4 or 5
 

Will you guys give me some reasons to get a 5 Channel radio rather than a 4 Channel one. I was just wondering why everyone thought that the five Channels were better. :D

4 or 5
 

If your starting out there's not much of a difference. A 5th channel will get you flaps or retracts, but that's probably at least 2 or 3 planes down the road. The extra channel in itself is no big deal to beginners. The big difference in radios that have more than 4 channels are the mixing capabilities. You'd still have "4 channel controls" but you can mix different control surface movement with others. If your budget is limited to 4-5 channels, look at the Hitec Flash 5X. It's great for the money- has mixes and a 5 model memory.

4 or 5
 

I always tell someone ordering a radio to get the best one they can afford. The radio is the one part that can last many many years. If you get a 4 ch and down the road want to do flaps or retracts or mixing 2 servos electronicly then you will have to buy a new trans. If you buy a good one now, you can spend the money later on extra recievers for it and have multiple flight packs and save a bunch. It isn't a big deal, but is cheaper in the long run to get a good one. 4 channels really limits you. You are better off with a better radio if you are planning on sticking with the hobby. If it is purely get the cheapest thing you can in the air and then quit when you crash it, get the 4 ch, but then the resale value on the computer radio will be higher too so that still might be a better option.

4 or 5
 

Some manufacturers don't leave an extra space on the receiver board for the battery connector, so if you get a 4 channel receiver and want to control a 4 channel trainer you will need to use a "Y" extension. That effectively adds another $5 to $10 to the cost of the receiver.