Electriceddie

Hi Guys,

Believe it or not I am new to the 2.4 Radio systems. I need to get a new receiver or two, for Q-500 racing. We use to use the "Hitec Supreme Receivers" in racing because they handled the speed and vibration that was in the airframes of the Q-500 planes. But what would be the new choice for the 2.4ghz radio? Also let me add that the 2.4ghz radio I have is the Spektrum DX7 radio. It has 2 small receivers and when I check Tower the ones by Hitec & Futaba are single receivers. Are they compatible or not? Could someone explain these finer points?

Thanks
Ed

fizzwater2

My Feedback: (61)

the hitec receivers are only compatible with the hitec transmitter, and same for the Futaba. With a Spektrum DX7 transmitter, you'll need a Spektrum receiver.

They have a couple new ones, with built in telemetry, for fairly reasonable prices. The new AR6600T and the new AR6070T, they're like 65 bucks and 70 bucks respectively.

that being said, I've been using mostly AR8000 receivers in my race planes - that, or the AR7610. They both have the satellite receiver you mentioned.

2.4G radio signals are more easily blocked by other objects (batteries, servos..) and the Spektrum system with the satellite RX lets you mount the two in different areas in the airplane to gain some antenna diversity. The primary reason no one else is using the satellite receiver concept is the patent that Spektrum holds on it, I believe.

That being said - I know the Futaba R617 receiver is popular with the race guys, reasonably priced, and reliable - but you'd have to have a Futaba TX. Another friend of mine flies the Hitec Minima 6E or Minima 6T receivers with good results, using a module in an older JR transmitter. Another friend of mine was using the Hitec 6 channel RX with the single antenna, and had some issues with glitches / control loss, so has switched to a Spektrum DX9 and AR8000 receivers.

There's also the JR DMSS radios. JR has some nicely packaged, small, light, reasonably priced receivers with integrated telemetry functions - the 613 receiver is pretty slick, as is the 713. Two or three friends of mine have switched to the JR radio system and are using those receivers successfully, one with a JR 28X transmitter (too rich for my blood..) and a couple with the XG14 transmitter.

For the most part - whoever's transmitter you are using, you'll need receivers made to work with their particular system.

fizzwater2

My Feedback: (61)

one question, though - which particular DX7 are you using? Over the last few years, there have been the original DX7, then the DX7s, then the new black DX7.

Radios are changing pretty rapidly these days, it's tough to stay caught up.

Electriceddie

Hi Fizzwater,

I figured pics are worth more .... So here are some... DX7 Approx. 3 or 4 years old , "Brand New Never Used" .....I won it in a raffle a few years ago and since all of my planes are controlled by my wonderful Futaba 9 C Super which handles up to 18 different planes I have not switched over yet. I really love this radio and it's been difficult to change. I have never had any serious radio interference and I have been flying for almost 45 years. A few glitches here and there but nothing more then a bump which was hardly noticeable and I fly a pretty descent amount. Sport, Scale and Racing planes. Absolutely no issues in the last 5-6 years as the 2.4Ghz radios have entered the club field. LOL...... Since then I am pretty much the only guy still flying on Chn. 17 LOL....


Thanks Ed

GREG DOE

That's a first generation DX7, and a great radio. I have one and have been flying it for approximately 8 years. The second gen. radio uses a 4.8 volt transmitter battery, instead of the more traditional 9.6 volt battery. The third gen radio is the black radio, and appears to have been discontinued, although some outlets still have them in stock. Newer radios have more features, including telemetry, and 250 model memory. Your DX7 has only 20 model memory. I also found the programing of the early DX7 to be less intuitive for my 71 year old mind, but eventually I was able to master it. All the manufactures products are amazing, and any mentioned here would serve you well, bot if you already have your DX7, by all means fly it. Recently I purchased a black DX8, which will become my no.1 radio, but I'll still sport fly my old DX7.