Hossfly

Have it your way, think as you wish. However MY AT Stylus has shift-select. My Hitec 7 channel has it.
I saw some several years ago of whatever that top-of-the-line Futaba was/is a demonstration of it.
My JR 8103 does not have it, nor of course does the 783.

Flyfalcons

None of the Futabas have shift select feature.

Sky Surfer

Ok guys, enough of the argument. I started this thread so I could gather useful information so I can make the best decision possible, and not to start fights; just because you guys happen to disagree. Thank you all for the information. You've ALL been very informative, and you've helped me in my decision making process. I've still got a bit of time before I actually decide which radio I'm going to choose. I appreciate the opinions and suggestions, but not the infighting.

Flyfalcons

Just don't want incorrect information floating around.

Funtanas56

i strongly support Futaba their my favorite radio great programing ease with the 6EXA

rfw1953

My Feedback: (2)

You might want to consider what the majority of the people use at your club. I have a Futaba Super 8. Not the easiest radio in the world to program, but I pretty much have the hang of it now. I bought this radio because Futaba is the majority brand in our club. Many of the very experienced people use them so this has greatly helped me when I had questions about Tx. set-up. When getting a new model ready I have a very good friend that I always ask to check out my settings just to make sure I haven't done something wrong. He and others do this for many people. It's amazing how many times you find incorrect settings that could cause a real problem on the first flight with a new airplane.

In the end both JR and Futaba are great radios. If I were to upgrade I think I would go with the 9-C simply because most of the guys I fly with are still using Futaba. Not a hit against JR. If my club primarily used JR then I would have probably gone with JR.

Sky Surfer

Well guys, I think I've come to a decision. I'm going to get the Futaba 9C. It came down to price versus capability. The Futaba 9C can hold up to 14 planes with the campac that's being offered for free right now as well. Both look like great radios, in fact they're very equal in capability. I can sell my JR631 and the two recievers and probably get enough out of that to buy two new Futaba recievers. I'm not really at the point where I need a second radio for a buddy box anyways, so I don't need to have a second radio. I can get the 9C for $310.00 from ServoCity.com, and that comes with an airpac and the Campac making it a 14 plane radio. There's no way JR can beat that. Currently I belong to two different RC clubs. In one of them most people use JR, in the other, most use Futaba. So which radio everyone's using really wasn't a deciding factor. Thanks for all of your suggestions, you were all of great help.

Hossfly

To Mikel and Flyfalcons:

White Flags are flying!!![X(] I screwed th Pooch on that one.

Futaba says so. I really thought that the guy who uses one stated so specifically when he was demoing the equip. at our club meeting. Guess I wasn't listening on the same channel he was talking on!![&o][:'(]

Thanks for redirecting!!

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Futaba C series gets my vote. None finer.

AirBearMA

My Feedback: (1)

Both the Futaba and JR radios are high quality dependable radios. There are some differences in the programming and the mindset you take in doing the programming but once you have learned the radios well, it becomes second nature to make programming changes.

I have a Futaba 9C which I really like to use. I would like it even more if it had a PC interface to allow me to save my model setups or modify them on my PC but maybe some day...

Futaba is going to release a frequency synthesizer this year for the 9C (It is on their web site) which would allow easy changing of the channel you use (provided you also change the receiver Xtal).

If you already have a decent investment in JR receivers already though, I would probably choose the JR radio.

rfw1953

My Feedback: (2)

Not meaning to take this very off course from the original thread, but since you guys are on the subject, mind if I ask this one in the process? For those of you who had the Futaba Super 8 how easy is it to transfer over to the 9C? I have a B-day coming up and my wife was asking me what I would like. Gee shes nice [8D] I've had the itch to get one of these for a while myself. Any dislikes in comparison to the Super 8?

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

I had the super 8, picked up the 9CHP, ordered one 5 minutes later and sold my super 8. The 9C is so much easier to program. I didn't open the book for a few planes. It is like night and day. You will like it so much more you will wonder why they ever did the super the way they did. Much better setup.

huggins

Your programs will have to be transfered over manually. However, all of you numbers will be the same (at least close enough) ie. your sub-trim, atv, exp, rev etc. The 9C is very easy to program. My only dislike in comparison to the 8U is the way the timers work. With the 9C you have to set it to start with the throttle position(which I hate) or assign it to one of your switches (which I hate). I prefered the 8U were you used the push buttons to start and stop the timer without using up one of your switches. But, I wouldn't trade it.

rfw1953

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks guys. This is what I had suspected though I wasn't aware of the timer issue, but that seems like it's a livable issue. I've had the Super 8 from the day I sold my trainer and it's taken me a long time to get it down, but I finally have it. It can still be a challenge at times and anything that makes Tx set up easier is a big plus. First time I have been looking forward to a B-day in many years.

Peter Khor

My Feedback: (4)

Another vote for the 8103, especially with Promo pack - $380 with R700 and 4 digital servos. All this about the 9C being more 'reliable' is FUD imo - still the 9C is probably a more capable radio in some areas and a better comparison would be the JR 9X ... that is when JR/Horizon finally decides to release it to the US market. For general sports flying, the 6102 is a very nice radio and hard to beat; I just replaced my 652 with the 6102 and I like the ergonomic case design, and the fact that shorter gimbals are now provided as standard (you can still adjust it higher if needed). 10 Model memory, 8 charater naming is a great plus. I still leave models with a little more complex setup on my 8103 though.

Sky Surfer

It's kind of neat the way this thread is still going even after I've made my decision. You guys are great. I'm really enjoying this, it's a lot of fun.

CafeenMan

I've flown nothing but Futaba for the past many, many years. Before that I had Ace, Kraft and Airtronics. The Kraft and Airtronics radios both failed on their first flights, although I think the Airtronics failure was my fault (metal-to-metal).

I've never had any type of failure of a Futaba radio other than one instance of black wire disease on a switch.

I have several Hitec receivers and they all work great. I also have a variety of brands of servos and no problems there either (Futaba, JR and Hitec, which is my new favorite).

But... if I had to do it all over again, I would go with Multiplex. What I hate about Futaba and JR is that they both artificially limit nearly costless features just so they can put them in the next higher model.

What I like about Multiplex is you can save the memories to your computer instead of buying CamPacs or deleting them. Then all you have to do is upload the models to your tx that you plan to take flying. This scheme lets you have unlimited models instead of just 6 or whatever they decide to give you in any particular tx model.

Plus, I don't want Great Planes getting a dime of my money which makes me wish somebody else imported Futaba equipment.

SigMan

My Feedback: (21)

where can i buy a new JR radio only at ? dont need all the extras ?

Sky Surfer

Go to http://www.horizonhobby.com/ or more specifically you can get into the page with the new 9303 at http://www.horizonhobby.com/Stores/P...tId=R&CatId=RH. I like their 9303 myself, and wish it was out when I was deciding on a radio. I've got the 8103 and it's ok, but the 9303 is much better. You can get the radio alone for $423. Have fun!

Stickbuilder

Gosh, I'm glad I didn't get involved in this furball. I always liked my old Kraft single stick.

Seriously, Real airplanes don't use expotential, or mixing, or throw limits. What is wrong with learning to fly the plane straight-up? Me? I use JR equipment. I have an 8103 for my back-up transmitter. I normally fly PCM10. Why? Cuz I can. I like it, It is fairly easy to use, it is stone dependable, and best of all, it wins hands down in the Lordy, look at that there radio department

SigMan

My Feedback: (21)

thanks guys, when i looked at some of the 3-D planes they always suggested a certain setting on the expo trim, thats why i was asking.

jongurley

My Feedback: (29)

JR,, I have the 8103 and love it, I do however want swap to the 10x don't know why I guess it is the IT in my personality

Roquewj

My Feedback: (4)

I fly JR equipment since 1985.
Never had a single problem. Most of my friends fly JR, as well, without any bad surprise.
Besides, Horizon services is one of the best in the US.
For the money, believe the JR XP9303 is the best you can get. Can't be easier to program.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

I started out on an Airtronics basic 4ch with little switches on the back for servo reversing. [X(] It got me flying, but as soon as I soled, I bought a JR652.

I used that JR652 for 7yrs. It did everything I needed. I still use it. HookOnRc said it earlier (back in 2004 ) that he was still using a 6ch radio for planes that only require 5 or 6 servos. I use the radio for my trainer, some 3D planes that I don't care about dual rates on rudder. Basically anything that doesn't need complicated mixing for multiple servos on a single surface.

I bought a NIB JR8103 on ebay about 6months ago. WOWWWWW!!! I paid $250 for just the TX and module NIB. No servos or other accessories.

This is the TX I use for my Giant Scale stuff. I love the features that allow me to run 2 elevator servos on and mix them in the TX. No Matchbox, no silly servo reversers. I use that feature all the time. I like the flaps pot. It allows me to drop my flaps a little at a time. Not like a switch where they are either up or down. Dial in a bit when I drop below 1/2 throttle. Dial them all the way down on final and pull the throttle back slow. Works great.

I also like the mixes that allow you to set a curve. I just recently started using a throttle curve for 3D planes. I can flatten out the throttle in the middle and it makes the stick less sensitive around where I'm hovering. On these types of severely overpowered planes, 1 click is too much, and it will start to climb out. 1 click down is not enough, and the plane will start to drop. I can set a throttle curve on PMix 1 and set the throttle stick kind of flat in the middle. It makes it so that I have to move the stick about 4 clicks to actually make the plane start to climb out of a hover. I can raise and lower my throttle stick 3 or 4 clicks and only see a 50RPM change in the engine. Thats nice.

I'm also using the curve mixes for my smoke pump. I have the pump on my GEAR switch. So, I can turn it ON and OFF from the switch. That way, if I decide not to use smoke on a flight--just turn it OFF. But, I can use the curve when the switch is in the ON position to adjust my smoke oil flow rate. Anything under 1/2 throttle, and the pump is OFF. But, then as I come up above 1/2 throttle, the pump flow is set to put out just the right amount of oil.

I love my JR8103. Can't see a need for anything fancier. I used that 652 for almost 7yrs before I felt the need to upgrade. I'm STILL using it. I can't imagine outgrowing this 8103 for quite a long time. By the time I outgrow this--they are goning to have some kind of crazy technology that allows you to do all kinds of wierd and fancy programming. "Auto Trim" or some other neat stuff.