gphil

Fella gave me a transmitter almost never used but to the point. It is a FutubaT6EX-2.4G and the receiver it came with is a R606FS. FASST system.. I wanted another receiver for another plane and that is when I found out they must be made of gold. The Futaba is almost might say 100.00 Has anyone seen the site,,,,,,, skywardhobbies.com.....? They sell radio equipment, servos and such The prices are very reasonable. I think the receiver I would like was something like 28.00 or so. Some of you guys should look at that place and pass on if you think it is quality equipment. I want good radios for obvious reasons. Or let me know if some other business sells receivers that would work with a 2.4 rig. Like everyone I want quality for a reasonable price. If Futaba is what I have to use then so be it. Thanks for any input it will be welcomed. gphil

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

I've bought several from this guy, http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=883340

I also have an OrangeRC one from Hobby King,, it works fine also

good luck

AA5BY

A lot of guys at the field are flying those park flier receivers and having pretty good luck with them, though there have been some aircraft lost seemingly with the receiver being blamed.

It doesn't make a lot of sense to put a large heavy receiver costing $100 in a $60 park flier that needs lightness. On the other hand, I don't think it makes sense to put a $15 park flier receiver in $300 and greater investment that requires a full range receiver.

I've watched a video evaluation of a new JR DMSS receiver and it has a mother, daughter and baby board... yep three boards stacked and doing that isn't cheap.

Don't be tempted to forget the distinction between full range and park flier.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

Our local field has gone through a variety of 2.4 systems as that field developed but now things has settled with the majority using various Futaba and Hitec following up with a close second, all the others seem to have disappeared.

Now of those Futaba users a group of around eight or ten have started to use the cheap various Futaba Rx clones from the China stores at prices from eight dollars to twentyeight. After almost two years now of this all that core group of eight to ten folks using the China clones have all experianced the so called Mystery crashs While I cannot note any Mystery crashs from the folks using only the Futaba product.

As for me I use Hitec and only Hitec with an installed Rx count at something over fifty now and even one Hitec 2.4 system installed in a forty year old tranny for nostalgia purposes and have had no mystery crashs.

All of the above is by my direct observation, the choice is yours.

John

Rodney

We have many of the Orange receivers, mostly for DSM2 (Spectrum) and two for the FASST Futaba. All work very well and they are not Park Flyers, they are full range receivers. We also have a couple of the FRSky systems which work as well as any of the others, range included.

dignlivn

I've seen guys show up with a 200 dollar arf with a 200 + dollar engine.
Then they put in an Orange(cheap) Rx. Yes ,some have problems.


It's like a VW engine in a Corvette, why ???? IMO the 89 dollar Futaba 617 Rx
is well worth the price. You get what you pay for. My planes deserve a Quality
Rx, especially my kit built planes. Build it right the first time and know you have
the best equipment to fly with. Or wonder what exactly brung down your plane.

JMO,


Bob

rlipsett

I have been running the frsky reciver and have had rock solid performance.nice rx.

AA5BY

Rodney, My question strays from the thread that asked about Futaba so OP please forgive. Full range and reliability with DSM2 requires a satellite receiver, right? The Orange receiver has the terminal for one and one can be used but how many of Orange DSM2 receivers get a sat receiver? Are we splitting hairs a bit when describing non use of the sat receiver as a park flier installation having reduced range and reliability.

Orange 6ch receivers do not have fail safe, which I regard as fundamentally important since the advent of PCM. Fail safe without question saved me a 30cc airplane at least once.

As I said above, there are many DSM2 Orange receivers in use at our field as well and they seem generally reliable but there have been some unexplained crashes with the controls going hard over as used to happen with 72mhz FM prior to fail safe.

Now back to the OP, if fail safe is not important... then an Orange receiver seems a reasonable choice.

Rodney

AA5B5, the satellite receiver does not increase range, it simply makes signal acquisition more positive by eliminating the possibility of signal shadowing by components within the model. We have several flyers not using the the satellite and so far no problems but most use the satellite on the larger planes. The Orange receiver is full range without the satellite if the antenna has full access to the transmitted signal. I have both the Frsky and the Orange receiver as well as one of the Orange Receiver FASST and all have fail safe in that, if properly set up, will go to whatever the throttle position was set at during the bind process . They all perform well with no range problems.

AA5BY

Rodney... thanks for the clarifications. As usual, your in depth understanding is helpful.

I've only cursory understanding of 2.4 from overheard chatter at the field and am just now making the entry with a JR XG8 on the way after playing the waiting game for the dust to settle somewhat.

PatternPilot

My Feedback: (58)

I agree with those who buy quality for there plane.. don't forget a 7 pound plane flying at cruise speed will severally damage or kill someone if hit by it... so skimping on a RX making it a weak link in the system just makes for a poor decision. Our planes have enough things that can go wrong, why increase the chance.

Just my 2 cents....

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

If I count up everything I have invested in one of my small 60 size planes the costs come out to between a low of about $800.00 to up to about $1,200.00 and this doesn't include any of my build time. I don't fly but one little ARF. I'm not going to skimp out on the radio. In 2.4 I use Hitec and when I buy a new RX I do look for the best price I can find. Getting a good price is one thing but I'm not going to try using brand X in any of my planes. I do use the 6 channel when I can or the 9 channel when it's needed. The price is about $10.00 per channel. I have never had a mystery crash with the Hitec equipment. I have seen a lot of them with other brands of gear, none with Futaba though.
Feel free to go with brand X, I have seen a lot of happy people with different brands of cheap gear. I'm just not one of them. I use Futaba and Hitec on 72 also.

gphil

Grey Beard,       

         You  echo my feelings.   I think I am just confusing myself mostly.    I have decided that no mix-matches are needed.  Not rich man and I need to keep all I got.     New at this as said before but all you guys thanks for the input all helps.     I have both   FM and 2.4 so just trying to keep things heads up so to speak.   Now asked before but memory bad.    lol     Any servo will work with the 2.4 correct?   I have some new Futaba's and hate to no use them.  Does the 2.4 take a larger battery?   Thanks.  gphil

maukaonyx

To OP, the price of $100 for a 6ch 2.4 Futaba receiver is not right...you can shop around and get it for much less, and Graybeard's rule of thumb is a good one...about $10 per channel for the Futaba. I pretty much use just the Futuba FASST receivers (over a dozen of the 7ch receiver, and have to my knowledge NEVER had a glitch. This is with about 15 planes that I have been flying the last 5 years. I also like the Airtronics SD10G xmitter and I choose their receiver based on the number of channels in my planes. Since I use it for my larger gas planes, I typically run the 8ch receiver. I think like GB on the receiver...my fully finished ready to fly planes usually are anywhere from $500 on up to $1,000 depending on size (I keep cost down with good used glow engines). I won't risk the investments on a cheap (in price) receiver especially due to my personal experience with the Futaba and Airtronics reliability. Lately I have got Spectrum but just for the couple BNF foamies and choppers that I have. Last word, typically I shop around for the best price and often get my Futaba 7ch FASST receivers off ebay for usually under $80 shipped. Lately Tower has been offering deals that beat that. Jon

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

The XG radios use DMSS, those recievers don't use satalite recievers.

Yes, the Futaba's will work, you will have to shave the index tab off the connector for them to fit.

Bigger battery? Eh....depends on who you ask, you should have an adaquate power system for any reciever. Digital servos pull more current, more current means the voltage will get drawn down under load which will cause a 2.4 reciever to reboot which, depending on when it happens, can be inconvenient.

lopflyers

My Feedback: (12)

No receiver means no signal, means plane will be, no ifs or buts, TOTALLED.

OliverJacob

My Feedback: (12)

For the expensive planes I use Futaba receivers. mostly 617 which I buy for around $70.

Now I have a variety of smaller planes and use Corona and Frksy receivers without any problems at all. They have plenty of flights and rough landings, so they are working great and I will continue to use these.

At $25 - $30 these do a great job, heck even if I loose a plane I still saved a lot of money.

gphil

What I was asking about the batteries, was will the regular battery for the Rx, Futaba ,  be sufficent to run the 2.4  receivers.
?  Staying power is what needed.    gphil

dignlivn

A Good quality 6 volt 2000 or more milliamps
is what I use. (A123 2300 m/a's)




Bob

da Rock

Brand of battery doesn't matter.

Most brand name entry level systems (TX, RX, some servos and connectors) come with a 600mAh battery and a "wall wart" charger. They provide enough capacity for you to fly safely with any decent RX in your plane. They're usually good for more than a couple of flights.

Most modelers use that capacity battery until they are flying longer flights and more flights each outing than most beginners do. You can expect those batteries to do at least 3 ten minute flights.

gphil

thanks guy

AV8RJIM

My Feedback: (16)

I just purchased a dx18. Can I use the ar7000 with it? I have a few of these receivers and would like to phase out my old radio. Thanks in advance for you help.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Yes, though it will run in DSM2

AA5BY

I've a flying buddy who converted to all small electrics several years back. A couple of years ago, while still flying a mixture of 72mhz because he hadn't upgraded all his receivers to 2.4, he lost a plane due to failing to pull out the antenna. His response was to buy a bunch of the cheap 2.4 receivers and convert his remaining hanger. In that sense... he was making things safer for him, as well as possibly others if he should forget to get a 72 mhz pin. I suspect his story is typical and if cheaper receivers were not available, we'd be seeing more 72/2.4 related losses.

I almost lost a very nice 30cc plane when a dual frequency band user forgot to get a 72 pin, which I had in the air. When he turned on... my fail safe went low throttle but fortunately was in level flight. I hollered out, and the offender fortunately realized his error and turned off quickly and control was recovered but the plane was way out there by this time and recovery was dicey. The offender was so disturbed at what he almost did, that he never flew 72 again.

So... its not always easy to quantify the sides to a safety issue.

jetmech05

Ahhh yes the best equipment at the cheapest price...reminds me of my first economic lesson....the good cheap fast rule....
If its good and cheap and won't be fast
if its good and fast it won't be cheap
if its fast and cheap it won't be good
IMHO electronics is the last place to look for good deals...it is the last link between you and your airplane while in flight....