david a

I asked this question in another forum and realized that this is where I should have asked it.

Lets say that I buy a Hitec Laser 4 or 6 with a flight pack and the frequency of both the radio and receiver is 53.

1.) Can I buy additional flight packs at the same time as the radio / flight pack combo, with the receivers in the additional flight packs also set to frequency 53?

2.) Would I be able to use these receivers with the radio purchased with the original flight pack, since they are on the same frequency?

3.) Or will the radio be rendered useless if the reciever that came in the flight pack, that came with the radio goes out, even if I have the other recievers?

LarryC

1) Yes
2) Yes
3) No

Or at least that's how it is with Futaba.
I don't know any reason for Hitec to be different.

Larry

Jim Schwagle

My Feedback: (1)

Hitec is no different. Larry is correct.

strato911

1.) Can I buy additional flight packs at the same time as the radio / flight pack combo, with the receivers in the additional flight packs also set to frequency 53? Yes, or additional flight packs can be bought at a later date.

2.) Would I be able to use these receivers with the radio purchased with the original flight pack, since they are on the same frequency? Yes, even if they are from a different manufacturer, as long as they use the same frequency shift (+ve or -ve) and use the same conversion standard (single vs double conversion).

3.) Or will the radio be rendered useless if the reciever that came in the flight pack, that came with the radio goes out, even if I have the other recievers? If your transmitter is still working, you can get replacement / additional receivers for it at any time, unless the FCC changes some rules regarding our frequency spectrum, rendering your old receiver obsolete.

david a

Lets say that my transmitter is set to frequency 58. I then buy an additional flight pack to be install in another plane with the receiver also set to frequency 58. This way I can fly both planes using the one radio.

I understand that the receiver that came in the flight pack with the radio combo is tuned to match "exactly" the frequency of the radio.

Should not the new receiver be put on an oscillating scope (or something) and adjusted to match exactly the frequency output of the transmitter as well?

If it is not set exact but within an acceptable range, are there any possible problems that could be encountered?

jetranger-RCU

My Feedback: (1)

RX and TX are not tuned to each other any more. They are tuned to a set feq. In the old days they were tuned to each other. but today that would make the cost alot more. Just buy extra flight packs on the feq you want and go fly

strato911

Actually, the receivers are tuned to a frequency range. Then a crystal is used to lock them into the specific frequency which matches the frequency of your transmitter (eg.Channel 58). Here is a link to the AMA's website showing which channels are on which frequencies: http://modelaircraft.org/comp/frequency.htm

In North America, some manufacturers use a positive shift encoding, and others use negative shift encoding to transmit the data from the transmitter to the receiver. As long as both the transmitter and receiver use the same shift, and the same channel, they will work together.

Here is a link to another thread which explains the frequency shift better: http://www.rcuniverse.com/showthread...013&forumid=27
And for a more thorough understanding of how our radios work, you can check out: http://www.torreypinesgulls.org/Radios.htm]

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

David, Strato and the others have given you a straight scoop. The Lazer is a fine entry level radio and aftermarket flight packs will work fine and you can fly one or more airplanes on it, However that radio has no multiple airplane storage. What will happen is as you switch from one airplane to the next then things like control throws and trims will not be the same and it is very difficult to get two airplanes adjusted just right on one radio. Whats worse the different airplane may have a servo reversed from the first one and if you forgret to reverse just that one servo before flight flight then you have crash on your hands.

I would suggest you upgrade your radio purchase from the Lasser six to the Flash five X which is a far more capable unit and has storage for five airplanes (a switch from one to the other takes just seconds) plus has some features you will be wanting down the line a bit. Its not that much more money and is the entry level radio I do reccommend to my students.

John

david a

I was talking with an RC old-timer at church this morning and he was telling me to be sure that the new receiver is tuned exactly to the transmitter's frequency or I will have problems. This got me to thinking that the frequency setting on a new receiver was just a ballpark figure, which would require an adjustment so that it matches the transmitter's signal exactly.

I get it now, as long as the TX and RX are on the same frequency and the shift pattern is the same I am good to go. I am glad to learn that this is the case rather than the above scenario, as he was saying I might need to send the TX and RX off somewhere to have it adjusted.

Thanks to all of you for the clarification.

The computer radio will in all likelihood be the next radio I purchase, as long as I'm sure that I can buddy-box it to my Hitec Laser 4. To be honest, I decided on the Laser 4 initially because all the different computer models available and their features confused me. I didn't have a clue as to what these features meant or what they did. So I executed a full retreat and decided on the basic radio for the sake of simplicity. Since I have been exposed to the hobby a little more, I am beginning to understand what these features do and how they can benefit me. I think a computer radio will make a good “second” radio.