I use many types of transmitter, from my basic Futaba Challenger which I use on almost all first flights because it is so easy to trim and reverse servos. Once the plane is trimmed out, I may cahnge to a Futaba FF7, or a HiTec Flash 5 or now to a Futaba 6AX. They all give plenty of range. Providing the receiver has a matching crystal to my transmitter, many types of receiver work well. I think a lot of nonsence is talked about one must use the same transmitter make as the receiver. The same with servo's. I use any servo. Sometimes I have to swap plug wiring, but in the last few years, they are almost all the same. I find the latest electronic trims difficult unless the plane is set up almost perfect before the first ever flight. Manual trims can be rapidly pushed fully one way or the other if the plane is climbing, diving or rolling. Much easier than bleep, bleep of the electronic trims. Nothing worse than finding the thing climbing like a rocket and having to hold down on the stick, while one bleeps the trim, not knowing where the thing has got to. The other problem I have with computer transmitters is the model selection number. Too many times I have taken off, only to find that I selected the wrong one and the ailerons are reversed. Usually a rolling crash! Now I try and set all my planes on the simple Futaba Challenger, with all the servo directions the same. Just swap the pushrod to the other side, dont switch it on the transmitter. That way I never get the directions wrong. I know some flyers will think me an idiot for not checking before flight, but at 70, one can have a Senior Moment! Better safe than sorry.

Engineman UK