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RE: Futaba FASST - 5/18/2008 1:01:55 AM   
johnvb-RCU



Posts: 532
Joined: 12/11/2001
From: CanberraACT, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Raymond LeFlyr

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Anyway, now I feel more confident . . . yes confident with the feeling of machismo that bigger batteries will give a guy (snort, spit, crotch grab).



Michael Jackson flies Futaba? Maybe he stuck one of those Mallory Capacitors down his trousers

(in reply to Raymond LeFlyr)
       Post #: 26

RE: Futaba FASST - 5/18/2008 3:10:29 PM   
flyinrog



Posts: 5747
Joined: 9/3/2002
From: Burlington, NC, USA
Status: offline 		Well I went ahead and ordered ~$300 worth of stuff that I dont need and then my tax check showed up just in time to cover it...I guess it counts if I send my money to Tower....no more tigers so I went with the chipmonk this time ,,will put the norvel .074 on it...Rog

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Ever walk into a room and forget what you went in for?...ADHD, welcome to my world,it happens everyday!

(in reply to johnvb-RCU)
       Post #: 27

RE: Futaba FASST - 5/18/2008 3:43:45 PM   
2fast


 

Posts: 298
Joined: 7/22/2002
From: Tyler, TX, USA
Status: offline 		The 2.4GHZ systems are all proprietary so don't look for prices of receivers to go down anytime soon.

Spektrum and JR are on top of their game with small inexpensive 2.4 receivers for park flyers as well as inexpensive 6 channel receivers for glow and gas. Even their 7 channel receiver is cheaper than the cheapest Futaba 2.4 receiver.

The recent Spektrum receiver give-away promotion was a very successful attempt to take market share away from Futaba. Two years ago JR was rare in this area, this was Futaba country! Now Futaba is rare and all you see is Spektrum and JR.

Airtronics has a nice 8 channel system with great feedback on RCU. They are grabbing market share as well.

Futaba has lost their way. They offered an inexpensive 6 channel 2.4 receiver for a while and then decided to discontinue it and offer only more expensive receivers. Brilliant!

I own several Futaba 72mhz radios but wouldn't buy one now. It seems like they aren't trying to be competitive anymore.

Are they trying to exit the market?

(in reply to flyinrog)
       Post #: 28

RE: Futaba FASST - 5/18/2008 4:36:56 PM   
Toad



Posts: 438
Joined: 12/3/2001
From: Hurricane, UT, USA
Status: offline 		Wait till next yr, When Futaba brings out their next, and it isn't 2.4
They are not leaving the market.

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speak 1/2a ?

(in reply to 2fast)
       Post #: 29

RE: Futaba FASST - 5/19/2008 1:33:12 AM   
Raymond LeFlyr



Posts: 1830
Joined: 2/10/2002
From: Just a little south of Raleigh, NC, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: johnvb-RCU

Michael Jackson flies Futaba? Maybe he stuck one of those Mallory Capacitors down his trousers


Good shot John! My first thought was that he might have stuck it up his nose - if he had one.

2Fast,

I have to give JR the advertising award. Futaba is certainly behind the eight ball there. But it'll be a long time before I give up my 9C. Anyway, thanks for getting me to think about it since its overdue for a send off to Radio South - just to be on the safe side.


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RE: Futaba FASST - 6/4/2008 3:43:51 AM   
FliteMetal



Posts: 1286
Joined: 10/9/2002
From: Houston, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Not to get too specific...but a friend purchased a Futaba 7G with two receivers to handle all the servos
in a multi engined aircraft and was confused when he saw no reference in the owners manual to a dual
receiver set up. He called asking if I could advise and I set out online to see what was documented.

I was amazed to see no return to my searches which were Dual receiver 2.4 Futaba. Sure there were a
number of incremental returns but absolutely none which addressed dual receivers.

My specific question is relative to the fact the 2.4 gig receivers are transceivers which in traditional terms
would typically have a distance between each restriction to prevent cross talk, etc. Knowing that even at
2.4 this is still an issue in industrial applications I deal with every day...I would have thought I'd found at
least one post dealing with the use of multiple 2.4 Futaba receivers in a single airframe. NaDa...

1). Can anyone indulge me for a moment or two to shed light on any issues related to the distance between
each receiver and antenna pair?

2). The other question is related to using a Y harness in a channel slot so a second battery can be plugged
in for additional capacity. If there is no switch on the battery side of the "Y" are there active elements in
the system which will draw down the additional battery attached in this manner?

Thanks in advance for your feedback as the new Futaba 7G owner is placing this into an expensive exotic &
doesn't want to gamble with what worked in his original 72 narrow band configuration.

< Message edited by FliteMetal -- 6/4/2008 3:48:50 AM >


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http://www.FliteMetal.com

(in reply to Raymond LeFlyr)
       Post #: 31

RE: Futaba FASST - 6/4/2008 12:51:32 PM   
flyinrog



Posts: 5747
Joined: 9/3/2002
From: Burlington, NC, USA
Status: offline 		I dont know if we have a resident radio guru...But I'd check with BobHH ....I wouldnt think the 2 rx's would need to be more than 2 feet apart...I would probably do some serious ground testing with it though....the Battery, I would go with a good sized lipo and a voltage reducer I think they will from 12 volt down to 4.8-5 volts.....Rog
and a forum larger than 1/2a might help too

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Ever walk into a room and forget what you went in for?...ADHD, welcome to my world,it happens everyday!

(in reply to FliteMetal)
       Post #: 32

RE: Futaba FASST - 6/9/2008 10:04:18 AM   
molo_30


 

Posts: 9
Joined: 4/1/2006
From: Ingham, , AUSTRALIA
Status: offline 		This is what we in Australia put up with from the 'sole' futaba importer, off their website:

'All Futaba Radio's imported by XXX are marked with XXX "C" Tick number N13182.'

'Any FUTABA Radio not bearing this "C" Tick number (N13182) are not covered by warranty in Australia and may not comply with ACA regulations and are therefore illegal to operate in Australia. Also any such product may not be covered by Public Liability Insurance in case of a mishap.'

This is b$@ s&*t. What they are trying to do is make sure that aussies don't buy from overseas to get around this companies over inflated prices. The MAAA states that their are no limitations on using Futaba Fasst in Aus even if its bought overseas.

Just a heads up for Aussies who were concerned about this C tick bull s$%t.

Buy to your hearts content.

Out.

(in reply to flyinrog)
       Post #: 33

RE: Futaba FASST - 6/10/2008 12:16:03 AM   
BobHH



Posts: 1160
Joined: 1/12/2002
From: Holly Springs, NC, USA
Status: offline 		Ed, I’ve done some testing with my 2.4 GHz systems. It appears that running 2 receivers in a redundant system should cause no problems at all. I’ve plan to use it on a large scale DH88 Comet I’m designing (14 ft wingspan). One receiver runs one elevator, one aileron, retracts and flaps . The other runs both throttles, the other elevator and aileron and rudder.

I’ve got 4 R606 receivers and can run all 4 at one time with one transmitter. Just turn the transmitter on and then the receivers. They will lock in quickly. No problems. I would suggest locating them as far away as possible to each other to reduce any possibility of any problems. I do like the single receiver though. A 50% reduction in the possiblility of mechanical failures!!

As to running 2 battery packs in one channel I see no problem as long as you run them in series with 4.8 volts. If you are using it in a large model I would suggest investing in a 6 volt pack with regulator. I’ve done some test with low voltage spikes on my system and I can get it to go to failsafe by taking your hand and stalling a servo to cause the spike. It take a few seconds for the receiver to re-boot. So if you make sure you have no servos stalling or binding there should be no issues. I’ve flown mine in two racers a Reedie racer with 110 mAH pack and a Quickie 25 racer with 750 mAH pack. Both have worked flawlessly. I have not checked but I believe the system draws less current both transmitter and receiver.

On a funny note, the 2.4 GHz systems are line of sight only. I can put the fuselage in the back yard and the transmitter in the front and it will not work through the house. All my 27 MHz and 72 MHz system have no problem working!! Still if you fly behind someone’s house you’re in a heap of trouble anyway!!!!

Bob Harris

(in reply to molo_30)
       Post #: 34

RE: Futaba FASST - 6/10/2008 1:24:09 AM   
FliteMetal



Posts: 1286
Joined: 10/9/2002
From: Houston, TX, USA
Status: offline 		The Tu-95 is running a 6 volt system with two seven channel receivers. To eliminate issues of cross
talk I have been seeking feedback on how far apart the two receivers should be. Thus far there is
a sea of I thinks but only one individual whom has two receivers and they are back to back.

I was curious to learn a preference for antenna direction. I would prefer both antenna be turned in
the same direction so there is equal nosie ratio rather than there being a differential causing one of
the receivers to behave differentlym thereby causing a problem.

Personally, from what I have learned I see nothing to worry about.

Line of sight is not necessarily the case as discovered during evaluation of Flite-Metal with the three
primary 2.4 systems out there. http://004edc4.netsolhost.com/FM_and_2.4_Radios.htm


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Ed Clayman
http://www.FliteMetal.com

(in reply to BobHH)
       Post #: 35

RE: Futaba FASST - 6/10/2008 3:03:41 AM   
skyraider71


 

Posts: 252
Joined: 5/6/2008
From: mount washington, KY, USA
Status: offline 		I've been a Futaba guy since day one, but I'm considering the
new Airtronics RDS800. The price on that one is very competitive.
The great thing about 2.4 is the freedom to switch brands.

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Busting props, and shredding Mono-cote since 1999

(in reply to flyinrog)
       Post #: 36

RE: Futaba FASST - 6/10/2008 12:53:17 PM   
BobHH



Posts: 1160
Joined: 1/12/2002
From: Holly Springs, NC, USA
Status: offline 		Ed, my own personel test on my 6EX 2.4GHz was to position 4 receivers on a board in a cross fashion such as the antenna facing north, east, west ,and south. I taped the antennas down at 90 degrees to each other at the end of each receiver. I added different servos types both cheap nervous micro to digital type to all channels as well as battery packs from 50 MAh to 1000 MAh and did the power down range test. I had very good range even at twice the distance (100 paces) suggested in the manual. No problems. Even the nervous cheap micro servos were solid.

I then put various pieces of wire, tin, metal pieces around and laying on top of the test board and the antennas to check for interference. Still rock solid! To that I added several transmitters both on 27 MHz and 72 MHz turned on with antennas extended to the pile. Still no issues! I have not been able to disrupt the system as of yet but I'm still trying!!!!

As to getting questions answered from the manufacturer I too have had poor success. I send various e-mails on a few concerns I had with the 2.4 GHz systems with no response at all. This is the reason I performed my own field test!!

Bob Harris

(in reply to skyraider71)
       Post #: 37

RE: Futaba FASST - 6/10/2008 4:30:49 PM   
FliteMetal



Posts: 1286
Joined: 10/9/2002
From: Houston, TX, USA
Status: offline 		My inquiry is relative to having "only" two receivers and a belief that their antennas need to be mounted
identically in order to not have one drop its binding thereby causing a catastrophic failure of control in a
large, or in reality...very large Tu-95.


< Message edited by FliteMetal -- 6/10/2008 6:23:47 PM >


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Ed Clayman
http://www.FliteMetal.com

(in reply to BobHH)
       Post #: 38

RE: Futaba FASST - 6/10/2008 5:47:41 PM   
Raymond LeFlyr



Posts: 1830
Joined: 2/10/2002
From: Just a little south of Raleigh, NC, USA
Status: offline 		Skyraider,

A lot of people I know have been speculating on how long it will take the 2.4 prices to come down. Here is some evidence that it may be starting. Check out this offering of a $90 system and $30 receiver from BPHobbies <http://www.bphobbies.com/view.asp?id=C1746907&pid=C1746906>. This and the recent JR/Spektrum 2-fer-1 offer.

I have to admit that I was a little leery of all the claims when I decided to bite the bullet with a 6EX system. So I decided to use it in a gas-powered (shakey) model, powered-glider (range), and a FFF e-combat model (er, sudden stops). So far not one hint of a problem. Frankly, the transmitter feels a little toy-like. But my 'expansion' plan is to get a module for my 9C.

Bob,

The line-of-site situation might be problematic doing touch-n-goes off my house roof with my Baby Bee (which was my light-model testbed). I can see where an approach close to the ridgeline might cause the model to drop off below the far side of the roof. Hmmm, I'd sure hate to loose that Baby Bee.

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"I am NOT an animal!!!"

(in reply to skyraider71)
       Post #: 39