pepper-RCU

My Feedback: (3)

i have herd a lot about other radios and was wondering what is wrong with Airtronics. i have an RD6000 and i like but is their other radios that are just better or is Airtronics just an off name brand. i'm new to the RC business and was just wondering.


what do you think about Airtronics systems, Radio and Servos.


Thanks,
Pepper

LooneyTunes

I don't think there is anything wrong with Airtronics. They are just as good as JR, Futaba, etc... The RD 6000 series is probably the most underrated radio available.

I own a RD 6000 Super. It is my favorite TX. I also have a Futaba T6XAS. When it comes to features and being user friendly the RD 6000 wins hands down. Plus since it is shift selectable, I can fly my Futaba, Hitec and Airtronics equipped planes with one TX. The only downside to Airtronics is that it is not 'mainstream'. If you are learning there may not be anyone to buddy up with.

visioneer_one

My Feedback: (506)

I have a Stylus which I use with my sailplanes. Fantastic radio, if a little cryptic to program.

arfnaround

I have RD6000 as well, excellent radio. I don't think Airtronics is the underdog you're making it out to be. I've also seen alot of posts from people in competition who indicate they run Airtronics. An airtronics VG6DR was my first radio and is still running fine.
Airtronics is my favorite

Steve Lewin

Airtonics (Sanwa over here) are fine now and have been for a few years. But they are definitely behind the big 3 (Futab/JR/Hitec) in sales and customer acceptance.

I guess that part of that is because they used to be notorious for doing everything differently for no good reason. You couldn't use any other servos with their receivers, the receivers didn't work with any other transmitter, if you managed to get one of their servos plugged into another Rx it killed the Rx etc. At one time you had to be ever so careful which of their own crystals you used because they kept changing the specification.

They seem to have learnt the lesson now but reputations take a while to live down. Perhaps it's different over here but we don't take kindly to manufacturers deliberately making their equipment incompatible in an attempt to lock you in to their brand.

I still don't have any of their gear though. Well apart from a few servos which are pretty good.

Steve

fiery

My Feedback: (2)

There's absolutely nothing wrong with the radio's from this maker. But for many years there products were very much "proprietary", that is, receivers and servo's wouldn't work with other manufacturer's gear. Polarity of wiring and connector design.

That has changed now. Since 1997 they have used industry standard "universal" plugs and wiring patterns. Airtronics in Nth America have a great support centre (check it out at www.airtronics.net). Their RD6000 Super is a class leader. The flagship Stylus, while a great radio, is getting a little long in the tooth now, and it's replacement (RD8000?) is eagerly awaited.

In Australia unfortunately Sanwa is almost extinct as a force in the R/C market due to neglect from the importer / distributor. JR and Hitec have the market cornered. Very little presence from Futaba now, and Multiplex are a small, but growing, force.

I have sent my Airtronics/Sanwa gear to Airtronics in California for repairs and service. Good people to deal with in my experience.

fiery

HarryC

My Feedback: (1)

My model shop tells me that Futaba sells best because the UK importer does the most incessant marketing, he reckons if the Sanwa (Airtronics) importer got its act together on marketing he would easily sell much more of it than of Futaba. I have a Sanwa Rx and servos, old style plugs, 5 years old, in my most prized scale model and it has worked perfectly on every outing.

Harry

kylenlord

Which came out first, Futaba or Airtronics? I have the RD6000 which is a great radio. Then I have the radiant, which is extremely easy to use, but doesn't have as many functions as I would like. Also I have the Vision, which is the finest radio I have ever owned. It is a tad difficult to understand, but there are so many things that I probably will never use a quarter of it. Ultimately I like Airtronics the best, but I still have futaba radios laying around that I get cheap at auctions and swap shops.
Kyle

Steve Lewin

That might be true once the current population of equipment has died off but if you visit any of my local clubs you will see plenty of Futaba and JR kit, some Hitec, a little Fleet but I've only ever seen one Sanwa Tx. Most people quite reasonably buy equipment that they can get help with, that the club has buddy boxes for and that is known to work because lots of people are using it etc.

But I guess you like to go against the flow Harry . Multiplex gear has exactly the same problem as Sanwa, those who have it usually love it but most peope have never seen or heard of it.

Steve

HarryC

My Feedback: (1)

No, it's not my opinion, just passing on what my shop tells me!

Harry