ORIGINAL: dash008
The new T6J looks like a nice radio and I agree it has a lot of nice features... The 15 model memory for one. But I would not get it for one reason: It is S-FHSS. So whenever you decide to upgrade to a better Futaba radio (FASST), it won't work with any of your current receivers.
I have a 6EX, 72 MHz version, and I like it. I also have a Hitec Optic 6 (not sport) and I think it is a nicer, better made, radio than the 6ex, and it has more features and a bigger battery. The 7C is also a nice radio. I deliberated for a long time over those two before finally deciding on the Optic 6.
Spectrum DX7 is also a very nice radio. You almost can't go wrong with the major brand radios. They are all very nice, good quality radios. Airtronics are probably good too although I have no experience with them. I would not mess with the really cheap Chinese models though... You get what you pay for.
I've been fly Airtronics 2.4Ghz FHSS for the last three seasons. It's been absolutely wonderful, and the new SD-6g radio system is a really, solid contender for a 6-channel air/heli computer radio. The original poster didn't mention Airtronics, however, so I simply mentioned a new Futaba product.
The original poster has been flying Futaba and has been happy with Futaba, but wants something on the lower end of the price scale. He says he's been looking at the 6EX FASST radio system, and I wanted to make sure he understood that Futaba was about to release an even less expensive radio system that had the features for which he was looking.
FASST might be a nice marketing term, but based on all of Futaba's new product offerings, I'm not sure that FASST will be their primary 2.4Ghz offering much longer. Various new S-Bus and High Speed Mode receiver offerings keep popping up for higher end installations, and non-FASST FHSS offerings keep shoring up Futaba's value segment offerings.
If you want Futaba quality but you don't want to break the bank, The 4YF 2.4Ghz and the T6J 2.4Ghz radios look really attractive. Consider the Futaba R2006GS receiver that comes with the T6J radio system:
"R2006GS high-voltage (4.8 - 7.4V) 6-channel receiver with Easy-Link circuitry, frequency hopping, spread spectrum design and Dual Antenna Diversity"
That's a full range $44.99 retail Futaba receiver.
If I owned a Futaba FASST radio platform, I'd be miffed that I have to pay double that for FASST-compatible full range receiver.
Dividing their product offerings into FHSS and FASST segments seems an odd choice to me. That seems to be the course that Futaba has chosen to follow, however.
The original poster wants an inexpensive Futaba radio system that is 2.4Ghz and can handle helicopters or airplanes. The new T6J fits the bill nicely, and additional 6-channel full range receivers are less than $45 each. If he knew that he wanted to move up to the 8FG Super next year, then that ought to factor into his choice. Who knows which modulation system Futaba will be featuring next year, though?
Frankly, I would expect to see more of the Futaba guys picking up 6J radio systems so they can fly Futaba FHSS/S-FHSS on their everyday trainers, sport planes, and foamies while reserving their expensive FASST receivers and FASST transmitters for competition planes or special projects.
The Futaba 6J is the smart pick based on what the original poster asked for, and it's probably a good addition to the transmitter case for any Futaba pilots who don't want to pay $90 or $130 for a receiver to put in their Avistar trainer or Escapade 40 ARF. It's not an accident that Hobby King is frequently sold out of their $29.99 FASST-compatible 8-channel full range receivers.