yellowMike

Which RC Radio do you use for your airplanes?

AB Bob

My Feedback: (20)

None of the above....Airtronics.

Irish R.Seer

My Feedback: (1)

JR and Spectrum

collector1231

My Feedback: (1)

Spectrum all the way!!

Wayne Miller

The Aurora 9 for me, it is a very flexible radio and with free web updates for receiver, transmitter and RF Module it is always up to date and always has the latest features.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

Most used RC radio airplane? and Which RC radio do you use for your airplane? are two very different questions.

If you want to know what systems I use and teach with it is Hitec.

If you want to know the popularity of radios brands at our field. Futaba is first and Hitec is second. The other brands are very few.

John

carrellh

Futaba transmitters (6XAS & 9C)
Hitec receivers

What is the reason for the question?

Walt Thyng

My Feedback: (9)

Polk TIII

RZielin

My Feedback: (1)

Make that two in a row for Polk Tracker III. Bet these are the ONLY two votes.

yellowMike

Thanks for your votes!

I am building a case to for an RC student project at my university our sponsors want to know the most popular parts/brands. Their thinking is that the most popular ones will have the most support.


Thanks again!

jester_s1

Pick any of the big 4- Spektrum/JR, Futaba, Airtronics, Hitec and there will be plenty of support. Actual sales figures are likely in that order, but it really doesn't matter for what you're talking about.

tc-62

Use to be a big airtronics fan ona counta my trainer. However after dealing with there customer serv., not so much. After asking around , decided to give Spektrum a try. Well it wasn't about six mounths and the Spectumselev. pot. went out .I contacted them and they took care of everthing. I can't say enough about their customer serv. I know that on these forums a person can't be shure who their talking to , I assurre you that I have no dealings with Spekrum other than my purchase.

Jim Schwagle

My Feedback: (1)

Futaba 12FGH and 9CH (Use them for planes, I like the not ratcheting throttle I have used, in the past, Airtronics RDS8000, Hitec Eclipse 7, Spectrum Module for 9C and Xtreme Module for 9C, but in the end, I've stuck with all Futaba gear.)

Scar

My Feedback: (3)

Nope. I fly with Polk's Tracker III. (two of 'em!)

Dave Olson

fgdsfg

i used to see Futaba .while now can use the phone to Controll  the RC Helicopter ,isn't ? i am a beginner and if i say some fool words or question, forgive me ~~

jester_s1

Spektrum is by far the best seller in the hobby right now, probably due more than anything else to the bind and fly market.

jackeylewis

I often choose the Spectrum and  HiTec.

Willie222

Futaba-Never missed a signal on 6meter's and 2.4

Jack Joy

I think this isssue benifits me very much.

Jack Joy

I think I benifit a lot from this topic,thank you very much,I bought my favourite hc helicopter recently.

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

Just remember that Airtronics is the first name in aircraft radios... if you happen to sort all of the choices alphabetically... and you don't go by the parent brand name of Sanwa...

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

My first radio, after the 27 MHz RTFs, was a Hitec Prism 7X that I purchased used in 2003. It worked fine, but I needed more mixing for sailplanes.

I purchased a Futaba 9C in 2004, then a second as a back-up in 2005 when I started flying more contests. I sold the 9Cs and upgraded to Futaba 9C Supers as my main radios in 2007. Very happy with them and have no plans to replace. If I did replace them I would probably got to the Futaba 14SG.

I have taken the 9C Supers from 72 MHz to Spektrum 2.4 DSM2 via module so I can continue to fly 72 MHz as I move to 2.4 GHz.
When I decided to go to the NATs I felt that DSM2 was not going to be good enough with the potential of 100 pilots in the events I was going to fly. I moved over to Futaba FASST via Futaba FASST modules, keeping the DSM2 module for BnFs. If DSMX module had been available I might have stayed with Spektrum.

Each 9C Super has gone in for service once, due to my abuse or careless treatment. One definitely did not like being dropped down the basement stairs. Service was great and very reasonable in price.

I have been using Futaba R617S 7 channel receivers (4). Bullet proof in 3.4 M carbon/Kevlar fuselage contest sailplanes that are flown very high and very far out. They range checked fine from inside the fuselage with no issues. Three are totally intennal and one is set-up with "cat wishers".

Based on excellent reports I just added two FrSky FASST receivers and have an Orange FASST to try. One of the FrSky just went into another high end contest glider. I decided to do cat wishers on this one for the antennas. The other Frsky and the Orange have not found homes yet but since they are 1/3 the price of the Futaba receivers I can start to migrate my 2.4 receivers to my smaller, less costly planes/gliders. Slowly but surely the 72 MHz stuff is coming out and being sold off or given away.


Happy Futaba customer and expecting to be a happy FrSky customer as I have so many friends using FrSky with great results. Don't know about Orange yet.

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

I did a similar survey on RCG - 350+ responses. This was specifically for sailplanes. You may find it interesting
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1732320

Futaba #1, JR #2, Airtronics #3, Hitec #4 and Spektrum #5. Note this was for a very specific type of aircraft.

Rob2160

I currently use JR, Futaba and Spektrum (have also used Hitec in the 90's on 36 Mhz)

All are equally reliable from my own experience - I have never experienced a single issue in many thousands of flights over several years on 2.4 GHz.

My most frequently used Transmitter is the Spektrum DX7S. All 20 model memories are full. (Only because I travel a lot for work and spend weeks in hotels in different countries. The DX7S is my travel radio along with a few small electric Helis. )

All the brands you listed will have good support. I have only needed support for one Spektrum Transmitter (a DX8 - gimbal recall) and it was repaired quickly and free of charge.

yellowMike, can you elaborate on the student project? with more info we may be able to fine tune the advice.

I currently have over 60 planes and Helicopters and enjoy flying with all my radios. For me the DX8 and 7S are the most comfortable to fly with, though the JR9303 and DSX9 run a close second.

In similar price brackets most of the brands will have the same level of features and programmability but some are more intuitive than others. (Like Apple vs Android it comes down to personal preference in the end)

ma_mulcahy

Can you add in Tactic?