TinmanJones

Hello. I've got four 72mhz radios that I'm not sure what to do with. 3 hitechs and one Polks Hobbies computer radio. Now that 2.4 is here, I'm unsure what to do with these radios. One of them is brand new in the box w/ servos, charger and battery. What did you do with all your old radios?

Top_Gunn

My Feedback: (6)

72 mhz radios work as well as they ever did. The only real problem is that the spread of 2.4 causes some people to become careless about frequency control. I've gotten to the point where I check personally with everybody at the field to see whether they're using my frequency instead of trusting them to take the pin.

TomCrump

Use them, if you want. They are worth virtually nothing, on the open market.

I still use my Prism 7 channel for a few models. There's nothing wrong with 72mhz.

TinmanJones

I guess one of my issues is that my Spektrum radio will hold more airplanes than I'll probably ever have in my hanger, at one time. But you're right, I just don't see getting much for them on the open market.

If they were to be sold at a swap meet, what kind if prices would be fair & accepted? Radio & crystal only, without a battery (the batteries have sat for a couple of years)?

TomCrump

To be honest, you may not be able to give them away.

thailazer

I kept one 72 Mhz transmitter just for spare toggle switches and pots. I tried to sell them on the used market but was only able to sell the receivers.

TinmanJones

Wow. That sucks.

Steve Percifield

My Feedback: (14)

Why not fly them??? 2.4 didn't kill 72 mhz.. It seems people are ashamed any more if they show up at the field with a long antenna radio. I still fly quite a few. It's safer now than ever....

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

What happened to us some years back is a group of what you would call park flyers but actually they were using anything did setup camp virtually on our doorstep exactly seven tenths of a mile away very much line of site across the open desert. . Most of what they were using was 72 Mhz radios old ones that had been acquired at the local rather large swapmeet. These were being peddled by a rather unscrupulous fellow who promised all these folks he would teach them to fly and they could fly these radios anywhere and just ignore the club field.

Well at that time most all in the club just decided to change entirely to 2.4 rather than engage in open range war. Now what we also did was when we realized all the stuff that was being peddled by this fellow was actually mostly old trannys from the club members ourselves was to simply dry up his supply of stock..

Rather than to just sell that stuff (keep in mind some of the old stuff is treasured collector items or memorabilia of course but never gets in the hands of someone that had caused so much trouble.) we decided to have old 72 smash partys. It was actually fun taking a hammer to our old Conquests, Challangers. Vanguards any many others.

Now as stated there is nothing wrong with using 72 or 27 for that matter but we actually solved the problem as our actions effectively dryed up the miscreants supply of old radios and he faded away. We continue to this day to warn of the possibility of problems from outside for 72 and while we do not formerly insist on 2.4 only we did remove the frequency board and recommend 2.4.

I do still operate just a couple of nostalgia airplanes on 72 and 27 but take responsibility for frequency control myself.


John

jester_s1

Are you just getting started and have these radios from a collection someone gave you? If so, they will work as well as they ever did. But if there is the option to go with a new radio, I don't see why you wouldn't want to. The old analog 72mhz radios won't sell for a good reason- a significantly better and more feature rich alternative is now available.

rgburrill

If you want 2.4GHz for some reason many of those 72MHz transmitters can be upgraded. I like the feel and the capabilities of my Hitec Prism7X and have both a PCM receiver in my Avance and an Airtronics FM receiver (PPM) in my Stampe. My other two planes use the Spectrum DX6I. The DX6I is very simplistic compared to the Prism so I don't see much of a reason to stay with it for any new, more capable aircraft. In fact I would like another channel and either an analog output or three position switch to control me Eagle Tree Guardian. So I'm in a quandry as to buy another 72MHz receiver to use with the Prism or buy the Spectra 2.4GHz module for it and Optima receivers.

Luchnia

My Feedback: (21)

Can hardly give the old stuff away now days. I did sell a few on the cheap. I think I sold them for 5 bucks and then gave the rest away. What I could not give away, I just put away. I got into 2.4 and never looked back. It is so clean and only need one radio - how cool is that? Sort of like battery technology was you move forward you wonder why you waited so long to change.

BTW, some of the guys that I fly with that had later 72m stuff changed out modules to 2.4 and still use a few of their old radios. Only a small handfull though.

flycatch

My Feedback: (26)

Last I heard 72mhz was still legal to operate according to the FCC and AMA. I fly nothing but JR PCM on both fixed and rotary wing models. 2.4 is here to stay because it has taken the responsibility off the back of the modeler and is cheaper to produce than 72mhz.

crash1ace

I fly 72, and thats all I will ever fly. Have plenty invested in it to not warrent moving over t 2.4. Our club still has the freq board and we still even require a freq tag for the 2.4 users.In fact, I am right now in the market to purchase another Futaba PCM receiver. I still got plenty of crystals to use up. Anyone got one? if you dont want it any more, please, I'd be happy to take it off your hands (need the low band version).

[email protected]

My Feedback: (1)

i have 8 futaba 6 channel radios on 72 one hitrck on 2.4>> all my planes have there own 72 radio all have a number on them and no trouble>ill be 82 in may to old to get 8 receivers for the hiteck 2.4 now

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

[QUOTE=rgburrill;. I like the feel and the capabilities of my Hitec Prism7X and have both a PCM receiver an Prism or buy the Spectra 2.4GHz module for it and Optima receivers.[/QUOTE]


Hey RG I to love my old Prism 7X's and the three I have all live with 2.4 modules now. The oldest is in the process of being gutted and used as the 2.4 system to replace the components of my 1994 JR nine channel PCM only single stick radio. A type that cannot be easily converted to 2.4.

The interesting one that I though you might get a kick out of is the conversion of the 2.4 modified Prism 7X to controlline use, yes controlline. It took only slight modification of strap anchors at the sides to make the change and the radio is worn from my neck with the sticks pointing at the airplane and one hand easily access the throttle or any other of the seven channels for whatever.

So nope these did not receive the 'smash' treatment

John

Live Wire

When the market gets saturated with 2.4 they will come up with some thing else to get your money. Not the radios its the nut moving the sticks that cause a problem.

Tony Iannucelli

My Feedback: (193)

Model Aviation had a recent article, last month I think. The essence of it was that 72 is as good as it ever was. AMA and the FCC says it's all good.

2.4 might be better, until 5.8 comes out. My Panasonic phone has 5.8. No, I have no idea what the difference is. I saw one that was 6.0 at the price club.

I still use 72 on some scale helicopters because it would be a lot of work to get to the receiver buried in the fuselage on a couple of them. I like the antenna on my warbirds. I also like the radio, a JR 9303. If you use PCM and keep fresh batteries, I think it's as good and secure as ever. I also like turning the radio on and not cycling, or binding, or the other stuff 2.4 requires. The security of having no one turning on to your frequency is the best thing about 2.4. BUT, on any given day, I'm the only person flying 72 at our field, and there are 140 guys in my club. Yes, I get teased. I generally have two words for them, and it's not "Happy Birthday".

I also fly a 9503 with a lot of planes in it, most on DSM2, and a few on DSMX. I can't tell the difference between 72 and 2.4, old sport flier that I am.

Zero

My Feedback: (42)

I have 4 - Futaba FGK 7 Channel radios that I use regularly. To everyone's surprise 3 of them are AM. All are gold stickered. I have 1 Futaba 7C on 72 FM and 1 7C 2.4 with 6 receivers. Can't bring myself to swap the receivers out yet.
Some guy's laugh at me but the best thing I have found about 72 is that I never have a frequency conflict at the field.
Just my two cents worth!

Happy Flying

SrTelemaster150

What kind of Hitec radios do you have?

I would be interested in a Prism 7X if you have one.

[email protected]

My Feedback: (1)

hang on to the 72 radios they may be of use to you someda. just charge the batterys up once every 2 months

jester_s1

I don't think there will be anything new to replace 2.4ghz any time soon. FM was around from the early 80's until the mid 2000's, so protocols have a way of sticking around. I figure in another 30 years we may have a bit more reliability and lighter/better made equipment, but the 2.4ghz protocol won't get maxed out for quite a while. I would speculate the next big thing will be wi-fi or cellular based to take signal transmission completely out of the radio equipment.

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

The main reason the FM radios come on the scene back in the '80's was because they were cheaper to build than the AM systems. Performance wise, you could not tell the difference under normal situations. I had my Ace Micropro 8000 set up with two RF transmitters, selected with a switch. One for AM, the other for FM. That was a powerful radio, since at one contest another pilot and I were sent to the line (pylon racing) at the same time on the same frequency. While both of our radios worked fine when we were next to the planes, he nosed over on take-off and I flew away with few glitches. I was using a FM receiver that day, which do tend to capture a transmitter's signal giving some immunity to another transmitter on the same frequency.

Old radios that are worthless to you might help a kid get into the hobby

rc doc

I use my 72mhz sets for my old timers. I still have several sets on 27mhz that I do not use.. They work and are legal but I have other radios that I prefer. I have removed the batteries years ago to prevent the black wire disease. Yeras ago I had several interesting flights that I do not advertise. I use my 2.4 for indoor and park flyers.
John Smith

Neverlost1

My Feedback: (1)

I know what you mean. I have five or six 72MHZ radios I haven't used in years. I just can't seem to part with them because of all the money invested over the years. I would still be using them, but, I transitioned to 2.4 because most of my airplanes now have gas engines. The ignitions throw out a lot of RF "noise" that 2.4GHZ seems to be more immune to.

I almost lost my first gasser using a 72MHZ radio. I had two problems on my maiden flight. The throttle servo failed at the full position so I couldn't land until I ran out of gas. The bigger problem was every time the airplane was at one end of the field, it would go "wild" from radio glitching, but I managed to save it each time, just before it hit the ground. I did a radio ground range test prior to flying, but not with the engine running (big mistake). Range testing after that flight, I could only get about 10 paces from the airplane before the servos went wild when the engine was at full throttle. I then changed over to 2.4GHZ and have never had any more "glitching" problems (but I still range test at full throttle, just in case).