from the Tango 2 shop page when you scroll down - make sure to select the correct version depending on your FreedomTX version. 1. Power up your Tango 2 and connect it by USB-C 2. In the prompt, select USB Storage (SD) 3. Wait for your pc to mount the drive 4. Copy the complete content in to the SD card of the Tango 2 and override the existing files Update from FreedomTX 1.XX to 1.2X or later Due the massive changes coming with FreedomTX 1.
Programming examples The required sensors only show up once they were found by the sensor search on the telemetry page. LQ warning (audio) FreedomTX will warn you based on the LQ sensor. There is no extra setup required.
When this is done, you can use the LSx you created in the mixer instead of the button: Instant trim How does it work Hold the sticks in the position where your plane is flying leveled and hit the button where you have assigned the function to.
FAQ ● My Tango does not bind to the receiver - both are blinking slowly green ○ ● After binding, the receiver shows a double pattern and I get no signals in BF/ INAV/ … ○ ○ ● Update your build-in Crossfire to 3.73 (beta) or later and retry This is an authentication error on the crossfire.
FCC statement This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
