Prelim report on Futaba 6EXA radio

Prelim report on Futaba 6EXA radio
View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

52% Edge 540 153.5"WS
Seller: Badge
Details: $1,500.00 | 11/10/2008 | Classified Ad
We will rotate YOUR AD in this spot if you select "Forum Featured" when placing or editing your ad!

All Forums >> Radios, Batteries, Clubhouse and more >> User Product Reviews >> Prelim report on Futaba 6EXA radio

Page: [1]

Login

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Prelim report on Futaba 6EXA radio - 7/17/2003 8:56:54 AM

Borzak

Posts: 360
Joined: 6/19/2003
From: LA,TX,MS,AL
Status: offline

Ok I ordered and received my new Futaba 6EXA radio from Tower Hobbies for $179 and got a free S3004 servo (4 were included in the radio itself)

http://www.futaba-rc.com/radios/futk55.html

A little background - this is my first radio so take that into consideration on the review.

The 6EXA is a computer 6 channel radio with the begineer in mind. It fits in the Futaba lineup between the 6Y and the 6X series (at least to me it does).

Programming - actually was very easy. The 2 buttons on the left of the LCD cycle between the things to change - such as servo reversing/DR etc.. and then the channel you want to change. For instance the top button cycles thru EPA/DR etc.. while the buttom bottun cycles thru Channel 1/2/3 etc.. once you get to the parameter you want to set.

The slider on the right (up and down) changes the value like EPA. Programming my 4 channel plane with EPA (end point adjustment), servo reversing, Dual Rates (Elevator and Aileron only available on the 6EXA), and the throttle cut took about 10-15 minutes tops.

One neat feature is the throttle cut switch. It's the trainer toggle switch on the left top of the radio (not a button but a real toggle) if you toggle it forward twice in a quick motion it will pull the throttle back all the way and add in the negative trim to effectivly close it and kill the engine - after about 10 seconds it turns control over to the radio again so if you move the throttle up it will move up after about 10 seconds.

The bonus of this is that it's impossible to pull the stick back and kill the engine by mistake if you forgot to push the trim back up (Digital trims on the 6EXA).

The drawback is that I'm guessing if your not careful while using the trainer switch/buddy box method you can cut your students engine if you pull it back twice real quick.

Anyway for my first radio it appears so far to be pretty nice. No programming headaches and if you can slide a button up and down you can learn the programming in under 15 minutes TOPS.

It has a 6 channel memory (numbered not named), digital trims, flap knob (with an extra knob with a tit on it to set how far down the flaps go), dual rate switch (for aileron/rudder only no elevator DR), and 1 user programmable mix along with pre-programmed ones for V-Tail, flaperons etc...

All in all it's what I needed as a begineer radio and I could have went with a cheaper 6Y but I wanted a "computer" radio to play with a little and I think it will be quite a while before I outgrow it if I need more than 1 mix etc...

NOTE - the radio is purely PPM and not PCM capable - unfortunatly the Futaba offical website listed it as PCM capable when I ordered mine. They have since been notified (by me) that it's incorrect and have since changed the website.

EDIT - after flying a few days with my instructor (2 days of 4 flights total on the "box" and the engine cut doesn't seem to be a big hassle using the trainer switch. The engine cut (hitting the trainer switch twice in a rapid movement) is ONLY active when the throttle is at either idle or almost at idle - so there's no chance of cutting your students engine at 1/2 or full throttle.

< Message edited by Borzak -- Jul 20 2003 2:06AM >

RE: Prelim report on Futaba 6EXA radio - 9/21/2003 7:29:03 PM

Posts: 23
Joined: 9/17/2003
From: West Warwick, RI, USA
Status: offline

I read on some website that you could somehow use the DR on the Ailerons/Elevator/AND rudder. The problem is I can't find the site that had that particluar note. It's tough not having DR or EXPO on a 3D rudder. Any suggestions or input??

(in reply to Borzak)

RE: Prelim report on Futaba 6EXA radio - 9/21/2003 11:56:29 PM

Posts: 71
Joined: 5/3/2003
From: Seminole, FL, USA
Status: offline

Yeah, This one is already on the Christmas list. Good to hear positive things about it before I get one.

_____________________________

Oh Crap! That can't be right.

(in reply to Borzak)

RE: Prelim report on Futaba 6EXA radio - 9/24/2003 11:51:09 PM

Posts: 34
Joined: 7/25/2003
From: Ft. Worth, TX, USA
Status: offline

I bought this radio when I was putting together my second plane. It was $50 more than the flight pack and I got an extra servo (that I needed anyway) out of the deal. I figured it would make a good backup radio and it fills that roll nicely.

The Good - You can't beat the price. The radio is very simple to program and provides a great deal of flexibility over the basic 4 channel beginner radio (I wish Tower would make it the standard in the combo). You have some very basic computer functions flaps, elevons and v-tail etc, and 1 programmable mix. I really like the throttle kill/trainer switch. The beginner may not appreciate it, but if you are doing the training it beats the heck out of the little button on their other radios. Menus are laid out clearly and after one trip through the manual you should have no problems. Six models is also plenty of memory for a beginner radio.

The Bad - Most of this commentary is because I have a 6xaps as my primary radio. The first gripe is the digital trims, especially for a beginner. I much prefer to have an instant visual check of trim position. Example: You go out on a fairly windy day and set trims accordingly. Then you pack up and go home, bet you won't set your trims back to neutral before you go. The next time you fly it is calm or worse yet the wind is reversed and you have a plane that is badly out of trim. I know when I started it was all I could do to fly the plane, especially if I was fighting it because it was out of trim. The last thing I wanted to do was readjust the trims. Worse yet, now instead of one quick flick of the thumb I have to make several or hold the button and wait until it goes to the proper position. I guess I should get used to this since the 9 channels I'm moving to are all built this way, but for now I don't have to like it. The next is that they use the new style trainer plug when most of the people teaching you will probably be buddy boxing older round-round cables, just one more thing to buy. Finally, this is a really limited radio. The preprogrammed mixes are nice, but one programmable mix will not get it done as you advance off the trainer and want to remove couplings etc. I would like to have more than the two that are available on my 6xaps, hence the move to a 9 channel. I don't know if it was specific to my radio, but I also noticed a decrease in travel volume between the 6exa and my 6xaps. I noticed this when I had to use it one day because a friend was buddy boxing and needed to borrow a radio and nobody had the right cord for the 6exa.

Summary - This is a good entry level radio at a good price. If you are just testing the waters of the hobby and need a radio then this is for you. If you are pretty sure this is going to be a long term obsession I would recommend spending the extra money on the 6xas. You will be glad you did later. Better to buy for the long haul in my experience.

(in reply to Borzak)

RE: Prelim report on Futaba 6EXA radio - 12/4/2003 1:59:27 PM

Posts: 58
Joined: 8/20/2003
From: Murfreesboro, TN, USA
Status: offline

I was searching on Google and found this post.

Borzak... has your opinion changed any since you have now had more time to actually use the 6EXA? What are your thoughts on the radio now? Anyone else have anything to say about this radio? I am about to dive into the hobby. I've been learning to fly on a friends trainer, but he had to sell it for Christmas money.

That's fine, because my girlfriend is helpling me purchase a plane for Christmas, so hopefully by the end of January or early February (that's after Christmas and my b-day), I will be ready to purchase. I plan on this being a long-term commitment, so I'm looking to getting a good computer radio... if not this one a 6AXs or maybe a used 8UAP or something similar. Anyways, I was just wondering how this radio has done for anyone because it is the cheapest of the three.

Brandon <><

(in reply to mab0852)

RE: Prelim report on Futaba 6EXA radio - 12/4/2003 3:15:13 PM

Posts: 209
Joined: 10/23/2003
From: Midwest City, OK, USA
Status: offline

I purchased the 6exa and love it. I fly most everyday weather permiting. I bought it so I could have my two planes in memory and not have to re-trim everytime I changed planes. Like most people I don't have unlimited funds and had to set a limit and this radio fits everything I wanted in a TX, for now. I'm sure in the future I will upgrade but by then who knows what will be available as far as features.

(in reply to NeveSSL)

RE: Prelim report on Futaba 6EXA radio - 12/4/2003 4:12:20 PM

Posts: 96
Joined: 12/1/2003
From: Niagara Falls, NY, USA
Status: offline

I am using this radio with 3 planes so far and I am very pleased with it, for the price I think it is a great radio. I purchased a self stick sheet of small numbers and letters and label what model plane is on which channel on the battery cover, I then put the corresponding number on each plane, helps me to make sure I have the right set up for each plane I am flying. I also put in a 1650 NM battery, that way I can fly all three of my planes alllll day long and not have to worry about my tx battery going low. Butch in ccccooold Niagara Falls NY

(in reply to Borzak)

RE: Prelim report on Futaba 6EXA radio - 12/6/2003 10:08:30 PM

Posts: 7286
Joined: 8/11/2003
From: Milwaukee, WI, USA
Status: offline

I don't have any of the problems that were listed above and I am an intermediate to advanced flyer. I love this radio. I have 4 planes on it and it's perfect for me.

Joe

(in reply to rcflyertwo)

RE: Prelim report on Futaba 6EXA radio - 12/11/2003 2:19:59 PM

Posts: 321
Joined: 6/5/2003
From: Cape TownWestern Cape, SOUTH AFRICA
Status: offline

I have a JR XP 662. It is aimed at the same market as the Futaba I think. From the comments it seems that in some areas the JR is stronger while in others the Futaba is better. The JR is also easy to programme, has S and Z PCM capability and has 3 PMixes as well as Flp/ele and aile/rud preprogrammed. On the downside, it lacks a multposition flap switch and has no DR on rudder. In SA, the JR's are far better value than Futaba and hence more common.

(in reply to JoeAirPort)

RE: Prelim report on Futaba 6EXA radio - 1/14/2004 3:35:49 PM

Posts: 38
Joined: 11/11/2003
From: schiedam, NETHERLANDS
Status: offline

hi, were did you buy the futaba 6EXA transmitter. I wan't to know a cheap and save site.
I was thinking to buy It from ebay from a guy that have's 99,9% positve feedbacks.
but a save site is always better

Thanks, Gordon

(in reply to Spoiler)

RE: Prelim report on Futaba 6EXA radio - 1/14/2004 11:02:53 PM

Posts: 42
Joined: 1/24/2003
From: Kidderminster, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline

Hi Gordon

I bought mine from www.alshobbies.com for £50 GBP. He will split the kit so it makes it great value if you just want the tranny and nicad.
I already had the rest of the kit i.e. servos, charger, rx and receiver battery from my 6YG days.
This is a superb upgrade to that and it suits my intermediate flying well.

Good luck

(in reply to gordongoly)

Page: [1]

All Forums >> Radios, Batteries, Clubhouse and more >> User Product Reviews >> Prelim report on Futaba 6EXA radio
Page: [1]

Jump to: