ORIGINAL: Rick Lindsey
Alas, my radio doesn't look like that. It says "Attack" on the front, and the box says it's an FP-4NBL (I just now unpacked the radio from the box I took it home from my folk's house in). As I suspected, there is no buddy port
. I've thought about finding a cheap FM receiver on my instructor's channel, so we could use his radio (if he doesn't mind) and then switch it back for my AM receiver once I've "cut the cord" so to speak
Rick, those radios were built many many years ago. I am not 100% but am pretty sure it is built in the early 80s and is not legal to fly. It is of the era that if it is legal to use, it will have a gold sticker on the back of the transmitter. If it doesn't have it, don't use it. Personally, if you want to fly RC, I would seriously look at getting a new radio. I personally wouldn't trust one that is 20+ years old and been sitting for that long. You are way ahead to get one that you can trust not to fail, and batteries on an older radio are almost the price of a new radio and flight pack.
As for the no buddy box training method, I have done it, seen it done and much prefer a buddy cord. It will teach you a lot more, a heck of a lot faster because you can learn lower so you can see the plane, and you can learn stuff in the traffic pattern without worry of the instructor not grabbing the radio quick enough. I have had more students turn away from me when I go to grab it. I won't even teach that way any more. I realize you can get by with the old attack four channels, but you would be way ahead to get an up to date radio and servos and leave the old stuff sit where it can't hurt anyone if it quits.
Just my 2 cents.