New here. Question about crystals and programmable radios
08-18-2003, 05:39 PM
#1
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (11)
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Standish,
ME
Posts: 729
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
New here. Question about crystals and programmable radios
Hi guys,
I've been out of the hobby for a few years and have recently started flying again. Just a couple questions for you. I' have several Futaba Attack 4 channel radios and one newer (maybe 4 years old) FM Futaba 5 channel (PCM i think). I really was thinking about getting just one radio for all my planes (one heli also, litemachines heli) mainly because of the convenience factor. I'm a little confused though about how to go about this. For instance, if I am using channel 52 for one plane and wanted 2 of my other planes to utilize this channel so I can use one radio, wouldn't I have to get the same Rx crystal for the 2 other planes? Do the 2 other planes have to have the exact same receiver as well? Also, when you order a crystal, you obviously tell them what channel you want correct? Cause the only thing I've read so far about crystals is high vs low and how the different channels fall under both categories.
Do you think having one radio is a wise idea? I guess I just don't feel like replacing all my Tx and Rx batteries for each plane as well, because most of them have "died" over the last several years from inactivity. Thanks a lot.
I've been out of the hobby for a few years and have recently started flying again. Just a couple questions for you. I' have several Futaba Attack 4 channel radios and one newer (maybe 4 years old) FM Futaba 5 channel (PCM i think). I really was thinking about getting just one radio for all my planes (one heli also, litemachines heli) mainly because of the convenience factor. I'm a little confused though about how to go about this. For instance, if I am using channel 52 for one plane and wanted 2 of my other planes to utilize this channel so I can use one radio, wouldn't I have to get the same Rx crystal for the 2 other planes? Do the 2 other planes have to have the exact same receiver as well? Also, when you order a crystal, you obviously tell them what channel you want correct? Cause the only thing I've read so far about crystals is high vs low and how the different channels fall under both categories.
Do you think having one radio is a wise idea? I guess I just don't feel like replacing all my Tx and Rx batteries for each plane as well, because most of them have "died" over the last several years from inactivity. Thanks a lot.
08-18-2003, 06:52 PM
#2
My Feedback: (4)
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jackson,
MS
Posts: 844
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
New here. Question about crystals and programmable radios
Speaking only for myself, I personally like using just one TX for all my aircraft.
If you want to use a TX with just one frequency, yes, each of the RX's must be that same frequency. The high and low stuff doesn't mean much anymore unless you have older equipment. It has to do with using crystals on the upper or lower half of the frequencies and making sure that the RX is tuned properly to that half of the spectrum.
On the other hand, there are several choices of radios you have nowadays that are synthesized which means that you can select any frequency you want on the TX and fly the RX on that frequency. This means that you can have several different aircraft on different RX frequencies but still fly with just one radio.
Synthesized radios available of note are the Multiplex Evo and the Futaba 9Z (both which offer a synth module as an extra cost option), or the Tracker II by Polks Hobbies which has the synth built into the radio (you can't get it WITHOUT synth) as well as a scanner that checks for clear channels.
I have changed over from a couple of Futaba Super 7's to just the Tracker II which makes things a lot easier and I don't have to keep checking the manual on how to program various radios. And with a 99 model memory, I'm not going to run out of radio any time soon.
Highflight
If you want to use a TX with just one frequency, yes, each of the RX's must be that same frequency. The high and low stuff doesn't mean much anymore unless you have older equipment. It has to do with using crystals on the upper or lower half of the frequencies and making sure that the RX is tuned properly to that half of the spectrum.
On the other hand, there are several choices of radios you have nowadays that are synthesized which means that you can select any frequency you want on the TX and fly the RX on that frequency. This means that you can have several different aircraft on different RX frequencies but still fly with just one radio.
Synthesized radios available of note are the Multiplex Evo and the Futaba 9Z (both which offer a synth module as an extra cost option), or the Tracker II by Polks Hobbies which has the synth built into the radio (you can't get it WITHOUT synth) as well as a scanner that checks for clear channels.
I have changed over from a couple of Futaba Super 7's to just the Tracker II which makes things a lot easier and I don't have to keep checking the manual on how to program various radios. And with a 99 model memory, I'm not going to run out of radio any time soon.
Highflight
