Which radio for sailplanes??? Help
03-13-2003, 05:21 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Gastonia,
NC
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Which radio for sailplanes??? Help
I would like some comments on which radio to buy for gliders. I know the basic functions are electric motor, elevator, rudder, ailerons, spoilers and possible inboard flaps.... 6 channels.
But I'm driving myself crazy looking at JR, Futaba and Airtronics. The nicest thing that I've seen is being able to customize the JR radios to include the kind of servos, switches and battery packs with out having to buy the normal systems and then go buy more "light weight" flight packs.
I've flown for many years but that was years ago and I'm looking at flying electric sailplanes for a long time.
Cost...... well I'd like to stay under 400.00 max.
I would like having a "Sailplane" radio that had setting for sailplanes. I know that most radios for Aero's will fly basic gliders but I don't want to have to up grade anytime soon if I get a high performance glider.
All comments and suggestions are welcome.
THANKS
But I'm driving myself crazy looking at JR, Futaba and Airtronics. The nicest thing that I've seen is being able to customize the JR radios to include the kind of servos, switches and battery packs with out having to buy the normal systems and then go buy more "light weight" flight packs.
I've flown for many years but that was years ago and I'm looking at flying electric sailplanes for a long time.
Cost...... well I'd like to stay under 400.00 max.
I would like having a "Sailplane" radio that had setting for sailplanes. I know that most radios for Aero's will fly basic gliders but I don't want to have to up grade anytime soon if I get a high performance glider.
All comments and suggestions are welcome.
THANKS
03-13-2003, 10:11 AM
#2
Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Farmington,
CT
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Which radio for sailplanes??? Help
For the Most bag for your $ , I would suggest that you look at Hitec. Airtronics is very popular among Glider Guiders. This is probably due to the old Vision SP. SP meaning Sailplane. The other Popular Brand seems to be JR.
As far as the "repackaging" of Radio sets with small Rx's and micro servos, I'm not impressed, usually it's not that great a deal.
Often the retailers cannot simply buy Tx's , manuals, and chargers alone, they have to buy entire sets and break them up themselves. Then they have to peddle the "full sized" servos and Rx's to someone else as a "flight-pack".
Talk to some of the Retailers that you are thinking of buying an Airplane and or Motor from. They usually know what the best deal is .
Jim B
As far as the "repackaging" of Radio sets with small Rx's and micro servos, I'm not impressed, usually it's not that great a deal.
Often the retailers cannot simply buy Tx's , manuals, and chargers alone, they have to buy entire sets and break them up themselves. Then they have to peddle the "full sized" servos and Rx's to someone else as a "flight-pack".
Talk to some of the Retailers that you are thinking of buying an Airplane and or Motor from. They usually know what the best deal is .
Jim B
03-13-2003, 02:12 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Oviedo, FL,
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Which radio for sailplanes??? Help
You'll need a bit more than 6 channels for a sailplane due to all the mixing required. Rudder, elevator, right aileron, left aileron, left flap, right flap, and if you want to put a motor on it, motor control.
Spend as much money as you can when buying a radio. It's no fun when you spend 300 bucks an a radio that you later find out won't do everything you need it to.
I'd suggest the JR 8103 or the Futaba 9CAP. Both transmitters can be had for a little over $400.
Spend as much money as you can when buying a radio. It's no fun when you spend 300 bucks an a radio that you later find out won't do everything you need it to.
I'd suggest the JR 8103 or the Futaba 9CAP. Both transmitters can be had for a little over $400.
03-14-2003, 01:18 AM
#5
Member
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Chesapeake,
VA
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Which radio for sailplanes??? Help
My $0.02, get as much as you can afford. While the Futaba Super 7 G (Glider) is pretty good, it only has a 4 plane memory. Super 8 has many more slots to put those planes in and naturrally the 9 is 'bigger & better'. The Hitech Supreme is also pretty popular and easy to program. Others swear by their JR's and Airtronics while swearing at.. well, you get the picture.
Have seen radios on the exchanges/swap boards here for prices from $35 and up, depending upon age etc. if you prefer to go that route. By all means though, if you are going to fly 'full house' then you are going to need the mixing of the 'computer' radio.
Regards,
Gene
Have seen radios on the exchanges/swap boards here for prices from $35 and up, depending upon age etc. if you prefer to go that route. By all means though, if you are going to fly 'full house' then you are going to need the mixing of the 'computer' radio.
Regards,
Gene
03-14-2003, 03:49 AM
#6
Junior Member
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: san diego ca
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
GLIDER RADIO
GO WITH THE FUTABA 9C, THEY ARE A LITTLE PRICEY, BUT YOU WON'T OUTGROW IT.
PROGRAMMING IS A BREAZE, EVEN WITH THE MORE COMPLEX MIXES.
GOOD LUCK
BILL
PROGRAMMING IS A BREAZE, EVEN WITH THE MORE COMPLEX MIXES.
GOOD LUCK
BILL
03-14-2003, 10:54 AM
#7
Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Farmington,
CT
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Which radio for sailplanes??? Help
I reread your original Post , and if you mean you haven't flow in over 10 years , you should really consider trying to find an R/C Sailplane Pilot near where you live. Unless you are a computer Programmer or something you can find yourself with a a serious case of frustration the first time you go to setup an Airplane with any of the Computer Radios. For example: with most of these radios it's quite possible to mix up the Left and Right Aileron servos , but through a series of adjustments in the Tx to get them to appear to work correctly. ( that is of course untill you find that right trim on the aileron actually gives you Left trim !)
So having someone nearby to help you could be worth a lot of extra $$.
Jim B
So having someone nearby to help you could be worth a lot of extra $$.
Jim B
03-18-2003, 09:30 PM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Calgary, AB, CANADA
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Which radio for sailplanes??? Help
I'd vote MPX. You should be able to pick up a 3030 for about $350 nowadays (TX only), but check with www.multiplexusa.com
The only reason I'd ever need a new radio is if I saw a really good deal on a 4000...but they start at about $700 US.
Here's a post I made to the Radios forum a while back, re Stylus/3030
(post # 24)
This is a post I made on the Ezone, but it seems relevent. I agree with bugman that digital trims aren't great, but I think the Profi (MPX) handles manual trims better. When you load a program, the transmitter prompts you to return the sliders to their last position with little arrows. The AutoTrim feature of the Stylus is less intuitive.
I hint at it in the message, but I really appreciate the fact that the Profi uses sub-c sized cells. It runs on 6 cells instead of the usual 8, so the pack weight is about the same, but sub-C's last MUCH longer on average, and tend to be more durable cells.
It does require that you use a peak charger instead of the wall charger (or find a 7.2V wall charger), but as far as I'm concerned, charging a radio or flight pack with a wall charger is borderline negligence. Sure that little light was on for 16 hours, but how much capacity does the cell really have?
I get about 4 hours of run-time on the 1300 SCE's that are in my Profi right now, but I'm tempted to try GP3300 Ni-Mh's (9 hours+).
Anyway:
"Let me throw in one more vote with the MPX club.
A few years ago I bought a MPX3030 (EVO uses much of the same programming) to suppliment the Futaba Super 8
that I was using, mainly to avoid having to use the throttle stick for both camber and crow. You only have to try
thermalling once with crow, then land with camber mode on, to see how dumb that setup is.
Anyhoo, I ordered a MPX radio without ever having seen one in the flesh (one of the first in Calgary, I'd wager). I was
shocked at the size of the Profi when it arrived, but soon got used to flying with a neckstrap...mainly for safety as
opposed to any issues with weight (I'm a thumb flier). I'm now very comfortable with my serving tray, and feel
insecure without a neckstrap.
The programming takes some getting used to after 8 years with Japanese boxes (JR 622, Futaba 8 & Super 8), but it's
SO much more powerful when you master the German way of doing things. And like anything, you really only need to
understand about 10% of it to get 90% of the functionality out.
Flash forward to this year, when I was given the opportunity to buy a brand new Stylus w/glider and memory cards
for $500 cdn (cheap eh?). I jumped at the chance, mainly because I could never manage to use the Profi for DLG's.
Well...now I ONLY use it for DLG's (and my HOB Microcub). I hate the stupid Stylus, since it's heavy, gaudy,
bass-ackwards to program, and it only runs for 2 hours on the standard battery (what a joke). Plus, while the card
concept isn't bad, it's covering up a fundamental design flaw. For example, if the Profi can have all it's
heli/boat/airplane functionality built in, why does a Stylus need a card? And while it's neat to be able to swap memory
cards with other Stylus users, it's pathetic that only four memory slots live in the radio.
My advice...get a MPX radio. I'm not going to sell my Stylus, but whenever I get a new model, it goes on the Profi.
Next year I may even learn to fly DLG's with it
The only reason I'd ever need a new radio is if I saw a really good deal on a 4000...but they start at about $700 US.
Here's a post I made to the Radios forum a while back, re Stylus/3030
(post # 24)
This is a post I made on the Ezone, but it seems relevent. I agree with bugman that digital trims aren't great, but I think the Profi (MPX) handles manual trims better. When you load a program, the transmitter prompts you to return the sliders to their last position with little arrows. The AutoTrim feature of the Stylus is less intuitive.
I hint at it in the message, but I really appreciate the fact that the Profi uses sub-c sized cells. It runs on 6 cells instead of the usual 8, so the pack weight is about the same, but sub-C's last MUCH longer on average, and tend to be more durable cells.
It does require that you use a peak charger instead of the wall charger (or find a 7.2V wall charger), but as far as I'm concerned, charging a radio or flight pack with a wall charger is borderline negligence. Sure that little light was on for 16 hours, but how much capacity does the cell really have?
I get about 4 hours of run-time on the 1300 SCE's that are in my Profi right now, but I'm tempted to try GP3300 Ni-Mh's (9 hours+).
Anyway:
"Let me throw in one more vote with the MPX club.
A few years ago I bought a MPX3030 (EVO uses much of the same programming) to suppliment the Futaba Super 8
that I was using, mainly to avoid having to use the throttle stick for both camber and crow. You only have to try
thermalling once with crow, then land with camber mode on, to see how dumb that setup is.
Anyhoo, I ordered a MPX radio without ever having seen one in the flesh (one of the first in Calgary, I'd wager). I was
shocked at the size of the Profi when it arrived, but soon got used to flying with a neckstrap...mainly for safety as
opposed to any issues with weight (I'm a thumb flier). I'm now very comfortable with my serving tray, and feel
insecure without a neckstrap.
The programming takes some getting used to after 8 years with Japanese boxes (JR 622, Futaba 8 & Super 8), but it's
SO much more powerful when you master the German way of doing things. And like anything, you really only need to
understand about 10% of it to get 90% of the functionality out.
Flash forward to this year, when I was given the opportunity to buy a brand new Stylus w/glider and memory cards
for $500 cdn (cheap eh?). I jumped at the chance, mainly because I could never manage to use the Profi for DLG's.
Well...now I ONLY use it for DLG's (and my HOB Microcub). I hate the stupid Stylus, since it's heavy, gaudy,
bass-ackwards to program, and it only runs for 2 hours on the standard battery (what a joke). Plus, while the card
concept isn't bad, it's covering up a fundamental design flaw. For example, if the Profi can have all it's
heli/boat/airplane functionality built in, why does a Stylus need a card? And while it's neat to be able to swap memory
cards with other Stylus users, it's pathetic that only four memory slots live in the radio.
My advice...get a MPX radio. I'm not going to sell my Stylus, but whenever I get a new model, it goes on the Profi.
Next year I may even learn to fly DLG's with it
03-20-2003, 04:53 AM
#13
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Gastonia,
NC
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Radio selection
Well I might get slammed on but here it goes.
It really seems to me that EVERYONE has their likes and dis-likes with different radios. With the money that I want to spend..... I'm going with the Hitec Eclipse Spectra 7 channel. This way I can fly on any channel with a flip of a few switches as long as it matches what ever receiver I have in that model. I like the Eclipse over JR378 because of the dial type pot switch for adjustable flaps or spoilers with out having a predetermined set throw even more so than a 25/50/75 three position switch. The high end JR and Airtronic Stylus is a bit too much for me right now. The only down side that I've seen about the Eclipse is that it can't do dual elevator controls which isn't something that I think I would run into. It does have 2 different glider programs, a 2 servo wing abd 4 servo wing so.........215.00 for the radio and 120.00 for a 4 servo, battery, 8ch receiver and switch doesn't seem too bad for a complete package. Able to use lots of different receivers and servos and transmit on all channels...... I've got to go with it.
Thanks again for all the comments and suggestions
It really seems to me that EVERYONE has their likes and dis-likes with different radios. With the money that I want to spend..... I'm going with the Hitec Eclipse Spectra 7 channel. This way I can fly on any channel with a flip of a few switches as long as it matches what ever receiver I have in that model. I like the Eclipse over JR378 because of the dial type pot switch for adjustable flaps or spoilers with out having a predetermined set throw even more so than a 25/50/75 three position switch. The high end JR and Airtronic Stylus is a bit too much for me right now. The only down side that I've seen about the Eclipse is that it can't do dual elevator controls which isn't something that I think I would run into. It does have 2 different glider programs, a 2 servo wing abd 4 servo wing so.........215.00 for the radio and 120.00 for a 4 servo, battery, 8ch receiver and switch doesn't seem too bad for a complete package. Able to use lots of different receivers and servos and transmit on all channels...... I've got to go with it.
Thanks again for all the comments and suggestions
03-21-2003, 03:04 PM
#14
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
Which radio for sailplanes??? Help
I agree with comments about the Hitec Eclipse 7. I have been using one for the last 2-3 yrs and find it works fine on everything from 2 servo RE planes to a 6 servo plus tow hook release full house sailplane. I am sure there are more powerful radios but I am getting along with the 7. You don't need a big bucks radio to fly full house planes.
