JohnPQ

Hello, I want to get back into RC modeling after a lengthy (30 years) absence. While I have a bunch of questions bouncing around in my head, today I have a couple about transmitters.Right now I am thinking about getting started with BNF in order to get my feet wet but I plan to move on to scratch built planes soon as design and construction has always been my primary interest and what I miss most about the hobby.

While I have not chosen a specifc transmitter the Specktrum DX8 and the Futaba 8J seem to be the direction I want to go in... I think.
Which brings me to my first question: Does either transmitter have an edge as far as versatility? What I mean by that is, I understand the Specktrum is wonderful for BNF due to all of the models available but will it still be as 'wonderful' when I move to scratch build planes?

I live in the boonies and will probably be purchasing my transmitter online. I"ve noticed a big price range for the transmitters and while I intend to buy from a reputable vendor I the price ranges got me wondering about possible older/newer versions of the same model. As an example: is there more than one version of the DX8 with the newer version having more capabilites? Is this something to be concerned with or will any DX8 be the same as any other?

Thanks for any replies. The hobby is a totally different animal from when I was active. The tech is simply amazing and the community seems to be as large and strong as ever.

Aerocal

Wow John.Welcome back.
Ill bet about the fanciest feature radios had then were servo reversing and possibly endpoint adjustment.
It amazing how far we have come just in the last 10 years or so.
I flew Futabas and some Hitec when we were still in the mhz days.AM then FM into PCM.Started flying helis around the time the DX6 and 2.4ghz first came out and had some glitching problems with my 72mhz stuff but the systems basically worked well.About 6 months after the DX7(original) was released I stumbled on a deal for one that was basically brand new that came with a 450 heli from a guy that got in way over his head starting out.At that point noone else had a 2.4 system on the market.I never got shot down or had any serious frequency conflicts but had plenty of glitches here and there even more with helis.When I got the DX7 I was hooked.All of that went away and I havent looked back.Other brands started coming out with 2.4 systems but it became obvious early on that none of them were going to be compatible with each others components so the days of mixing and matching brands of Tx and Rx were over.
I never had the joy of experiencing the brownout issues many had changing over to the new systems but I had already played the sufficient power game so I was kind of ahead of the curve from the get go.
Im now mostly using a DX8 and DX18 so I may be kind of biased but I can tell you what you might want to know about DX systems.Ive had my DX8 since the day it was released.Ive been more than pleased with it and continue to be.To answer your direct question about the DX8.There is only one model with no major hardware changes since it was released.The AirWare(software) is user upgradable and Ive seen it evolve as we move forward.It will soon be getting dedicated Sailplane programming.

Ive used other brands but I honestly dont have any real hands on experience with the Futaba 8J specifically.Ive played with an 8FG and a buddies 12MZ a bit and they are good radios.IMO all the stuff is pretty dang good now.Prices for an equivalent Futaba may be a little higher than Spektrum but they have gotten more competitive as time goes by.I guess you just kind of have to weigh the differences between them all while keeping in mind that the various brands dont interchange between each other and some brands have interchangeability concerns among different models of the same brand.With Spektrum pretty much all the equip is compatible between all models in the line and the older Rxs still work with the newer Txs.
Various Futaba models have some different protocols for the signal transmission that dont allow some Rxs to work with some Txs.Not that its good or bad its just something to be aware of.Im sure some of the Futaba users could explain it better than I.I dont completely keep up to date on the stuff Im not regularly using.

There is the BNF (Bind and Fly) stuff as well.This is only compatible with Spektrum/JR DSM2-DSMX transmission protocols.Some radios(Hitec is one) that have the ability to swap entire Tx modules can use a Spektrum/JR module to gain BNF compatibility. There is also some cheap Chinese stuff that meets this end to a point. Ill refrain from commenting on that stuff though. It is cheap if thats what your looking for and dont care who developed the technology to begin with. Thats all Ill say about that.

You definitely have some thought to put into it all.It is alot to sort but there is alot of info on the net.Not all accurate so you kind of have to read between the lines and take some of it with a grain of salt.
Apply logic and you can sort out most of the BS. Credibility isnt that hard to find if you look at it all correctly. Try not to be too hasty and whatever you decide will likely serve you well. Ask lots of questions.
Im sure you will see many opinions and many facts.Sorting them all can be kind of tricky but its not too difficult to sort it all.Like I said I might have some bias towards what I use but I honestly have no regrets whatsoever with the path that Im on with Spektrum systems.I love my BNF stuff and use it with everything up to my 90-120 size stuff and a few EDF jets.

One other thing to keep in mind.Telemetry is IMO alot more than a fad.Many that havent discovered it yet will still try to say it isnt necessary.I guess it isnt absolutely necessary but it makes things so much easier.Battery pack health and signal integrity at a glance with alarms to alert of an impending issue before a failure.Good stuff.I guess with that Ill leave to someone else that might chime in.

aghost

My Feedback: (13)

AndyKunz

John,

Welcome back! Even though I work for Spektrum and really want you to buy our products, I really suggest that you investigate a few things before you make a decision. First off, get your hands on both radios. Feel them. Maybe your local shop has a sim so you can test-fly both on it. You're going to be holding that radio for years to come. Make sure it's one that is comfortable to you.

Next, check out what others locally are using. You don't want to own Brand X if everybody in your club is flying Brand Y. It will be much easier for you to get help if you follow the crowd a bit. If both brands are common at your club, that makes things a little easier. Don't listen to the Ford vs. Chevy arguments, though. If you can get help locally (club or shop) for one brand better than the other, that should go a long way toward your decision. On the other hand, if you're a bit individualistic, ignore them all and come here for questions

Those are my 2 big points - #1 is feel, #2 is local support.

BTW, Futaba does have some OK products too, but I think ours are the best. Especially since I wrote the DX8's AirWare code (the part you use).

Yes, very much so. Most of us in Spektrum are modelers. Our club holds a Builders Contest every year, and I'm the CD for it. Almost every plane in my house is built from scratch, plans or a kit - only a few ARFs here.

The code in the DX8 can be updated by a file you download from the web. We send out e-mails to registered owners when an update is available. One will be going out in a few days to announce availability of Sailplane mode for the DX8.

Even though you live in the boonies, for a few hundred dollar radio it makes sense to visit a hobby shop in town to feel both radios first if you can.

Andy

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

I use Futaba fas my main radios and also have a Spektrum as well.  In my opinion, based on incidents at the field where folks use Spektrum Futaba, JR and Airtronics, most of the trouble minor and major were with Spektrum. You have to pay close attention to  everything including the power-up sequence...things you don't have to worry about with Futaba.
Early DX8's had some issues but that was when they were first released and probably have been taken care of by now.
Both systems have lower priced compatible receivers available made by others.
On the plus side the DX8 is very easy to program compared to the DX7 from the times I helped set them up at the field.
As stated you should touch and feel both radios and talk to some more folks who use the systems to get some more information.

daytonarc

My Feedback: (5)

John,

Since you stated that you are interested in starting with BNF stuff, in my opinion, DX8 is the obvious choice. The radio will still be wunderful when you move to scratch built planes. One word of advice, when you start with scratch built, larger, more expensive and complex planes do not skimp on power or electronic components. If you do some research you will find that adequate power (never use 4.8 V) and receivers with satalites willmake a world of difference with the DSMX systems.

Welcome back.

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

Hi JohnPQ,

Aerocal, aghost, and AndyKunz have all given you solid advise. You've put two really terrific transmitters on your shopping list; the Futaba 8J and the Spektrum DX8 are both very versatile radio systems with a wide variety of programming and mixing features.

I would like to recommend that you also add the Hitec Aurora 9 to your shopping list. The RF deck on the Hitec Aurora 9 is modular, so you can run most any brand of 2.4Ghz receiver you'd like with it simply by changing RF modules. The Aurora 9 can fly DSM2-compatible BnF aircraft using a Spektrum module, it can also fly Hobbico's line TxR aircraft using an AnyLink module.

You can use a Futaba FASST module on the Aurora 9 to make it compatible with Futaba's premium 2.4Ghz receivers; Futaba's own 8J radio system can't do this. You can also get a 72Mhz RF deck with frequency synthesis for the Aurora 9, so you can use it to fly with any old FM receivers you might still have.

The Aurora 9 not only offers the most flexibility when it comes to bind-and-fly or transmitter-ready aircraft and receiver choices, but it has a very innovative plain language touch screen programming interface that makes it unique in the sub-$1000 radio market.

I sure wouldn't try talking you out of buying either a Futaba 8J radio system, a Futaba 8FG Super transmitter, or the superlative Spektrum DX8 transmitter; they're all outstanding products and I believe you'd be happy with either one. The Hitec Aurora 9 is available in a wide number of configurations starting from $339, which falls between the prices normally found on the other two systems you mentioned, yet the Aurora 9 offers powerful features and unique flexibility that none of its competitors can match.

I personally fly none of these radio systems. I have an Airtronics SD-10g radio system that I have been enjoying for a number of years now. They're on sale currently for $299.99, and I've found the SD-10g to be a terrific radio system that is powerful, flexible, and very easy to program. Airtronics, however is a poor choice for pilots who are mostly interested in BnF or TxR aircraft.

I have a 72Mhz Futaba 7C with an AnyLink module that I use to fly Hobbico's TxR aircraft, and a Hitec Optic 6 radio with a Spektrum DM8 module installed that I use for Horizon Hobby's BnF aircraft. Had the Aurora 9 been available when I decided to make the jump to 2.4Ghz, I might have gone that direction instead of Airtronics.

All of the manufacturers offer very nice radio systems that are powerful and flexible to one degree or another. Once you get into the $250 to $650 price range, the variety of choices becomes staggering, yet there really aren't any "bad" choices out there with which you'd ultimately be unhappy.

Good luck and good shopping!

JohnPQ

Thanks so much for all of the advice. I do intend to at least handle as many TXs that I can get my hands on and I will investigate all of the models advised. The TX seems to be the largest initial cost and I want to get it right so I'll take my time with it. I'm pretty excited about getting back into modeling...in a past life I was a professional modeler (shipbuilding, oil production display/engineering stuff) and loved it but for some reason after I changed careers I did very little small scale stuff over the years. 

ronwc

My Feedback: (404)

I bought the Futaba 8J eight months ago after retiring my trusty Futaba 8UAF after about 15 years of service. I had done all my research and checked out many other JR, Spektrum and other radios, breifly owned 9303, 9503, 11x, DX8. The 8J was the best deal on the market in my book for many reasons. Cost $289 - $50 coupon = $229 with 2 rx's from Tower, 20 model memory which is about the # of planes I keep RTF (mainly glow, a few electrics), 100% Futaba reliabilty which is important to me as I don't fly the cheaper (seemingly disposable) foam planes, and $35 Futaba rx's which is important.

The 8J has been rock solid over 100's of flights, the failsafe feature even saved me once when I didn't charge battery on a Twinstar with two OS 25's. It automatically cut throttles to 20%, so I did a quick safe landing, the quick charge I had done earlier had not taken and Nimh battery almost dead (my fault). I'm not into the whole telemetry thing, and have never seen anyone use it at the three fields I fly at, although I can see where it could be useful for certain flying.

For the record, Futaba is coming out with bind and fly for the guys that are into that.

rmh

They are ?
Interesting

ronwc

My Feedback: (404)

http://www2.ripmax.net/New_Items/201...Items-2012.pdf

http://www.futabarc.com/technology/fhss.html

jester_s1

I'll throw a wrench into the discussion and suggest the lower cost Spektrum DX6i or DX7 since you like the BNF feature. Myself, I don't see the point unless you're going with the ultra micro stuff that has Spektrum technology built into the all in one unit, but I'm not here to argue the merits of buying a plane with a receiver already installed vs. buying one and putting a receiver in it. Both of those Spektrums are more than adequate for any 4-6 channel plane on the market, so there's no reason to go bigger if sport type models are what you are planning to fly initially. The DX7 gives you more mix options with is nice, and comes with a NiCd from the factory instead of relying on you to buy AA's or buy a NiCd separately. Depending on what you plan to build later, one of these may still be adequate, or you may find yourself needing 10 channels or more. If it's complicated scale models that get you excited, especially giant scale, you'll have to get creative to make even a 10 channel radio work and will probably yearn for 12. However, if it's simple sport models you want to build, 6-7 channels will be plenty.

chuckk2

I have several semi retired Futaba TX's that take tx modules.
A programming issue with one caused me to try a DX6i. Other than the separate batteries instead of a pack, and two position switches instead of three, I liked the 6i enough to buy a pair of DX8s for master slave use, and to have a spare. Programming of the DX units is much simpler and easier to understand than the older Futabas that I have.  I do miss the side levers on the DX8s and 6i.

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Welcome back to the hobby.

Compared to the radios of 30 years ago even the basic computer radio are a wonder.

Versatility? Well the DX8 has more programming features than the 8J. And they just added sailplane programming ot the DX8 so it is a very versitile radio. Receivers cost more than teh 8J receivers, but there are third party compatibles out there too so you can get name brand and off brand receivers.

However the 8J may have more features than you will ever need if all you are going to fly basic 3 and 4 channel airplanes. No sailpalne programming in the 8J, but you may not care. Not aware of any compatible receivers for this one, but perhaps you don't care about that.

ncsky

HI John,

All the radios mentioned are good choices. I will also throw out 2 more to look at which will only add to the confusion.

The Tactic ttx650 if you only need 6 channels, and it works will all the transmktter ready planes from hobbico/flyzone. The other is the hitec aroura 9x that is coming out. I mention this one since it will also be SLT compatible so it will also fly all the transmitter ready planes from hobbico/flyzone. SLT is what Tactic calls their version of 2.4

Good luck with whatevef yoi decide on. Happy flying!

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Without some specific needs we can only guess.

I would suggest you wanderinto the forums where they are flying the kinds of planes you want to fly and ask them what radio they use, and why. You may discover some key feature or mix or channel count that will be important to you that could influence your buy.

You may find this article helpful:

AMA 74894

My Feedback: (1)

WELCOME BACK JohnPQ! you will not be disappointed!
Lots of great advice given so far, (particularly aeajr pointing out the 'how to select' link )
a couple of things I'd like to point out that relate to a lot of the marketing materials you'll see.
in casual conversation you'll see folks using terms like 'Bind N Fly' and 'TX-Ready'
(I noticed ronwc mentioned Futaba is coming out with 'Bind N Fly'.. Futaba's version technically is called 'FTR ... Futaba Transmitter Ready')
With ALL due respect, 'Bind N Fly' refers specifically to Spektrum/JR transmitters and Horizon Products. (Bind N Fly is a registered trademark, 'BNF airplanes' and are NOT natively Compatible with any Futaba Transmitter)
'TX-Ready' on the other hand refers specifically to Futaba/ Hobbico products and 'Anylink' is specifically Tactic brand radio's (and their 'Anylink' product).
as you may expect, the technologies are not compatible with each other. (you can't use a futaba transmitter with a Bind N Fly airplane, Similarly you can't use a Spektrum TX with a 'TX-Ready' airplane)

just something to help wade through the marketing jargon

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

These statements are mostly correct, but not completely.

Ifly Hobbico TX-Rplanes with my Futaba radio using the AnyLink external RFmodule. Likewise you can use that Anylink module to allow Spektrum, JR andHitec radios to fly the TX-R planes as well.

No more channel conflict, simple. So we had to come up with ways to make things complicated. Buy the receivers made by your radio maker for that radioand life IS simple.


But what if you want to fly using someone else's receivers??? Then it getsall very complicated and confusing.

So much fun!

jrlingrel

While you are looking at Spektrum and Futaba, make sure you look at the Hitec Aurora 9. I have one and I love it. Comes with great documentation and has worked flawlessly.

John

sport10

Well everyone has mentioned all radios in this price range except the SD10G by airtronics. This is a 10 channel radio with great ease of programming and latency will shame all others mentioned in this thread. It is extremely customizeable too. Like for instance I can assign any channel any function on the reciever. What this means you can use a reciever with just the number of channels you need instead having to by a larger reciever because the programming of the transmitter requires it to do functions like dual elevator or dual ailevator servos. It is also going at a steal right now at hobbypeople. 329.00 with the 10 channel reciever and 299.00 with a 7 channel.

rmh

Its like choosing the best car to buy
Compare all the features- price - fuel mileage etc.
factor in what you REALLY are going to fly with it .
All the 2.4 radios on the market have rf links which work perfectly-if you use em as directed
The old crappola about superior signal is just that- crap.
Features are todays deal maker.
rx variety- and prices of rx- for any sport model , rx costing 50 bucks or so will work just fine.
specialty rx are available which cost hundreds but reception -at least in any testing we have done - is not one whit better.
Customer service is a BIG issue to consider.
Someday you will need help.

Warjet

My Feedback: (327)

Airtronics has always been great radios, but go try to buy another 10 channel receiver for the 10SG and swallow hard - $100.

sport10

And how much will you spend on this large of a receiver with spectrum or futaba? Usually more in my experience. Besides you can use any Fh1 or Fh3 2.4 receiver that airtronics makes. Their fh1 six channel cost 69.00 which is pretty decently priced imo.

ronwc

My Feedback: (404)

I use the Futaba 8J and use the 6 and 8 channel FHSS Futaba rx's, about $35 to $55 each. Plus, when I bought the all about 6 months ago, i paid $239 with two rx's from Tower with $40 off coupon.

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

JohnPQ,

Did you ever buy a radio? What did you get? How is it working for you?