Welcome back.

RC Transmitters are a hobby within the hobby for me and I own several different brands.

All the advice you have received here so far is good. I will just add my 2 cents worth.

Spektrum, JR and Futaba have all performed equally well for me, I spent over 2 years flying on average 350-400 flights a month and have over 10,000 flights with 2.4 GHz radios and they have been flawless.

The DX6i is a very good entry level radio, it is easy to program and has a very intuitive menu system.

It depends on your budget, I don't have experience with Hitec or Tactic but have always heard good things about them.

But I can give you a comparison of the radios I have experience with.

At the lower end, you have the Spektrum DX6i and the Futaba 6EX - I have 2 x DX6is and also had 3 x 6EXs (which have now been given away to other modellers)

The Futaba 6EX's were perfectly reliable but due to a very small screen are not as easy to program as the Spektrum DX6i

The other advantage (for me at least) is that Spektrum is compatible with a huge range of Bind and Fly aircraft and helicopters.

Moving up the budget scale..

The Spektrum DX7S and the Futaba 7C:

Again, my 7C has been flawless but the DX7S is the hands down winner between these two for ergonomics, features, display and ease of programmability (it also has ball bearing gimbals which are smoother to fly with)

The next level is a Spektrum DX8 and a Futaba 8FG - both of these radios are superb. Basically on par for ergonomics, both have Bearing Gimbals and backlit screens and the 8FG screen is far superior to the Futaba 7C and 6EX as is the programmability

Moving up from there, you have radios like the JR9503, JR 11X and Futaba 14 SG, more channels, more flexibility in programming.

It really boils down to two things.

1. Your budget
2. How far you expect to go in this hobby.

I have dozens of Helicopters, over 30 fixed wing aircraft and lots of different BNF ultra micro aircraft and helis. (about 25 of them)

In truth, the DX6i is capable of operating everything I own, (though it only has 10 model memories)

The more expensive radios have more - up to 50 in the 9503.

I don't need the features of the more expensive radios but I like how they look and feel. I also set up my Heli radios to feel different to the fixed wing radios which is why I have two of each (I use much lighter spring tension in the Heli radios)

The DX6I is great bang for buck, however if you can stretch another $100, get the Spektrum DX7S, also great value and a super radio.

Anyway, I hope that helps, perhaps others can share their experience with Hitec and Tactic..

Here are a few videos of my radios taken over the years for comparison.. so you get an idea what I was talking about..

Vid 1 - the Futaba 6EX, 7C and 8FG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNNljwYrmLo Vid 2 the Spektrum DX8 and Futaba 8FG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBGEDBL5JXQ Vid 3 Spektrum DX8. Futaba 8FG and JR 11X

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IEIpitzMdk Vid 4 - a Spektrum DX6i - if you go with Spektrum, this shows you how to bind a receiver and set fail safe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH-EiOGBb9c And the picture is of the radios I use regularly, (minus a recently purchased JR 9503), and my old Kraft radio from 1980 which still works after 33 years.