Disclaimer:
Some of the details about the menus is still "UNDER CONSTRUCTION". While I will explain how to get into the menus, I have not figured out all of the parameters! By reading this and taking these actions you agree to do this at your own RISK and probably violate your warranty with Futaba! I AM NOT responsible if you fry your radio either. I am sharing this info as "open knowledge" and as such make no claims to its accuracy and if it will do harm to your radio! You the reader take the responsibility for your actions. Nuff said with this mumbo jumbo ;-)

A bit of history (worth the read as it has tech info):
I heard about the service menu on my 9C about a year ago. Angelos web site here: http://www.model-gadgets.com explained the menu and at that time I saw no need to buy a Ultrapac as I saw no benefit to my 9CHP. His site showed a simple "TEST" menu and nothing more. His 9Z info was great and showed a lot of power in the service menu, but I did not have a 9Z! I had also bought two OEM 64K Rampacs however and the use of these will become relevant later. My 9CHP has served me well.

On 11/23/2004 I bought a 9Z W2C radio which I told my wife was my Christmas present. Being the inquisitive person that I am, and remembering Angelos' web site about the 9Z secret menus, I was first prompted to test my radio and make sure it was calibrated. Based on his "test" on his web site, it turned out my radio needed calibration. Plus the radio was sold to me as new but in fact had a user "code" in it that would not let me access certain menus and change model parameters. I was really mad and wanted the vendor that sold me the radio to give me a new one! The fact that he sold it to me for $600 should have been a tip! He would take it back and sell me a new one for $799. OUCH! He said he told me it was "slightly" used prior but I do not remember this statement.

Angelos' web site showed that you could get the "code" and also see the total time used by accessing the Service Menu. Needless to say once I got into the Service Menu it showed that my radio was not on longer than 2 hours total (this is only expecting that the radio had not been HARD RESET! Since it had 4 models in it, I assumed it had not been reset). Cool...... I got a 9Z W2C in "like new" condition for $600 :-)

So now I wanted to know how to get into the Service Menu. Since I already owned two 64K Campacs, I did not want to buy Angelos Ultrapac! I did not need the memory and only wanted the "Service Enabler". So I went on a quest to figure out how to get into Service Mode.

How I found out how to do it:
A Web search revealed absolutely NOTHING except references to Model-Gadgets web site! I was miffed...... I could not believe that you could find how to make a "bomb" on the internet but that these simple and much needed menus were not "shared" on the internet!

I searched Runryder, RCGroups, and RCUniverse, Nada... Zippo... Nothing..... However, I found some "hints" on these message boards at these sites but nothing concrete. One tip was this thread on Runryder: http://www.runryder.com/helicopter/t50381p1/
It talked about shorting pin 2 to pin 7 to do a memory reset and then talked about how it brought up other menus! Hmmmm...... Part of the puzzle was now revealed!

A search for the FF9 (The FF9 is like the 9C but sold as Robbe in Europe), I then managed to find this web site which linked to another web site in .CZ land. This link gave me even more clues:
http://web.quick.cz/zd/ServMenu.htm
I could not read this page and actually have no idea what language it is even in! But... the picture shown there was worth a thousand words! It showed how to use an OEM Campac and get a FF9 into the service menus! Another clue!
Note: using a 1K resistor works on the 9C but NOT on the 9Z. The 9Z needs a solid LOW on pin 3 and pin 2! When I used a 1K resistor the 9Z did not enter the service mode.

Based on the "clues" I had learned from these web sites I realized that the service menu was accessed by providing a "LOW" on pins on the Campac interface!  So, I modified a OEM Rampac that I had per the .CZ web site and BANG! I was able to put my 9C into the TEST menu shown at Angelos web site!  Now to try this in my 9Z...... Alas, it did not put my 9Z into service mode :-(

Now I realized that the 9Z was more complicated to get into service mode. I went on the Futaba YAHOO groups and on other message boards and asked the question "How do you get into service mode on the 9Z"?  but got NO response...  I had assumed that the mod I made would work but that the 9Z also had some other "trick" (like holding a button at power on etc) to get into service mode...... I even went so far as to post a message on Runryder that I had a Ultrapac without instructions and needed them so that I might learn the "trick" for the 9Z.  I obtained a set of instructions from a fellow Runryder user and the instructions said nothing about a "trick" to get into service mode on a 9Z.  Turned out that there was no trick and that in fact the .CZ web site did not give the complete solution!  Now I knew that I needed to do something more with the Campac interface!

I took my radio apart and traced the lines on the Campac interface. I also took apart a REAL Campac that I had and studied the SPECs on the chips used by Futaba.

The Technical details:
After doing the leg work I found out how the pins on the Campac interface are wired and what they do.

As you see the above Campac port the pins are labeled 7.6.5.4.3.2.1
This seems backwards to most but it is the way it is laid out. The pin functions are:

Pins 7 & 6 - These are directly tied together in the radio and are connected to Ground.
Pins 5 & 4 - These are tied together in the radio and are connected to +5 volts.
Pin 3 - Serial Data clock
Pin 2 - Address / Data IO line
Pin 1 - Unknown! On the 9C this pin is not connected. On the 9Z it is connected in the radio but no Campac I have looked at uses this pin (not connected). Be careful not to short this pin since results are unknown!
Note dated 12/13/2004: Pin 1 looks like a pin to allow (enables Write protect on the built in Eprom) a external programming of the built in Eprom! This would allow Futaba to put the latest code into a radio without replacing the surface mounted (SIP) Eprom. If this is the case it may be possible to update radios to the latest code and possibly an 9C to a 9C super! I would need a 9C Super to determine if this is possible!
---> Anyone want to send me a 9C Super to find out?

So as you see Pin 2 and Pin 3 are the ONLY data related pins that the Futaba could possibly use to tell it to enter the Service Mode! It is just that simple!

FINAL DISCLAIMER and understandings:
Now I have had some debates on Yahoo about my process for entering the service menu. Angelos in fact says this is not the correct way to do it. I argue this for many reasons. If you pull the spec sheet for the EEPROM used on a Campac, the data read and written on pins 2 and 3 is serial data. Angelos argues that the Futaba needs to see a certain set of pulses to properly enter service mode. This does not make sense! If by holding these lines low causes entry into the service menu how could it be expecting to see a specific data pattern? If this was the case, holding them low should not cause the system to enter the service mode! If in fact I am getting lucky then at least I would expect some kind of "random" entry. In the 50+ times I have done this to my 9Z and 9C it has always entered the service mode 100% of the time. If you want to study the data sheet yourself for a EEPROM used in a Campac here is a link to the 16K version: http://www.kr.tuwien.ac.at/staff/egly/arachnae2/part_1/electron/datsheet/24lc16.pdf

My theory and conclusion is as follows: All processors have a boot strap process. That is, on power on they go to a specific memory location in ROM and start executing code. I believe that in this boot code the system looks at pins 2 & 3 and if they are LOW, the system is instructed to enter the service mode.

So, maybe Angelos is right and maybe I am right. I have to believe I am right. WHY you ask? Like any scientific study theory becomes law when the theory is proved 100% (actually it can be less than 100%). My observations in fact show a 100% success rate using my process of pulling pin 2 and/or 3 low.

Angelos' Warning:
Angelos has told me that one guy blew the code in the built in EPROM in the radio by shorting these pins thus causing it to no longer boot up. I suppose this could be possible if when shorting these lines to ground they were intermittent and causing "pulses". In theory this might actually cause the system to use this data and write it into the built in EEPROM. In fact this could be how Futaba burns the basic code into the built in EEPROM.
SO BE CAREFUL. Never short these lines while the radio is on and ALWAYS make sure they are solidly tied to ground and not "floating" or intermittent!

UPDATE of the debate (12/3/2004)!
I got a response on the Futaba 9Z Yahoo group from a user named OAK. Basically he is stating that I do in fact have the process for getting into Service Mode correct and that Angelos' arguement about a "controlled" way is nothing more than a scare tactic! Below is the Yahoo message.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert White" <rlwhite_aquaman@y...>
To: <futaba9z@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 7:59 PM
Subject: [futaba9z] Re: Service Menu update - Very Cool

Bob said:
> My conclusion seems to be working fine.
>Yes it is a conclusion but it is working 100%
>of the time on both my 9C and my 9Z W2C. I have tried it probably
> 50 times on each radio so far documenting the menus and such.....

OAK said:
You are right Robert. You are not just "lucky" that your method is working.

I have seen documents from a certified Futaba service-center and they are entering the service menu simply by shorting the pins as you say, so I totally agree with you that it is no "controlled" way to enter the menu other than make sure the proper pins are shorted on powerup.

OAK

So there you have it! However I would still be VERY careful how you shoprt the pins anyway.

Basically it is easy but again be careful. Short the pins ONLY when power is off and make sure they are securely connected so that no random pulses would be present. If you are going to do this by hand I suggest you go to an Electronics store and purchase a set of logic probe jumper wires. These have "socket" style ends and will securely plug on to the pins. The other way to do it is to modify a Campac module and use 2 small switches. I have made a web page showing how to do this here:
CLICK HERE - >My Modified Campac module.

Ok enough jibber jabber.

Service mode on the 9C:

Short pin 2 and pin 7.  Power on the radio and you will be in the Service Menu that allows you to change settings in the radio.
Here is a web page that explains these screens:
CLICK HERE-> 9C Service Screens

TEST mode on the 9C:

Short pin 3 and pin 7.  Power on the radio and you will be in the TEST Menu that allows you to test some functions of the radio. I am working on a web page that explains these screens and it will be here:
CLICK HERE-> 9C Test Screens

Service and TEST menus on the 8U Super:
Per a Yahoo user (Waterboy a.k.a. Frank) and using my techniques, the 8U Super has 3 menus using the same set of pins as stated below.

• Short pin 2 and 7 = A short TEST Menu.
• Short pin 3 and 7 = A full TEST Menu.
• Short pins 2,3, and 7 = The Service Menu!

Here is the web page that explains these screens:
CLICK HERE-> 8U Super Screens

Service mode on the 9Z W2C:

Short BOTH pins 2 & 3 to pin 7.  Power on the radio and you will be in the Service Menu that allows you to change settings in the radio. I am working on a web page that explains these screens and it will be here:
CLICK HERE-> 9Z Service Screens

If my "screens pages" are not up yet you are on your own until I can finish them. For the 9Z and 9C TEST screens you can go to Angelos web site here: http://www.model-gadgets.com

Enjoy!
Bob