The Eclipse 7 is actually quite a nice radio. It's not very expensive, you can get it for about $200 with the Spectra module (radio only though), but I still remember seeing this thing when a guy with no heli experience brought in a T-Rex that he had helihobby build for him and he ordered that radio. I looked at the darn thing and my brain farted. There's so many switches and buttons and doomaflatchers...I took a look at his manual to at least TRY to get to CCPM mixing and get his radio partially set up. No luck...there wasn't even a spot in the manual that described how to use the Spectra to dial in the proper channel!

Needless to say, there is a learning curve with that radio. It looks like a very capable TX, but I don't see why Hitec has to make it SO COMPLICATED. My JR6102 is such a breeze to use...it has like 2 features less than the Eclipse but it's worlds easier to use.....

But anyways, if you DO want to get a Blade and you don't want to have to deal with going separates (new receiver, gyro, speed controls) to use an after-market TX, then the Hitec/Futaba radios seem like your best bet. Since the receiver there is negative shift, a JR or Airtronics radio will not work using the stock 4-in-1 control unit.