BillinIndiana

Is the Spektrum DX6i and receiver for $209 about is good as a deal you can get on a Transmitter/Receiver combo for a Beginner?

Chucksolo69

I think to the end of this month, specially marked boxes of the DX6i come with 3 receivers. I got mine for $190.00 out the door with the 3 receivers. The DX6i is an excellent TX/RX combo for the beginner.

kiwibob72

Not quite: [link]http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LWE121&P=0[/link]

PS - they have an 8channel version of that in their lineup that I'm considering upgrading my Dx6i to, which for US$279 is one of the better deals around (I wich I had gone to an 8ch + system from day one): [link]http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LWE132&P=0[/link]

BillinIndiana

That 8 channel might be a little much for me. I have a basic little "Toy" Spektrum that cam with a Hobbyzone, but have a Trainer on order. I was just trying to get a feel of what a decent price is for a radio system.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I tell my students before they buy there TX that if they think they will be staying in this hobby for any length of time to buy the best they can afford, it is the one piece of gear that will be with you for decades and sometime down the road you will want a bigger radio. With the cost of the good 8s and 9s on the market today it makes sense. Too many people are like you and wish they would have bought a better radio right away. I went from a 7 to a 9 myself in about two years.

SeamusG

Gene - good suggestion.

kiwibob72

I'm one of them, thus my original addition of that 8ch system on my post. Spend that little extra now, and you'll be grateful down the line.
I started on a 6ch RTF 450 Heli, then went nitro, got the Dx6i as it was 'cheap', and now I need an updated 8-9+ system for things like the 65", 20cc gas powered 9 servo P51 mustang I'm building - Ie, I'm spending even MORE money on buying new systems than I need to have had I just got 8ch in the beginning, as 'Y-leads' are not all they are cracked up to be!

Do it once, do it right (and the Futuba FHSS receivers for that 8ch system are about half the price of the Futuba FAST and/or DSMX Spektrum ones!)

da Rock

Usually, each plane would have a receiver.

Transmitter's with memory store all the settings for each plane. In theory, you could have 10 planes and one receiver that you would swap to whatever plane you wished to fly, but that's not how anyone does it. It would work perfectly, and would utilize the memory well, as each airplane usually has unique settings that would have to be reset manually if the memory wasn't there to store those settings. But like I said, it's now how most people do it. However....... back when I was just starting, I had one receiver and moved it around. And back then, the radios didn't have memory. But it really wasn't very tough and I couldn't afford receivers, but could build any plane from scratch for almost nothing.

Now............

A normal 6 chanel receiver that you'd expect to come with a high quality TX like the DX6i sells for around $40 or $50.

That's one heck of a deal to get the 6i and 3 receivers for such a price. When I decided to get into electrics and to convert my gliders over as well, I got a DX6i. There really aren't many of us who fly models our first years in the hobby that require more than 6 chanels, and over 40 years of flying gliders I've never had one that did nor expect to have one in the future. Most beginners won't need more than 6 for a couple of years no matter what.

It's a deal.

GoBeach75

If you want a great 6-channel radio, the Airtronics SD-6G is $199.99 and comes with a receiver. I fly Airtronics and I feel their radios are easy to use and super reliable. Plus, Airtronics has a toll free 800 number for set up and programming advice from an AMA Hall of Famer. Check it out here.

blvdbuzzard

If you want a great easy to use radio, the Airtronics RD8000. About as easy to programs as it gets.

http://www.hobbypeople.net/index.php...1-rx-only.html

it goes on sale all the time for $199.99. It was on super sale a while ago for $179.99.


Buzz.

GoBeach75

The RDS8000 is a great radio. That is what my brother and grandfather use. It is really simple to use

BillinIndiana

Is $130 too much for just the Transmitter?

edit... Yep, I just found out the receiver is around $90 to $100

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I have also never had any of my students buy a radio or any other type of gear before they have soloed. After there solo I have let them use my trainer and radio to fly until they had an idea if they were going to stick with the hobby.
If a student has his own plane and radio I usually pulled there RX and installed one of mine then set up there trainer in my radio so I could use my radio as the master. After they soloed I would install there RX and make sure there radio was set up correctly then turn them loose.
Buying high end items before you have any idea of what you are doing or plan to do is foolish. I have only had one student drop out of the hobby but I told him he would in advance. He was 12 when I taught him. Once he figured out girls he was lost. Happened to me too when I was trap shooting, onced I got a car it was all over for a decade or so. Go figure??

BillinIndiana

There's always E-Bay... Someone will buy it.

AlmondRancher

I just received the latest Tower Talk sales flyer. When you purchase a Futaba 2.4 GHz radio system from Tower Hobbies you will receive a second 2.4GHz receiver free.

Below is a copy of the link.

http://www.towerhobbies.com/products/futaba/index.html

- Allan B

kiwibob72

While the links I list above are for an 8ch Futuba 2.4g radio, if someone is looking at a Dx6i already as in this case, I would still recommend that if looking to spend money on the Dx6, that little bit extra they need to get an 8ch radio will save them money overall being as they sound like they are already placing some thought into a future in the hobby.
I only brought my Dx6i after I knew I had a future with the hobby, but was stupid enough to think I was saving money - shortcuts NEVER save people and/or me money in life.

If only I listened to the guy I knew who was telling me to get a radio with more than 6 channels!.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I tell my students to buy the best they can afford and they won't be unhappy in a year or two. In my own case I bought the Hitec 7 and I still have the radio. My problem wasn't with it being too small but it would only program in 3 planes. I upgraded as soon as the new Futaba 9-C came out and I'm still using it for both 2.4 and 72. Before I bought my first good radio I was using cheap 4 channels, they worked for what I was doing too.
As an instructor I use my own trainer and radios, this is my point. Most clubs have an instructor with either his own gear or the club has th trainer and buddy box. There should be no reason for someone to buy there own gear before they have soloed and gained some understanding of the equipment. I have had a student solo then decide that RC wasn't his thing, this is what I mean, he would have been stuck with gear that is hard to sell and used gear is a money looser.
I'm with you on buying an upgraded radio if the price is slight, 8 is better in the long term then 6. I had two students solo on the same weekend, one bought the Spektrum 7 and the other bought the JR 9303 2.4. The young man with the Spektrum 7 is the one that is now a teenager and not flying at this time. He could sell his radio but he figures he will be back in a few more years.
The one with the JR is still with me and we fly together. He is flying a small Pulse 60 and a couple of bigger planes, even one bigger gasser. He is happy he bought the 9303.
Not one of my students has ever bought a radio during training, they didn't have to, when they did they made good informed choices.
Ebay may not be the best choice to buy a radio, if you have a problem who you gona call??

blueapplepaste

My Feedback: (5)

The DX6i is a great first radio and will last you years. Spektrum is also nice because it opens up all of the park zone/eflite BNF models if any of them are your thing. I agree that you should buy the most radio you can comfortably afford. Then I'd go to the LHS and hold the Spektrum, Futuba, and any others they may have and see if one feels better in your hands than the other.

Really though, any of them will be just fine.

jrcaster

Which radio do you have? you may be able to yank the receiver out of the hobbyzone and install it in the trainer. The servos may be too small though.

BillinIndiana

DX4e

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Great advice. I'm building a planed right now for a friend and it will be operated with the DX6i. Take this with a grain of sale but I'm sure someone will say if it's true or false. Before the 6i there was just a 6. From what I recall the DX6 was designed for park flyers and didn't have the range of the DX6i. When looking at used radios this may be something to watch out for.
Something else to think about is buying a radio that is a popular brand at your field. It is a small thing but it comes in handy. I use Futaba but the number one brand at my field is the Spektrum. I can set up a plane with a Spektrum or JR {I really like the JR 9303!} but I don't know or understand all the little set up tricks so if I am having a problem with a plane I have set up with one of these brands I have a couple of go to guys to help me and my student.
I'm the go to guy for people still using the old 9-C but even the newer Futaba radios have changed enough so I don't know how to do some things with them.
I haven't kept up with all the new gear so my go to guys is a great help.