garywi

My Feedback: (3)

I have a Futaba 9C that is about a year old. I was going to buy the Futaba 8 channel 2.4 module for it, but I decided to wait and see what others were doing. No one at my field has upgraded their 9Cs to 2.4. either with the Spectrum module or Futaba's own 2.4 8 channel module.

Nearly all at my field are buying the Spectrum 7 Channel radio or the JR X9303 2.4.

Why do you think this is the case?

I would like to upgrade my 9C, and keep buying stuff from Tower, but not if Futaba's don't measure up.

G

BuschBarber

My Feedback: (2)

I have had Futaba radios since 1978. My last Futaba radio was the 9CAP. It was a good radio, but it was annoying that the 9th channel was not proportional. It was just a switch. When I saw the XP0303, I bought one. After using it for a while, I became fond of the Flight Modes, Flaps on a Switch. and a fully proportional 9th channel. Also, if I wanted to buy the less expensive PPM 9ch Rx, I could.

The big thrill was when Spectrum came out with the 2.4 module. I could not only upgrade to 2.4, I also had the use of a fully proportional 9th channel, as well. I also could pop in my 72Mhz Synthesizer module and operate all my 72Mhz JR Rx's. With my 9CAP, I would lose my 9th channel.

I have since purchased another XP9303 and also the Software and USB cable that let's me copy all my Model Memories to my PC, Edit them on the PC, Print them out, and Copy them back to either XP9303.

That may be why people have left the 9CAP.

I am sure that the Futaba 10C, 12, and 14 have caught up to the JR X9303 2.4 and the 12X, as far as features. The quality has always been there.

MikeL

My Feedback: (3)

If you want to know why the guys at your field are doing something, why not ask them?

I went to 2.4ghz this summer. Having flown and been happy with Airtronics and JR in the past, and owned enough Futaba equipment, too, I didn't have any particular brand preference. What I discovered while looking at the offerings available this summer was that JR/Spektrum had a distinct advantage is both variety of receivers and pricing of receivers. That pretty much made the decision to buy an X9303 for me.

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

Add me to the list of former Futaba flyers with my last one being a 9Z WCII.

As mentioned, the variety and pricing of the rx's for Spektrum/JR is really much better than Futaba and you don't have issues with what tx can run what rx.

I've kind of looked at the Futaba 7 channel FASST radio and I guess it's okay, but the DX-7 is pretty d*mn hard to beat for programming options and when you consider it will run any Spektrum/JR 2.4GHz rx, well.....

I also went to a heli version for my airplanes when I bought the DX-7 since that has a couple of different switch locations/types than the air version as well as the smooth throttle which I didn't like until I tightened up the tension on the sticks. So my X9303 was also a heli version and my 12X came with the smooth throttle as well. Should you buy the DX-7 in a heli version and don't like the smooth throttle, it comes with the ratchet piece inside the box so you can change it out.

Now if you can wait just a bit, the new DX-7SE is coming out the end of this month and it's got twice the response speed of the DX-7 along with 2048 servo resolution and is primarily aimed at the heli guys but would make a great airplane radio as well. All the Spektrum/JR tx's have programming for air, heli and glider as well as the usual ModelMatch, servo synch and data logger capability Spektrum/JR native systems. The data logger (Flight Log) only works on 7 channel and above rx's, but it's a great tool for checking the RF link to your model. No more guessing on ground range checks or questions about whether or not the location of the rx's inside the model is correct.

Futaba's got nothing like that...

jaka

Hi!
Do you know if the new DX-7SE transmitter will have the same feature the DX-6i has were you can choose radiated output power??? US or Eu??

BuschBarber

My Feedback: (2)

I sold a friend my QQ Yak54, which was set up with an Elevator servo on each Elevator half. He had a Futaba 7C Fasst. I used a Programmable Mixer to mix the Elevator channel with Aux1. To my dismay, the Elevator Trim only worked for the Elevator channel and not for the Aux1 channel. To me, it was a big mistake not allowing the Trim, for a major channel like Ail, Elev, Rud, or Flap, to work for the Slave channel on a Programmable Mix.

DougV

When I started migrating my planes from the DX7 to the 7C 2.4, all I did was to take the Aux1 elevator half form the DX7 and I connect it to channel 5 (or you can use 7 if you like, no aux1 channels on the FASST receivers) and my elevator servos worked just fine.

-Doug

bruce88123

Use the Ailevator setup for proper dual elevators with the 7C http://2.4gigahertz.com/systems/futk7000.html ,both servos trim. Big mistake is NOT reading the manual.

sevans16

have a 9c with the TM-7 module. it has worked flawless. I have a 12z with a TM-14 and have had problems with the 6014 RX's. I have one 608 but have grounded my "multi" FASST system. If 7ch is enough the module will work fine for you. I also have a 12x and have had great luck with the 9, 12ch RX's but having problems with there small park flier RX's. I don't know why! My 12x is in the shop right now.

OldRookie

My Feedback: (13)

Bruce1183.... You hit the nail right on the head with your reply. I have seen so many people trashing one thing or another, and it is something as simple as reading the instructions.
I have the 7C FASST and certainly wouldn't trade it for a JR/Spektrum. I just don't get the satellites and receivers they use. The Futaba gets by with just one. Less stuff to go wrong, and less stuff to find a place for, in a smaller plane. As far as a big selection of receivers, I couldn't care less. All of the planes I now fly certainly doesn't need a smaller receiver, than is supplied with the 7C FASST 2.4.
JR only has one receiver that I wouldn't mind having, and that is the R922 DSM2 Powersafe. I am only flying 50CC planes now, but if I went any larger the R922 would be something I would consider. By the time I would need something like that, I would think Futaba would have something similar.
Both companys make a good 7 channel 2.4. Look for the features that are most important to you, and buy that brand. You can't go wrong with either. Do your homework before you buy, and certainly don't take all criticism as the final word. A classic example is BushBarber. Never read the instructions, or he didn't understand them, but yet he trashes Futaba because the dual elevator servo set up doesn't work to his liking.[:'(]

My 2¢
Greg

Flyfalcons

With the 6004 receiver coming out soon, Futaba will have a good receiver in the micro size range as well.

BuschBarber

My Feedback: (2)

I have 30 years of RC modeling experience and I always read the manual, even if is not written well, as is the case with most RC radio manuals. I take exception to your remark regarding my not reading the manual.

I have owned many Futaba radios over the years and I am familiar with the Ailevator program in the 9CAP and the 8AUPS. They both default to Ch2 and Ch8 for Ailevator mixing.

I do not own a Futaba FASST 7C radio but I have looked over the manual for my friend's radio and I also downloaded the manual, a few minutes ago. The manual does not say which channels can be used for the Ailevator mixing. When I went to the Futaba web site and looked up the FAQ's for the 7C, it said that the Ailevator program was not available for the 7C. As it turns out, Futaba did not publish an FAQ, for the 7C FASST, but only for the 7C Non-2.4 radio. Since I did not see a way to pick the Slave channel for the Ailevator mixing and since the FAQ seemed to indicate that it was not available, I gave up on the idea and decided to try the Programmable Mixer.

Perhaps instead of wasting my time telling me that I did not read the manual, you could have specifically enlightened me as to how to tell the Ailevator program which Slave channel to use.

I spend quite a bit of time, on RCU, trying to help others figure out problems like this. Once in a while I make a mistake. Sometimes I will not reply at all if I feel I am not qualified to answer the question.

BuschBarber

My Feedback: (2)

OldRookie - I am not out to trash anybody. I apologize if it came across that way. The Ailevator feature was one of the programs I liked in the 8AUPS and the 9CAP, but the T7C FASST manual was not very clear on how to implement it. Perhaps you could help me in that regard

I am not sponsored by any Radio mfg, so there is no Bias coming from an affiliation with another radio mfg.

I was definitely disappointed in the 9CAP, as compared to the XP9303, but Futaba has since come out with some 2.4 systems that rival the JR/Spektrum line.

There are many aspects of the XP9303 manual that frustrated me and required posting on Threads like this to find the right answers.

Aurora_60

My Feedback: (1)

Gary,
Don't just grab on to the radio choice that everyone else is doing. Start with a price in mind and research the different systems available in your price range.If you want a debate over "who is better, Futaba or JR" the people here will be more than happy to it. It's been going on for what, 3 plus years now?
I don't fly fancy airplanes and I don't have a lot of money to burn, I I have been into R/C for 28 years now and plan to be here at least another 35. I want a transmitter to last as long as possible. Remember, you fly different planes, but your transmitter can be the ONE constant of those planes, so remember that when you decide you budget.
When you r looking for a new 2.4 radio, dont stop at the features. Learn about the system. There are so many people out there getting rid of there 72 mhz in place for the 2.4 ghz SS and they have now idea what the difference is (other than the obvious of using a higher freq.) Spektrum and Futaba are night and day when it comes down to how they transmit. Don't ask me which is better. Check them out and decide what is best for You. And don't rule out Airtronics. Just because they don't advertise and market like the heavy hitters dosen't mean that their not worth looking into. They have always been very serious about what they manufacture, maybe that's why they're still around.
Good luck on the switch to 2.4 and please... stop reading the babble here!

DM

OldRookie

My Feedback: (13)

BushBarber

Sorry if I offended you.
There are only really 2 channels you can use on the 7C FASST 2.4 for the second elevator.
Channels 1-4 is a no brainier 1 aileron, 2 elevator, 3 throttle, 4 rudder. That only leaves channels 5, 6, and 7.
If you look at the FLAPRN set-up on P42, it says the default second aileron servo is channel 6.
That leaves only channels 5, or 7 for the second elevator servo. Either 5 or 7 work the same. You can adjust total travel and sub-trims of each servo separately, and then use the elevator trim to adjust both halves of the elevator simultaneously.
Seems simple enough to me.

Greg

Teachu2

My Feedback: (133)

I wore out a 9c and bought a new 9cs and 7ch 2.4 module just a few months before the 10c was released. I then sold off ALL of my 72mhz stuff - half a dozen txs and two dozen rxs. When the 10c was released, I sold the 9cs and bought a 10c. VERY happy with the 10C.

If you are happy with your 9cs and want to move over to 2.4, buy the Futaba TM-7 or TM-8 for it. For probably 90%+ of sport pilots, it's a great Tx. If you aren't happy with the 9cs, sell it and look at the the 10c and the X9303. I prefer the feel of the Futaba, and the simplicity of the FASST system - and it has performed flawlessly for me.

bruce88123

Pg 45 of the manual seemed quite specific to me without actually drawing pictures. Could it be better? Sure, as you said, they all can. But thorough reading of the manual while looking for a specific topic helps IMO. Yes, it would help to know what Futaba call the function to aid in the search and it is kind of buried.

I spend even more time, on RCU, trying to help others figure out problems like this. Once in a while I too make a mistake. Sometimes I also will not reply at all if I feel I am not qualified to answer the question.

BuschBarber

My Feedback: (2)

I think Don Edberg did the best job of writing 3rd party manuals that help fill in the gaps that the original manuals left out. His books would present real world scenarios and explain how to solve them using Programmable Mixers and the like. One example was how to put Flaps on a Switch using two Programmable Mixers.

bruce88123

He may be the one who wrote the book I bought for my 7UAFS. The Futaba manuals are rough (IMO) translations of Japanese manuals I believe. I deal with translated aviation manuals every day here at my job. Painful at times. Even manuals that originate in England are tough to understand due to different terminologies. And technical writers usually have no hands-on experience so they have no idea what the end user actual needs/wants to know.

bruce88123

http://www.rc-soar.com/hardsoft/donedberg.htm

garywi

My Feedback: (3)

Thanks Guys for the lively debate!

I fly .45-1.00 size nitro planes and foamies. The big thing for me is, I like to deal with Tower. I like their website and discounts. I hate Horizon's web site and they rarely have a sale. I would like to stick the TM-8 in my one year old 9C super and be done for a while. My problem is all I read is the converted 9C is much slower than the new DX7SE and 10C. I hear the TM-8, you have to switch a button for 7 or 8 channel recievers, and the micro reciever does not take standard connectors. I hear Futaba is sensitive to heat ( I live in AZ), and more, no one at my field has converted a 9C and are all buying Spectrum/JR.

Confused..

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

Sheesh....

If you've already decided on a vendor that only carries one of the options you mentioned, why bother asking for suggestions/differences?

bruce88123

I don't think a typical sport flyer will really notice a difference in the speed between the various systems and the heat issue is primarily in the 14 ch RX. This shouldn't affect you with the 9C. If I recall correctly the 9C can only use 8 channels in 2.4 GHz anyway. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

Bax

My Feedback: (11)

1) If you put a Futaba FASST module in your 9C transmitter, you will lose nothing. Yes, the 9C has a slower processor than the 7C or 10C, but they are also a generation newer. If your 9C works to your satisfaction now, except for frequency, then it will still be just as functional after you install the TM-8 module, which I think is the best choice...it will allow you to use all FASST receivers.

2) Futaba has a new 4-channel micro receiver due out in a few weeks that uses standard connectors.

3) Heat will affect all units. The heat range of the Futaba equipment is the same heat range as NiCd and NiMH battery packs. You'll get failures only if you allow the equipment to heat above 140 degrees F. Normal precautions, such as covering a model with a towel when in direct sunlight, will prevent most problems. Please see our advisory in the Futaba Direct Support Forum.

4) "All are buying"...maybe so, maybe no, but you cannot go wrong with Futaba equipment.

(Please accept my obvious bias!)

garywi

My Feedback: (3)

Thanks Bill. One more. Does Futaba plan to come out with a 8 or 9 channel fully dedicated 2.4 radio? No 72 modules?