Last year I had the honor of being one of the first people to try out Futaba's first full-range 2.4GHz system, the 6EX. While I was very impressed with the technology, it was hard to get excited about it. In retrospect, I owe this to the fact that it was winter here in Minnesota and I test-flew the system alone at my field (Not many fliers out during the winters here). It worked, and it worked well, but isn't that what you would expect a radio to do?
But once summer arrived, the benefit of Futaba's FASST (Futaba Advanced Spread Spectrum Technology) system became more and more apparent every day.
My Club is very small. We rarely have more than 3 or 4 fliers at the field at any one time, so we use the "Hey Bill, what channel are you on?" method of frequency control. The only problem with this is that I have gotten lax in my procedures and when I visit another field, I have to make a very conscious effort to pay attention to "who's got the pin".
Another dilemma I often face is that doing product reviews, I often need to fly a park flier, or seaplane. There is a park just down the road from my house, which is about 3 miles from the field, and there is a lake only about 2 miles from the field. So I am often afraid of the possibility of interference. I have even stopped by my field and put a note on the gate saying, "Hey guys, I'm at Robbin's Island flying a seaplane on Channel 49" just to play it safe.
But since using the 2.4GHz FASST system, I have no more worries. I can fly as a guest at any field, or turn on my radio at the park down the street without having to worry about "shooting someone down"!
Without a doubt, the new Spread Spectrum technology is one of the best things to hit this sport since proportional radios.
Since the advent of 2.4GHz systems, there has been a wave of new products coming to the market. Futaba's newest offering is their 10C radio. The 10C has most of the features you'd find on transmitters costing thousands of dollars, yet it sells for a very respectable $599.97. It is a modular system, but due to its totally digital data stream, there is no response lag. This, along with the myriad features adds up to a very impressive package!
10C System Overview:
Big, 160 x 72 LCD with backlighting, adjustable contrast & auto-off
Dial n Key programming w/joystick navigation
15-Model memory (expandable w/optional CamPACs)
10-character user name
10-character model name
2048 resolution in FASST 10-channel mode
Basic & Advanced menus
Enhanced airplane, heli & glider software
Smart Switch Technology (SST) Logic Switches allow you to activate a function when specified switch and/or stick positions occur
Up/down on/off timer (activate by stick or switch)
9 Factory-Defined Mixes: Elevator-Flap; Ailvator (for dual elevator servos); Throttle-Needle; Aileron Differential; Flaperon; V-Tail; Elevon; Snap Roll; and Air Brake w/elevator delay
Dual/Triple rates (4 ch.)
Exponential (4 ch.)
Idle down
Throttle cut
Throttle delay
Throttle Hold & Idle-up w/delay Plus
2 independent gyro settings
7-point throttle curve
Flap trim
Advanced Heli Menu
The 10C accepts separate gyro sensitivity, governor speed and servo travel rates for up to 4 flight modes and automatically changes all three when the flight mode changes.
At first glance, the overall look is impressive - Lots of switches and knobs and a very large LCD panel at the bottom. The next thing that struck me was the weight. At 2.2lbs (1kg) it weighs as much as the 9C. It's not "heavy", but it feels noticeably heavier than any of my 6-channel transmitters, but I guess that's to be expected.
At the rear is the removable frequency module, which in this case has a 2.4GHz antenna attached. There are two tabs that protect the antenna should it be laid on its back (or worse yet, fall over). You can also get a 72MHz module and use the built-in antenna.
The 10C features eight switches (four per side), two sliders (one per side) and three center knobs, all of which are fully programmable. Several of them are 3-postion switches, which can be used for (among other things) double dual rates. The center section also has a port for the optional CamPAC Module with which you can store or transfer data from other transmitters.
The 10C"A" can be used for either fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters or sailplanes. The 10C"H" (Heli version) has a slightly different switch configuration and non-ratcheting throttle stick (which can be disabled on the 10CA), but both models have all of the same programming features.
The lower half of the transmitter is the "Data Center". Two buttons on the left, "Mode" and "End" are used to turn the programming functions on and off and switch between screens. The large LCD in the center displays all of the info, including the model name which can be up to ten characters (No more names like "SKBT" for "Skybolt").
But it's the right side that really impressed me. There is a joystick, and a rotating dial with a "PUSH" button in the center. The joystick is used for moving the cursor around the screen, the dial changes numbers or flips between options, and the button is used to confirm selections. These three features combined make programming much easier than on any other radio I own.
RECEIVER
The R6014FS receiver is the first 2.4GHz receiver that is able to utilize all 14 channels. Like the 72MHz version, the R6014FS retains 3 2048 resolution and Futaba Real Time Response.
The receiver that comes with the 10C is already linked to the transmitter, but if you purchase one separately, linking is a simple matter of turning on the Tx, then powering up the Rx and pressing the "Easy Link" button (Which is protected under the casing to prevent accidental activation).
And in case you're new to Futaba's 2.4GHz "FASST" systems, the two short antennas get mounted at 90-degree angles to each other. My favorite way to do this is to glue two pieces of thin tubing to the inside of the plane or on the radio tray, slide the antennas into them and secure them with masking tape (Inner pushrod tubes work well for this).
MANUAL
When I first saw the manual, I chuckled out loud at how thick it was. Then the realization set in that I was going to have to READ all of that! But later, as I skimmed through it in my private reading room, I realized that most of the manual pertained to programming that I would either never need or use rarely enough that I can put the manual away and only take it out on occasion for a reference.
With that in mind, and having briefly examined the programming procedure, I decided it was time to start playing with the 10C.
Back in my workshop, I realized that I had left the manual in the "reading room", so I decided to have a go at it "solo", so to speak. I remembered reading that to switch to the programming functions you hold the "MODE" button for 1 second. Doing so switched the LCD to the programming mode, so I started playing with the little joystick on the right-hand side of the screen.
"This is great", I thought. You can easily move the selection to any part of the screen by moving the joystick up, down, left or right. No more having to blip a button and wait to scroll completely down one column before the cursor moves to the top of the next column, and if you go past it, you can just move the joystick back.
Pressing the MODE button again, selects the desired item, and turning the selection wheel below the joystick changes the parameters. I love the simplicity! Making program changes actually makes sense (Unlike many radios, VCR's and even my digital watch)!
To date, I have tried a variety of mixes, switching functions, etc. and I can't think of anything I'm not able to do with the 10C. The programming features and functions are far too numerous to go into, but if you download the manual you will be able to see what I mean.
Some people are under the false impression that systems with removable modules are slower than systems that have the module built in. In reality, the thing that causes some 2.4GHz systems to lag is when they create analog signals, which then must be converted to a digital signal. Converting the signal takes processor time, which results in the lag between input and servo response.
The 10C is a fully digital data stream from start to finish, so there is no lag whatsoever and signal response is virtually instantaneous.
I decided to try it out on my old standby - my Great Planes Skybolt. I chose the Skybolt for several reasons. First, it's a very agile airplane that I can really put through its paces, and second, of all the planes in my hangar it's the one I am most familiar with, so if there were any differences, I'd feel it immediately.
I set all of the parameters (Throws, Expo, etc.) to match the T6XA (72MHz) I had been flying it with. Something worth noting here is that if you have a Futaba 9C transmitter, all aircraft data can be instantly transferred with the optional CamPAC Module.
When I got to the field, I was distracted by the arrival of an old friend. We chatted for a while and he was really interested in how the Skybolt flew. So I cranked her up and took off. I put the plane through its paces and brought her in for a landing. As I returned to the pits, someone asked, "So, how do you like the radio?" It was then that it hit me: I was showing off my Skybolt and had completely forgotten that I was there to try out the radio!
"Well, I sure didn't notice anything different!" was my reply. I think that was a testament to its quick response right there. But just for the sake of arguing, I took her up again, but this time I paid attention to the radio. There is virtually no lag whatsoever. The 10C responds as quickly as any radio I have ever used.
Where I work we have an expression, "New technology is great - When it works" meaning that often it doesn't. So how can we trust this "New Technology"? Truthfully, this technology is not new. Futaba has been using it for almost 15 years in their industrial radio control.
Industrial radio control, you ask? That's right. We know Futaba as one of the leading radio control manufacturers of model aircraft systems, but Futaba is also a huge name in factory automation, industrial RC, electronic displays and more, and has been since 1948. So it's no wonder they have finally brought their 2.4GHz technology to their hobby RC line in a system they call "FASST" (Futaba Advanced Spread Spectrum Technology).
With their extensive background in 2.4Gig systems, here are some of the things Futaba's 2.4GHz FASST systems bring to the party:
Continuous Channel Shifting.
While other 2.4GHz radios lock onto one or two frequencies, the FASST system shifts frequencies hundreds of times per second, so interference is virtually impossible.
Pre-Vision.
This sophisticated technology looks ahead for potential problems when scanning incoming data and applies error correction - resulting in a solid, impenetrable connection between you and your model.
Dual Antenna Diversity.
By seamlessly selecting the best reception between two receiver antennas, the FASST system lets you fly with no fear of loss of signal, regardless of your aircraft's attitude.
Easy Link.
The transmitter comes with a unique, permanent ID code that is preset at the factory. Pushing the Easy Link button locks the receiver to your transmitter using that code. It's the only code that it will recognize - and with over 134 million possible codes, there's no chance of a signal conflict.
For more info on the Futaba 2.4GHz system including an FAQ, Click Here.
NO MORE PIN
Now it's easy to see why not needing a frequency pin can come in handy if you're in a large club, or go to a lot of contests, but what about people like me who live in rural areas?
To answer that, just look at how this hobby has exploded in the last few years. I can't tell you how many times I have told people to seek out their local club instead of going to their local school yard or park and got the response, "I don't like clubs" or, "But the nearest club is 5 miles away and the park is just down the street".
In fact, a friend recently asked me to recommend a slow-flier that she and her co-workers could give to their boss. They gave the plane to him, and told him that I recommended he come to our field to fly it - and he did - once. I ran into him a few months later and asked if he gave up on it. His reply was, "No, I fly it all the time in my backyard". Now I know for a fact that this guy doesn't live all too far from our field. Not to mention the fact that our field is on our local High School's property. So how long will it be before someone takes their new "toy" out to the school yard to fly it?
The bottom line here is - This hobby won't be getting smaller anytime in the near future and we need to start seriously considering the increasing chance of interference on the 72MHz bands. The 2.4GHz technology looks like the wave of the future.
And the future is looking good!
Futaba's new 10C raises the bar for Pro-Level radios - and to pack all of these features into a package that sells for under $600 is nothing short of miraculous! Whether you fly Airplanes, Helicopters or Gliders, it has enough functions to do any type of flying you can think of, yet it's easy to understand, easy to program, and totally reliable, AND it has most of the features and functions of radios costing two, three and four times as much.
So if you're thinking of moving up to a Pro-Level radio, look no further. The 10C has everything you need at a price that's almost too good to be true!
Distributed
by:
Great Planes Model Distributors
P.O. Box 9021; Champaign, IL 61826-9021
Website: www.futaba-rc.com
Thanks for your review. I see no reason to update from My 9FF with spectrum 2.4 GH module unless I can use the 14 channel receiver to its maximum. That is to say to plug servos in channel 11 to 14 and slave them to the first 8 channels. THIS WILL ALLOW ME TO USE TWO SERVOS PER CHANNELS ON MY JETS.
MJ Namih UK
The comments, observations and conclusions made in this review are solely with respect to the particular item the editor reviewed and may not apply generally to similar products by the manufacturer. We cannot be responsible for any manufacturer defects in workmanship or other deficiencies in products like the one featured in the review.
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