Laggger164

So guys, I soon will want to buy a proper transmitter, since the only thing I have is a Spektrum DXe, which while it is good enough, I don't know of any ways of switching to other receivers A.K.A. different planes. Correct me if I am wrong about this please.

I saw that the Taranis QX7 looks very good, but people are sometimes bashing it for bad build quality compared to brands like Spektrum, Futaba and so on. However I do like the functionality of it with the transmitter modules, telemetry, how many channels? 16 or something? That's crazy! Where can one even use that many of them?

The only 2.4GHz receiver and transmitter I have right now came with the Apprentice S 15e (I think thats the model name) and so far, no trouble with it, other than the model switching I mentioned above.

But then I realized... What do I really need? My father has his old 40MHz 6ch Futaba and he only ever used 3 or maybe 4. It is true that he hasn't advanced due to certain problems, but why does one need a radio with something like 20 channels? Holy cow.

I read the FrSky protocol is very good, while the Futaba's FASST protocol is also pretty good, some are bashing Spektrum's protocol for being very bad and having brownouts...

Also, I fly mode 1. I learned with my father on it and I am not switching. If anyone has a problem with it then #DealWithIt

wnewbury

You have a Spektrum already? A higher level Spektrum would work with what you already have, and their reputation is a lot better now. I like my 6e a lot. My Taranis QX7 is way more difficult to program than the 6e.

Xpress

For your average 4-5 channel airplane, you don't need more than probably 7 channels at the most, maybe 9 if you are flying a full house airplane with some additional functions. But for pilots like me or other fellow giant scale pilots, we run out of room quickly with 9 channels where we often have 2 servos per aileron, 2 on the rudder, and one for each elevator, not to mention things like an ignition kill and throttle servo- that's 10 channels right there, and bigger airplanes mandate more channels (I have one airplane that mandates 16 channels for all 15 servos onboard plus electronic ignition kill). Aside from that, scale aircraft often times have additional functions that eat up more channels with scale retract functions or things like scale canopy movements- you can see why a 20+ channel transmitter is appealing to certain pilots. Of course we can get away with using a 9 channel system and some kind of power expansion device that can handle a large number of servos, plus mixing options, but it's not appealing to most.

It's ultimately up to you what you decide to run though. A 9 channel system is a safe bet these days for a large number of airplanes and leaves headroom to progress into some bigger airplanes.

rgburrill

The question you need to ask is what do you need in an airplane? Are you sticking with mid-size sport aircraft? Are you thinking of giant scale? Or jets? What about Heli's? And quads? Figure that out first. If the answer is sticking with mid-size sport aircraft you have the radio you need. If you are going to upgrade don't play around with expensive 7 channel radios from the likes of Spectrum, Futaba and JR - go for the 10+ channels with telemetry from FlySky, Turnigy and FrSky.

rgburrill

Then again, if you have more dollars than sense and want to spend $10,000 on a big turbine jet then go for the $2,000+ radios from Futaba.

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

You won't be making any friends in the turbine community with comments like that......

AndyKunz

Yeah, a lot of them are flying Spektrum!

mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

why the hater comment?

heads-up

Not sure what brand you're looking at but I just picked me up some new Graupner radios for my Son and I, best deal I've seen ever on these radios...

MZ-24 $219: https://hyperion-world.com/en/p1650520-gr-s1006m2
MZ-18 $179: https://hyperion-world.com/en/p1650467-gr-s1005m2

Desertlakesflying

My Feedback: (28)

You can get a BRAND NEW turbine jet ready to fly for $4500 these days. Get out from under your rock.

Desertlakesflying

My Feedback: (28)

The Spektrum brown out problem had more to do with people being dead set on using their 4.8v batteries against the warnings more than it had to do with the Spektrum quality.

Buy a DX9 and you won't need another radio for a long long time, and you will be able to bind it to your Apprentice, and fly it just the same too.

Though the Taranis and FlySky are improving rapidly, do not move to one of those until you have been in the hobby and are well versed in everything first.

Learning how to program a whole new radio is never much fun and it takes a long time to lose the old programming habits for the new system..

blvdbuzzard

I started way back when servos well escapements were powered by dry cells and rubber bands. They were as big and heavy as a 6 channel setup is now.

I still have a bunch of 4 channel planes, AETR, they fly great and I abuse them all the time. I also have the plane that uses a servo for each surface, you can do fun things when you mix elevator / aileron / flap. Get the plane to turn like crazy.

Radio will bring out the hate faster than any other topic. I was and still do fly Airtronics. They have been absolutely reliable. Yet when I started to fly fan fold foam planes, the cost for an 8 channel Rx, $80.00 on sale just did not seem right when I had an $8.00 motor, $12.00 ESC, with $3.00 servos. So I bought a 9x on sale. it was $55.00 to the door. I ordered a handful of 6 channel Rx's, $7.00 at the time, 8 channel Rx's $11.00 at the time. Flew it for a year with no loss of signal, glitch, hiccups. So I started to use it in bigger and bigger planes. Now I trust it with any plane I have. I have added a program board and a back lite display to it, upgraded the firmware to er9x. It has been and I am finding it is even more a capable radio.

I saw an i10 on sale plus a 20% off coupon code so it was to hard to pass up. Man this radio does so much. I have yet to really scratch the surface in what it can do. One good thing is I can bind it to any Rx I have. The 9x and i10 use the same Rx's, the i10 can use the Rx's with telemetry too. It is a great radio. You can use the non telemetry Rx's or the telemetry ones.

https://www.amainhobbies.com/flysky-...fsy004/p587652

FlySky FS-i10 10 Channel 2.4G AFHDS 2 Aircraft Radio System 79P-FS-I10-10CH-Remote

6 channel Rx
https://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-F...l?rmmds=search
https://www.banggood.com/Flysky-2_4G...rmmds=category

8 Channel Rx
https://www.banggood.com/FlySky-RC-F...l?rmmds=search

10 channel rx
https://www.banggood.com/Flysky-2_4G...rmmds=category

Micro Rx's
https://www.banggood.com/Frsky-XM-Mi...rmmds=category
https://www.banggood.com/Flysky-FS-A...rmmds=category
https://www.banggood.com/FD800-Tiny-...rmmds=category

There is so many products that do so much. Trying to pick one is not an easy thing to do.

Buzz.