FL510

My Feedback: (8)

Wish I could say, I'm better off leaving it this way for now.

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

The point I was trying to make was that if the9Z WC lists for $2132.00 in Japan and sells at Tower for $1199.99 then it would make sense that if the 14MZAP lists for $2518.00 in Japan it should sell for about $1410.00 at Tower based on percentages.

xcellheli

My Feedback: (1)

My guess is that it will be years or decades before JR catches up to Futaba. I purchased my 9z in 1995, years ahead of the release of the 10x and it is still behind the 9z. Now I will be the first to admit that the 10x is an extremely nice radio that is competition capable, but it still lacks the basics of having both fixed wing and rotary aircraft, is not capable of assigning any function to any switch and they still can't seem to figure out that digital throttle trim is easily accomplished using a simple throttle cut switch function. I also cannot understand why the antenna doesn't collapse into the case, you have to unscrew it each time and store it in the back. Plus dumbest of all, if you let go of the transmitter while using a neck strap, the transmitter want's to fall antenna down instead of remaining at a more conventionally held angle. I personally will not be buying a 14MZ to stay ahead of the JR folks, it will simply be to replace my well used 9 year old 9Z. I look forward to another 9 years of top quality equipment from Futaba.

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

xcellheli,

Your 9 channel radio only has 8 proportional channels and one on off, the 10X has 10 proportional channels. The 10 X can do anything the 9z can do and the more common things are easier.

You can program the switches and have throttle cut on the 10X. The only drawback to the 10X is the balance, if you want to let go of the radio with both hands it will drop. I fly with rubber duck antennas so the antenna is not an issue.

The new 14z uses a plug in antenna that stores in the bottom of the case

FL510

My Feedback: (8)

At least with the 9z you can fly anything you want. When you have to buy 2 10x's to fly one or the other you just bought a 14mz.

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

I don't fly heli's. IF I did fly heli's I would purchase one 9303 radio with sixteen 9 channel receivers on Channel 05 before I purchased a 14z for $2200.00.

Plane Insane

My Feedback: (4)

"IF" you did... You would be more informed on that little decision.

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

kelly vallee

I was taking a look at the reciever that comes with the 14mz and I only count 13 channels( counting the battery slot) where is the 14th channels on the reciever. And for the price, I just looked at a canadian online site and they are selling it for $2599.00 CANADIAN.

xcellheli

My Feedback: (1)

Skypilot_one,
Alright, maybe the 10X isn't all that bad, but you do have to admit that shelling out a thousand bucks and not getting both fixed wing and heli's is pretty bad. Especially when all the lower cost radios from JR have it. This is frustrating for many including several I fly with.

I would be curious to know how many people find a use for the 9th and 10th proportional channels on the 10X. Last I checked the JR as well as the 9Z still requires matchboxes to set up large multiple servo models. The 14MZ will do away with that, which will offset the extra price for the reciever.

Kelly Vallee,
What is the canadian site you are refering too, you have perked my curiosity?

kelly vallee

The web site is http://www.greathobbies.com/frame_index.html . I would like to know also if the 9 to the 14 th channel are full mixable and have all the same option are the rest of the channels. On the 9z, the 9th channel has very restricted function.

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

xcellheli,

The additional proportional channels come in handy if you don't want to use match boxes or need to have multiple binary switches on one channel. An example would be two elevator, two flap, two aileron, one rudder, one smoke mixed to throttle, one camera channel with transmit on/off and front/back views using two cameras and a video mux on a proportional output. At this time the 9303 imho is the best bang for the buck, if you use JR.

I would think that JR will have the 9303 out for a year or two and then come out with their own wiz-bang transmitter like Futaba did with the 9c and then the 14z. If Futaba can get away with selling their transmitter/receiver for $2200.00 the new JR will probably be up in that price range too.

Of course with these new transmitters all coming out with frequency synthesizers you know it won't be long before they change the frequencies we are allowed to use and or go to spread spectrum

Dyehard

Skypilot One, I beg to differ on one point. Yes, you can program most switches on a 10X to do several things. You cannot program them the operate any function. That is a big difference. I fly helicopters, primarly. I like my condition (stunt) switch in one place. On my 9Z I can program it to be in that place. On a 10X I can't, period. Also, being able to program in a throttle cut switch is still not like have digital throttle trim. There are no advantages that I can see in an mechanical throttle trim and most of the flyers I know that swore by a mechanical throttle trim, once they actually tried a digital throttle trim with throttle cut for while, ended up liking the digital trim better.

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

The 9z is a good radio as is the 10X. The cheaper 9303 has some equally good programming but is also lacking some.

FL510

My Feedback: (8)

Here's a good link for info on the 14MZ.

http://jason.net/heli/helimain.htm

The 13 and 14 channel are turned sideways on the plug side of the receiver. Both channels are assignable.

Jed

Silent-AV8R

All 14 channels are the same and all can be assigned and mixed at will.

bluestratos

I bought the Futabl synthesised 9 channel system when it first came out 10 years ago. It cost over $1,600 and I had to buy some accessories to flesh it out. In it's day it was state of the art and in my oppionion worth the high price.

I have read two reviews on this new bad boy and I am convinced it is very much state of the art. In a few years the price will come down as other race to copy it. I figure if a person wants a Caddy, they pay for a Caddy. Of course most people do just fine in a Honda. lol. I am putting my pennies away right now so I can have it by spring.

Each time a manufacture researchs and develops technolgy we all benifit somewhere down the road, so hats off to Futaba... and all of the pioneers that have made the hobby what it is today.

On the Deck

My Feedback: (142)

I have approximately 48 hours and I will be exploring the many features of my new 14MZ. I was able to briefly examine one this past weekend at the WRAM show and even took a few minutes to access the operating system. All I can say is if you can do a basic program on the 9Z then you can do much more advanced programing with the 14MZ. If weather allows I plan to head out to the flying field Saturday 3/5 for some test flights on the receiver before I install it in my 38% plane. I spoke with Frank Noll breifly about the transmitter and if you want cutting edge along with simplicity put up the cash and get the 14MZ.

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

rvaughn, since you'll be there, please check if the 14mz has a built-in tachometer (like in the 9z) and a frequency scanner ? Thanks

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

rvaughn, I just noticed it was your first post. Welcome to RCU !

RCAddiction

My Feedback: (87)

GOT MINE TODAY!!!! Just arrived this afternoon at my Hobby Shop and I picked it up. Even more fun than when I played with it at the RCHTA show last fall. We played with it for nearly 2 hrs. No idea yet if it has a tachometer, but I'm gonna eat dinner and start going through the manual. Woohoo!!

kmorgan

Hi Lads
Good to see that the new Tx has arrived at last. It will be a while (June/July) before it makes it to the UK. In the meantime please keep the info. flowing. Is the manual available on line anywhere so that I can take a look and get a jump start before mine arrives?

Cheers

kevin

RCAddiction

My Feedback: (87)

I have not seen the manual anywhere online.

xcellheli

My Feedback: (1)

The manuals are not ready yet. The current units are being shipped with the first cut, mostly good english photocopied manuals. Once the real manuals are completed Futaba is shipping it to those who don't have it, along with a T-shirt for the troubles. I think this is a little poor considering the price of the unit, but that is exactly the same way it was done for the 9Z during the mid 90's.

RCAddiction

My Feedback: (87)

Yup, the manual is fairly basic, despite being well over 100 pages. The basic mechanics of how to set up controls and how to access menus is covered, but little else to help guide a pilot to actually setting up a plane. I presume some of this will come with the US version of the manual.

All the main dual rate switches are 3 position switches. I have not yet figured out how to set triple rates to match those switches. Fortunately the radio menu system is really pretty easy. The touch screen sis a bit stiff to select, but not a whole lot different than my Treo Smartphone. I'm just scared I'm gonna break something if I press too hard! I've found that the pushbutton wheel thing is easier to use for selecting some items.

Note: it comes with a Li-Ion charger (AC) that is similar to a camcorder battery charger. You remove the battery (it slides out, no wire connectors) and charge the battery externally to the radio. There is a OPTIONAL 12V DC car charger (not yet available) to charge the battery through the charge jack in the radio. Removing the battery is quite fast so I don't expect to be buying the DC charger so soon. Maybe a spare battery, though.