DeferredDefect

Hello!

Ever since the arrival of 2.4ghz a few years ago, I have been waiting for the prices of our "obsolete" radios to divebomb, but they have not.
I understand the high end systems can be converted to 2.4, but even still, I expected more of a difference that what I am seeing.
Especially with the agressive anti-72 marketing campaigns, how can the manufacterers justify keeping the prices up?

Thank you,

Graeme

oldvet70

My Feedback: (10)

It is not just supply and demand that drives prices. The cost to produce the 72 MHz equipment has not diminished. When the cost to produce the item exceeds it's ability to be profitable only then will you see a quick burst of lower prices as the manufactures unload the last production runs. Where I fly less than 50% of the club members use 2.4. So there is still a market to service.

Dr1Driver

Aren't the 2.4 radios more expensive? Many of us who don't fly in a crowded environment don't see the need to change over to 2.4. The prices stay up for one reason - there is still a demand for 72 systems. All my radios are 72. Some are 20 years old. They all still fly good. Obsolete? Surely not when they have all the bells and whistles I need. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

DeferredDefect

Thanks for the replies!

So, how long until that 14 channel touch-screen Futaba is around $150?

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

I guess the short answer is that these radios are still being produced and there is still a demand for them.

When 2.4 technology first came on the market, there was a flood of posts in this and other RC forums extolling the virtues of the 2.4 and the obvious shortcomings of the 72 MHz stuff. I suppose that was from the elitists and those who have a need to be the first to own new technology. Many of those posts even bordered on insisting how stupid/ignorant/backward were the folks still using the 72 stuff. I think many of those were implying that only the upper crust could afford the "good" stuff.

It is my impression that things have moved toward a more level playing field now. There don't seem to be nearly as many posts bad mouthing the 72 stuff and its' users as there were at first. I think that could be because most of us have realized that the 72 stuff was enormously good at first and still serves us well today. There are situations in which use of 2.4 stuff is a no-brainer, specifically big meets where the 2.4 radios don't have to be impounded and nobody has to worry about their multi-thousand dollar plane being shot down by an idiot. But there are still many places where the 72 stuff is fine. The field where I fly is an example. We fly in the boondocks where nobody has ever suffered any interference from outside sources that I am aware of and there are never so many pilots that keeping track of who is on what channel is a problem. I even still have a coupld AM radios and planes with AM recievers that work with no problems there.

I have 14 planes with 72MHz receivers in them and four with 2.4 receivers in them. If one of my 72 receivers goes bad, what am I going to do? Am I going to replace that receiver with a $30.00 to $40.00 receiver or a $80.00 to $100.00 receiver?

jester_s1

It actually doesn't cost $80 for a reciever anymore. It's more like $50 if you don't need more than 5 channels. 2.4 will be cheaper to make in the long run, evidenced by what Airtronics and Hitec have come out with recently. There will be a clearancing off of new 72 stuff soon IMO, especially as the Chinese companies come out with decent systems that undercut the prices.

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

Like all other leading edge technology, prices are going to fall after the initial surge. But I'm talking present time. I'm using Futaba 2.4 stuff and I'm not aware of any $50.00 FASST receivers that will work with that brand. In fact, I was under the impression that 2.4 stuff is very proprietary. You got Futaba, you gotta buy Futaba. Has that already changed?

sensei

Why Have 72 mhz Radios Not Come Down In Price?

Why would someone go and buy a brand new 72 mhz radio with 2.4 availible? Just wondering.

Bob

oldvet70

My Feedback: (10)

I have a friend who just ordered a Futaba 6EXP in 72MHz. He has 4 planes all on the same channel and did not want to have to buy 4 new receivers. Since we fly where there is no interference he saved a good bit of money by just getting a Tx that will cover all his planes. It was about $60.00 less than a 2.4 6EXP.

DeferredDefect

Do you think at some point we will all be forced to switch, like the change from wide to narrow band a while back?

Acs_guitars

My Feedback: (3)

There will certainly come a time in the future when the FM bands for all RC are reclaimed by the FCC and given other use designation, but I don't see this happening in the next 10-15 years. The prices on 2.4GHz radios (especially Spektrum) are more than competitive with any new FM band radios. For the most part, manufacturers have stopped releasing new models on the FM band. Over the course of the next decade as people replace old gear, 2.4GHz will become the norm and push FM radios toward obscurity as manufactures drop the older models. I personally still fly on trusty channel 26 with my 72MHz JR 8103 and SX600 radios. I have nearly 20 planes flight ready with a mix of JR, GWS, and Corona receivers which have yet to fail me. Just last month I bought the Spektrum module for the JR 8103 and will start buying 2.4GHz receivers as I feel the need to move that direction and expand the fleet. The larger my fleet gets, the need for a single radio with more model memory grows and it only makes sense that my next radio with more model memory will be on the 2.4GHz band like the JR 11x or 12x.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Brown outs and mystery crashes are just two reasons, other then the fear of hits 2.4 isn't any big deal and 72 is proven over time. If I was buying a new radio I would go 2.4 but yes, 72 is kinda being fazed out with time. Some events are now 2.4 only, that's up to the club or promoter but it is happening slowly. A lot of folks, myself included have too many planes running 72 so if you toss in the price of a new radio and 10 RXs your talking a big pile of cash. I just now bought a 2.4 module for my 9-C and will be slowly changing over as RX money finds it's way into my pockets. Anyone new just getting into the hobby would be silly to buy a 72 system but a lot of us have been doing this for a lot of years and own a lot of gear. OH, I forgot one, pulling out the antenna, I forgot to do that once!!!!!!!!!!! It was ugly!!!!!!!!

Oberst

72mhz is still a hot item.

I'm one of those who won't buy a 2.4 unless it's a indoor type aircraft. I've seen too many people having issues with them.

Plus I don't want the FCC taking my rights away for wireless phone expansion etc and telling me I have to buy a 2.4, but that's a AMA issue.

Any shows that won't let 72mhz be used, they have less people to fly. Thank God most shows still allow the 72mhz! This is a touchy subject and I take it a little personal. Personal enough that I met with AMA officials about it and they are doing all they can to protect the 72mhz radios from being banned by the FCC.

Some big shows don't allow the the 72mhz radio to be used. Personally, I think it's laziness on the part of the show workers not wanting to work the radio impound? And maybe a little trick to increase the sales of the 2.4 by sponsers who endorse shows? Who knows.

The 72mhz is tried and true, and I can hide the antenna like the 2.4. As long I can get my hands on the 72mhz I will continue to buy them.

This is my veiw of it all, and only my opinion. Nothing more than that.


Pete

jester_s1

There's no doubt the 2.4 is a better all around radio. Brownouts and heat problems have been resolved, and with the solid state construction I'll expect the equipment to last longer. There is not reason for a new flyer to go with 72mhz besides that it's cheaper for used equipment. But it's obvious that there are lots of guys who have big hangars so until the old recievers start going bad from use 72mhz will stick around.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Not all the problems have been worked out but they have gotten a lot better. There are still a big bunch of mystery crashes I see a lot, usually a signal loss for one reason or another. A better all around radio???????? I haven't seen it but someone may enlighten me on how they are better over all. Gear wearing out?? I'm still using 20 year old Tower cheap RXs, perhaps if I start crashing and killing my gear I will start buying more 2.4 RXs. There is a lot to be said for not having to walk the line calling out your channel but sometimes that's fun because you get to BS with the guys way on the other end of the pit area.
I'm going to kill the spelling but Frank Tiano no longer allows 72 at his super giant scale event as of last year. Some of the clubs holding IMAA and IMAC are talking about it. Remember, if a club is holding an event then they can vote before the event what they want to do and how they want to run there show. It does make life easier for them to not have a big impound area. When I was in the club that held the Castle IMAA event it took 6 people to run the impound from 9-5. We never had too much trouble unless some dumbass took out a pin then went back to his camper and took a nap.{for hours} It happened!! 2.4 is the wave of the future, new people may as well ride it, those of us that are staying with the wave instead of kicking out should start changing over slowly at the very least. It is a safer system for those too stupid to use the pin board the correct way.

dhal22

didn't the joe nall event experience more crashes (unexplained) this year than ever before? there was a lot of discussion about 2.4 being the problem there.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Yep.

moodier

My Feedback: (1)

HI;What about the fact that now with the avaiable modules can use many of the 72 radios on 2.4 and have the best of both worlds!I have all 3 brand modules for my 9Cs!Looking to get away from Faast and there pricing?Waiting for couple of the HK receivers that work with fast system see they also have them for SPectrum think it was like $15@and the faast were $30!Interesting to see how they work there is a test on them on another site and sounds favorable maybe little less range but they are 8 channel will try them on electric first!!Happy Flying!!

fcomer84

I use 2.4 with my pattern planes and 72 on everything else. If I am at my home field I fly the 72 stuff because I have many receivers and no one is on channel 39. When I go to a pattern contest, the Airtronics gets the nod because I do not want to deal with a frequency conflict. I have other mental problems trying to do 3 inside loops so I don't want to scramble changing channels! Or worrying if the other guy has his radio on trying to trim for 3 loops! I can take my 2.4 receivers out and reinstall in another plane quick. No antenae routing to deal with. 1 2.4 receiver can fit many planes w / TX model memory so you do not have to spend a fortune on new technology. Just buy a new extra receiver when you can afford it.

Airplanes400

My Feedback: (349)

I switched to 2.4g beacuse one day, about three years ago, some guy at my field turned on his radio that was on my frequency and shot down my WWII Corsair plane that I just spent 400 hours building and was only on its third flight.

I swore to never take that chance again. So, I bought all 2.4 equipment and didn't fly any other plane until it was on the 2.4 g system.

earlwb

72mhz radios still are more expensive to produce. The factories have to manually tune the TX and RX to work together. They still use larger inductors, coils, filters, and through hole parts. Plus the systems are still very popular. They still work just fine. It is only in those locales with radio interference that one is more motivated to go with 2.4ghz systems. 72mhz is just more labor intensive.

Now 2,4ghz can be all made pretty much automatically using robotics, etc. All surface mount technology, and they do not need to tune or adjust them.
So they can make them quickly and inexpensively. The major hassle is developing the software to use on the receiver and the TX RF module. But once you have it, you can program the microprocessors all you want.

Pecanpatch

If you want to do FPV, some of those systems are on 2.4 mhtz..... so you have to use 72 Mhtz equipment to avoid problems.
This is why I'm keeping my older stuff.

mike31

My Feedback: (67)

Because they still work

mike31

My Feedback: (67)

Why not? One hears and sees horror stories about the 2.4 systems.

Mike06659

I was skeptical of changing over to 2.4 but once I did I'll never go back. I purchased a JR 9303 2.4 and it's so nice not worring about your channel or the long antenna on the RX and TX. Plus, hobby city has JR DSM2 clone receivers for $14.00 great for all the park flyers. I love it!