lavarock

I went with the TM-8. I liked the way Futaba did the antenna.

But I have had a problem with a R617FS 7 channel receiver. I have a 60 size Ultra-Stick that I have flow for several years. It has the standard Futaba 3004 servos. The plane is set up with flaps. Each servo uses a channel so all 7 channels are used.
When I was going to do the maiden flight with the new receiver I had a problem. During the preflight check of servo functions one of the flap servos would oscillate when it was returned to neutral position quickly. I would shut down the receiver and transmitter and try again. The problem then may go to the other flap. Repeat and the problem would go to an aileron. It was a crap shoot which servo would be next. It never went to the rudder, elevator or throttle. The problem seamed to be with channels that had a mix function. Only one channel at a time would malfunction. Sometimes when you would give a quick full travel command the affected channel may take 3-5 seconds to go full travel. It would move very slow.

Returned receiver to Futaba and they replaced it. My problem I have 5 more R617FS receivers. Asked Futaba what they found with the returned receiver. Futaba's response has been we replaced the receiver. Right now not sure I confident the other receivers are OK. I did install one of my other receivers and could not get the problem to repeat.

doubledcom

My Feedback: (49)

CMOULDER....in regards to your statement "Only issue was when I forgot to change the tiny little switch back over to 8ch after flying with the 7ch mode." I just bought the fasst 8ch tx module and also bought some 7ch and 8 ch Receivers for my 9 caps. Do you mean to tell me that I can't just leave the Tx module switch in the 8 ch. position when using one of the 7 ch receivers. That would be a pain. In the 72 band it doesn't matter if you use a rx with less than the number of ch's of the tx as long as it doesn't exceed the 9 ch's of the Tx. Let me know because if that's the case I'll just sell the 7 ch rx's and only buy the 8 ch's. Thanks

RCAddiction

My Feedback: (87)

Yes, you do need to remember to flip the switch to 8ch for the 8 ch receiver and "7" for the 6 or 7 ch receivers.

pilotpete2

I went with the TM-8, but did not get the 8 channel receiver combo for just that reason. Also, none on my planes needed 8 channels, so I just use the 7 channel receivers for now, if some time in the future I need 8 channels, at least I'll be able to use one.
Hey, this is a good reason to upgrade to a 10C, no more 7/8 channel switch to bother with
Pete

cmoulder

As RCAddiction has indicated, yes you have to use the little switch on the TM-8 whenever going back and forth between 7 and 8 channels. But to be honest it isn't hard at all to do, and after you forget to do it once you will subsequently figure it out quickly if you miss the step.

I have been using the system for a couple of months now and am happy to report no issues with glitching, range is great and the link is solid. Perhaps my imagination, but latency also seems to be reduced. Using it in a 50cc AW Yak and a Venus II with OS 1.20 4 stroke.

RCAddiction

My Feedback: (87)

Definitely not my imagination, but my Jerry's Big Boy (the plane in my avatar) become MUCH more sensitive on high rates than previously with with my 149DP, especially elevator. This plane has always been my faithful fly anytime plane. I needed to dial in a bunch more expo to get it back to "normal" feel. This could be considered a very good thing, but it was not expected in my case.

doubledcom

My Feedback: (49)

cmoulder,RCAddiction,pilotpete2....Thanks for all the responses. I guess it's not that big a deal.., I just don't understand why it works like that. It seems like taking one step forward and two steps backward. But I love my 9 caps. Maybe save my pennies and make the jump to the 10c next year. But like so many of us in this hobby, I have too many planes on the 72 band that changing all at once is costly, so for now I will keep the 9c and the 5 2.4 rx's I recently bought with the 8ch trans module.

cmoulder

That reminds me...

I have also been leaving the 72mhz antenna in place when switching to the 2.4ghz module and it causes no problems whatsoever.

lethalivdrip

Well I have a problem with my 9c TM-8 all of a sudden. My Trex 600 was working fine with the TM-8 then out of the blue I got massive tail shake when I punched it up. At first I narrowed it down to a bad switch. So I reassigned the gyro switch from B to A figuring that would fix it and it didn't. I know it's not my heli because it's fine when I us my 7C with it. Now to narrow it down even more I can convert it back to a fixed frequency which would be a pain. I'm praying it's a bad TM-8 unless anyone else has had this problem[]

Mike545

i did have a smilar prob, went from 2.4 to 72 and 50hz, its was the gyro, reinstalled with double , thickness tape and that was it, was getting feedback into the gyro chrystal, i also had a 401

lethalivdrip

Ummmm the 7c that works is a 2.4 I guess I forgot to mention that. So to recap my 9C with the TM-8 has the shakes and my 7C 2.4 doesn't.

lethalivdrip

Ok just tried it with the 9C with 72 no TD-8 and it shakes like a mad snake so it's the radio not the TD-8. So being I only bought the 9C for using the FMA copilot to learn flying the heli I guess the money wasting stops now and no more 72 for me. But my problem is I still need it for my video camera that transmits in 2.4 and the Fast 2.4 interfers with it.[&o] I'm friggen caught between a rock and a hard place again.[:@]

lethalivdrip

Just looked at the 10C and was wondering if I bought that would I be able to use my 72 TX and RX module from my 9C in it and also my TM-8 as back up ? You know I'd hate to scrap it all and I need a good excuse for the wife.[>:]

woodie

yes, the TX modules from the 9C work with the 10C.

Woodie

lethalivdrip

Thanks, now I just have to work on the wife.

Mike545

go for it, for now im holding on to my 9csuper, i just cant do the $600 jump

lethalivdrip

I already know what she'll say.........it's cheaper for you to go back to drinking... didn't you just get that.... what's in it for me..........I know the routine.

Mike545

reply to her, a less stressed husband, i will save money due to less crashing?

lethalivdrip

You said it correctly (less crashing?) she would want that in writing!

mikeboyd

Does anyone have any experience with the Assan units from Hobby City?

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s..._Futaba_Module

Futaba's web site for FAQs states that any and all after market modules violate the AMA and FCC rules and their warranty. I had just ordered a new 10C from Tower, but am already getting buyer's remorse, from reading all of everyone's success stories on this thread. I have a 9Z, 9C, and 9C super, so am now questioning if I even needed to "waste money" on a 10C.

I guess I'll order some of the ASSAN units and try them out on a 9C and some smaller glow and gas planes before I purchase a bunch of 160 to $200 receivers for the FAAST system.

If anyone has any experience with these units, we would love to hear more about the inexpensive ASSAN 2.4 modules and receivers

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=7229&Product_Name=X8_R9_9Ch_2.4GHz_Receiver_(Long_Anten na) is the page for the 9 channel 2.4 receiver.

Thanks,
Hope everyone escaped Ike okay!!

Mike Boyd

patrick181

I wouldn't trust the Assan units with your planes considering the quality of Chinese knock-offs...

Bax

My Feedback: (11)

The FAQ refers to non-Futaba 72 MHz modules that had to use the antenna built into the transmitter. That means that the transmitter and its antenna are part of the RF output circuitry, which needs to be certified as a totality, and only Futaba can apply for that certification.

The after-market modules on 2.4 GHz will have all of the output circuitry needed, including the antenna. The rest of the transmitter, then, just provides the modulation. That means that the transmitter, itself, isn't a part of the RF-generating circuit. The law does allow those modules.

The FAQ was written before there were any 2.4 GHz modules.

mikeboyd

Thanks for the clarification Bax. For the record, I have purchased 4 of the seven channel Assan units and then 4 of their 9 channel units. Just like Bax said, the module has the antenna attached. the long antenna, 9 channel receivers are working great, seem to be on par with my Futaba PCM modules. I have used two on large glow planes so far, with no ill effects and will check one out on one of my less expensice gas powered planes.

The seven channel receivers with the short antennas must only be for park flyers. I tried one in my glow powered UCD 46 and it worked fine with no glitches, mounted inside the fuselage. I then tried one in my Reactor, mounted in the fuselage. I did a 500 yard range check on the ground and everything seemed okay, but on takeoff, the plane started rolling uncontrollably, luckily I regained throttle control soon enough to reduce throttle to idle, but still had no aileron control. The plane was partially damage; bent wing tube, cracked firewall and bent landing gear and destroyed cowl and prop, but repairable. The plane had been flown many times on current set up with a FM receiver. Battery was good 4.8V NimH, fully charged. After the crash, all control surfaces seemed to be working fine. Later on, I tested one of these receivers on a 4.8V battery that wasn't freshly an fully charged with high torque servos, like my Reactor has, and the red light came on and went into lockout for about 7 seconds.

I will now use 6V batteries or Lion with a regulator using these from now on.

I have received my new 10C Futaba and absolutely love it!!! All of my 9C programs for nearly 30 airplanes transerred over from Campacs easily. The 256K after market Campac I installed gave me an additional 64 models. The 10C is a great replacement for the 9C, which uses nearly identical programming techniques and language. It seems to have allot more available for sport programming even than my 9Z (except for flight conditions) with 8 program mixes, it was a snap to set up crow on my sticks and Giant UCD. Just wish the receivers were more affordable, $160 for the 8 channel and $200 for the 14 channel definitely limits those of us on a budget to complete change over to FASST mode flying. But since it readily accepted my 9C PPM/PCM modules, I am ready to almost use it exclusively, if I wanted to. Also, the ASSAN module will not fit in the 10C, but plugs in easily to both of my 9C's and 9Z. I think the pins are larger/thicker on the 10C, than what come on the 9's.

Hope this helps with some additional imformation.